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From the Midwest to the Bay: What I've Learned About the San Francisco Startup Scene

This fall, I’m packing up my life and my business and moving from the rolling hills of the Ohio Valley to the fog-laced avenues of San Francisco. It’s a leap I’ve been planning for some time, driven by a desire to immerse myself in the most dynamic and ambitious business environment on the planet.

As I prepare for this next chapter, I find myself reflecting on the two worlds I’ll soon bridge. My business, Jeremy Does Websites, was born and nurtured in the pragmatic, close-knit community of Cincinnati. Now, it’s heading to the epicenter of global innovation. The lessons learned in the Midwest have shaped my entire approach to business, and I believe they are more relevant than ever in the fast-paced San Francisco startup scene.

The Cincinnati Foundation: Building on Bedrock

There’s a certain character to the Cincinnati tech and business community. It’s grounded, practical, and deeply collaborative. Here, the first question isn’t "How do you change the world?" but "How do you build a real business that serves a real customer and turns a real profit?"

The "flyover state" mentality fosters a culture of bootstrapping and resilience. Founders are laser-focused on creating a sustainable business model from day one because the firehose of venture capital isn't always pointed in our direction. This environment taught me three invaluable lessons:

Value is King: You have to deliver tangible value, immediately. That’s the philosophy that led me to create my $100 Google Sites service—a no-nonsense, high-value solution for businesses that need to look professional on a lean budget.
Community Matters: The Cincinnati community is supportive. People want to see you succeed. This taught me that business is about relationships, not transactions—a philosophy I carry into every client partnership.
Clarity Over Hype: Midwestern communication is direct. Your product has to do what you say it does. This instilled in me a commitment to clear, jargon-free communication and building websites that are intuitive and easy to use.

First Impressions of the Bay Area: Ambition on a Global Scale

The energy in San Francisco is electric and undeniable. The ambition is breathtaking. Here, the conversations are about disrupting entire industries, achieving massive scale, and building products that will be used by millions.

The Bay Area startup scene has taught me that a website is often so much more than a tool for getting customers. For a startup seeking funding, the website is an investor's first impression. For a company trying to attract world-class talent, it’s a critical recruiting tool. It needs to communicate a vision that is big, bold, and flawlessly executed. It demands a level of design sophistication and technical performance that can stand on the world stage.

This is the world of pixel-perfect Webflow sites, of seamless user onboarding, and of a brand narrative that is as compelling as the pitch deck.

The Synthesis: Midwest Grit Meets Silicon Valley Vision

On the surface, these two worlds seem miles apart. But I believe the most durable and successful businesses are a synthesis of both. They combine the audacious, world-changing vision of Silicon Valley with the practical, customer-focused grit of the Midwest.

This is the unique perspective I bring to my work. My journey from Jeremy Jensen, a Cincinnati creative, to a founder moving a business to California has given me a deep appreciation for both sides of the coin.

I can have a conversation with a bootstrapped artist about a lean, affordable website that gets the job done, and in the next meeting, I can strategize with a funded startup about building a scalable, high-performance platform to impress their investors. My experience as a children's author gives me the storyteller's empathy to craft a compelling brand narrative, while my developer skills provide the technical foundation to execute it flawlessly.

The Next Chapter

I am incredibly excited to become a part of the San Francisco community this fall, to learn from its innovators, and to contribute to its energy. While my address is changing, my philosophy remains the same: to be a dedicated, accessible partner for my clients, wherever they are.

Whether you're a founder in Cincinnati, an artist in Wisconsin, or a startup in the Bay Area, I’d love to connect. For a free, no-pressure consultation, call me directly at (608) 888-3735. Let’s build something great.