30 Austin tech CEOs headed to California in search of workers

pagekalisedown wrote: post #3

How do they plan on convincing the average liberal democrat Californian to move to a conservative stronghold like Texas?

Cost of living. Texas is too big to be homogenous. Austin's pretty "blue". It's also dreary and worn looking.

Re: 30 Austin tech CEOs headed to California in search of workers

#5

Post by protomyth » Sat, Sep 10, 2011, 5:34 PM UTC

pagekalisedown wrote: post #3

How do they plan on convincing the average liberal democrat Californian to move to a conservative stronghold like Texas?

money and affordable housing - the usual - oh and no travel for SXSW.

Re: 30 Austin tech CEOs headed to California in search of workers

#6

Post by enjalot » Sat, Sep 10, 2011, 5:39 PM UTC

This seems counter-intuitive, I thought the competition for hiring in the valley was already too high.

Isn't the benefit of being outside the valley cost of living and human capital?

Re: 30 Austin tech CEOs headed to California in search of workers

#7

Post by mrbgty » Sat, Sep 10, 2011, 5:49 PM UTC

" The zero-sum-game hurts the overall tech community, so we've decided to come together to seek out new additions to Austin to help us all grow"

It's not a zero sum game. Every individual will produce a different amount of value depending on the position they are in.

Re: 30 Austin tech CEOs headed to California in search of workers

#8

Post by mcu » Sat, Sep 10, 2011, 5:50 PM UTC

pagekalisedown wrote: post #3

How do they plan on convincing the average liberal democrat Californian to move to a conservative stronghold like Texas?

I moved from reasonably liberal parts of Illinois/Wisconsin to Dallas/Fort Worth about three years ago... I wouldn't recommend this.

When I decided to move from DFW to start a company I looked at Portland, Boston, San Francisco, and Austin. Austin made sense, financially. Texas has no state income tax (unfortunately the social services reflect this), jobs, and the cost of living is a fraction of what it is in other cities of its size. Also, winter is just another word for January here.

Unfortunately, Austin is still a reasonably small town surrounded by Texas.

I wouldn't have come here if I wasn't trying to sack away money in a town with a reasonable selection of 24-hour cafes and restaurants. While I know a few SF->Austin transplants who love it here, I'd rather be in San Francisco.

Re: 30 Austin tech CEOs headed to California in search of workers

#9

Post by BenSS » Sat, Sep 10, 2011, 5:50 PM UTC

enjalot wrote: post #6

This seems counter-intuitive, I thought the competition for hiring in the valley was already too high. Isn't the benefit of being outside the valley cost of living and human capital?

Exactly what I was going to say! Calif is a terrible place to go and scout out talent, unless they're also trying to raise visibility in the same shot.

I'd suggest they go to the east coast instead.

Re: 30 Austin tech CEOs headed to California in search of workers

#10

Post by makeramen » Sat, Sep 10, 2011, 5:51 PM UTC

I don't think this makes sense... I'm from MN and made a recent trip to the Bay area where all the local startups were clamoring over me. Meanwhile back in the midwest, I have to actively market myself to attract any attention. If you're really looking for untapped talent, go where nobody else is looking.