By Adam Ross

Looking Past Stereotypes: The real story of doing business in Palm Beach County.

Looking Past Stereotypes: The real story of doing business in Palm Beach County

Forget The Stereotype

The Palm Beaches have been undergoing a massive rebirth in recent years, ditching it’s retiree saturated stereotype for that of a tech and cultural center in South Florida. As a business owner who moved his business here 5 years ago, I am happy to report that this is not the Palm Beach that you (or I) thought it was.

I am always hosting out of town clients to see it for themselves and it takes as little as one day to turn impressions around.

Resources, Connections and Support

Something I find most unique about this area is that for a small city, the sense of community is big. Having lived in cities like San Francisco and New York, there is less organization within the business community because, frankly, they don’t require it, it’s everywhere. Palm Beach businesses have a desire to get involved, and in turn, build a stronger sense of community. Since moving to West Palm Beach, I have attended more conferences, Meet-Ups and events in than I did in NYC and my network of business associates is stronger for it.

Come for the Weather, Stay for The Lifestyle

It’s a common misconception that Florida’s only draw is it’s sunny skies, and while Palm Beach county certainly has it in spades, there is so much more:

• Free Money – Did you know that Florida residents pay no state income tax? How about that for a sales pitch? Move to Florida, enjoy beautiful weather, and save thousands of dollars on your personal taxes.
• Live Music – West Palm Beach has an annual 5 day music festival called SunFest that draws massive crowds from all over the world. Add in the new Okeechobee Festival and Tortuga down the road and you have a vibrant selection of music to see.
• Baseball, Art and Entertainment – We are the East Coast epicenter for baseball Spring training, have 3 fine art museums, host Broadway shows at the Kravis Center, and are the go-to destination for International polo matches.
• Beaches – South Florida beaches are some of the nicest in the country and have year round water temperatures that make swimming in December delightful. They are all public (unlike the private beaches of California) and a perfect escape from your busy business schedule.
• Easy Lifestyle – Ditch your parka, South Florida rarely sees temperatures drop below 50 degrees making warm jackets, boots, scarves, hats and all your other winter gear a waste of space. Our year round temperatures are by far the nicest you will find.
• Miami, The Gulf,  Key West and Disney – West Palm Beach is a perfect jumping off point for accessing all that Florida has to offer. Looking for some of the best nightlife in the world, Miami is just a ‘Flo-Rida album’ drive down 95. Feel like giving Mickey Mouse a hug, you can be there before you say Mousekatootle. Or how about dining al fresco while enjoying some fresh gulf seafood, it is less than a gas tank away.

On The Horizon

With opinions changing fast, South Florida is seeing a boom in it’s technology environment and commercial development. Startups are appreciating the sense of community, businesses are moving their headquarters to enjoy the perks of the area and schools are building programs to fulfill the need of tech minded students.

If there ever was a time to get on the bandwagon, this is it. Palm Beach County is in full bloom and only getting better.