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The SoCal Network: The companies behind LA's tech boom

22 points by applecore 11y ago

swang 11y ago
I would rather work in LA than SF. Obviously this part of the equation is _preference_ But the problem is I am dying to find something in LA but it's just really hard to find a tech company you'd want to work for where because there's usually only one company in that space. For example. Let's say I want to find a job involving "bitcoin" I search and find this link[0]. Ignoring all the links to companies that no longer own their own domain names, NO ONE HAS ANY SPECIFIC JOB OPENINGS. 3 of the sites I went to give a generic form for you to enter info if maybe you are interested. But nothing specific. Okay so maybe bitcoins are not a good startup idea in LA, let's go for Drones. Everyone LOVES drones right? So I goto "drones"[1] on that same website. There's like 8 links there, half of them don't go anywhere and the rest have no specific job positions either. Part of the lure of SFBA is that your options are pretty varied but also the depth of each tech space is relatively deep. Don't like this company in tech space Y? Try the 4 other companies in that same field. You can't even get two options in LA. You can either goto Snapchat if you want to be part of the big social media company or you can join... what? You can go with the hot online dating startup Tinder, or.... what? There is literally no alternative to seek another company in the same space in LA because most likely the company doesn't exist. You don't really have the freedom to still be in a certain tech category while avoiding certain companies in that space. About the only tech space you have options in is if you want to be part of a tech boutique shop that does custom websites for the big movie companies. I know people in that field and they seem happy with what they're doing so if that is your thing, LA could work out. Oh yeah and they also pay kinda shitty considering LA (especially Venice, Santa Monica, Playa Vista where Rubicon is) is not cheap. And although I'm sure some companies do offer free snacks/perks, I've heard a lot where they aren't expected to provide that because it's LA, not SF. Yes yes, no free snacks, first-world-problems and all that. But if you're trying to attract tech talent then you should be offering something besides, "LA Cool" [0] http://startupsla.com/startups/bitcoin http://startupsla.com/startups/bitcoin [1] http://startupsla.com/startups/drones http://startupsla.com/startups/drones
- gamblor956 11y ago
  There's an important distinction between LA and SF: SF has startups with no revenue goals or strategic direction, but LA has businesses with plans to generate revenue (and even profits). Most of LA's businesses avoid LA's startup scene. Like SF, the startup scene here is a self-congratulatory frat party fueled by VC money, where funding announcements are celebrated with raucous applause but profit announcements are greeted by a silent room. There is literally no alternative to seek another company in the same space in LA because most likely the company doesn't exist. You don't really have the freedom to still be in a certain tech category while avoiding certain companies in that space....About the only tech space you have options in is if you want to be part of a tech boutique shop that does custom websites for the big movie companies. I know people in that field and they seem happy with what they're doing so if that is your thing, LA could work out. Your problem is that you used a single random list website as your data point. LA's a big place with many tech or tech-related businesses, and there are few if any websites that even attempt to gather all of that data. LA has hundreds of companies revolutionizing media technology--nearly every VFX company in the area is working on some sort of innovative technology or software, companies like Machinima and Red Bull changed the way we produce media, and companies like Hulu have changed the way we consume media. LA is the home to hundreds of triple-AAA and indie video game developers, from the Braid guy and Riot Games to EA and Square Enix. We've got dozens of companies in the tech advertising space that you've never heard of even though they're wildly profitable because they're purely B2B. We've got hundreds of companies in the fashion/apparel space innovating at every step in the fashion process, from design to end-customer sales. LA is still the place to be for aerospace technology. While SF startups dream about one day dipping their toes into logistics, LA-based companies have already revolutionized the technologies and process underlying the biggest logistics operations in the Northern Hemisphere several times over. And yes, we even have startups like Snapchat, a social app that no one in a media town would even remotely consider a media company. Oh yeah and they also pay kinda shitty considering LA (especially Venice, Santa Monica, Playa Vista where Rubicon is) is not cheap. And although I'm sure some companies do offer free snacks/perks, I've heard a lot where they aren't expected to provide that because it's LA, not SF. Venice, Manhattan Beach, and beach-adjacent Santa Monica is LA's Silicon Beach area. Like most beach cities in desirable areas they are expensive, though it is possible to live inland and pay reasonable rates for housing. Most businesses are spread out across LA, and with the exception of the video game cluster in Playa Del Rel (a beach city south of Santa Monica) most of the clusters are not in the beach-adjacent areas.
HiLo 11y ago
I live in Houston, and am moving to LA soon over NYC (finance + commodities background) or SF (fits current career path). I know NYC and SF can be really cool places, but you really have to stop pretending they are unless you really are pulling in 7 or more figures. The people and lifestyle in LA are way more conducive, intellectually and otherwise, to the life I want and the way I see things going. I see places like Houston, Austin, and LA outperforming NYC and SF for the time being.
- eachro 11y ago
  7 figures is a huge exaggeration. You can live comfortably on 80-100k in NYC. Not everyone needs to live in Manhattan. Rent in the outer boroughs can be very affordable if you look in the right places. You can still indulge from time to time(a broadway show once a month, the random cheap concert every two weeks or so, brunch with friends from out of town) and still save a lot. I was making high 5 figures out of college and still managed to save 25% of my after tax income each year. Granted, I'd have been able to save more if I were living in say Philly or Chicago. But still it's very doable.
- goldmouth 11y ago
  Why are you leaving Houston for LA? I have a similar option.

