Why I’m moving my company to downtown Worcester
After six successful years of starting up a business in Northborough, my company is looking to raise money, grow our national client base, build new products and hire young talent, and to do that we're moving our offices.
To Worcester.
That's right, not Boston or Cambridge or Somerville or even Waltham; we're moving to downtown Worcester.
So, why Worcester? Here are five good reasons:
1) The opportunity is right.
When we began our search for new space more than a year ago, we were lucky to connect with the Worcester Business Development Corp. (WBDC), and we learned that it was developing a unique partnership with local colleges and transforming the former Telegram & Gazette building into classroom, office and business incubator space.
The opportunity to anchor the incubator space provides my company with new avenues to build partnerships with local colleges and entrepreneurs.
2) The price is right.
If we had decided to locate inside Route 128, we would had to pay three to four times the rent we'll be paying in Worcester. As a startup, fixed costs are always a concern. So, moving to Worcester and specifically, working with the WBDC is a deal that's priced to help us succeed.
3) We can retain our current team.
We have a great core team in place and don't want to lose anyone. An extra 10 to 15 minutes of commuting time into downtown Worcester is not a deal killer for any of our employees. But if we had moved to Boston, the added commuting time and expense may have cost us key employees in the long run.
4) It makes for a great lifestyle choice.
My partners and I are committed to providing an environment that provides a work-life balance and we believe Worcester is a great place to find that. For example, Parenting magazine recently ranked Worcester seventh among its 10 best cities for families, citing museums, nightlife, theaters, parks and events for kids as key factors.
5) It’ll be easier to recruit talent.
When all is said and done, the key measure of success in our move to Worcester will be our ability to recruit and retain talent. We're making a long-term bet that the work we're doing and the office environment we're providing, combined with what Worcester has to offer (including 11 colleges and approximately 28,000 undergraduate students) will prove to be a successful formula as we grow.
David Crouch, of Shrewsbury, is partner and president of ten24 Digital Solutions, a software development company. He can be reached at david.crouch@ten24web.com.
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