ATC THRIVE 2025: Takeaways from Manchester’s Unconference

In October 2025, the ATC community came together at the iconic People’s History Museum in Manchester for ATC THRIVE 2025, a two-day unconference exploring how language service companies can grow through collaboration, technology, and genuine relationships. The theme? Building a sales-first mindset supported by marketing, technology, and teamwork to ensure language service companies are ready for whatever comes next.

Across panels, workshops, discussions, and the first-ever ATC Open Mic session, one message stood out loud and clear: growth happens when we put people and purpose at the heart of our sales strategies.

From Bernadette Byrne’s masterclass on building long-term client relationships to Richard Michie’s keynote on marketing strategy delivered with a pinch of Northern charm, via insightful panels and discussions, the sessions offered one clear takeaway: there are no silver bullets; growth is hard work, a shared mindset, and a genuinely human affair.

Setting Up for Success

Bernadette Byrne (Six Worldwide) kicked off with a masterclass on onboarding and expanding client accounts and building long-lasting relationships. Her advice was simple but powerful: a client-first approach is built around five core principles:

• Empathy and understanding: Truly understand your client’s needs, goals, and pain points
• Transparency and honesty: Be open about what your product or service can and cannot do
• Value creation: Focus on how you can add value to your client’s business, career, or life
• Trust building: Establish and maintain trust through consistent actions and communications
• Long-term focus: Prioritise long-term relationships over short-term gains

Fostering Growth Through Relationships

Bernie’s masterclass was followed by a panel discussion on client relationships, hosted by James Brown (Comtec Translations) with Gabriela Lemoine (Accentus Language Services) and Steve Higgins (TeachMe Series, formerly Mondia Technologies).

Their insight: winning new business is ten times harder than growing the accounts you already have. The key to fostering growth through building long-term relationships is listening deeply, showing empathy, and demonstrating consistent value. Regular reviews, co-created goals, and proactive communication were all cited as ways to turn good clients into advocates – and advocates into referrers.

The Case for MT and AI: Growth Through Technology

In a hands-on workshop, Ruth Partington (Empower Translate) and Steve Higgins explored how technology can support growth and retention. Instead of fearing the new AI-enabled business landscape, delegates were encouraged to define where technology adds measurable value. From AI-assisted captioning to workflow automation, MT and AI are helping companies deliver faster, more consistent results, and freeing people to focus on creativity, consulting and client care.

As one delegate put it: “AI doesn’t replace what we do, it magnifies what we do best.”

How Can Your PMs Aid Your Sales Efforts?

Project Managers were celebrated as unsung heroes of sales, in a lively panel hosted by Helen Provart (Peak Translations) with Sophie Howe (Comtec Translations), Roy Allkin (Wolfestone Group) and Raisa McNab (ATC).

The discussion explored how PMs, who are often clients’ closest daily contacts, can spot opportunities for growth. The panellists reframed ‘sales’ as consulting, caring, and listening for opportunities. With the right framework, PMs can contribute naturally to business development; not by cold selling, but by active support, sharing of expertise, and saying “yes” to new possibilities. The takeaways: a sales-first business includes everyone in the growth conversation, and appropriate rewards or remuneration are part of a sales-first culture that permeates the whole organisation.

Marketing and Lead Generation: No Silver Bullets, Just Strategy

The second day began with a dynamic keynote from Richard Michie, The Marketing Optimist. His open and honest message: there’s no silver bullet in marketing, only clarity, consistency, and care.

Michie urged LSCs to define exactly what problem they solve, who they solve it for, and how to reach those customers – and to consider what value they add. “You all have similar skills and technology,” he said. “The difference is your team.” Marketing, he reminded delegates, must be planned, budgeted (even if the currency is time), and measured continuously. “Be agile. Plan, plan, plan. Then measure, learn, and plan again.”

A follow-up panel on lead generation, moderated by Steve Higgins with Roy Allkin, James Halstead (Dals), Corinne Smith (International Translations Limited) and James Brown, explored what’s working now, and what’s not. Personal approach, clear positioning and consistent storytelling all emerged as the winning tactics for sustainable growth.

Social Media Still Matters

Rian Bailey-Weir (The Nice Exchange) closed the marketing strand with a session on social media strategy for LSCs. With 90% of B2B buyers researching suppliers on social platforms, he argued, building visibility and credibility online are no longer optional.

Rian’s three pillars of Visibility, Credibility and Conversion gave attendees a simple framework for planning content that actually leads to leads. The reminder: social media isn’t about shouting louder, but showing up with purpose, empathy and expertise.

The Takeaway: Growth Is Everyone’s Business

Our discussions at THRIVE 2025 proved that growth isn’t driven by any one strategy or department, it’s a shared culture. Whether you’re a PM, marketer or CEO, thriving in 2025 means focusing on building genuine relationships and a stellar reputation, and fostering long-term results.

As delegates looked ahead to the ATC’s 50th Anniversary Conference in Glasgow in 2026, one theme lingered in the air: we thrive together through people, purpose and partnership. And what could have been more apt as we celebrated the ATC Language Industry Awards and the innovation, resilience, and dedication of ATC member companies and the people behind them.

As our legacy to Manchester, we leave behind multilingual versions of the People’s History Museum’s visitor map, translated pro bono by ATC member companies The Translation People, thebigword, Peak Translations, and Avocate Legal and Business French Services – the first maps were flying off the shelves as we wrapped up THRIVE 2025!