#VANLIFE
I've been living #vanlife for 30 years.
Most people romanticize it as curated sunsets and French press espresso in a $500k Sprinter. Sounds nice, but mine has been a bit more rugged.
Usually it's in the back seat of a mid-century Kia with suspension last serviced sometime during the Bush administration. The first one.
This is factory van life.
Anybody doing Asia-based development for small brands knows the drill:
Early morning pickup while self-medicating a food allergy or a hangover, accompanied by 2.5 hours in biblical traffic.
Then ten hours in a factory conference room reviewing new styles, materials, costing, timelines, and prototypes. Only broken up by visits to the production lines to solve problems before they become disasters.
After that, dinner at the local local. A few ritual rounds of beer and song to cement the relationship.
Then another couple hours of van life back to the hotel.
Rinse and repeat.
For weeks.
I've watched this life break a lot of guys. Usually very early in their careers, which is probably merciful.
While I love mood boards, strategy decks, and countless hours rendering concepts, the factory is where the concept either survives contact with reality or dies.
This version of van life isn't for everyone, but it's where I've found the most satisfaction in the entire product process.
Most people romanticize it as curated sunsets and French press espresso in a $500k Sprinter. Sounds nice, but mine has been a bit more rugged.
Usually it's in the back seat of a mid-century Kia with suspension last serviced sometime during the Bush administration. The first one.
This is factory van life.
Anybody doing Asia-based development for small brands knows the drill:
Early morning pickup while self-medicating a food allergy or a hangover, accompanied by 2.5 hours in biblical traffic.
Then ten hours in a factory conference room reviewing new styles, materials, costing, timelines, and prototypes. Only broken up by visits to the production lines to solve problems before they become disasters.
After that, dinner at the local local. A few ritual rounds of beer and song to cement the relationship.
Then another couple hours of van life back to the hotel.
Rinse and repeat.
For weeks.
I've watched this life break a lot of guys. Usually very early in their careers, which is probably merciful.
While I love mood boards, strategy decks, and countless hours rendering concepts, the factory is where the concept either survives contact with reality or dies.
This version of van life isn't for everyone, but it's where I've found the most satisfaction in the entire product process.