Meet David Garcia Gonzalez

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful David Garcia Gonzalez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with David below.

David, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build when you realise there’s no other option but to keep going. For me, it’s been a mix of survival instinct, sheer stubbornness, and a few moments of pure improvisation—kind of like running a business on a tightrope while juggling flaming torches.

Looking back, I think my resilience started early. I grew up in Gijón, a small town in northern Spain, surrounded by hardworking people who just got on with things. No overthinking, no endless debating—if something needed doing, you did it. That mindset stuck with me. But resilience really became part of my DNA when I moved to London, a city that welcomes you with open arms… and then smacks you over the head with sky-high rent, cultural differences, and the realisation that nobody actually speaks the version of English you learned in school.

My first real test came when I started GoLocalise, a company that helps businesses reach global audiences through translation, voice-over, and subtitling services. Running a business is the fastest way to find out how much resilience you actually have. The early days were brutal—I was working 12 to 16-hour days, doing everything myself, from client management to fixing the office printer that had a personal vendetta against me. There were months when I wasn’t sure how I’d make payroll, let alone grow the company. But giving up? Not an option.

Then came 2014, when I experienced what I call the “50% disaster.” Almost overnight, we lost half our revenue when a major client’s contract ended. One minute, we were on solid ground, and the next, I was watching money disappear faster than a magician’s rabbit. I could have panicked (and, to be fair, I did—for about 24 hours), but I knew that wallowing wouldn’t fix the situation. Instead, I took out a personal loan, reworked our entire sales strategy, and reinvented the business from the ground up. That experience taught me that resilience isn’t just about surviving tough times—it’s about using them as a launchpad.

Fast forward to the COVID-19 pandemic, and resilience was the only thing keeping GoLocalise afloat. Production ground to a halt, and our work pipeline dried up overnight. I was managing everything from my London apartment, completely isolated, while my partner and dog were thousands of miles away in the U.S.. It felt like running a marathon with no finish line in sight.

But instead of waiting for things to get better, my team and I got creative. We helped clients repurpose content, experimented with new services, and stayed connected with customers—even when they had no budgets to spend. Every small win was a reminder that resilience isn’t just about bouncing back—it’s about adapting, evolving, and staying resourceful when everything feels uncertain.

Looking back, I’ve realised that resilience isn’t about being fearless. It’s about being terrified, doubting yourself, and doing it anyway. It’s about knowing that failures, setbacks, and unexpected challenges will come—but so will solutions, opportunities, and, if all else fails, a good bottle of wine to get you through.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m the founder of GoLocalise, a London-based localisation agency that helps brands make their content truly global. Whether it’s voice-over, subtitling, or translation, we take stories and messages and ensure they resonate with audiences in over 100 languages. If you’ve ever watched a video, an eLearning course, or a marketing campaign in another language and it felt completely natural, chances are, a company like ours was behind the scenes making it happen.

I’ve always been fascinated by language—how it connects people, shapes stories, and makes the world feel a little smaller. That’s what excites me most about what we do at GoLocalise. It’s not just about translating words—it’s about capturing tone, humour, and cultural nuances so that content feels authentic and local. Whether we’re helping a global brand expand into a new market or making educational material accessible to more people, it’s rewarding to know that our work has a real impact.

GoLocalise started as a one-man operation in my London flat. Today, we have our own studios, an incredible team, and a worldwide network of top voice-over artists and translators. But despite our growth, one thing has never changed—our obsession with quality and cultural authenticity.

Beyond running GoLocalise, I’ve also shared my journey in my book, “Chancing Your Arm”, which is part business guide, part personal memoir. It’s not just about building a company from scratch—it’s about taking risks, making mistakes, and figuring things out along the way. I take readers from my childhood in Gijón, Spain, where I first fell in love with language, to navigating the highs and lows of running a business in London.

When the book launched, I was blown away by the response—it hit #1 on Amazon in the UK, USA, Spain, and several European countries in the Entrepreneurship category during its first week. That was a surreal moment, not because of the ranking itself, but because it meant that the story resonated with people—people who had been on similar journeys or were about to take their first leap into business.

Looking ahead, we’re actively expanding our accessibility services, ensuring content is more inclusive for everyone, while also looking into AI voice technology with a careful, considered approach. We know that nothing can replace the skill, emotion, and authenticity of a professional voice-over artist, and we remain committed to the human element of what we do. But we also recognise that technology is evolving, and we want to be part of the conversation in a way that benefits both our clients and the talented professionals we work with.

At the end of the day, my work is about helping people communicate, connect, and break down barriers. Whether it’s through GoLocalise or sharing my story in “Chancing Your Arm”, I love finding ways to inspire, inform, and support others on their own journeys. If that sounds like something you’re into, let’s connect—I’m always up for a great conversation about language, business, and taking chances.

At the end of the day, my work is about helping people communicate, connect, and break down barriers. Whether it’s through GoLocalise or sharing my story in “Chancing Your Arm”, I love finding ways to inspire, inform, and support others on their own journeys. If that sounds like something you’re into, let’s connect—I’m always up for a great conversation about language, business, and taking chances.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

If I had to distil everything I’ve learned as an entrepreneur into three essential skills, they would be adaptability, relationship-building, and a relentless focus on quality. Mastering these has been the difference between barely surviving and thriving. Here’s why they matter—and how you can develop them, too.

