Summary
AI Bud
Raitis Sevelis joins me from Riga, Latvia, for a conversation filled with humor, personal stories, and reflections on life in the Baltic region. He describes Riga’s medieval old town and jokes about Latvia’s flat landscape, explaining why he prefers traveling abroad for mountain hikes. His adventures have included weeklong hikes in Iceland carrying food, camping equipment, and a bottle of whiskey. These days, outings with his wife and ten-year-old daughter tend to be more leisurely, although his enthusiasm for travel remains strong.
Growing up as Latvia emerged from Soviet rule gives Raitis a complicated perspective on nostalgia. He remembers sunny days, fishing, and outings with his grandfather, but recognizes that those happy childhood memories existed alongside shortages, ration coupons, and long lines. He believes people sometimes confuse fond memories of their youth with approval of the political system they lived under. Our discussion turns to regional security and the difficult choices a potential conflict would bring. For Raitis, protecting his family would come first, even if that meant leaving possessions behind and starting over.
Pressable delivers fast, secure, and reliable managed WordPress hosting you can count on.
Language and humor reveal more about how Raitis approaches the world. With both Latvian and Russian heritage, he speaks Latvian, Russian, and English fluently and encourages his daughter to see languages as valuable skills. He acknowledges the tensions surrounding Russian while emphasizing the benefits of understanding others. Throughout our chat, he exchanges jokes with me about national quirks, travel, and their own personalities. Both agree that being able to laugh at yourself matters, especially when life becomes difficult.
Boxing provides Raitis with a different kind of release. Introduced to the sport by his father, he returned to it after years when partying took priority over exercise. He explains that boxing demands complete concentration – distractions, anger, and anxiety can quickly lead to mistakes. Our conversation also touches on his work at WPBakery, the longstanding WordPress page builder. He describes a small team of 16 people and says the business is growing again after a downturn, crediting success to a combination of product, marketing, sales, and having the right people involved.
Raitis also speaks candidly about marriage, divorce, and his own demanding personality. He explains that frequent travel, including WordCamps, helped create distance during his first marriage as he and his former wife increasingly lived separate lives. They remain on friendly terms, and both have since remarried. With characteristic humor, he recalls buying a car and getting his motorcycle license during the two years between marriages, before family life changed his plans. He closes by recommending Oliver Sild and his colleague Ivana Ćirković as future guests, ending a conversation that balances serious subjects with a willingness to find humor in himself.