Bullish on Denver

I am a big believer in Denver. Like many who are lucky and privileged enough to choose where they want to live their best adult years, I found Denver to be immediately welcoming and utterly unconcerned with what kind of job I had. The stark contrast from east-coast hustle culture was immediately notable, and made me feel so much lighter and freer in Denver to define myself not by how close I was to some power broker or influencer in some niche industry, but rather by what kind of energy I show up with on a Wednesday karaoke night among new friends. One wise person who helped welcome me to Denver said, “This city is essentially a meritocracy. If you show up and have reasonable talent and dedication, you’ll do well here anywhere you apply yourself.” I’ve found that to be the most refreshing cultural change, and I tell nearly everyone that they should move to Denver if they can. 

I also believe Denver is well poised to endure economic and political uncertainties. I joked after purchasing a townhome in 2018 that my wife and I could “ride out the apocalypse” in Denver if we needed to. I had, of course, no idea at the time what was coming around the corner in 2020. Ultimately, though, I believe that assertion was tested and somewhat proven. Despite staggering personal loss and job insecurity during 2020, on top of the stresses of the pandemic, we found Denver and its people to provide everything we really needed. Positioned as the crossroads of shipping and logistics for the American West, and with a wide diversity of industries that call it home, Denver is best-positioned for bounce back and survival when times get rough. 

This is a city where if you’re lucky enough to be able to decide to call it home, you’ll probably stick the landing, no matter where you vaulted from. Even if, like us, you suffer job loss and the landing includes a hop or a big step backwards, you’re going to be rewarded because the judges are generous here. 9.6. And you’re done with all the twisting and turning, back on solid ground.