I moved to Manhattan from Boston on September 1, 2001. In December of 2001, I incorporated Periscope Solutions. I am positive that every person living in NYC on 9/11 was profoundly impacted by the events and aftermath of that day. As a newcomer to the city, my impression of New Yorkers and my subsequent personal and professional paths were heavily influenced by my experience of 9/11. I was deeply moved by the outpouring of generousity, service and the spirit of camaderie among New Yorkers and that had a direct impact on my own committment to the community over the past nine years.
If it hadn't been for the economic standstill, I would have settled into a new job rather than having the crazy idea to go out on my own. I recall vididly visiting a local SCORE center and asking "strategic" questions about networking such as, "How should I introduce myself when I meet someone?" That was definitely an Elle Woods moment.
The start-up environment in New York City has changed dramatically in the past 10 years. This past Friday, Dow Jones VentureSource reported that 2011 had the largest amount of VC deals since 2000 - 367 deals in the metro area raised $3 billion for companies in the metro area. Beyond that, there has never been more support and resources for entrepreneurs than today. The sense of community around the Flatiron (400 startups) and Dumbo (around 170 startups) has a momentum of its own. It's an exiting time to be starting a business in NYC!
