Oregon's new trail...and pioneers
There’s a new Oregon Trail and it leads to Zoom Towns like Bend.
Kevin Frazier edits The Oregon Way before he starts Zoom classes for the day at the UC Berkeley School of Law. He’s a proud Oregonian and Duck (even after that sad loss).
There’s a new Oregon Trail and it leads to Zoom Towns like Bend. Unsurprisingly, pioneers have already started their journey—thankfully, it’s far less perilous than the trail of yore, while still promising the an equally exciting end destination and plenty of adventure along the way. Equipped with wifi (not wagons), processing power (not horsepower), and craft beer (instead of cornmeal), some daring Zoomers have reached the end of the Trail.
One such caravan? My buddy Adam and his fellow pioneers, Bret and Charlie. The newest residents of Redmond, they all work at algofy. It’s a tech company that offers services such as e-commerce, lead generation, data visualization, and content creation (all things above my paygrade as a law school student). They’ve established their corporate roots in Redmond and plan to grow their company while also firmly implanting themselves in the Central Oregon economy and community.
I’ll let you check out their website and learn more about their awesome work. As much as I’m fascinated by algofy’s short- and long-term business goals, I’m admittedly more interested in what lured them to our great state. After all, like the pioneers that preceded them ages ago, it’s not so much what these pioneers are doing in Oregon, so much as the community they’re creating that matters most.
As the data above makes clear, something special is drawing people from around the country to Oregon. I asked Adam, Bret, and Charlie to help me identify what exactly sent them our way.
Kevin (K): A couple years ago, y’all were working around the world. A couple months ago, you were considering almost every major U.S. city as a potential home. As of a few weeks ago, Redmond became your new home. So, I have to know, what put Oregon on the map?
Bret (B): The first time I drove into to Oregon, I couldn’t help but think, “Wow. I wasn't expecting it to be this great.” Our friends and family had been telling us about the Oregon outdoors, but there was something about actually seeing it. Oregon on the outdoor aspect checks just about every box. You come to Bend, you see the Cascades, you see Mount Jefferson, and you take in the beauty and think, "Imagine what it must have been like to discover Switzerland."
K: It’s true—our outdoors are out of this world. In fact, we have our own “Little Alps” up in the Wallowas!
What else helped distinguished Oregon from other potential locations?
Adam (A): I grew up in the state, but after we had searched a bunch of other spots there was something about Oregon that just kept coming back to us—a Frontier Mentality. We’re not the sort of people that want to take the easy path. Coming here—it was clear that we’d be contributing to creating something, rather than adding to a more established, development economy.
K: Tell me more about this Frontier Mentality. What does it look like in practice? Where have you seen it in Oregon?
B: You can see it in places like Bend Outdoor Worx, a startup incubator for the outdoor industry. Just check out their motto…
We're dreamers, radicals, achievers, believers and vanguards with a shared belief and a common goal.
K: Point made! How do you think this Mentality has been developed?
B: Places like Bend have been investing in themselves and their community since the Great Recession. They choose to grow their own rather than recruit businesses from other states. Now, there’s a whole ecosystem of creative, innovative people in the community. We were drawn to that—tech draws tech.
K: So the outdoors and a Frontier Mentality sparked your interest, what about the business prospects of coming to Oregon?
B: Like I said, Bend reinvented itself. And, it built itself up. Central Oregon has some venture capital following through it now as a result and that drew us here. It's true that places like South Carolina might be more business-friendly. Still, here in Oregon we see a place that shares our values and is going to continue to grow and grow. You look at the demographic forecasts for Oregon in the coming decades and it's right there at the top in terms of population growth.
Charlie (C): We compiled a lot of data to come to our decision and business factors were just a part of that. There were a lot of personal values—sunshine, access to the outdoors—that put this place over the top.
When we toured Central Oregon for the first time, it was a surreal experience…I thought I may have passed into Heaven. It took us awhile to come to our final decision but it was clear that Bend was the frontrunner, even with some high taxes. When you take a step back, the whole picture shows that few places can compete with Oregon.
B: The growth potential of this market is huge. Taxes are one thing, but as more people become more remote, we’re confident they’ll follow the Trail as well. This place may not have the most business friendly policies but the people that come here are creative and inspiring. We’re looking forward to working with them.
K: What can Oregon do from a policy perspective to keep you here?
B: The focus on creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem is critical. The economic development folks should continue to focus on investing in the people who are here.
K: What’s your biggest fear about picking Oregon?
B: Oregon becoming California. There’s a reason people are leaving there for here. You look at the people leaving the Bay and their complaining about a lack of public safety and an anti-business mindset. Hopefully that won’t take place here. If it does, there’s always Idaho next door.
K: Best brewery you’ve been to in Oregon?
C: Boneyard.
K: Have you experienced “Oregon Nice” yet?
C: The people hear just seem happy. Not sure if that qualifies.
K: Should other businesses follow you?
B: Yeah, it’s paradise.
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Keep the conversation going:
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Looking to move your business and/or family to Central Oregon? Launching an exciting project and eager to partner with the Algofy team? They want to hear from you! Feel free to sent Bret an email at: bret@algofy.io