I’m interested in New York agencies, but I’m turning 30, interested in starting a family. Are there any agencies doing good work but won’t consume your life?

I have lived in SF and NY. While SF is very expensive having the same quality of life is incredibly expensive in NY.
Apartments are smaller in ny, cars are harder to have, commutes are longer, weather is shittier, laundry in unit is standard only in luxury buildings, the city is just so much bigger that everything takes twice as long. Try doing more than one errand after work, aint happenin.
San Francisco is just a much more manageable city and work life balance is generally better and more understood in my experience.
New York is hard, I can’t imagine the shit people go through to raise kids here.

Don’t listen to these people. I have a one year old and we had her when I was on a jr salary. We live in Manhattan and LOVE it. I think people say you can’t do it because that’s the stereotype and people like to sound like they know stuff. New York is a beautiful and exciting city, unlike anything else in America. If you want to come here and make it work I’m sure you will, regardless of if you have a kid or not. There are tons of agencies and plenty of opportunity to be had. We can’t wait to have you

Finding an agency that works with your boundaries is one thing, setting your boundaries is another thing

Don’t. I just did and regret it a bit.

Most of my friends started leaving NYC in their early 30s and/or when they had families. All hyperbole aside, this place is a beast and it’s hard enough in your 20s when you have energy. At this point I’m barely holding on. If you want to live here so you can check it off your list, I’d say go for it. I just wouldn’t move here with the hopes of starting a family.

NYC is a tough place to raise a family in a lot of ways. I’d avoid it unless you’re gonna get PAIIIID.

Don’t worry about the schools if you don’t even have kids yet. New York is fantastic. You’ll be cramped. Daycare is outrageous. But there’s half a million school aged children in NYC. It’s competitive, on every level, but it also has a lot to offer - including finding your niche of interesting but not helicoptery parents. Moved to the burbs recently and I miss not feeling like the only parent who still likes to listen to music and go to art museums.

Having a family in NYC is not the same as moving here at 30 to start one.

Also FWIW I have a kid, live in Brooklyn, and can’t wait to get out. I just have no interest in NYC suburbs

Thanks guys, this was helpful.

I have 2 kids. Both born in NYC. My wife & I both work. When kids turned 6 & 3 we left for a burb in NJ. Lots of pros and cons. My wife & I were okay with the trade-offs but we eventually decided we wanted our kids to have a different life than they would have growing up in Manhattan. No judging, just different choices. If you enjoy nature, greater independence for your kids, etc, your stay in Manhattan will be pretty short

Here’s what I would do if I were you - I would move here if you have this itch to do it. You don’t even have kids yet so you can spend a year or so here kid free and then when baby comes along you can try it but if you miss your SF life you can always go back. I wouldn’t hold yourself back if you don’t have kids yet. Small kids (under 4yo) are a lot more manageable in NYC than older ones

My family has lived in NYC since they came here in the 1950s from overseas. I’ve lived here my entire life and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I went to public schools and I’m doing just fine. Like all places there are pros and cons of moving. But New York is a move you should make. Always

There are other amazing places to live (and raise children) than NYC and CA. I’m in New Mexico and it’s amazing. Sure, the agencies aren’t high profile, but the work we do is great (and award-winning) and all my CDs have come from big agencies. I’m a successful, happy mother with the most incredible work-life balance. Just sayin’...

Would be looking to move, Im on the west coast

And don’t forget about the nightmare of schools in NYC.

Stay in SF.

3 kids in Brooklyn and $175k salary leaves us paycheck to paycheck, but with max 401k contribution and private school coming in at $30k/yr. Fortunately I’m making $80k/yr from my home appreciating so I guess we’re doing ok, but almost went under when I had a 2-year dry spell while freelancing. That was rough.

NYC is insanely segregated in their school systems, I grew up in an NYC suburb in NJ that had a historically integrated PUBLIC school system with while my parents commuted to NYC for work. Don’t live in NYC. Don’t send your kids to an expensive private school that underpays their staff and alienates lower class and minority students, if you come to New York to work and want to have a family you shouldn’t live in the city. I live in Brooklyn now and I love it but I would never raise a family here.

And ditch the car before you come. You don’t need it.

For me NYC is all about hungry people going there to make their thing happen . It's very competitive