Why Creative and Tech Minds are Moving to Orlando
Everyone is always surprised that PRPL is based in Orlando, Florida. From our Fortune 500 clients nestled in Silicon Valley to local talent, there is often a misconception that Orlando is not a place for creativity and emerging technology. While I’m thrilled that we can pleasantly surprise our clients and our community, I have to ask, why is this so surprising? It’s only after I detail the benefits of not only operating within Orlando, but also why it’s advantageous for businesses to source creative and digital work here that I begin to see a change in perspective. “That’s surprising” quickly evolves to “That makes total sense.”
You bet it makes sense.
WHY DO BUSINESS HERE?
Simply stated, there is a very good chance you’ll save money and not skimp on talent or quality. I’ll explain.
Investing in technology and finding creative ways to improve the business should be at the top of any company’s to-do list in 2016. Whether it’s improving operations by developing automated systems or leveraging data-driven user experience design to better serve audiences, businesses should be partnering with agencies who will help them creatively solve problems. Budgeting for this investment can be difficult, and no company wants to sacrifice quality for the sake of cost. With this in mind, how often do you consider the economic conditions surrounding the company bidding for your project or partnership agreement?
CONSIDER THE BIGGER FINANCIAL PICTURE
Businesses can afford real estate in Central Florida without heavily inflating their service or product rates to accommodate overhead costs. Affordable real estate also means that businesses, particularly within the creative or technology industry, can break ground and innovate (a great example is the healthcare technology growing in Lake Nona’s Medical City). Since the overhead and real estate isn’t inflated, these businesses can afford to provide services at a cheaper rate. More often than not, the cost of doing business in Orlando (or Florida, for that matter) is less than other major tech and creative hubs, such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. Tax incentives for businesses are very good, and employers can typically offer competitive compensation packages that go a long way (Thanks, Florida).
Beyond the logistics of running a profitable business and offering employees an attractive compensation package, there is also a growing community of bright minds ready to solve the next problem or flex their creative muscles. Orlando has the largest tech meetup group in the Southeast, and this pool of talent is complemented by the eager and skilled “future talent pool” of higher education institutions in the area such as the University of Central Florida (second largest college in the country) and Full Sail University. I’ll bet you anything that most of these individuals who are ready for the next challenge crunched some numbers and figured out how difficult it would be to live in the top-of-mind tech cities. Nothing against these cities (I personally love them) or any city that is similar, but people often forget the advantages of living in an area where you can push the tech or creative needle while still being able to afford a house or pay off your student loans.
WHY DO PEOPLE IN TECH WANT TO WORK HERE?
You mean other than the obvious number-crunching and affordability incentives that I just mentioned? Orlando was named #4 “Best Cities for Job Growth” by Forbes in 2015, and the “innovative technologies” industry has been highlighted as a key industry within the area (shout out to PRPL for being on the list of Industry leaders in the area!). People who work here take home more of their paycheck due to fewer taxes, and there are endless options for buying or renting a place to live in both urban and suburban communities. Major investments are being made in transportation, so you can easily afford to commute to work via a personal car. Want to be economical? Ride your bicycle or the SunRail to work. We’re pretty proud of our growing bike rack at PRPL.
Beyond compensation, the quality of life in Central Florida is pretty amazing. Recreation, entertainment, theme parks, food and cocktail culture, a quick jaunt to beaches on either coast and easy access to an international airport are just a few selling points. Oh, it’s sunny here, too.
When employees are happy to live and work in the area, you can see it in the work that they execute and the energy that they bring to the table. We’re proud to have a growing tech and creative community in Orlando, and as you can see, it’s a pretty sweet deal to do business here. Take it from us!
