Birmingham is back, thanks to its startups, according to Entrepreneur columnist
Reading time: 4 minutes
Entrepreneur columnist Jeff Barrett is a sold on Birmingham.
Just read his January 2020 piece that appeared in the national magazine titled:
“How Startups Helped Birmingham Bounce Back.”
In the opinion piece, Barrett describes Birmingham as the most interesting place he visited in 2019.
Why did he say that?
Welcoming to newcomers
According to Barrett, Birmingham is becoming a hub for startups because we are welcoming newcomers to our city with innovative ideas. He backs it up in the column profiling Innovation Depot, Shipt, and rockstar startups Mixtroz and Pack Health.
Here is the money quote in the piece for our economic development folks:
“What I’ve noticed most in all of my travels is that the cities with the most to prove band together the most. Birmingham is getting stronger because it doesn’t care who you are, where you are from, what school you went to or who your parents know. They only care if you can help Birmingham grow. And if you can, they will put all of their energy in to making it happen together with you.
That sounds simple but its surprisingly rare. There’s no ego in Birmingham to get in their way. Their path is clear.”
Big Endorsement
These are strong and encouraging words coming from Barrett who has traveled to nearly every state in the country writing about startup ecosystems in publications like Entrepreneur and Inc.
He is also a Shorty Award winner, a prestigious award show/program that honors and recognizes the best content creators and producers on social media.
Bottomline, his endorsement means something.
A keepsake
Bham Now keeps a running tally of articles written about Birmingham (below). This particular column is a keepsake.
Enjoy the list!
Forbes – Forbes names Birmingham to worldwide affordable winter 2020 destinations list
Forbes – Birmingham named one of the top job markets for the 1st quarter of 2020 by Forbes
fDI Magazine – Birmingham named among top 10 Mid-Sized American Cities of the Future by international publication
Thrillist – Thrillist does a deep dive into Birmingham. Says it should be on everyone’s radar
BBC –Birmingham, Alabama: A city using theatres to reinvent itself
Conde Nast – Conde Nast declares Birmingham has arrived
Trip Advisor – Birmingham named ‘up and coming foodie city’
Inc. – Birmingham ranks 37 on Inc. 50 Best Places in America for Starting a Business
Stadium Talk –Regions Field named one of the Best Minor League Ballparks in America by Stadium Talk
New York Times – Big News! Birmingham Museum of Art’s Third Space featured in New York Times Best Art of 2017
Wine Enthusiasts – National publication Wine Enthusiast features Birmingham’s “top tier” drinking and dining hot spots
Nylon Magazine – Birmingham sparks attention
Outside Magazine”s 25 Best Towns of 2017 edition.
The New York Times –“Birmingham is ready to surprise you.”
Washington Post – “best vacation destinations you’ve never considered” series.
CNN – “15 charming cities in the American South you may have overlooked.”
