Relocation Stories: Todd Pritts
1. Name and what you do for a living?
Todd Pritts. Visual Director for FarmOut Studios. My job is to consult and execute multimedia strategies for clients looking for new media expertise. In a nutshell, that means I get to play on a computer for 10 hours a day and get paid to do it.
2. How did you end up in Louisville?
Living and working in Chicago, I always dreamt of starting my own business. Chicago is a great town that's full of opportunity, but with little-to-no starting capital and little-to-no experience with starting a business, I knew I needed a place that had "flexibility." We looked at medium-sized cities that had creative markets. Indianapolis, St Louis, Cincinnatti, Louisville, and Nashville were all on the list.
At that exact same time, Louisville had just gone through with the merger. My prediction was that because of the great cost of living, location, and now being an official medium-sized city (similar to a Charlotte, NC) that bigger business will start to find its way here in the next 10 years.
So my wife and I packed up our things, and moved to Louisville.
3. What did you think of Louisville before you moved here (if anything?)
My wife has family that has lived here for some time. We weren't completely in the dark about Louisville, but really never knew the ins and outs. Of course, the preconceived notions of "Kentucky" were all anyone could talk about. My friends in Chicago half-expected that I'd be a hick within a year of living here. I'm proud to say that after 5 years of living here, I don't have a mullet, and there are no cars in my lawn.
4. What preconceptions did you have about Louisville that have changed since moving here?
The town is more sophisticated than I had thought on certain levels. I think social events like the St James Art Fair, IdeaFestival, etc... were a surprise to me. But my biggest lesson in business (and in life) is that talent alone doesn't get you places. Its' a people game. That's something I never would have thought I'd learn from a city.
5. How do you like living here?
I love it. We own a home for the same price per month that we were paying to rent a 2-bedroom Apt in Chicago. I tell friends in other cities that if something is a 10-minute drive away, it only takes you 10 minutes to get there! Its easy lead a "good life" here.
6. Has Louisville been a good place to run your business?
Louisville has a great cost of living compared to Chicago. That's important because during the slow times in the first year of business, a lower cost of living will allow you to survive longer. I sold my first business and started FarmOut Studios about a year ago. If it is any testament to Louisville's "people-network" I have not had to print a business card yet and have a more-than-healthy string of business coming through the door.
7. What's your favorite thing about Louisville?
1. I love that I'm not a stress case here
2. No matter what you get involved in I seem to meet great people
3. Golf is affordable
4. Trees
8. What is Louisville missing (for my money it's a good creperie)?
I'd say a Pro Football Team. Football is a universally loved sport, and we would be smack dab in the middle of some great teams (Colts, Bengals, Titans, Rams) so great fan turnout from other cities as well as new rivalries would sprout. Either that, or a Jamba Juice.
9. What's the one thing people should know about Louisville?
That it's the biggest "small-town" you'll ever see.
10. What's your favorite restaurant in Louisville?
That's like asking who your favorite band is, or what's your favorite song. Each, of many answers, has a reason and a category. For Mexican, I love El Mundo. For everyday chow, Cafe Lou Lou is fantastic. For Sunday football and cheering on my Bears, Lonnie's is the only place in town.
I could go on, but you get the point. :)
Todd Pritts. Visual Director for FarmOut Studios. My job is to consult and execute multimedia strategies for clients looking for new media expertise. In a nutshell, that means I get to play on a computer for 10 hours a day and get paid to do it.
2. How did you end up in Louisville?
Living and working in Chicago, I always dreamt of starting my own business. Chicago is a great town that's full of opportunity, but with little-to-no starting capital and little-to-no experience with starting a business, I knew I needed a place that had "flexibility." We looked at medium-sized cities that had creative markets. Indianapolis, St Louis, Cincinnatti, Louisville, and Nashville were all on the list.
At that exact same time, Louisville had just gone through with the merger. My prediction was that because of the great cost of living, location, and now being an official medium-sized city (similar to a Charlotte, NC) that bigger business will start to find its way here in the next 10 years.
So my wife and I packed up our things, and moved to Louisville.
3. What did you think of Louisville before you moved here (if anything?)
My wife has family that has lived here for some time. We weren't completely in the dark about Louisville, but really never knew the ins and outs. Of course, the preconceived notions of "Kentucky" were all anyone could talk about. My friends in Chicago half-expected that I'd be a hick within a year of living here. I'm proud to say that after 5 years of living here, I don't have a mullet, and there are no cars in my lawn.
4. What preconceptions did you have about Louisville that have changed since moving here?
The town is more sophisticated than I had thought on certain levels. I think social events like the St James Art Fair, IdeaFestival, etc... were a surprise to me. But my biggest lesson in business (and in life) is that talent alone doesn't get you places. Its' a people game. That's something I never would have thought I'd learn from a city.
5. How do you like living here?
I love it. We own a home for the same price per month that we were paying to rent a 2-bedroom Apt in Chicago. I tell friends in other cities that if something is a 10-minute drive away, it only takes you 10 minutes to get there! Its easy lead a "good life" here.
6. Has Louisville been a good place to run your business?
Louisville has a great cost of living compared to Chicago. That's important because during the slow times in the first year of business, a lower cost of living will allow you to survive longer. I sold my first business and started FarmOut Studios about a year ago. If it is any testament to Louisville's "people-network" I have not had to print a business card yet and have a more-than-healthy string of business coming through the door.
7. What's your favorite thing about Louisville?
1. I love that I'm not a stress case here
2. No matter what you get involved in I seem to meet great people
3. Golf is affordable
4. Trees
8. What is Louisville missing (for my money it's a good creperie)?
I'd say a Pro Football Team. Football is a universally loved sport, and we would be smack dab in the middle of some great teams (Colts, Bengals, Titans, Rams) so great fan turnout from other cities as well as new rivalries would sprout. Either that, or a Jamba Juice.
9. What's the one thing people should know about Louisville?
That it's the biggest "small-town" you'll ever see.
10. What's your favorite restaurant in Louisville?
That's like asking who your favorite band is, or what's your favorite song. Each, of many answers, has a reason and a category. For Mexican, I love El Mundo. For everyday chow, Cafe Lou Lou is fantastic. For Sunday football and cheering on my Bears, Lonnie's is the only place in town.
I could go on, but you get the point. :)
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