Brand Story
My name is Tyler Monks and like many of you I have spent most of my adult life in a cubicle working a corporate job. I believe each of us reach a point in our lives where we question our purpose. We reach a point where we wonder if what we do even matters. Are we just cogs in the wheel adding to the Gross Domestic Product?
In the fall of 2022, I reached complete and total burnout. My brain felt like a burnt circuit board. I knew in my heart it was time for a long break. Against my better judgment, I resigned from my stable and secure IT position and broke free from the "Golden Handcuffs" and took a one-year travel sabbatical. I was already past my mid-life and I had seen very little of the world. I can not tell you how liberating and absolutely freeing this decision made me feel.
My journey began in Thailand, exploring Bangkok, Krabi, and Phuket. Then I continued on to Singapore, Indonesia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, and Hawaii. But one location really stood out in his mind, beautiful Bali, Indonesia (the island of the gods), an incredibly enchanted island full of natural beauty and incredible culture.
In Bali, I found warm friendly locals and intelligent, free-spirited digital nomads, each making a life on a small island in Indonesia. Bali is an island filled with breathtaking waterfalls and beautiful beaches. This coupled with the warmth and kindness of the Balinese people made for a utopian escape from the drudgery and demands of the so-called “American Dream.” In short I found… Freedom!
I currently reside in Bali and spend my days discovering new beaches, hiking to waterfalls, and exploring tropical reefs. It’s the life I always wanted, but was too afraid to pursue. I have fallen in love with the rich vibrant mix of local Balinese culture and international expat flare.
My hope is that our simple products will inspire you to travel and pursue the life you have always dreamed of. I hope they will give you the courage to be brave and take that leap into the unknown and pursue the crazy, the uncertain, and the unpredictable.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” - Robert Frost
Tyler Monks, Founder The LAVA Cō
