This post was written by Boston Content committee member Lauren Landry, a digital content specialist at Northeastern University. Follow her, @laurlandry.
Boston Content is proud to host its events at WeWork South Station, a coworking office space catered to creators — creators who have proven to be inspirational to the Boston Content team.
We think they will inspire you, too, which is why we are launching “How (We)Work.” The series will feature WeWork community members and highlight how they stay productive, creative and innovative. The first installment is below, with additional Q&As already on the way.
Prepare to start rethinking how you plan your day.
Image via Kevin Raposo
In the market for a new phone or laptop? Turn to Kevin Raposo for advice; that’s what his friends did.
For the three years Raposo was working as a content marketer for Boston home security systems company SimpliSafe, they peppered him with questions — so many he decided to start his own blog.
“I needed an outlet where I could let my voice be heard,” explained Raposo, reiterating he wanted his voice heard, not that of “the guy from SimpliSafe.”
KnowTechie then surfaced in June 2014 as “tech news for the everyday person.” And it didn’t take long for Raposo to become “addicted to pushing out stories or features on startups we’ve never heard before.” He left SimpliSafe a month later. As he said: “From there, the rest is history.”
Here is a look at how Raposo is keeping that history alive.
Boston Content: What is your morning routine?
Kevin Raposo: My typical routine starts with me heading straight to the coffee machine. After getting my morning fix, I usually scan through Twitter to see if anything newsworthy happened overnight. From there, I typically tackle my inbox to get a sense of what I have going on for the day. After setting some personal goals and going over my calendar, I then begin the day's adventure.
What kind of content can you not start your day without?
Call me old fashioned, but my day doesn't start unless I have read at least two or three news articles. In my profession, you need to have your finger on the pulse, and that means constantly reading news.
What are three things someone would find on your desk?
Three things you can immediately find near my desk are a cup of coffee, a notepad and my smartphone.
How do you stay creative?
I discovered one of the best ways to stay creative was finding other hobbies outside of what you would normally do from nine to five. For example, I'm a musician when I'm not writing or pitching startups. When I'm not beating on drum skins, you can usually find me flying my drone all over Mass., creating some dynamic videos. I think it is extremely important to broaden your horizons if you want to stay creative. Also, it is a great way to stay happy, which overall boosts your creativity.
How do you stay productive?
Coffee, and lots of it. Seriously, though, when it comes to staying productive, I have no choice. When you are running a tech blog and simultaneously maintaining a media relations manager role at EZPR, it only makes sense that if I am not productive, then I am out on the curb waiting to get my place back in line.
What is your favorite time of day to get stuff done?
I have found that the morning, for me at least, is my favorite time to get stuff done. Putting the caffeine rush aside, I feel like my brain works on all cylinders in the morning.
Where do you go for inspiration?
This may sound corny, but I want to be the best at what I do. That alone gives me the inspiration to excel at anything I put my mind to. I made a lot of poor choices when I was growing up. Being able to turn everything around, while striving for more, is all the inspiration I need.
Are there any quotes you live by?
"Strength. Determination. Merciless. Forever." — Zakk Wylde
Follow Raposo, @Kevin_Raposo and @KnowTechie.