I think many of you are misinterpreting what I'm writing. I'm not discounting the influence of a place like New York or San Francisco--there is much to gain and

I think many of you are misinterpreting what I'm writing. I'm not discounting the influence of a place like New York or San Francisco--there is much to gain and great products are built in those cities, and your likelihood of success increases. What I am warning is that I hear the stories of founders that move to SF, don't have a product out, live off cash reserves, and months in to the project still no viable product. There are some who seem to believe the inception of any product must begin there. To the contrary, I actually encourage people to move to SF and NYC because of the knowledge/experience/atmosphere. But you stand to have better chances when you move _prepared_ than when you move to a big city without a plan. Especially a city like NYC where starving, talented artists are a dime a dozen. It's the capital of capitalism. Moving to a city is a step you make when you are firmly committed to the idea. Don't just move because you have an idea. Have your things in order. It's a lot like fishing--just make sure you have your bait before you go. If you have start worrying about lease, payroll, and so on from the very beginning, well, it'll be tough. But if you have a direction, like a minimal amount of code written already, you'll move into the big city much better prepared. Remember, cities like SF and NYC are capitals of capitalism. Before you quit you job and move to a big city, be prepared about the gravity of such a decision. You'll need to commit to a lease. NYC leases are not cheap if you aren't already there. You'll need to spend time to setup your office/apartment (often the same). You're likely moving there to hire talent. But if you start a project without a strong beginning, you'll be burning cash--and a lot of it in a big city where wages and cost of living are higher. There is no doubt about the economic influence of a place. But being in X won't stop you from being successful. As long as you're driven, you will move to Y as long as you have a product and a plan. Just my 2 cents.