SO... this is typically how it goes... oddly.
I hand them my business card... They take a glance, then they do a double-take. Then it goes something like this... They say, Is this a typo? I say, What? ... You know, where you live? I just smile. I am happy. I know what they are trying to say... and I think it's funny. They think that where they live is maybe the center of the universe... I think where I live is (geographically speaking and all). They don't understand... OH, you live there... in Wisconsin... What's that by? (Yes, really!)
I live in Ripon, Wisconsin. I grew up here… in Wisconsin, not Ripon, but close by. John, my lovely man, did not... He's from Evanston, IL... but so willingly moved here with me as we started our company. This town rocks!! We have great schools, the people are entirely supportive and cool... and I can drive to work in all of 5 minutes! It's amazingly affordable to raise a family here... We have the ability to get to most anywhere pretty quickly by plane (Appleton or Milwaukee airports). We love to travel, so we do try to as much as we can. There are so very many upsides to small town living (less than 8,000 people here)... I always tell kids, GO… go away... see the world… get out… but then consider a small town when you settle down. There is so much life here, and wonderfully old-fashioned things about living here. I honestly think that for us to have started our business in a larger city would have been nearly cost prohibitive (mind you, we could not have started with less). I am always amazed that companies can really do it... You'll always see me waving the small town flag! |
