Where are you from?
I’m from East Los Angeles, California
What’s a fun or interesting fact about where you’re from?
There is a rodeo that happens once a year and is very popular.
What is your current occupation?
I’m a UX (User Experience Design) and UI (User Interference Design) for Image Conscious Studios in Boston, Massachusetts. I work on web design for companies that are looking for a site that is more information-based, such as a restaurant.
Above is an illustration part of a series created by Ariana for an internal marketing project
What are you currently working on that you’re most excited about?
I’m currently excited about two different projects. The first is a client website for a law firm. The firm truly cares about their clients and the owner is very involved in the community, where he does things like teaching previously incarcerated people. The website will also involve the firm’s ‘rethinking of the law model’, something super cool to be a part of. The second project is an illustration project for the company I work for, Image Conscious Studios. It’s all about me and my travels, but it essentially is for our clients to see how we are inspired and the work we do.
Biotech Company website Ariana helped create. Check it out here: f1oncology.com
Why did you choose to work from Prague?
I was just excited to live anywhere abroad, and heard great things from people who had previously visited Europe. I was looking for a city that had a lot of things to do, had great architecture, and was beautiful.
Why did you choose to work from a coworking space?
I really wanted to be more productive because I can get easily distracted at home, and to leave the house to get work done to truly ‘call it a day’ was what I was looking for. I also wanted to meet more people and felt that joining a workspace would be the best way to do that.
Why did you choose Locus in particular?
The community and all of the events that are offered. I love that Locus is not centered around networking, but about building a sense of community.
What best describes the kind of location-independent work you do?
I’m location-dependent when I’m working back in Boston, but I would say I’m Nomadic until I return home.
Before you joined a coworking space, what were the biggest challenges of doing that kind of work?
Productivity is much lower outside of the workspace, and I can be more productive here. There are a lot of distractions outside of the workspace and working from home makes you feel like hermit because you almost never leave.
How have you overcome those challenges?
Joining Locus because I do not have an office here in Prague.
What is the main benefit you’ve gotten working from Locus (not already mentioned above)?
The events have been great. I’ve gotten some good takeaways from them, such as one of the last events about Happiness with David Papa.
What’s the best thing about living and working in Prague, from the perspective of being a location-independent professional?
I’m very affected by the environment that I’m living and working in, so it’s great to be here in Prague where I appreciate the beauty and architecture.
What is a fun fact about you?
I never read the news. I occasionally listen to NPR’s 5 minute daily summary, and if I’m feeling like it, occasionally part of the Morning Edition, but that’s the extent of it. There’s so much else I’d rather focus on, and I’d rather not spend time learning about the latest negative thing that happened. I do love podcasts though, especially ones that center around specific topics. Some of my favorites are: Two Guys on Your Head (super quick explanations about how our brain works), The Leap (stories about people making radical life changes), and Science Vs (tests different fads or concepts against science, i.e. “True Love”)
If you could use one word to describe Locus, what would it be?
Welcoming!
