Meet Bailey Da Costa | Chief Engineer & Cofounder of OutSail

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bailey Da Costa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bailey, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Discussing work-life balance as a startup founder can be challenging. There’s a common perception that success is directly tied to working around the clock for your fledgling company. As a collective, founders often boast about the countless hours invested, believing it’s a condition for success. It’s true, there are many instances where putting in extensive hours is necessary and you just need to work, work, work. However, I’ve found for myself and others, working 24/7 is not always the ideal approach when the right course of action is unclear. In such moments of uncertainty, allowing yourself the space to breathe becomes essential. Instead of relentlessly pushing forward, it’s valuable to be patient and take the time to reflect. Whether it’s going for a walk, spending time with a friend, or having a full night’s rest, taking breaks allows your mind the opportunity to unravel complex issues, and you’ll find that the challenges you struggled with become surprisingly clearer.

What should our readers know about your business?
In my previous engineering roles, I’ve been drawn to companies solely for their cutting-edge technology, for example: lidar, electric aviation, and machine learning. These jobs were enriching, and some of those companies achieved considerable success. However, over time I’ve realized the key difference between successful and unsuccessful companies lies in whether they create products that make life better. While cool tech is fantastic, the ultimate impact comes from making products that contribute to people’s comfort, happiness, intelligence, or prosperity; that’s what truly matters in the long run and leads to a company’s success. At OutSail, we build automatic retractable wingsails. These powerful sails, resembling airplane wings, can generate lift even when the ship is sailing against the wind. These space-saving sails are also able to roll up into a compact form, making storage much more convenient than other sails on the market. These efficient sails address various challenges for ship owners—facilitating easy access to cargo, significantly reducing fuel costs, and operating automatically without requiring changes to the ship’s speed or trajectory, all while benefiting the environment. When we present our product to ship owners, they get genuinely excited because they can envision how it will significantly improve their lives.
It’s wonderful to work on a project that both meets a genuine need but also contributes positively to the world.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Living close to the ocean opens up a range of captivating activities to enjoy with a friend, from playing in the sand and kayaking to sailing. However, among these options, tide pooling off Pleasure Point Beach in Capitola holds a special place in my heart. Tide pooling is an incredibly enjoyable way to observe local wildlife in their natural habitat. As you navigate rocky tides, you can interact with sea anemones that stick to your fingers, hold hermit crabs as they crawl (remember to return them to the same pool!), and search for unique sea creatures like sea lemons or nudibranchs. For an optimal experience, it’s essential to time your visit during low tide, typically when it falls below -1 tide. I use the app “ inaturalist” or the “LiMPETS” website to help me identify what I’m looking at.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to express my deep appreciation to my co-founders, Arpan and Joseph. Arpan’s commitment to finding product-market fit, ensuring a prosperous financial model, and crafting a product that resonates with people is inspiring. He is an amazing combination of being an accomplished engineer and marketing wizard. He also has the rare ability to identify and acquire any new skill. His dedication to making our company a success helps me rest easy at night.
Joseph’s engineering ability is amazing – he’s an engineer’s engineer. Working alongside him is a pleasure, and I’ve learned a great deal from him and his expertise. I appreciate not only his brilliant mind but also his lively demeanor, creativity, and support.

Website: outsail.com

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