members Archives - Page 2 of 4

Member Profile: Cory Benson

Community Manager Locus Workspace, members, profile 10.09.201821.09.2019Locus Workspace, members

Check out Cory’s website: bikerumor.com

Where are you from?
I am from a small city near Washington, D.C. called Frederick, Maryland. It’s the first city outside
Washington, D.C. that’s not a suburb.

What’s a fun or interesting fact about where you’re from?

The region is very closely tied to Chesapeake Bay and seafood and it’s basically the only thing I miss from growing up: fresh crabs, oysters…

What do you do?
I am a cycling journalist. I report on new bikes, test them, and travel around Europe riding and reporting about new bikes.

What are you currently working on that you’re most excited about?
I am looking forward to riding in new places with friends I meet a few times a year. The next project is called “Rapha Prestige Bohemia” and is a team competition along the German/Czech border. The region is called “Saxon Switzerland” [on the German side] and across the border [on the Czech side] it’s “Bohemian Switzerland”.

Why did you choose to work from Prague?

I married a Czech woman in the USA, it was a good opportunity to return to Czech Republic.

It’s good to work in a lower stress environment. Having kids and raising them is easier and more

relaxed here.

Why did you choose to work from a coworking space?

I am not productive at home. I need peer pressure to be motivated. I also needed a place to bring

professional meetings. When I started to work in Locus I had a very different job, I was an architect so

I needed a more professional environment both to attract and maintain developer client relationships.

Why did you choose Locus in particular?

The location was a big deal. I started in the former Locus location and I really needed a professional environment and it worked well for the needs I had at that time.

What describes the kind of location-independent work you do?

I work for a company based in the US and I manage a group of remote freelancers in Europe. I am a remote manager. I am definitely based in Prague but I travel out of Prague 30 or 40 times a year both for work and for fun.

Before you joined a coworking space, what were the biggest challenges of doing that kind of work?

One is trying to strike a balance between work and play. Traveling is tiring, I need to recover but don’t

have time for it. Work traveling can be very entertaining but time consuming. Before joining a coworking

space, the biggest challenge was separating the work and play: riding a bike for fun or riding a bike as a job.

How have you overcome those challenges?

By separating work and home physically. Commuting to the office by bike gives me the chance to move

away from the home life and be ready for the work day.

What is the main benefit you’ve gotten working from Locus (not already mentioned above)?

Having a place that is reliable. Here, I don’t have to worry about it when I come back from traveling

or from the weekend. I can just come to Locus, sit down, and start working.

What’s the best thing about living and working in Prague from the perspective of being a location-independent professional?

It’s a city which is central in Europe and it’s really easy to drive to the Alps or Belgium. The airport is

good and it takes me few hours by plane to go anywhere in Europe, which is good for my work. I can

get on my bike and be completely out of the city within half an hour, Prague ends relatively quickly.

Any other interesting projects you’re working on that you haven’t mentioned already?

I have an upcoming trip to Mallorca, then a road trip to Switzerland, then I’ll be in Tenerife in November.

These are all work trips.

What is a fun fact about you?

I don’t have only one job: I was a stonemason first, now I am a journalist, I am also a licensed architect. I was the first green building LEED accredited professional in the Czech Republic and I teach building technologies at International Architecture University in Prague.

FOCUS on Digital Nomads: Kevin Ohashi

Community Manager digital nomads, location independence, Locus Workspace, members, profile 31.08.201821.09.2019digital nomads, Locus Workspace, members

Check out Kevin’s website: reviewsignal.com

Name: Kevin Ohashi

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Academic background: Bachelor degree in Economis, minor in computer science.

2 Master’s degrees in Entrepreneurship and International Marketing and Brand management.

Without talking about work, tell us a bit about who you are and what you value.

I’m an introvert but everybody thinks I’m an extrovert. I’m the kind of guy who plays video games in the coworking space.

What do you do that allows you to be location independent?
I run a company called “Review Signal” which does web posting reviews based on analyzing social media posts. I also do consulting. I have worked with individuals up to big companies solving a variety of problems related to big data, web marketing or software development.

How would you say that being location independent has changed your life?
I don’t think it has changed my life. I feel like travelling has always been a part of my life. My family worked in international development and they traveled around my entire life so travelling is in my DNA. I started my first location-independent business at the age of 16 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Travelling has always been my life.

