The Geek Talk

Who’s Lboi?

LBOI is me and my husband and partner Nick. We started a couple of websites back in 1998 and registered LBOI as a company in 2005. I handle the creative aspect of the company and he manages the technical side of things.

Do you have a Brand ?

The LBOI network is our umbrella brand for all the startups and websites we design and create. It is also the main brand encompassing our design studio and all the consultancy work we do via our studio. The LBOI logo has undergone several changes over the last couple of years to now accommodate a range of services and facets of our business.

How do you choose the idea and the colors in any new project?

Before I begin work on any new project, whether it is a branding job or a website design, I accumulate a lot of data from my clients via a detailed questionnaire. My questionnaire’s for each of my client is unique and targeted at their business model based on the introductory email they often send me when they first make contact. This data is very vital to and provides most of my ideas and color experimentations for the project at hand. By extensively perusing my client’s answers and paying heed to the websites and look and feel they like, I am able to chalk up samples of what might suit their needs the most.

What does your typical day look like?

My typical day begins at 6.00am with my younger son waking up. A cup of coffee later and after sifting through emails and twitter, I pack several lunches and bags. I then see my kids off to school and end up at the gym. Back from a workout and more coffee later, I work steadfastly for almost 5 hours before I go to bring my boys home. With twitter and emails dotting my timeline throughout the day, I work for another 2-3 hours after Nick gets back home and then it is dinner and a movie. Half an hour into the movie with the clock striking 12, I am over and out for the night. And then it begins all over again!

What are the tools you couldn’t live without?

I need pen and paper .. whether it is to sketch my ideas or make one of those numerous lists that never seem to get done. I also need Illustrator and Photoshop every single day. And I swear by my Furi knives, I couldn’t live without them. [because I NEED to cook everyday]

What do you do in your free time?

Ahh free time. I wish I had that more than once a week … just kidding. I used to read extensively, but I have gotten busier and don’t really have the novelty of free time much. But whenever I am free, I like to cook and bake and photograph and blog about it. I could open a cookbook and get lost in it for a solid hour if no one disturbed me. When I am at the mall, you’ll find me at the book shop with a cup of coffee and a pile of books to keep me company.

Current favorite apps?

Tweetdeck.

What OSs do you prefer?

I am not fussy, I flit between my PC and Mac and like both operating systems.

Small pic for your Wokrplace?

Favorite: Colors, Font, Languages (PHP, Ruby), JS Framework?

I like the boldness of black and the expanse of white. I love Archer and a lot of the retro script fonts like Mousse Script. I only code in css and xhtml and wouldn’t know a thing about any other kind of coding.

The things or source that inspired you?

1998 Fifa World cup. I was crazy mad for soccer back then [Argentinian supporter] and because I was so crazy I made a very extensive [at that time] website of the 1998 World Cup tournament with pictures, fixtures, groups, time tables etc. That got me into designing and coding. Earlier than 1998, I have grown up with Disney animations, The Jungle Book was my favorite and I always wondered what it would be like to create fantastically fun cartoon characters!

What’s do you prefer, the freelance work or the full time employee?

Freelance definitely. I love the creative freedom and flexibility of time that comes with it.

Your personnel projects and goals for 2010?

I have started a Daily Vector Character Project 365 in 2010. http://www.littleboxofideas.com/blog/category/365-vector-characters-project I AM going to see it through even if it kills me. I also want to relaunch Starswelove.com this year and take it back to its former glory. And I want to pump my heart and soul into LBOI and hopefully reach out to as many creatives and newbies out there as I can.