In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ivan Smolnikov, the founder of Smartcat.

Smartcat’s mission is to make translations better for everyone. The platform connects linguists, companies, and language service providers (LSPs) across the globe to streamline the translation of any content into every language on demand.

As of September 2020, the platform has more than 350,000 freelancers in its marketplace and provides an “app store” that allows users to integrate their Smartcat account with third-party tools.

In our discussion, we went through how Ivan first started as an entrepreneur (after getting a degree in what might seem like a totally opposite-field - Physics), and how he managed to create a successful service-based marketplace despite the harsh challenges of the industry.

If you take time to watch, you will also learn about Vertical Market Networks, you’ll find out why many B2B service marketplaces fail, and what the future holds for these types of businesses, among other interesting things.

Main topics we discuss:
👉 What is Smartcat and how it revolutionized the translation industry
👉 How did Smartcat solve the chicken and egg problem that the marketplace faces
👉 What is a vertical market network and how is it different from a normal marketplace
👉 Why vertical market network is the future of service marketplaces
👉 How Smartcat provides 10x better services in benefits and cost for everyone using it

Time Stamps:
00:00 - Who Is Ivan Smolnikov And How Did He Get Into The Entrepreneurial Field
05:05 - What Is Smartcat And How Did The Idea Come Up
10:55 - Main Reason For Separation From Abbyy
19:45 - What A Vertical Market Network Is
24:48 - Why Many B2B Service Marketplaces Fail
26:13 - What Makes A Successful Service Marketplace
36:29 - What It Will Be The Future Of Service Marketplaces
42:44 - How Smartcat Maintain Freelancers Happy
47:48 - What Are The Next Exciting Steps In The Future Of Service Marketplaces
53:00 - Learn More About Ivan Smolnikov

Resources:
Ivan Smolnikov Linkedin:   / ivan-smolnikov  
Smartcat: https://www.smartcat.com/
Vertical Market Networks (Medium Article):   / the-next-service-marketplace-wave-vertical...  

I invite you to put some time aside to go through this interview and I would love to hear your thoughts on the topics we’ve discussed, so don’t shy away from commenting.

With best wishes,
Catalin Matei

#Smartcat #VerticalMarketNetworks