Saturday, April 08, 2006
Life 2.0 in Ireland
Rich Karlgaard is the publisher of Forbes Magazine and the author of a regular column “Digital Rules”.
Over the past decade he has observed a trend in the US, which has seen a growing number of experienced and successful entrepreneurs abandoning the traditional technology hotspots of San Francisco, Boston and the other major costal cities. These entrepreneurs are heading for smaller cities and towns located in the American heartland.
In his book Life 2.0, he tells the stories of some of the entrepreneurs who have made this choice and how they and their families have benefited professionally and personally.
Andrew Field is one such entrepreneur. He runs a very successful dot.com-business in Montanna, one of America’s least populated states. His business printingforless.com links customers wanting high-volume full-color printing runs, with the owners of the very expensive presses needed for such jobs. Since moving to Montana, Andrew and his family have built a house near Yellowstone national park, participate fully in the life of their local town Livingston, and they feel they experience a better quality of life.
Connie Paraskeva is a specialist in development issues who works with her clients dotted around the world from her home in Bismark, North Dakota. Having moved from Washington back to the town in which she was raised, not only is she able to continue to grow her business but also to look after her elderly mother. Every couple of months she hops on a plane and travels to Washington, or to the countries around the world where she is managing projects. Overall she also feels her quality of life has improved significantly.
There are a number of factors why this trend is being observed.
First, is the widespread availability of broadband and low-cost air travel. The availability of broadband not only allows Andrew Field to receive and send documents for printing, but also allows Connie Paraskeva to use email to effectively manage projects across many time-zones. The availability of low-cost air travel means that they can both go and see clients when necessary.
Second, the cost of establishing and operating a business in the smaller cities and towns in the American heartland is significantly lower. One important reason for this is that employees can accept lower salaries, while still being able to afford a house and to send their children to college. Another, is the substantially lower cost of professional and other services needed to setup and grow a business.
Third, the quality of life is generally enhanced. A major factor is the lower cost of living, which ensures that despite earning lower salaries they are better off. Often this allows one spouse commit to being full-time in the home, or allows a decision to start a family.
Fourth, is the closing of the sophistication gap. Many people who have made this transition have remarked upon the fact that having come to live in a smaller city or town, with greater disposable income and more free time they have been much more active in the cultural and artistic life of their new home. At the same time, the increased availability of national and international media, the opening of high quality restaurants and cafes and the growth local cultural and artistic activity have brought many of the advantages of living in a big city to where they live.
What opportunities do these factors and the trend they support imply for us here in Ireland.
For one, they imply an opportunity for communities in the more remote parts of this country, in partnership with the economic development agencies, to build a sustainable economic development strategy that protects and promotes their traditional values and the natural beauty of their surroundings.
This strategy should seek to target successful entrepreneurs who wish to share in the values and beauty of their community and to build a business there. By their very nature, these businesses will have strong ties to the local community, and will offer the prospect of long term economic benefits.
It should be noted that this strategy is also fully aligned with the interests of agriculture and tourism, both of which will be sustained by preserving the traditional values and natural beauty of these communities. In this context it is interesting that a recent survey found that visitors to Ireland were disappointed that, increasingly, Ireland looked like many other places they might choose to visit.
It should also be noted, however, that in order for communities to exploit this opportunity significant investment will be needed in broadband infrastructure. Also in the road infrastructure that connects these communities to the regional centres and airport
So next time a traditional industry closes in Donegal or Leitrim, with the loss of jobs and the hardship this means for these individuals and their families, the local elected officials and business leaders might reflect before they demand that the Minister and the IDA find them a drop-in replacement.
Instead, they might consider demanding that the government knock down the closed plant and build the wired luxury homes and state-of-the-art national schools that will attract the growing number of entrepreneurs seeking to experience the enhanced quality of life to be found in such communities.
Donald Fitzmaurce
Over the past decade he has observed a trend in the US, which has seen a growing number of experienced and successful entrepreneurs abandoning the traditional technology hotspots of San Francisco, Boston and the other major costal cities. These entrepreneurs are heading for smaller cities and towns located in the American heartland.
In his book Life 2.0, he tells the stories of some of the entrepreneurs who have made this choice and how they and their families have benefited professionally and personally.
Andrew Field is one such entrepreneur. He runs a very successful dot.com-business in Montanna, one of America’s least populated states. His business printingforless.com links customers wanting high-volume full-color printing runs, with the owners of the very expensive presses needed for such jobs. Since moving to Montana, Andrew and his family have built a house near Yellowstone national park, participate fully in the life of their local town Livingston, and they feel they experience a better quality of life.
Connie Paraskeva is a specialist in development issues who works with her clients dotted around the world from her home in Bismark, North Dakota. Having moved from Washington back to the town in which she was raised, not only is she able to continue to grow her business but also to look after her elderly mother. Every couple of months she hops on a plane and travels to Washington, or to the countries around the world where she is managing projects. Overall she also feels her quality of life has improved significantly.
There are a number of factors why this trend is being observed.
First, is the widespread availability of broadband and low-cost air travel. The availability of broadband not only allows Andrew Field to receive and send documents for printing, but also allows Connie Paraskeva to use email to effectively manage projects across many time-zones. The availability of low-cost air travel means that they can both go and see clients when necessary.
Second, the cost of establishing and operating a business in the smaller cities and towns in the American heartland is significantly lower. One important reason for this is that employees can accept lower salaries, while still being able to afford a house and to send their children to college. Another, is the substantially lower cost of professional and other services needed to setup and grow a business.
Third, the quality of life is generally enhanced. A major factor is the lower cost of living, which ensures that despite earning lower salaries they are better off. Often this allows one spouse commit to being full-time in the home, or allows a decision to start a family.
Fourth, is the closing of the sophistication gap. Many people who have made this transition have remarked upon the fact that having come to live in a smaller city or town, with greater disposable income and more free time they have been much more active in the cultural and artistic life of their new home. At the same time, the increased availability of national and international media, the opening of high quality restaurants and cafes and the growth local cultural and artistic activity have brought many of the advantages of living in a big city to where they live.
What opportunities do these factors and the trend they support imply for us here in Ireland.
For one, they imply an opportunity for communities in the more remote parts of this country, in partnership with the economic development agencies, to build a sustainable economic development strategy that protects and promotes their traditional values and the natural beauty of their surroundings.
This strategy should seek to target successful entrepreneurs who wish to share in the values and beauty of their community and to build a business there. By their very nature, these businesses will have strong ties to the local community, and will offer the prospect of long term economic benefits.
It should be noted that this strategy is also fully aligned with the interests of agriculture and tourism, both of which will be sustained by preserving the traditional values and natural beauty of these communities. In this context it is interesting that a recent survey found that visitors to Ireland were disappointed that, increasingly, Ireland looked like many other places they might choose to visit.
It should also be noted, however, that in order for communities to exploit this opportunity significant investment will be needed in broadband infrastructure. Also in the road infrastructure that connects these communities to the regional centres and airport
So next time a traditional industry closes in Donegal or Leitrim, with the loss of jobs and the hardship this means for these individuals and their families, the local elected officials and business leaders might reflect before they demand that the Minister and the IDA find them a drop-in replacement.
Instead, they might consider demanding that the government knock down the closed plant and build the wired luxury homes and state-of-the-art national schools that will attract the growing number of entrepreneurs seeking to experience the enhanced quality of life to be found in such communities.
Donald Fitzmaurce
# posted by Donald Fitzmaurice @ 00:25 
