The American Dream is Alive…in St. Louis

One thing I have always loved about our city is it feels like you can have an effect, grasp everything of consequence that is happening, and really know the people and communities that living here. It’s a nice, comfy size. I met St. Louis native Jack Dorsey at a Square town hall on Cherokee Street in 2013, to paraphrase something he said:

St. Louis is a pond that you can throw a rock in, and see the ripples.

As an entrepreneur, this excites me. At my core, I desire to do things that matter and effect change. In St. Louis, there is so much opportunity for positive growth. And, when you do something remarkable, it is appreciated and stands out. You also are not fighting a crowd of other people trying to do the same thing. Instead of hordes fighting over slices of pie, we have an opportunity to bake something new and special together.

Even better, when you have an idea or concept, you can afford to see it come to fruition. Rent is about 2/3 the national average, and business costs in St. Louis are 57% lower than in San Francisco. Last year, with savings from a middle class income, my wife and I were able to launch a second business and purchase a couple acres of land from the city to start an ambitious urban agriculture project. We have our own property to build and improve, without a lease or a mortgage, in the heart of St. Louis near the customers we serve every day.

This makes two profitable businesses in less than 5 years, without debt. They may not be the flashy VC-capital magnets, the unicorns some young hustlers dream of creating. They are self-sustaining and growing, can provide for a family, and give us work to do every day that we feel is meaningful. To me, that is really the American Dream.

Will there be a small business renaissance in the Midwest?