Boy it feels good to get back on the interview swing and finally bring a new one to the blog. This round, I was blessed with the chance to ask Sneh Roy of LBOI my usual fifteen questions. She hails from Sydney Australia and can be found on twitter at LBOI (Twitter). I feel honored as I get to talk to another “box” and hope that I can relate with that premise. Let’s get to it, shall we?

Who exactly is this “little box of ideas” and what skills and talents are “stored” in her?

Sneh Roy:That’s me! I am Sneh and I am LBOI’s lifeblood. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science but chose a career path that fed my soul. I am a creative because no matter where I am, I am creating things. Logo design and branding is my forte and also the part of my skill set that I enjoy the most. I am an illustrator and story-teller. I design and create websites too. I write stories and poems, I cook, I am a time-management game nerd (love Cooking Dash!) and I am supermum who can diffuse a “situation” between two boisterous little boys before either of them can say “But Mum..!”

From one box to another, where do you get your inspiration and how do you store it all?

Sneh: Inspiration is a very tangible thing. If you keep your mind open, it is all around you. Believe it or not but a lot of my inspiration comes from books (without pictures). I love to read and get immersed in an imaginative world which allows me to get profoundly creative. I like to think that I have a good memory and remember most of it but for those 3.00am moments, I have a journal that I like to scribble in, mostly words.

What is your morning routine like leading up to sitting at your computer and what’s the first thing you do once there?

Sneh: I wake up, freshen up and get to my computer while Nick (God bless his generous soul) makes me his famous coffee. I check my email, my websites, twitter and facebook in that order. Just cursory checks that last for about 5-10 minutes till my coffee is ready J

You reside in Sydney Australia, without giving out too much info, what’s your percentage of local work compared to international? Certainly you must get contacted from many places all over the world.

Sneh: 70% international and 30% local, by choice. I plan to change that in the future, but for now, I prefer it that way.

Do you make sure to optimize your web projects for Altavista & yahoo?

Sneh: A few years ago we used to optimize all our web projects for all the key search engines, but with changing algorithms and rules, SEO has become much more complicated. We practice good SEO making sure that the websites we make have all the right elements to give them a shot at higher rankings in the search engines, but not specific to certain search engines.

List some people on twitter who have proven indispensible by being their own little box of ideas.

Sneh: I love people! I love people on Twitter! They are an amusing and interesting bunch and they can make a huge difference to your lives sometimes! callumchapman (Twitter) is an amazing guy, he is bustling with ideas and activities and always has a sunny disposition. leightonhubbell (Twitter) is always on a quest to better his portfolio and has some great ideas. I like how chrisspooner (Twitter) and jeff_finley (Twitter) ‘s minds work.

What’s something interesting about Sneh that not many people know that you’re willing to reveal in this interview?

Sneh: I’ve never gone clubbing, I’m fluent in 3 languages, I am severely Cynophobic, I lost 26 kilos in 2 years, I wish Hogwart’s was real, I wish I could’ve met Optimus Prime and I can listen to a song for a mind numbing 100 times or more.

Do other things that somehow relate to boxes offer any extra appeal to you? For example, dropbox for online storage?

Sneh: Some awesome people on Twitter suggested I use Dropbox a few months ago when I was complaining about not being able to connect my PC and Mac via a network. I love Dropbox! I use it extensively and if you don’t, give it a go. I must admit here that I have a thing for boxes, I love the structure and symmetry of stylish boxes.

What are some Australian stereotypes, if any, held by other cultures that make you laugh? Any that irritate you?

Sneh: A lot of people think everyone in Australia wears khaki shorts, hobnob with the kangaroos and talk funny! Well most people here never own khaki shorts in their lifetime, only see a kangaroo at the zoo or sanctuary and talk just fine J

Can you recall any time where you yourself or someone else attempted something inventive or extremely creative to get the attention of an employer and hopefully land a job with them?

Sneh: I am stymied on this one. I have always worked for myself and a lot of the people I know are all freelancers too.

What are some of your favorite quotes? Either original or from elsewhere.

Sneh: I read Robert Schuller’s “Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do” when I was in high school (many many years ago) and that kind of became a mantra for me.

Have you noticed any styles or trends that seem to be exclusive to Australia? It seems like most of the web based career fields all use the same online resources and no doubt can lead to worldwide similarities.

Sneh: Can’t say that I have. Something that keeps popping up as a deliberately Australian thing is “sustainability” and the whole “green websites” movement that is very prevalent here.

What is the most amazing thing you’ve seen this week?

Sneh: Just tonight on Junior Masterchef, I saw an 8 year old girl Sienna create this absolutely delightful French bistro style dish of Pheasant stuffed with Pistachios, caramelized figs with an orange and cranberry glaze. An 8 year old!! That is pretty amazing!

Are there any styles or methods that you find yourself returning to over and over again?

Sneh: Because my clients are from all around the world and I am lucky enough to be working with people in all kinds of fields and industries, I have a very varied style with a lot of successful experimentation happening all the time. I do find that I have an affinity for creating things out of shapes and find myself sticking to blacks and strong type a lot.

How do you reward yourself, if at all, after solving a difficult design issue or tackling a tough problem in general?

Sneh: I like to stop work early and chill out with Nick, a great thriller/Asian horror and a nice wine.