Well connected

Each month, we hack the minds of tech entrepreneurs and digital disruptors to find out what makes them tick.

The last thing Bridget Loudon of Expert360 googled

Age 31

Founded Freelance marketplace and management platform Expert360 (2013) with Emily Yue (now a key adviser on the company’s board of directors)

Favourite app for wellness

Audible. It’s a great way to get through a few books a month. Sometimes listening versus reading can be transformed by a great narrator, such as Stephen Fry reading his book on Greek mythology [Mythos: A Retelling of the Myths of Ancient Greece]. Magical!

The last thing I googled

Seneca quotes. Growing up in the west of Ireland, there was a strong focus on philosophy and literature. It wasn’t until later that I came to appreciate the power of philosophy in understanding and changing the world. Seneca was a Roman Stoic philosopher. My favourite letter of his is On Groundless Fears. I keep copies to re-read and to share with others.

Book I’ve learnt the most from

I recently read Utopia for Realists by historian Rutger Bregman and really loved it. He builds the case for a universal basic income, open borders and a 15-hour working week. There are some powerful ideas in there to tackle important problems of our time.

Instagram filter of choice

I couldn’t name one, actually – is that weird? I never know when I’m supposed to post an Insta. When I’m having lots of fun? That’s usually when I’m reading, which doesn’t seem very Insta-worthy.

Tech gadget that changed my life

AirPods. In transit, I listen to a book, a podcast or music. It’s like being on the movie set of your own life with a narrator or background music.

Gadget that didn’t change my life

Apple Watch. Like many tech innovations, unless they can gain critical share of mind or time, they become incidentally useful and don’t really enter the daily workflow of the user. That was the case with my Apple Watch and iPad Pro – I had 60 per cent of their utility covered in other apps. I also dislike measuring my exercise.

Favourite news source

I stopped reading the news a few years ago and prefer to read long-form analytical pieces. I find I don’t miss much by avoiding the 24-hour news cycle. I also avoid a lot of distraction, particularly by no longer browsing feeds. I generally read The Economist – and listen to the audio edition – and physical copies of MIT Technology Review, interspersed with long-form articles from The Atlantic or The New York Times.

Current phone

iPhoneX.

Current computer

The 15-inch MacBook Pro.

@BridgyL; @Expert_360 Bridget Loudon