How many countries have you visited and which one did you prefer?
I have visited 44 countries. I spent more time in Thailand than anywhere else because I like it there. I was raised with Thai housekeepers in the family, one of whom has been longer in the family than my little brother and sister! I grew up with the food, the culture, and I have been there many times.

What are the biggest challenges you have faced living a nomadic lifestyle?
The biggest challenge is the routine. Every time you are in a new city, you have no pattern and finding discipline and routine can be difficult. And also having “normal” relationships with friends, I mean both maintaining existing friendships and making new ones.

What advice would you give someone who wants to run their own business and travel often?
I see a lot of young people who want to live remotely with little experience and connections or network and it’s difficult to build those when travelling. Especially when going from high-paying countries to cheap or poor ones. It’s better to know when you’re going to make your money from before you leave. I think missing out on that local experience and connections can be harmful in the long run. Some places are much better than others to make business, like Europe.

Why did you choose Locus Workspace to work when you first came to Prague?
I first came to Locus in 2016, I was living nearby. I was looking for a coworking space so I decided to check it out and had a free day.

Why do you think Locus Workspace is a good place for digital nomads?
Prague in general is a nice city for digital nomads. I like it for the community aspect, I get to meet people and hang out. Meeting people and making friends is the most difficult part so this coworking space facilitates creating a community and getting people included in that community.

What is the best thing about working and living in Prague from a digital nomad’s point of view?
The cheaper cost of living and Prague is a beautiful, small and easy city. It does not take more than 20 minutes to go anywhere. I also like all the weird bars and enjoy the lack of fashion which feels very liberating!

Imagine that you had one month to travel anywhere in the world (money not being an issue), where would you go and why?
That’s the question I ask myself every day! I definitely want to go scuba diving in the Galapagos.

What is a fun fact about you?
I was once bitten in the butt by a tiger. I won’t give any further information!

Member Profile: Ariana Montanez

Community Manager Locus Workspace, members, profile 28.03.201821.09.2019Locus Workspace, members

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!

Member Profile: Jon Brooks

Community Manager Locus Workspace, members, profile 18.12.201721.09.2019Locus Workspace, members

Jon Brooks is an entrepreneurial thinker and writer for highexistence.com, a self-improvement website aimed to show people the way to a more enlightened lifestyle with ideas and practices influenced by the ancient philosophy of Buddhism and Stoicism. He grew up in a small village in the countryside of Wales, called Troedyrhiw, and studied film at the University of Glamorgan Atrium in Cardiff. Read on to learn more about Jon’s fascinating work and how he ended up at Locus Workspace in Prague.

Why did you come to Prague?

I was living in Amsterdam for a few months and I was very happy there, but my friends and I

took a trip to Prague for a few days and I really liked it here. I really like the architecture and the cobbled streets and the general atmosphere. I thought, Yeah I could live here. I went back to Amsterdam and “coincidentally” met a girl from Prague. She moved home and we started dating. I decided I was going to come to Prague.

What is your current occupation?

I would say my job is entrepreneurial, so I spend a lot of time at the moment doing product design, developing products and courses based around self improvement, philosophy, and spirituality. I am also always looking for ways to market content and reach a wider audience. I write and edit articles, do a little bit of design and copywriting.

Check out Jon’s website here

How did you get into this field of work?

Member Profile: Beth Green

Community Manager Locus Workspace, members, NaNoWriMo, profile, Writing 22.11.201721.09.2019Locus Workspace, members, writing

Beth Green is a freelance writer and cherished member of Locus Workspace. She comes from the western United States and has been living overseas since 2003. We wanted to find out a little more about Beth’s journey – as a traveler, a writer, and an avid participant of National Novel Writing Month. Read on to learn more about Beth’s passion for writing, her take on Locus Workspace, and the impact National Novel Writing Month (and writing in general) has had on her life.

What is your occupation?

I am a freelance writer and most of my clients come to me for copy writing, copy editing, or proofreading. I also do some consulting for small businesses. I really enjoy doing a variety of projects, ranging from writing brochures to grants to proofreading academic papers. Basically, if it has to do with words, in English, I try to help.

How did you get into this field?

I trained as a print journalist. I worked at a newspaper before I moved abroad. I actually taught English as a Second Language for about ten years. Teaching, however, takes a lot of energy. I started getting burned out and saw that I wasn’t benefiting my students. Then I decided to take the skills from journalism and teaching and channel them into communications.

Was writing a passion of yours all along?

Since I was maybe eight years old, I knew I would be a writer. After I moved overseas, I kept a travel blog pretty faithfully for about six years, and that was also the first niche for me as a freelance writer. I don’t do that kind of writing so much now.

