From Colombia to the World: Pas Gutiérrez on Breaking Language Barriers with Timekettle

For Colombian journalist and entrepreneur Pas Gutiérrez, language is an everyday part of her international work.

She works in international commercial intermediation and public relations, communicating with people from Korea, the United States, Africa, Portugal, and Brazil. She is also an ambassador and representative of 1º de Dezembro, a football club based in Sintra, Portugal.

Yet Pas does not speak all the languages required in her work.

Before using Timekettle, she often relied on her phone and Google Translate. Today, she uses the Timekettle W4 and has recently started using the New T1 handheld translator as well.

We spoke with Pas about her experience with language barriers, her journey from WT2 to W4, and what she hopes to see from Timekettle in the future.

A Career Built Across Language Barriers

Timekettle: Could you tell us a little about yourself and what you do?

Pas Gutiérrez: I am a journalist by profession, and I am also an entrepreneur working in international commercial intermediation and public relations.

In Colombia today, you need at least B1-level English to graduate professionally. When I graduated, English or any other foreign language was not required.

Despite not knowing English, I managed to become a commercial agent for the most important Korean company in South Asia in digital English education.

I am also an ambassador and representative of the 1º de Dezembro football club in Sintra, Portugal, despite not speaking Portuguese.

I am absolutely sure that if I had discovered Timekettle earlier, my performance would have been better.

Timekettle: Your work takes you across different countries and cultures. Who do you find yourself communicating with most often?

Pas Gutiérrez: My everyday translation needs are mainly related to online meetings.

I communicate most often with Koreans in English, Americans in English, Africans in French, and Portuguese and Brazilians in Portuguese.

When You Understand Only Part of the Conversation

Timekettle: With so many international conversations in your work, what was communication like before you started using a translation device?

Pas Gutiérrez: I had great difficulty communicating. In my work, it is necessary and mandatory to speak and understand English.

My solution was always my cellphone, normally using Google Translate.

One memorable real-life experience was communicating with the president of the football club in Portugal.

When we meet in person, we talk a lot. Although I understand part of the conversation, I am sure that I don't understand about 40% of it. And I think he doesn't understand everything either.

We fool ourselves into thinking that we understand each other.

Timekettle: Can you remember a situation when that language gap made a real difference?

Pas Gutiérrez: There are several problems.

Messages do not always arrive with the clarity with which they were expressed. Requests may not receive an answer. You may believe that you understood something when you actually did not.

Communication with Portugal has been very difficult for me until now.

I also experienced difficulties in the United States. Even in a city like Miami, where there are many Latino people, I had a lot of difficulty communicating in shopping centers.

Timekettle: You also tried the WT2 before the W4. What happened?

Pas Gutiérrez: I bought the WT2 for my first meeting with the president of the football club in Portugal.

When I told him that it was an incredible tool for us to communicate, he was not very receptive at first. However, he agreed to put on the earbuds. He did not feel comfortable wearing them, so he took them off and gave them back to me.

In the end, we didn't need to use the earbuds that day.

Portuguese people have the ability to understand Spanish more easily than we understand Portuguese. The president also works with Latin American players all the time, and they use a mixture of Portuguese and Spanish known as "Portuñol."

Unfortunately, the following day, during a sightseeing trip, I lost the WT2 and was unable to use it. That happened in 2024.

From W4 to New T1

Timekettle: When did you start using Timekettle again?

Pas Gutiérrez: In December 2025, I purchased the W4, and it is the one I use continuously.

I recently received the New T1 handheld translator as well, and I am beginning to use it more frequently.

Timekettle: When you first started using the W4, what stood out to you most?

Pas Gutiérrez: Without a doubt, real-time conversational translation and the availability of languages.

The W4 is exactly what I need: 2-way simultaneous translation.

The design is incredibly elegant. I don't know what the material is, but it feels strong and durable. The investment justifies the purchase.

The W4 earbuds work very well for person-to-person communication, with real-time translation. They are small and practical, and the battery works very well.

Timekettle: How would you describe your experience with the New T1?

Pas Gutiérrez: The New T1 is easy and practical. I am using it more and more, and it is beginning to replace the function of Google Lens on my phone in some situations.

What She Hopes to See From Timekettle

After sharing what has worked for her so far, Pas also had a few ideas about how Timekettle could make its products and user experience better.

Timekettle: Thanks for sharing your experience with us! Is there anything you would like Timekettle to improve or add in the future?

Pas Gutiérrez: I think all Timekettle earbuds should have a geolocation function.

My experience with the WT2 was very sad because I lost them without really using them. At that time, I thought I would be able to locate them through the app.

I also think the Timekettle app should be more interactive and offer much more than subtitles.

More interaction with users creates loyalty and commitment from both sides.

Timekettle: We really appreciate that perspective on making the app more interactive and building a stronger connection with users. Beyond that, is there another feature or improvement you would like to see from Timekettle?

Pas Gutiérrez: One of the functions I would like Timekettle to consider is a volume option.

Today, more and more young people have hearing loss because of the continuous use of devices. We also need to consider older adults who want to use Timekettle earbuds.

Retired people are an important market. They have money, time, and they travel. They may not speak the language, but hearing limitations can make communication even more difficult.

And in Colombia and Latin America, there are many people who I know would purchase Timekettle products.

I would encourage Timekettle to consider opening a store in our country!

Looking Forward to Communicating Beyond Colombia

Timekettle: Have you had the opportunity to use W4 abroad? 

Pas Gutiérrez: I purchased the W4 in December 2025, but this year I have not traveled outside Colombia.

So I haven't had the opportunity to use it abroad yet.

I sincerely hope to be able to communicate outside the country with my W4. That is why I didn't mention an overseas experience in my answers.

When I travel to South Korea, I am usually accompanied by someone who works as a translator. There is also a director at the company who speaks Spanish and acts as a bridge for communication.

I would really like to be able to communicate independently with my W4 when I travel.

More Than Translation

Thank you to Pas Gutiérrez for sharing her story and her perspective with us.

Throughout our conversation, one idea came through clearly: for Pas, translation is not simply about understanding words. It is about being able to communicate with people, build relationships, and take part in conversations that might otherwise feel out of reach.

That is also how she sees Timekettle.

“Timekettle does not sell translation earbuds. It offers the best real communication experience when you don't speak the language of the person you are communicating with.”

Her perspective is a meaningful reminder of why we build translation technology in the first place. The goal is not simply to translate one language into another, but to make real communication possible when language would otherwise stand in the way.

We’re grateful to Pas for sharing her experience, as well as the ideas she hopes to see from Timekettle in the future. Her story reminds us that behind every translation is a person trying to understand—and be understood.