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Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

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Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We probably have more microbreweries per capita than anywhere else in the US. That would actually be Portland, OR with 52, more than any city in the world . Richmond isn't even on the map to be honest..

Portland OR has 52 microbreweries per person? That's pretty darn amazing. You guys might want to check yourselves into a rehab program, because you may have a slight drinking problem. (the above is sarcasm. But let's teach people what per capita means.)

looks like they are 5th. 2nd in Oregon. 2nd among Portlands, even.

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/niallmccarthy/files/2016/11/2...

Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in Richmond too. It is a great city. Very affordable, youngish, a fun mid sized city. We probably have more microbreweries per capita than anywhere else in the US. But I do feel like we are flyover country as far as tech is concerned. Compared to northern VA we might as well not exist. However I do think it is a good place for startups if only because there is an outsized amount of talented engineers stuck in cor…

We probably have more microbreweries per capita than anywhere else in the US. That would actually be Portland, OR with 52, more than any city in the world . Richmond isn't even on the map to be honest..

Portland, OR has the most total. Portland, Maine actually has the most per capita (followed by Boulder, CO and Asheville, NC). [1]

[1] http://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2016/11/01/which-u...

Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#83
post #44

There are many reasons YC requires you to be in Mountain View during the program. When you finish YC, every partner will tell you to stay in the Bay Area. As CEO of a post-seed company, I had to start building relationships with Series-A investors. They are all here, so I could meet them in person without much travel, or they could come visit our office. That matters. When our investors hold events, they are here. I…

Doesn't being in SV mean the top talent is all hoovered up by Google, FB, etc? What about huge rent costs? Would love to be able to start a startup in Melb, Australia, because it's the most livable city in the world, but the tech scene here in comparison to SV is like living in the Stone Age. Not sure if I'd be better off moving to SV - but interestingly, I met a top CTO/CEO who had moved his company to the Valley an…

Different kinds of people work at BigCos and startups. Some overlap and occasionally you compete but not always.

For your situation: go work in SV for a startup. That will get you in the circles and connected. Australia is easy to hire from for US companies because of E-3 visas.

Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#84
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I moved from SF to Minneapolis ~5 years ago. If you can survive the cold winters here, the area truly offers a great quality of life and way more amenities than you might expect for a very reasonable cost of living.

How cold and long are your winters? Some of the Canadian winters go on for what seems like 5 months. I can handle 3 months...

It will start dipping below freezing sometime this month and start warming up enough for outdoor activities again late March/early April.

Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#85
post #44

There are many reasons YC requires you to be in Mountain View during the program. When you finish YC, every partner will tell you to stay in the Bay Area. As CEO of a post-seed company, I had to start building relationships with Series-A investors. They are all here, so I could meet them in person without much travel, or they could come visit our office. That matters. When our investors hold events, they are here. I…

>There is a Catch 22 in building another Silicon Valley: to hire talented people you need successful companies; to build successful companies, you need talented people.

I wonder if remote work can help with that. It may have the potential to reduce the second part. I'm in SF, but a lot of our engineers are remote. With enough remote work in SF available, living in VA or wherever won't tie you so strongly to a tiny handful of companies, lowering the critical mass of employers needed in a location needed to kick-start a virtuous cycle.

Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#86
post #43
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can't hire the people working for megacorps if your company is in Virginia because they are more likely than not bound by noncompete clauses. Only California throws them out as a matter of public policy, which is one of the main reasons why Silicon Valley is where it's at.

Is GE competing with Twitter though? How broad do non-competes get?

never been to richmond but i could see it being a problem if a lot of their companies are in the same industry. a lot of these smaller tech hubs have only 1 or 2 "types" of companies.

Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We probably have more microbreweries per capita than anywhere else in the US. That would actually be Portland, OR with 52, more than any city in the world . Richmond isn't even on the map to be honest..

Portland OR has 52 microbreweries per person? That's pretty darn amazing. You guys might want to check yourselves into a rehab program, because you may have a slight drinking problem. (the above is sarcasm. But let's teach people what per capita means.)

They're apparently very tiny; many are reportedly more like nano or femtobreweries.

Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#88
post #44

There are many reasons YC requires you to be in Mountain View during the program. When you finish YC, every partner will tell you to stay in the Bay Area. As CEO of a post-seed company, I had to start building relationships with Series-A investors. They are all here, so I could meet them in person without much travel, or they could come visit our office. That matters. When our investors hold events, they are here. I…

More power to you. In my experience, there's enough startup infrastructure around the world at this point for new companies to do the most important thing (getting product market fit), to grow beyond those early constraints that SV had a near monopoly on. In fact, those companies often come looking at SV later as a resource but no longer required on day 1.

Anyways, I now get a kick out of the idea I might be a pioneer forging a new future where building high tech companies is a world wide endeavor, but it's not for everyone.

Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#89
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been looking at rents in Austin, and it's cheaper than I expected. I'm surprised it doesn't get more attention.

North of 183 and apartments are less than 1000.

and your commutes to/from downtown during rush hour average 30-45 mins.

Re: Tech Jobs, Cheaper Housing: The New Silicon Cities

#90
Important to note is that everyone in the video from the article were tech employees who relocated to those areas with their same job. They're all remote workers, save for the guy who commutes to Boston. And, more to the point, they were established in their positions -- presumably onsite -- before moving.

Good for the folks who do this, but don't kid yourself...it impacts your ability to move ahead in your career. If you want or need to move on from your current gig, your options become extremely limited.

Proximity to tech hubs still matters.

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