What are you currently working on?

Right now I am working with a grant writer in the US, helping her with research and editing grant documents, which has been rewarding. I have other clients and projects, but some have to remain private. I also have an ongoing relationship with the First Medical Faculty at Charles University. I review papers for a group of research scientists before they send them out to journals. I should also remember to say I have been lucky enough to get business by word of mouth through Locus and assisted several Locus members with their projects. Thanks, guys!

What is a fun fact about you?

I have the cutest cat in Prague (pictured below). Her name is Nymeria (character from Game of Thrones).

Bonus fact: I grew up on a sailboat.

How did you get into coworking?

Well, I’ve lived in Prague twice. I came back the second time for my husband’s job, and it was a bit rushed. We slept on a friend’s floor for a couple months before we had our own housing. Needless to say, her apartment was not the best working environment, so I looked into workspaces right away. During that first year back in Prague, I kept full-time Locus membership. Now I am a virtual member, but it is nice to be able to switch memberships since my work flow tends to change depending on the season. I like that the space is here when I need it.

Why did you choose Locus Workspace?

I joined Locus in 2013. There were two clear choices for me at the time (both of which I found online), but I liked that Locus seemed more geared towards English speakers. When I toured the space, everyone was really friendly.

What is your favorite part about working at Locus?

I really like meeting people and that the space is clean and well-lit, the desks and chairs are comfortable, and there’s a kitchen. I feel like it removes all the stress that can come from working in a café (like the power plug problem, the wifi connection problem, etc.).

If you could use one word to describe Locus, what would it be?

Welcoming.

On Writing and National Novel Writing Month

What motivates you to write?

This is the eternal question for a lot of writers and it is not easy to answer. Though I’ve been writing since childhood, I didn’t see myself as a fiction writer for a long time. Just about the same time I started NaNoWriMo, I started writing fiction. Writing a story that is long and completely from your own inspiration is really daunting, especially at the beginning. This is one of the reasons I like NaNoWriMo, because the challenge to write 50,000 words in a month pushes you and gives you a space to experiment with this long-form, imaginative writing.

Do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on?

Most of my fiction projects are crime fiction – mystery, thrillers, suspense. A big theme I tend towards is cross-culture topics, not necessarily having to do with borders but also people who are outside of their norm and trying to survive in an environment they are not comfortable in. For example, I have a story about an inept assassin that was published in an anthology earlier this year and it is about this woman who tries to do a job she really is not suited for.

Interested in Beth’s work? Take a peak at her anthology here.

When and why did you start being involved in NaNoWriMo events?

I’ve been attempting NaNoWriMo since 2003, and with each attempt I became more convinced I could actually do it. I think if you got a group of ten people together and asked them if they ever thought about writing a novel, probably all of them would say yes. Everybody has an idea for a novel or screenplay or some sort of story that they would like to tell and so of course I had that too. NaNoWriMo gave me a space to experiment. Not all of my projects from NaNoWriMo have been spectacular, but all of them helped me learn something, either about myself or about writing.

What has been your favorite/most impactful experience during NaNoWriMo?

I moved to China in 2006, where I lived in a town with few foreigners in it. Because NaNoWriMo is web-based, I was able to connect with other people, both foreigners and Chinese who were English speakers. After two months of living there, I was a little bit lonely and so it was really nice for me to meet other people that shared passion for writing with me. We all went to Starbucks, something familiar, and got together to write novels. It was really nice to know that I could find something I enjoyed in Prague, in the United States, anywhere. I think that is something very cool about NaNoWriMo, that no matter where you are in the world, you can find other people who share your interests.

What advice would you give to people who are interested in NaNoWriMo or writing in general?

A lot people get hung up on the rules of NaNoWriMo – the idea is that you are supposed to sign up and write 50,000 words in a month. A lot of people look at that, and think, Oh my goodness I am never going to write 50,000 words. But, I think that you need to approach it as guidelines rather than rules and I think those people with self-doubt about writing that many words should look at it more like an opportunity to write more than they would have without the challenge. Maybe you won’t write 50,000 words, but if you get to 10,000, that is 10,000 more words than you would have written otherwise. For example, my goal this month is to get to the end of the story arc and if I happen to write 50,000 words along the way, that’s great. So to me, NaNoWriMo is a self-improvement exercise as well as a creative exercise.

Want to hear more from Beth? Read her blog post on NaNoWriMo here.