I'm leaving New York this December for the research triangle area of North Carolina. I've considered leaving New York many times for the same reason: lower cost of living to help me start a company without needing to force myself into a VC route. And now with The Consensus I have a project that 1) I fully believe in and 2) is going pretty well, so it's time to extend my runway.
It has been a joy meeting so many cool people in New York over the years attending and running meetups. (NYC Systems is in good hands with my coorganizer Angelo Saraceno, who has been there since the beginning.)
It's scary to leave the big city, the subway, the diverse peoples, the diverse food, the stores that are always open, to leave friends, to leave the place that everyone in the world seems to find themselves periodically coming to.
But I'm also excited to go somewhere new and explore a new region of the country. (I spent my whole life in the north east). I have good memories of visiting the gardens at Duke, the lakes around Charlotte, the mountains near Tennessee. I'm looking forward to seeing them again and seeing more.
DC Systems is within driving distance and I'm hopeful for groups in the research triangle, Charlotte, Atlanta, and around Virginia.
I'm excited about all the students in the area. Excited to have a new excuse to bring PhD students out for Banh Mi.
Mostly I'm excited to have more time to keep working on The Consensus.
I suspect the triangle won't be my last stop, and maybe I'll be right back in New York in no time, but it's the right stop for me right now.
So, say hi before I leave! Let's catch up one last time before my visits become more sporadic.
And if you're a reader in the triangle area, give me your tips! And let's meet up when I'm settled.