1. Adaptability: If You Don’t Evolve, You Get Left Behind

Business is unpredictable. You can have the best plan in the world, but reality will always throw curveballs. The key to survival? Adapt before you’re forced to.

I learned this the hard way when one of our biggest clients—who made up nearly 50% of our revenue—vanished overnight. No warning, no time to prepare. One day, we were growing steadily. The next, I was staring at a financial black hole. It was a brutal wake-up call.

I had two choices: panic or pivot.

So, I got to work. Instead of scrambling to replace that one client, I built a diversified sales pipeline that ensured no single client would ever hold that much power over us again. I stopped relying on inbound enquiries and put my entire team on proactive outreach. It was uncomfortable, it was messy—but it worked. Within a year, we had 25 strong clients instead of just four, making GoLocalise far more stable and resilient.

Lesson learned? If something in your business relies too much on one source—one client, one strategy, one revenue stream—it’s a ticking time bomb. Identify your vulnerabilities before they identify you.

2. Relationships: The Best Deals Don’t Happen in a Boardroom

Here’s a secret: people don’t buy from businesses. They buy from people. Relationships are the lifeblood of success, and I don’t mean just shaking hands at networking events—I mean real connections built on trust, generosity, and authenticity.

One of my biggest clients didn’t come from a sales pitch. It started over a casual coffee.

Years ago, I met someone at an industry event. We didn’t talk business at all. We bonded over travel, food, and a shared love for languages. Over the years, we stayed in touch, catching up now and then, but I never once tried to sell them anything.

Then, one day, out of the blue, they messaged me:

“Hey, my company is looking for a localisation partner. Would you be interested?”

That message led to one of GoLocalise’s most valuable long-term clients—not because I was selling, but because I was building relationships before I needed them.

The takeaway? Give first. Help people. Build trust. Business will follow.

3. Relentless Focus on Quality: The Difference Between “Good Enough” and Unforgettable

I’ve always believed that average work is forgettable, but excellence creates loyalty.

Early on, I made a rule: GoLocalise will never be the cheapest, but we will always be the best. Because in this industry, quality isn’t just a competitive edge—it’s the whole game.

A poorly translated tagline can kill a campaign. A robotic voice-over can ruin an entire production. Cultural nuance matters. Details matter.

I’ll never forget the time a new client came to us after working with another agency. After their first project with us, they said:

“We didn’t realise how bad our previous service was until we worked with you.”

That stuck with me. People don’t always recognise bad quality, but they can always feel the difference when they experience real excellence.

If you’re just starting out, never settle for “good enough.” Be obsessive about the details. Make sure every project, every client interaction, every final product is something you’re proud of. That’s what makes you stand out.

What This All Comes Down To

If I had to sum it up in one line, it would be this:

➡️ Stay adaptable, invest in relationships before you need them, and never compromise on quality.

Master these, and you won’t just survive—you’ll build something that lasts.

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

For years, I believed that success meant becoming as well-rounded as possible—shoring up my weaknesses, learning to master every skill I wasn’t naturally good at, and saying yes to every opportunity that came my way.

But over time, I realised something: trying to do everything is the fastest way to dilute your strengths.

In business, and in life, we’re taught that the best way to improve is to work on our weaknesses. But what if the opposite is true? What if doubling down on what you’re already great at is the real key to success?

I learned this lesson the hard way. When I first started GoLocalise, I thought I had to be involved in everything. From operations to sales, marketing to customer service, I believed that being “hands-on” in every aspect of the business was the only way to ensure quality.

But the reality? Trying to do everything made me less effective at the things I was actually brilliant at.

Saying No Is a Strength, Not a Weakness

One of the biggest wake-up calls came when I started protecting my time.

I used to take every call, respond to every request, and negotiate every deal as if each one was a life-or-death situation.

But then I realised:

➡️ Successful people don’t negotiate their worth. They set the terms, they build demand, and they focus on delivering the highest value where they shine.

When I stopped letting people haggle over my time and energy, everything changed. Instead of trying to please everyone, I focused on serving the right people—the ones who saw the real value in what we do at GoLocalise. That shift alone transformed not just my business, but my mindset.

Strengths Create Freedom

When you go all in on your strengths, you gain something invaluable: freedom.

You stop spending energy on things that drain you and instead create space for what you do best.

This also extends beyond business. Learning to say no, protecting your time, and structuring your life around your natural abilities isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity if you want to avoid burnout and keep growing.

That’s not to say you should ignore personal growth. But instead of wasting years forcing yourself to be good at things that don’t come naturally, surround yourself with people whose strengths complement yours.

That’s the difference between being stretched thin and being truly effective.

So, should you try to be well-rounded?

Maybe a little. But if you want to be truly great at something, go all in.

The real magic happens when you stop spreading yourself too thin and start owning what makes you exceptional.

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