22 points by applecore 11y ago

swang 11y ago

I would rather work in LA than SF. Obviously this part of the equation is _preference_ But the problem is I am dying to find something in LA but it's just really hard to find a tech company you'd want to work for where because there's usually only one company in that space. For example. Let's say I want to find a job involving "bitcoin" I search and find this link[0]. Ignoring all the links to companies that no longer own their own domain names, NO ONE HAS ANY SPECIFIC JOB OPENINGS. 3 of the sites I went to give a generic form for you to enter info if maybe you are interested. But nothing specific. Okay so maybe bitcoins are not a good startup idea in LA, let's go for Drones. Everyone LOVES drones right? So I goto "drones"[1] on that same website. There's like 8 links there, half of them don't go anywhere and the rest have no specific job positions either. Part of the lure of SFBA is that your options are pretty varied but also the depth of each tech space is relatively deep. Don't like this company in tech space Y? Try the 4 other companies in that same field. You can't even get two options in LA. You can either goto Snapchat if you want to be part of the big social media company or you can join... what? You can go with the hot online dating startup Tinder, or.... what? There is literally no alternative to seek another company in the same space in LA because most likely the company doesn't exist. You don't really have the freedom to still be in a certain tech category while avoiding certain companies in that space. About the only tech space you have options in is if you want to be part of a tech boutique shop that does custom websites for the big movie companies. I know people in that field and they seem happy with what they're doing so if that is your thing, LA could work out. Oh yeah and they also pay kinda shitty considering LA (especially Venice, Santa Monica, Playa Vista where Rubicon is) is not cheap. And although I'm sure some companies do offer free snacks/perks, I've heard a lot where they aren't expected to provide that because it's LA, not SF. Yes yes, no free snacks, first-world-problems and all that. But if you're trying to attract tech talent then you should be offering something besides, "LA Cool" [0] http://startupsla.com/startups/bitcoin http://startupsla.com/startups/bitcoin [1] http://startupsla.com/startups/drones http://startupsla.com/startups/drones

gamblor956 11y ago
There's an important distinction between LA and SF: SF has startups with no revenue goals or strategic direction, but LA has businesses with plans to generate revenue (and even profits). Most of LA's businesses avoid LA's startup scene. Like SF, the startup scene here is a self-congratulatory frat party fueled by VC money, where funding announcements are celebrated with raucous applause but profit announcements are greeted by a silent room. There is literally no alternative to seek another company in the same space in LA because most likely the company doesn't exist. You don't really have the freedom to still be in a certain tech category while avoiding certain companies in that space....About the only tech space you have options in is if you want to be part of a tech boutique shop that does custom websites for the big movie companies. I know people in that field and they seem happy with what they're doing so if that is your thing, LA could work out. Your problem is that you used a single random list website as your data point. LA's a big place with many tech or tech-related businesses, and there are few if any websites that even attempt to gather all of that data. LA has hundreds of companies revolutionizing media technology--nearly every VFX company in the area is working on some sort of innovative technology or software, companies like Machinima and Red Bull changed the way we produce media, and companies like Hulu have changed the way we consume media. LA is the home to hundreds of triple-AAA and indie video game developers, from the Braid guy and Riot Games to EA and Square Enix. We've got dozens of companies in the tech advertising space that you've never heard of even though they're wildly profitable because they're purely B2B. We've got hundreds of companies in the fashion/apparel space innovating at every step in the fashion process, from design to end-customer sales. LA is still the place to be for aerospace technology. While SF startups dream about one day dipping their toes into logistics, LA-based companies have already revolutionized the technologies and process underlying the biggest logistics operations in the Northern Hemisphere several times over. And yes, we even have startups like Snapchat, a social app that no one in a media town would even remotely consider a media company. Oh yeah and they also pay kinda shitty considering LA (especially Venice, Santa Monica, Playa Vista where Rubicon is) is not cheap. And although I'm sure some companies do offer free snacks/perks, I've heard a lot where they aren't expected to provide that because it's LA, not SF. Venice, Manhattan Beach, and beach-adjacent Santa Monica is LA's Silicon Beach area. Like most beach cities in desirable areas they are expensive, though it is possible to live inland and pay reasonable rates for housing. Most businesses are spread out across LA, and with the exception of the video game cluster in Playa Del Rel (a beach city south of Santa Monica) most of the clusters are not in the beach-adjacent areas.

HiLo 11y ago

I live in Houston, and am moving to LA soon over NYC (finance + commodities background) or SF (fits current career path). I know NYC and SF can be really cool places, but you really have to stop pretending they are unless you really are pulling in 7 or more figures. The people and lifestyle in LA are way more conducive, intellectually and otherwise, to the life I want and the way I see things going. I see places like Houston, Austin, and LA outperforming NYC and SF for the time being.

eachro 11y ago
7 figures is a huge exaggeration. You can live comfortably on 80-100k in NYC. Not everyone needs to live in Manhattan. Rent in the outer boroughs can be very affordable if you look in the right places. You can still indulge from time to time(a broadway show once a month, the random cheap concert every two weeks or so, brunch with friends from out of town) and still save a lot. I was making high 5 figures out of college and still managed to save 25% of my after tax income each year. Granted, I'd have been able to save more if I were living in say Philly or Chicago. But still it's very doable.
goldmouth 11y ago
Why are you leaving Houston for LA? I have a similar option.