Reasons to LOVE New York (startup edition)
As with most people, print media takes up less and less of my life. Over the years, I've let my subscriptions to TIME, The Economist, and The Wall Street Journal go un-renewed. However, since living in New York City, one publication has been the anthem for my love for New York: New York Magazine.
This year, however, I've even been a bit delinquent in renewing, and so I recently received an offer to give away a free subscription when I renew. I was probably going to renew anyway, but I figured this would be a great opportunity to share something I love. (Note to subscription departments, this tactic works.)
So, this morning, in honor of last week's "Reasons to Love New York (especially right now)" issue, I asked a simple question on Twitter:
I have 1 free NY Mag sub to give away. @ me why NYC is the best place to do tech startup.
The winning submission is from Matt Trush (@lfstyl) of NY startup Convos:
@innonate NYC constantly reminds you that you don't know everything, yet surrounds you with opportunity to experience anything
I loved every submission (especially Kortina's about NYC's women), but Matt's words rang very true to me, and reminds me that learning is an important element of success. In fact, Matt's words mirrored closely the words I ended my Commcencement Address with: "Know what you don't know, and use the resource of ignorance."
In a lot of ways, Matt's submission is also a good fit with Mark's citation of Frank Sinatra, "If you can make it here you can make it anywhere."
Those quotes combine to great a perfect guide for succeeding in New York:
Be hungry enough to make it to the very top, but also be constantly humbled by the awesomeness of the world around you.
Anyway, with this as your guide, New York has a lot to offer.
By the way, read below for all the submissions. There are some great ones:
- tmarman: @innonate The diversity in NYC helps us avoid the echo chamber - unlike SV where everyone is so tech focused. http://bit.ly/akJ7 #innoMag
- sstrudeau: @steingart @innonate bootstrapping !== VC. If I was looking for early VC, I'd pick SF over NYC unless I was tied to media
- lfstyl: @innonate NYC constantly reminds you that you don't know everything, yet surrounds you with opportunity to experience anything #innoMag
- tspatz: @innonate It's the people! NYC folks are EXCITED to build new stuff and work together. They can SEE the potential in ideas. #innoMag
- sstrudeau: @innonate NYC is worth it for media/content-centric startups (blog networks, original video, etc.) for the breadth of "creative" talent here
- sstrudeau: @innonate IMO NYC is a non-ideal place for most startups; overhead is too high. If I were bootstrapping, I'd go to PDX. #innoMag sdisruption: @innonate Alleys that actually exist in NYC are metaphorical and not filled with trash. #innoMag
- michele_perras: this is awesome! RT @Innonate: Pumped my friend @somewhatfrank has compiled a calendar of all the tech confs in '09 http://bit.ly/jQoR
- ari_ratner: @innonate Not in NY but I'll give it a try. NYC is better simply because it has some of the best minds in every industry. #innoMag
- MikeDuda: @innonate The depth of talent in supportive services like marketing are unparalleled & NYC culture most perseverent in world #innoMag
- noneck: @innonate you forgot the drama queens and band nurds.
- FurtiveSpy: @innonate Because interest is focused on the Project and the talent not the person/people. It's NextNY & NY Tech not VallyWag. #innoMag
- FurtiveSpy: @innonate Because Nate is here in NYC :) #innoMag
- muratny: @innonate because it is the center of the universe (really) #innoMag
- kortina: @innonate cause the women in NYC are the best in the world. great place to live while you're building something
- jdrive: @innonate Willy Sutton was asked why he robbed banks. His answer? That's where the money is. Why start up in NY? Its where the customers are
- DimaM: @innonate @ShakeShack =) #innoMag
- karls_mlab: @innonate - Because no one is more than one degree of separation and/or a few blocks away.
- mediaeater: @innonate #1 NYC=No fear #2 NYC=Original vision + thought leaders, #3 If you make it here you can make it anywhere #4 Meetup + community