It’s the Right Place for a Data Scientist / Marketer to Be
I’m moving to New York.
It’s a move that’s been a long time coming – starting with my first professional visit to New York decades ago. Frankly, I didn’t like the place the first time I arrived. The city was too crowded, too chaotic, too…much. But with the help of a few good friends, I learned to see what’s so magical about the most populated city in the US.
On a personal level, the most amazing facet of New York is the intersection of so many global cultures. Having recently spent some time abroad – serving as an executive nomad running LiftLab from Montreal to Puerto Rico to Mexico and Colombia – the ability to take root in one place while staying in touch with so many cultures speaks to me deeply. Even native New Yorkers may not realize just how multinational the city is. For just one example: take languages. New York is the home of most spoken languages in the world – 800 according to one count! This means there are nearly four times more languages spoken in New York City than there are countries in the United Nations.
But beyond just languages, I believe my being in New York will provide LiftLab with an ideal “perch” to connect with multiple crucial ecosystems:
Innovation ecosystem. Having spent decades in San Francisco I need to caveat that no, New York is not the startup capital of America. But with more than 25,000 tech-enabled startups and over 146 unicorns in the city, it’s a strong number two.
Enterprise ecosystem. With 47 of the Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the Big Apple, it’s arguably the enterprise capital of America.
Marketing ecosystem. New York is also very much the advertising and marketing hub of the United States. Madison Avenue is alive and well: in a recent ranking of top 10 global ad agencies by revenue, three of the four US firms— representing a collective $26.5 billion in revenue in 2022 – were New York-headquartered. And with four of the top 10 US media conglomerates headquartered in New York city as well, the city heartily represents both buy and sell sides of the marketing universe.
Being in the thick of so much industry will be a perfect perch from which to serve LiftLab’s ever-expanding roster of clients across major brands and holding companies, while also allowing us to participate in the rich ecosystem of “Silicon Alley.”
Ultimately, I plan to open a formal LiftLab headquarters here in New York City. In keeping with the city’s global vibe, a NYC HQ will give our whole team the opportunity to have a real-world office connected to our geographically diverse colleagues.
But the office space is getting ahead of things. For now, as a data practitioner, I can’t think of a better place to be – in the thick of so many people that serve as a constant reminder that every one of us is just a point in a vastly larger picture but a whole world living in society and supporting the economy all the same.