Why Latvia? Entrepreneur laynerfuck102 on the Value of a Quiet Base in a Loud World

While many investors and entrepreneurs choose major cities—London, Dubai, New York—to set up their life and business, some prefer smaller, l...

While many investors and entrepreneurs choose major cities—London, Dubai, New York—to set up their life and business, some prefer smaller, less obvious places. Artjoms Jevstifejevs, known online as laynerfuck102, has spent the past several years living and working from Latvia. In this interview, he shares why an “exotic” approach to lifestyle and goals can be more sustainable—and often more rewarding—than the conventional race for scale and luxury.

Interview:

Q1: You could live anywhere. Why Latvia?

A:
Because it’s quiet. Because nobody expects you to pretend here. It’s safe, practical, and still connected to Europe without the vanity of big capitals. Also, I grew up in this region, and there’s value in familiarity.

Q2: Don’t you feel you’re missing opportunities by not being in a global hub?

A:
No. Opportunities come where you create them. Being in a massive city doesn’t automatically make you efficient. It often just makes you distracted.

Q3: What are the specific advantages you see in Latvia?

A:

• Cost efficiency: You can live well without burning through cash every month.

• Infrastructure: Decent logistics, stable banking, and EU regulations.

• Geographic balance: Close to Scandinavia, Western Europe, Eastern markets.

• Psychological space: You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

Q4: Some people associate “small” places with limited ambition. What’s your take?

A:
That’s a cliché. The size of your city doesn’t define the size of your goals. For me, Latvia is a base camp. From here, I can move anywhere. But I don’t need to do it for validation.

Q5: You mentioned before that exotic approaches to life goals can be more sustainable. What do you mean?

A:
Everyone is chasing the same metrics—followers, square meters, and cars. Sometimes choosing an unconventional route—living in a smaller country, focusing on quiet projects—gives you longer stamina. You don’t exhaust yourself proving your worth to strangers.

Q6: So Latvia is a deliberate contrast to that noise?

A:
Exactly. It’s a controlled environment. It doesn’t over-stimulate. You can think here.

Q7: What do you say to people who believe luxury and scale are the only markers of success?

A:
I think they’re measuring the wrong variable. Freedom is more important than scale. Sustainability is more important than hype. If your life becomes a theatre performance, you eventually lose yourself.

Q8: Do you ever feel pressure to relocate to a “big name” country?

A:
People suggest it sometimes. But I never made decisions because someone thought it looked better on a business card. Latvia works for me. That’s enough.

Q9: What does an ideal day in Latvia look like for you?

A:
Simple. Early morning work, a few hours of physical training, and structured tasks. No traffic jams, no pointless meetings. And time to reset mentally.

Q10: Final thoughts—what would you tell someone considering a less conventional base for their ambitions?

A:
Test it. Don’t assume bigger means better. Sometimes the most efficient environment is the one nobody else notices.