Related Posts
Hi, I'm leaving Citi in 2 months.It's hard to make this decision. I have an offer from a small startup.In citi, my previous experience was not considered and was reskilled to different tech which is the reason for change.I don't like to exit citi. As I like the company so much.But considering my current knowledge,I am in the middle of the sea.I am afraid now that the new company's offer would be revoked due to this recession?Or can I take back my resignation in citi before the last working day.Is this wise decision?
Best consulting exits for work life balance in SEA?
More Posts
Any new shops in Canada doing good work?
33M NYC. Feel free to reach out to chat
Additional Posts in Tech
Can anyone at GitHub give me a referral? 👀
Anybody can refer me for Ansys?
Saw this gem on the front page of Reddit 🤣
Is it easy for engineers to become TPMs?
New to Fishbowl?
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Austin is incredible, and I've written a lot about it, espousing the tech and startup community for years. Here's the easiest way to get some of that insight: https://seobrien.com/austin
Now though, all that said, let me take the counter point.
Austin downsides. At least, a few
1. Austin is experiencing the irrational exuberance of Silicon Valley in 1999. People feel like they need to be here, and that's causing real estate to boom to the point that it will bubble.
2. Austin governance is pretty bad, frankly. The way the city is run is antiquated and divisive, especially for a city this size. It makes it a little tough to get much done, civically, and the state, understandably, tends to oppose it.
3. No more is that more evident than in traffic and mobility. Austin is a city planning for growth and mobility, 10 years out of date. Best it will ever do is pave more freeway, leading us to the next point...
4. Rather than building up and convenient, Austin will sprawl. It already is. Are you familiar with Phoenix? That's Austin's future. Miles and miles and miles of suburbs.
5. The celebrated culture (i.e. Live music capital of the world) is more hype than reality. The arts and culture scene is actually really small, poorly supported, and narrow more than diverse.
6. Historically, it's segregated, and that's still evident in some of the diversity, gender, and other disparities that exist here. There is even still an "old boys club" kind of mentality among the older or original startup/tech scene where it's not what you're doing, or have done, but who you know and paying your way into the "club." < - that's incredible unfortunate. Happily, with so many moving here, that's one of the things on the list that's changing.
Okay so that, in a nutshell, is a very brief and incomplete take on some of the downsides.
Please, don't get me wrong, I love Austin. I'm also a pragmatist but since I work so much in the Texas Startup community (I run a few of the Incubators and do a lot of work to help countries and bigger companies get established in the ecosystem here), realism matters.
The hype isn't helpful. More exuberance just because "Austin!!!" means a lot of people moving here who aren't clear about the job market (industries we have), don't know to expect the crappy traffic, and aren't prepared for the downsides... That means people get disappointed, disenfranchised, or leave.
What a city wants is meaningful growth. Be here because you want to be part of here.
Please read a bit of what I shared above. I've written a lot more and I'm always happy to chat about Austin's realities and opportunities.
On the plus sides, economically, this is where Austin works well (as in, literally work; what sectors we do well here): gaming, real estate tech, CPG, content, social data, transportation tech, edtech, enterprise data, enterprise security, podcast / audio... Plus, San Antonio and Houston are literally a day trip drive (Houston a bit further) so on Austin's pro corner, is the fact that this is the 11th largest city, soon to be 10th, within spitting distance of 3 of the other 10 largest in the country.
Seattle, Austin, Dallas.
Atlanta is a good option too
Austin, Seattle if you plan on Staying within FAANG or MSFT
Miami if you are following those VCs on Twitter
North Carolina has a nice Google hub
*waves goodbye*
I’m in the same boat! I’ve been seriously considering Miami, so I’d say Miami! Or use hello landing and stay for 6 months in Miami and 6 months in Austin.