Moving to San Francisco
The weather is beautiful
The people there complain about the fog, but that’s just silliness. Come visit Montreal in February. Then talk to me about fog.
The city is nice
They’ve got the ocean, mountains and a vibrant city. The earthquake thing isn’t great, but get a sturdy a desk to hide under and you should be fine, right?
The startup community is unbeatable
I love the YCombinator system and got a chance to learn a lot about how it all works while I was there. Of course there are a ton of non-YCombinator startups doing incredible work as well…
So are you really moving to the Valley?
No, I’m not. But the thought certainly crossed my mind.
Mostly, this is because of how many people asked me if and when I was moving.
The question came from venture capitalists and entrepreneurs alike. It seemed natural and obvious to them that I should move there, because that’s “where it all happens.” They’re not entirely wrong.
And I’m not the only one thinking about this. Scott Kirsner noted that several of the entrepreneurs recently presenting at YCombinator Demo Day in Boston are planning a move to the Valley.
“The VCs more adventurous. The partnership opportunities more plentiful. The potential for generating buzz better.”
All true. I think cities like Boston (and Montreal) can do a lot to build a great startup ecosystem, but it’s going to take a ton of work. And it won’t be easy.
Meanwhile, I have no immediate plans to move to San Francisco. I absolutely believe that startups can succeed outside of the Valley fishbowl (here’s hoping I prove that true!) Mind you…perpetual Spring weather…hhhmmm…
Photos by lloydi, brandonwardlaw
Sure if everyone moves it will never happen here. It has to start sometime, and this could be now!
Plus we got Schwartz’s here in Montreal and two steps from our office, how can’t you not be happy with that !?
Sneaking bugger you are!
Ben, I believed you and though you were actually leaving… and I was not that surprised.
The Valley looks so great from the outside. One of our famous blogger in France (Loic le Meur) is going to move there; he tried hard to build a strong startup community in France but the voice of sirens were obviously too strong.
Like you, I believe we can succeed outside the valley but this it is a very hard work and it looks so easy in the Valley that it’s sometime frustrating.
Fred - I met Loic a couple times while in San Francisco. Great guy. True entrepreneur with tons of guts and spirit. I’m sure he’ll do great things in the Valley.
Heh - when I read the first mainstream news article about how people are moving to the Bay Area in droves to get jobs, it’ll be a really bubbly sign like 1998 all over again.
Meanwhile, our garage is available - for a hefty rental fee of course
I’ve never met Loic but I do like its entrepreneurship spirit, something French people hate and I guess he left France for that.
The number of hate comments he received on his blog when he announced he was about to leave was just disgusting and unacceptable.
That’s also a part of why I left and I wanted meet more creative and willing people. In that regard, the Valley is an heaven, so much gatherings, so many conferences, so many pationate people.
Anyway, being in Montreal is already a big step!
@Webomatica: It’s not already happening?
I know more and more entrepreneurs are making the move, but maybe employees haven’t yet made the leap.
@Fred: Berating Loic is silly, he’s going where the opportunity lies. I understand people’s frustrations “losing” a top entrepreneur like that, but often people need to look at themselves first, before looking outward for problems.
As I moved to SF in 1999 I can recall it was so hard to find an apartment that people had “rental resumes” and holding group interviews for potential roommates.
It was a given that ever apartment / room / floor would be filled so the landlords could literally pick and choose. It was ridiculously hard to find a place because so many folks were just moving here with no plans, no job, no place to live, but knew they’d get a job if they moved out here (I was one of ‘em).
And yeah, this was for employees not founders or entrepreneurs.
It may be happening now but it’s not on that level of ridiculousness
Maybe things are a bit different now because a cool company can be created with a low headcount.
@Webomatica: It’s definitely not the same as 1999 - Most great startups now are lean, with minimal overhead and headcount. Some are still ballooning out of control, and some are being way over-funded, but it’s a much more controlled and measured situation than before.
I’m sure landlords would rather see “the good old days” - although I don’t think many landlords in the Valley suffer, regardless…
Ben, I love SF, but really, if you want to be where the action is, come here to NYC. The investment bankers and fund managers here eat CA people for breakfast. Real money gets made here, not that paper kind. And with that weather nobody can really concentrate properly. There’s nothing like a 2 foot blizzard to get you back to that spreadsheet.
….(as he pulls his tongue out of his cheek).
You can make it anywhere my friend - I ain’t worried about that.
All the best!
Ha! Terry … love it. I have the urge to shout, “Show me the money!” But that’d be silly…
And up in Montreal we’re still wearing shorts and t-shirts when there’s 2 feet of snow. Talk to me when you hit 5+ and it’s still snowing in April. Ah, winter. *grumble*
Ben, you also have to ask if you are planning to live under a bridge. I hear those can get heavy during a earthquake
Brett - True enough. There are always risks. Here it’s frostbite. There it’s sliding into the ocean. You get the good with the bad!
I personally miss Fry’s and In-n-Out
lol!