DIRECTOROFTHEMONTH
An inventor and an innovator
Smart Ready ’ s Giovanni Laporta is December ’ s Director of the Month . From repurposing his worktop into a workshop to switching to ready meals in front of the television to ‘ trick ’ his brain into productivity , Giovanni explains how the enforced lockdown of 2020 has changed the way he works .
When did you start the company ?
I founded Smart Ready ® in March of 2018 , so it ’ s just over two and a half years now .
Describe your working day ( from the time you leave the house , etc .)
Well , seeing as I haven ’ t left the house in six months , I think this question needs a rewrite : “ Describe your working day ( from the time you leave your bed , etc .)”
My day starts with going downstairs and having two very important cups of coffee , so long as my daughter leaves me enough milk . From there it ’ s to my desk and , because I ’ m in a design stage at the moment , the rest of my day is dedicated to realising and finalising the previous day ’ s ideas , implementing these ideas into digital 3D models , checking prototypes , and then rubbing my hands together when I discover yesterday ’ s ideas can work .
What is your workspace like ?
Ordinarily ? Complete and utter order , but right now it ’ s more like tidy chaos with a pop up table serving as my desk , and the kitchen counters being given over to workshop space . To someone walking into my house , it may look more like an industrial workspace , but every single bolt and screw and white tray is in an area of the house that has been assigned to a particular idea project , or , is in a revision process . There could be layers upon layers , but I know which layer means what .
‘ Steve Jobs is a significant inspiration in his singularity and commitment to his product and brand ’
First thing you do when you get to your desk ?
Clean it . I start with the mouse , then the keyboard , and the screen and then finally the work area . I would vacuum the area , too , but my daughter or girlfriend don ’ t appreciate being woken up at 5am so I have to wait till the house is awake before I can finish that ritual .
What websites help you ?
Wikipedia , Amazon , LinkedIn and Ocado . Those four websites mean my days are as streamlined and productive within the guidelines put in place by the government . Information , products , industry news , food . Simple .
Most useful business tools . Fundamentally , it is my laptops . I couldn ’ t function without them . They are the life blood of what innovators and industrial engineers do . The creative side of what I do happens on my MacBook , and then the 3D modelling and product realising happens on a Windows PC . And when I ’ m in an innovation space , a Dremel is indispensable .
Best business decision in your current role ?
To build a solid end user brand and protect it . ( FitShow 2019 was also special as it put Smart Ready ® on the world map )
Favourite role models and why ?
To be honest , I don ’ t really have role models . Instead I measure my successes against my own failures . I do , however , have people that inspire me . Steve Jobs is a significant inspiration in his singularity and commitment to his product and brand ; and my other inspiration is my daughter , Sophia . All of Sophia ’ s acting work has stopped as a result of lockdown , and the way that she has used these past six months to improve her health and work on her self with such focus is amazing .
How do you unwind ?
Honestly , I really don ’ t . I will sit and watch telly in the evening while I eat my time saving ready meal . I have print outs of designs and a sketch pad sitting next to me and every so often I will randomly pick them up and look them over . It ’ s a bit like tricking my brain into productivity . Switching off watching something inane gives my brain time to be creative in the background , and actually that ’ s when I end up having most of my ideas . Natural innovators have unnatural ways of getting results .
www . smartready . com
20 » DEC 2020 » CLEARVIEW-UK . COM