The high or low road?

Many of us face this very question in our life time, however it is usually a moral dilemma. In my case, it was a literal question of where to start my business. I knew that in my present location, it was not an en devour I wanted to take on, for several reasons I won't get into here. And since they always say the most important part of any real estate is location, location, location I knew it was going to be a very important decision.

The high road would take me to Rochester, NY. Better known as my birthplace. I grew up in Penfield NY, suburbia USA, right outside the larger metropolis of Rochester. There I was familiar with the lay of the land. My parents are still there. A few childhood girlfriends remain. And many friends of the family have taken shelter against the cold winters. I knew I would have lots of moral, emotional and even physical support in Rochester, but would have to face the cold blistery winters once again. And being that I have lived in the south for 12 years now, this was a terrifying thought.

The low road would take me back to St Petersburg, Fla where I lived for five years before moving to my present location. There was sun shine. There was the ocean. There were girlfriends who I have come to love. A slightly different support group, but a support group none the less. But in Florida I would also face higher real estate and insurance prices.

The only way to solve such a dilemma is to do the research. And that is what I did. I traveled to both places. I checked out possible retail space. The price, the area, the size. I talked with people. I weighed the pros and cons of both places. But most importantly, I let my gut feelings lead me. Is this the best when it comes to starting a business? I'm sure many will tell you absolutely not. But I knew that if I was going to take on the world, it had to feel right.

In the end, the old saying "home is where the heart is" stands the test of time. And I find myself packing the sweaters to travel the high road back to Rochester NY. Now that I think about it, ever since I left that winter wonderland 12 years ago, I never did stop calling it home.