Perhaps follow-on parts will address the underlying reasons why there is a sense of detachment between the established Boston power base and potential new participants. I have two theories. The first is that the bulk of the legacy industries (banking, finance, law) in the Boston area business community really don’t understand what it takes to create an environment where an innovation economy can thrive. They adhere to low risk pursuits (commercial real estate) and spend most of their time propping up a political structure that is even more antiquated in its process. This leads to the second theory that our local political process and players do not engender a high degree of confidence among our new arrivals. It doesn’t take too much digging to understand that our local business culture is heavily hindered by confusing regulations imposed by a political system that rigs the process in order to protect special interests at the expense of new industries.
New England has always been a parochial backwater hostile to newcomers. It doesn't matter what industry, it's just the local character. You either accept that, with the understanding that if this is where the best opportunity is you must endure the bad with the good, and patiently keep at it and hope one day to be tolerated, or you take your ball and go home.
Disagree. This city is vibrant, diverse, and most certainly not a backwater. My company (Promoboxx) is a proud part of the Boston tech scene, where we work aloneside teams from Austin, India, California, Estonia, Belguim, Nashville, Germany, etc. all of whom have chosen to start/grow their companies here, and all of whom have been accepted with open arms. Its time to update our perceptions.
Comments
Perhaps follow-on parts will address the underlying reasons why there is a sense of detachment between the established Boston power base and potential new participants. I have two theories. The first is that the bulk of the legacy industries (banking, finance, law) in the Boston area business community really don’t understand what it takes to create an environment where an innovation economy can thrive. They adhere to low risk pursuits (commercial real estate) and spend most of their time propping up a political structure that is even more antiquated in its process. This leads to the second theory that our local political process and players do not engender a high degree of confidence among our new arrivals. It doesn’t take too much digging to understand that our local business culture is heavily hindered by confusing regulations imposed by a political system that rigs the process in order to protect special interests at the expense of new industries.
New England has always been a parochial backwater hostile to newcomers. It doesn't matter what industry, it's just the local character. You either accept that, with the understanding that if this is where the best opportunity is you must endure the bad with the good, and patiently keep at it and hope one day to be tolerated, or you take your ball and go home.
Disagree. This city is vibrant, diverse, and most certainly not a backwater. My company (Promoboxx) is a proud part of the Boston tech scene, where we work aloneside teams from Austin, India, California, Estonia, Belguim, Nashville, Germany, etc. all of whom have chosen to start/grow their companies here, and all of whom have been accepted with open arms. Its time to update our perceptions.
Is that your experience as a non-native?