This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission, if you make a purchase. Read Disclosure.
One of the reasons we love the USA is that it first inspired us to create our own freedom business.
There’s a strong entrepreneurial spirit in the US, and it feels freer and like more people are rooting for and supporting my growth and success.
So what part of the USA inspired my entrepreneurial spirit? It wasn’t just the people, it was the places too.
In this guide, I’ve shared the places in the USA that inspired my entrepreneurial spirit, and gave me inspiration for discovery, celebration and a desire to start my own business and be free of the 9-5 way to live.
1. North Carolina
We began our travel blog whilst living in Raleigh, North Carolina back in 2010, so we have to begin with North Carolina as our number one place that inspired our entrepreneurial spirit – as it’s literally where it all began.
According to a study by Commodity, the city of Asheville is also ranked third in the country for having the highest number of business owners, with 13.4% of their workers having their own company in 2023.
And it’s not just Asheville that has start-ups and independent businesses popping up all over. We decided to settle in Raleigh, which is famous for the Research Triangle Park, the largest and most successful research park in North America – a place that inspires tech savvy people to create their own tech startups.
As well as the thriving tech scenes, Raleigh has low cost of living, and high quality of life, which helps when starting your own business.
My own journey began hopeful and excited; I sat at my dimly lit desk in our small apartment scribbling chapters of my travel eBook in a journal. I didn’t know how to make this work, but I knew it felt possible.
I also remember the fear. It was right in the middle of our financial disaster, and we’d wanted an entrepreneurial life, but unfortunately, chased all the wrong things and failed miserably.
This time around, I was chasing something that lit my soul on fire – travel, and helping more people do it.
North Carolina is where we first had an insight into what life could become for us. Freedom, choice, a house larger than what a shed in Australia of similar value would get you, and access to unlimited travel and diversity. I was hungry to test the boundaries and discover what I was capable of.
North Carolina was where we formed great friendships and found new hobbies, like following the UNC Tar Heels, tailgating, and walking around alpine forested lakes.
We loved the college vibe, the restaurants and bars, fun parties, live music scene, and a lack of rigid rules we were so used to at home.
We now have a thriving local Raleigh business where we share life in Raleigh, things to do, travel ideas, and so much more. We also help connect people moving to Raleigh with our partner realtor, and help them settle in. We are deeply immersed in the entrepreneur and business community in Raleigh and cannot praise it highly enough for it’s spirit and belief that “a rising tide lifts all boats” I’ve never experienced that anywhere else before.
2. Puerto Rico
Technically not in the US, but an unincorporated U.S. territory, Puerto Rico had a massive impact on my entrepreneurial journey.
It’s unsurprising, as apparently one in five adults in Puerto Rico have their own business, according to the GEM Adult Population Survey. The government has also incentivized starting your own business there, offering tax breaks, and investment opportunities for start ups.
We visited back in 2009 to attend a conference, which was part of one of those failed business ideas we were chasing.
We listened to many inspirational speakers about business and creating a free life that helps people. But, there was one man who has influenced me more than any other, Yossi Ghinsberg.
Yossi spoke for three hours about being lost in the Amazon for three weeks during the rainy season where the locals said no Indians could survive, let alone a “Gringo”.
He spoke about overcoming fear by swallowing it, about living a life of purpose, and understanding that everything in life is set up for you to become someone great. Even the dark moments are there helping us to grow in strength and courage so we may give something great back.
This quote of his inspires me to live an unconventional life and to make sure adventure and connectedness are always a part of it.
He talks about following those dreams that hound you at night. And describes it like this:
I think anyone on a journey of travel, celebration, or creating their dream lifestyle understands the desire for this is something that keeps you awake at night.
3. Colorado
When we first decided to move to the US in 2004, Colorado was number one on our list as the place to live. It was calling to us long before we finally arrived to explore it on our US road trip in 2006.
We don’t have mountains in Australia, more like hills, so when we drove into Colorado and was mesmerized and breathless – literally because the air is so thin!
I think our time in Colorado, followed straight after by Utah, was when I fell deeply in love with the USA and regretted my decision to return to Australia.
However, it inflamed my desire to fight like hell for this independent lifestyle so that I could return.
I’ve only now return to Colorado again and again, and I’m still breathless! And so in love.
Colorado is the place I go to when I need to escape from it all and let nature inspire me and soothe my soul. I love Boulder, Denver, and Snowmass the most.
Colorado is vibrant and people are passionate about living here. They’re friendly, grounded, and healthy. I think to embrace a life of travel, or creating your own business, a passion for living deeply is a requirement.
Being in Colorado reminds me just why I’m working on our business and being the best I can be – because I love life, and if I can’t get amongst it like they do here, then I don’t survive.
The air may be thin, but the living is rich in Colorado!
Back in 2023, Colorado has a 115% increase in new business applications, showing that it’s a state that inspires entrepreneurs.
4. Orlando, Florida
One of our other failed business ventures led us to a conference in Orlando.
Can you see the pattern here?
On your quest to create a life free from the 9-5 you will have many failures, and part of overcoming this and getting to the eventual rewards is to understand the failures are lessons in disguise guiding you to your perfect place.
Florida is a great place to learn about starting a business. It ranks the number one state for small businesses, as it has the highest number of entrepreneurs in the USA. In 2023, there were 13,238 small businesses per every 100,000 residents, which is the highest ratio in the country.
The conference in Orlando was one of the first we attended. I found the city of Orlando to be pulsating with vibrancy, fun, and active living. I also enjoy Miami in Florida for this same reason.
