Author: /u/DonutSlave

Houstonians!

I’m considering expanding my business into Texas. We used to have an office in Austin (and I’ll admit – loved it) but relocated out-of-state three years ago. We are an enterprise software company, that primarily sells to large, industrial organizations. >50% of our customers are in the Energy industry (onshore and offshore).

We’re now looking to open another office in Texas (I love it, and our customers are there).

On paper – Houston makes a lot of sense. My experience in Houston in the past (largely on business trips) has not been great. That being said, I freely admit that I have only seen a small window into Houston life.

My concerns:

1. The time spent in the car is a huge time suck. I know it’s cliche, but it just seems super inefficient to spend so much time in the car when I could be working or enjoying my life. Currently, I live about 500 yards from my office. I have nothing against cars, but I only want to have to use them when I want to. Are there parts of the city where you could get a nice cup of coffee/pick up groceries/have a beer without getting in the car to drive a quarter-mile?
2. Attracting Talent. Working in tech, I’m concerned that it will be difficult to recruit people who can effectively live wherever they want to spend their lives in 8-lane traffic and humidity. We’re remote-first, but being in Houston is important to meet with customers. Some initial research has also indicated that the price/quality ratio of talent in Houston is relatively high for tech roles because it’s so easy to get a job at a Fortune 500.
3. Business Culture. Running a startup – we value disruptive thinking and innovation. I know Houstonians work damn hard, but the corporate culture seems extremely “safe.” The movie Office Space comes to mind. Every time I’m in meetings in Houston I feel like I’ve gone back in time 20 years. The “tech” spaces feel like they were engineered by a steering committee. Aesthetics aren’t important, but culture matters.

Is Houston just not for me? or am I missing the real heart of the city?