Not Only Luck.
An essay by John Melonakos

Reasons I am Grateful for Atlanta

I’m grateful to be part of Atlanta. It’s an awesome city and has a great mix of ingredients. Today I want to share some of the reasons I love this city.

  • Georgia Tech – one of the largest (the largest under some definitions) engineering schools in the nation; top 5 programs in most disciplines; great talent that feeds the city
  • Great Startup Leaders – there are great mentors in this city who know how to build startups and who are accessible with their time
  • Great Startup Events – here are some calendars of those (ATDC, Hypepotamus)
  • Great Startup Office Spaces – ATDC, Hypepotamus, Atlanta Tech Village
  • Great People – Atlantans are down to earth and practical, yet known for doing big things; Atlanta is one of the biggest cities in the world that still both reverences God while also opening its arms to people of all beliefs; southern hospitality, manners, and morals are here
  • Cost of Living – startups here have a great chance to hit big milestones on low budgets; startup families here can live comfortable lifestyles on little income
  • Right Sized – the startup community here is big enough to always be interesting, yet small enough to allow meaningful relationships to grow

Things noticeably not on my list are a shout out to Atlanta’s Fortune 500 companies (at AccelerEyes, we don’t do business with Coca-cola, Home Depot, Delta/Airtran, Turner, etc), a love of Atlanta’s rivers and beaches, or a love of Atlanta traffic.

I originally moved here to attend Georgia Tech. Since moving here in 2004, I’ve realized how lucky I am to be here and am grateful for all these additional benefits.

What reasons do you have for being grateful for Atlanta?

 

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From the conversation

Comments preserved from the original post.

LAStartupGuy

I moved from Atlanta to LA about two years ago. I miss the low cost of living, the great people, and those Fortune 500 companies that kept me gainfully employed for over a decade while i lived there. I also miss the startup scene there. There’s some very good people there. I love LA, but my plan is to return someday.