Simon Lewis is a professional marketer who spent a month in Surf Office Santa Cruz.
Tell us more about yourself
I am 40 years old, originally from Liverpool but haven't lived there for nearly 20 years. I am very well traveled having visited over 60 countries worldwide and lived and worked in eight countries. I have mostly worked in the African travel industry during my career in international marketing and sales. In 2007 I started my own marketing agency to help small companies and startups market themselves internationally. I founded the company in Germany but on returning to my favorite city in the world Cape Town, South Africa, we gained the most success which led us to launch and develop international brands in South Africa. A lot of what we do is online so I can work remotely.
How many countries have you traveled?
In 2014 I decided to experiment with remote working and I have successfully grown my business while visiting 21 different countries. If I had to pick my favourite I would say Argentina as at the moment it is very cheap and high quality European style living.
What was your first impression of Santa Cruz?
I could see where they got the inspiration for The Lost Boys movie :) which is one of my favorite movies. Santa Cruz lives up to its reputation as one of the coolest surf towns in California and is perfectly positioned to enjoy a chilled working environment while being close enough to San Francisco to attend networking events.
Tell us your routine while staying at the Surf Office
Every morning I grab a great coffee and walk for an hour along the beachfront enjoying the beauty while clearing my head before work. I find this is a must to set yourself up for a productive day as I have learned from experience that waking up and turning on your computer is neither productive or healthy.
As a consultant for Hostelling International what do you think of the trend of coliving+coworking places like the Surf Office?
A lot of hostels don't like remote workers as they spend so much time online and actually discourage it as they feel it ruins the atmosphere! So living and working in a place that appreciates why you are there is perfect. I think it's a great concept as working remotely needs to be managed and if you spend your time searching for a good internet connection or in a hostel that makes you feel unwelcome because you are working you can't work effectively. Also, because the Surf Office markets itself to young professionals, not backpackers who are working on the road, there is no risk of a party to disturb your remote working routine.
How did you feel when Liverpool lost the title last season?
Devastated ;( The final game was the same day as my 40th birthday and all I wanted was a premier league title as my birthday present!
