Tibor Lovas is a Product Designer from Slovakia. He has been working on the road for 5 years and says his favourite Outsite location is Oxford Santa Cruz - it was his first experience with the surfing startup community so will always be a special place for him.

Outsite: What kind of design do you work on?

Currently I am working with San Francisco based startup Partender, which is helping bars and restaurants to get their inventory done faster while avoiding losing money on spills and free drinks. It also provides lots of useful data about stock levels and helps them keep their shelves organized.

Tell us a little about your experience and what you stand for?

I believe technology should stand in favor of people, not against them.

I believe we should use our resources more wisely and focus on efficiency rather than greedily chasing money and power.

I believe we are all unique but also insignificant as individuals and that the ego is our enemy.

I believe all people are equal, regardless of race, gender, nationality or social title and they deserve to be treated equally. Without any exceptions!

What’s been your favorite project so far and why?

Recently I developed a passion for the healthcare industry and charity projects. At the end of last year I worked with a team from Columbia University on making blood tests more efficient. We created a functional prototype for a mobile app that connects to a tiny cube that tests a patient’s blood in 30 minutes - currently, it takes around 2 weeks to get results. Researching the stories of some of the people who rely on these tests for their treatment made me realize how lucky I am to live without any health limitations and gave me more compassion.

How do you stay creative? Any tips for other Outsite creatives?

For me it’s a healthy balance between work, physical activities and personal life. We all spend too much time sitting in front of the computer (developing a tech-neck) and we tend to forget that we were designed to move. Movement plays a significant role in my life since I know it keeps me healthy and makes me feel great. I really like all sports, but surfing has priority because I can’t do it anytime and anywhere and it helps me stay in shape. However I also love sweets and I’m not a fan of avocado - I hope that doesn’t make me too many enemies!

There was a time when I was seeking out particular environments. I was trying to find creativity on the secret rooftops of San Francisco or spending the entire day at Whole Foods or any organic supermarket with a coffee shop. At the end I realized creativity is first of all in you, not in your environment, no matter where you are. Creativity is also something you can practice every day by solving problems around you.

Now, instead of seeking creativity, I’m seeking environments that supply fundamental conditions for work, like Outsite! I need to have a good enough wifi (at least 4Mbps), power plugs and an optimal temperature.

Has working remotely changed your work in any way? If so, how?

Absolutely, yes - it changed everything, my thinking and my decision making. It gave me freedom and removed all the limits and bad habits I had developed. Along the way I’ve also found the projects and teams I enjoy working with.

When it comes to productivity, for me there’s no difference between being in a traditional office or sitting in a coffee shop. I can make a standup call from anywhere there’s great wifi and a quiet environment. What’s important for me is great communication, which is the foundation of an efficient workflow. Bad communication skills and a disorganized workflow won’t fly even if you sleep under your office desk. In my experience, remote teams are more organized than on-site teams whose productive time in the office is often not even close to eight hours.

We live in the age of the cloud and we don’t have to be in the same office to build a product or a service. I believe the more freedom we have, the more productive we become.

What do you never travel without?

I carry my whole life in my big suitcase and in order to buy something new, I have to give up something old. But if I had to pick one thing, it’s my laptop. Many times I go out for lunch or dinner and take my laptop with me just in case I need to get something done quickly.

Ready to start your own adventure? Book a stay in Outsite Santa Cruz and discover Outsite today.

Words: Tibor Lovas

Photographs: Tibor Lovas