Professional and financial services
Jean-Pierre Parenty Parenty Reitmeier Translation Services
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ean-Pierre Parenty says good morning 75 times in 20 different languages each and every day as he passes through the offices of Parenty-Reitmeier Translation Services in Winnipeg. This dedication to maintaining a family culture through tremendous growth is just one of the things that defines him as an entrepreneur. Now celebrating 20 years in business, Parenty says determination, confidence and a “let’s shoot the puck” attitude are what he believes has made his firm a global leader in the translation of owner and repair manuals for the mechanical field. Having launched his business with a single, $1,300 translation job for a friend, Parenty turned his bilingualism – and his natural leadership abilities – into a business that provides translation services in over 100 languages through 400 employee and contract translators globally. Of course, no entrepreneurial success story would be complete without a struggle or two. “I worked a number of jobs before becoming an entrepreneur and I always left by choice – their choice,” he laughs. Early on, Parenty was forced to claim bankruptcy due to poor bookkeeping. “It was a big lesson for me,” he says. “And it was one I learned from.” Today, Parenty is a fanatic about bookkeeping and accounting and can always tell you exactly what his company’s financial position is at any given time. And it’s a good position to be in. Parenty-Reitmeier experienced 34 per cent sales growth in 2012 and is targeting 20 per cent in 2013. He was able to grow his business significantly during the financial crisis as clients like Harley Davidson, Polaris and Honda expanded into new markets – and new languages. With a goal of doubling his business in the next five years, Parenty’s ambition is obvious – as is his dedication to his community. He has personally raised more than $500,000 for the St. Amant Foundation in Winnipeg as well as travelling to Rwanda to coach budding entrepreneurs.
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EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013