I loved hanging out with other like-minded people, masterminding and networking in the hallways. I’m now pretty addicted to conferences and go to them whenever I can to reconnect to this spirit.
At this conference, we met Todd Falcone, a very successful network marketer and business man. He said something in our talk that changed the way we approach our work and how we build relationships with people.
I learned the importance of being real in relationships and making it less about you and more about others. Don’t try and do business and get all you can from someone on your first interaction. Build a connection, become friends or better acquainted, and then you can get help further down the line.
5. New Orleans, Louisiana
I had to include New Orleans, as it was the first place we wrote about when we started this blog.
It was our first trip we took as family travel bloggers (minus unborn Savannah). I realised then how much I loved this choice we’d made. I was doing what I had done for years before via emails and letters to friends, but this time on a potentially larger scale.
I could write my stories of travel, but also help inspire others to do the same. We could give them the tips on how we found great accommodation deals, got around the city, the exciting things we experienced, and how to have amazing memories as a family.
New Orleans doesn’t get the bells and whistles that other cities do as entrepreneurial destinations, but it does a lot to recognise and support start ups and small business owners. There are organizations like Idea Village, Net2No, Propeller, and Voodoo Ventures, which are all resources set up to support entrepreneurs in New Orleans.
6. Utah
Like Colorado, Utah is my favorite state in the US for nature and the place to go when you need to escape from the chaos, and let nature soothe your mind.
I feel so alive in Utah. It sparks my desire to stay in greater connection to the land and adventurous experiences.
It’s full of surprises and wow moments, and I fell in love with Utah’s surreal landscapes and a rich palette of colours. They inspire me to write more.
Utah is about intensity and surprises and vibrant living. I think it describes the entrepreneurial life.
You just never know what’s around the bend in Utah, but you love journeying around it as you know it will be something unique, new and worth diving into.
Salt Lake City is a bustling hub of entrepreneurship, especially in the tech industry. It’s actually known as Silicon Slopes, because its tech sector is accelerating year on year, with tech jobs growing by 22.9% from 2021 to 2022 (higher than the national average).
7. Seattle, Washington
Seattle is probably the most famous city in the USA for rising talent in the entrepreneurial space.
It’s the birthplace of Starbucks, Amazon, and Microsoft after all.
But it’s not just the tech industries pumping out a highly skilled workforce, it’s also a place for innovators to come into their own and be the best they can be.
Seattle has a thriving startup ecosystem and a supportive environment for new businesses – it has a highly educated population. This pool of savvy minds provides a fertile ground for collaboration and networking. If you need a business partner, this is where to start looking.
Seattle also ranks high in venture capital funding, with over $1.5 billion invested in early-stage companies in 2020.
It also has a ton of coworking spaces, which are great places to meet other small business owners and entrepreneurs to inspire you and collaborate with.
8. New York City
You might not think of NYC as being the city to start a business in – it’s famously expensive, which can be off-putting to those starting their first small business.
However, as of 2023, there were a record breaking 183,000 small businesses registered in New York City, showing there must be something about it that says opportunity.
This could be due to the high concentration of talented workforce in the city, making it easier to find the right people to partner with.
New York City also attracts significant venture capital funding, with investors actively seeking out promising startups, for example in 2020, the city received over $10 billion in venture capital investment, providing funding opportunities for entrepreneurs.
You also get more reward for your risk, since opening a business in NYC means you can charge NYC rates.
9. San Francisco, California
Another thriving city that inspires entrepreneurship is San Fran.
In 2020, the San Francisco Bay Area received over $49.3 billion in venture capital investment for aspiring entrepreneurs and it has a ton of coworking spaces and networking events that entrepreneurs can attend regularly.
It’s also a 40 minute drive to Silicon Valley, the global capital of technology and innovation, and where all tech savvy start ups aim to be.
If there’s ever a motivation to succeed, it’s being within touching distance of the epitome of success, but not actually being there!
10. Austin, Texas
Finally, there’s Austin in Texas, which is probably one of the best places for risk-taking thanks to its relatively low cost of living.
Austin over the years has been growing as a destination for entrepreneurs, since the city’s tech sector has exploded in recent years, attracting major companies to set up its head quarters there – Dell, Oracle, Tesla and Apple are all HQ’d in Austin now.
This influx has created a vibrant entrepreneurial community and supportive atmosphere.
Pin To Save It On Pinterest
I’d love to hear in the comments how certain travel experiences have transformed your life and allowed, or inspired you, to become who you are today.
Caz, I loved this. It touched very close to home with me as I left my job 5 months ago to chase the entrepreneurial dream as well. After leaving my job, I went to Italy for 2 weeks, then Denver Colorado. Going to Italy reinforced the idea that I wanted to maintain a job where I could see the world as I pleased. Then going to Denver for just a weekend, I met a handful of dreamers just like myself who were chasing their dreams. It is always great to hear about the experiences of others as this life is uncertain, but so fulfilling.
Our 2 week honeymoon to New Zealand changed us. We went sky diving, bungee jumping, canyoneering, heli-hiking on a glacier. We are planning to go back in 4 years for our 10 year anniversary but my husband would love to move there. While I certainly don’t mind that idea, I’d love to travel the US in a motorhome on our own schedule.
I really enjoyed this post. I actually like hearing about how you failed in a few business ventures (even if that’s a hard story for you to tell). We also have a failed network marketing business behind us– It’s been difficult to move forward and persist with dream-building, so I appreciate your vulnerability. Sharing your experience in New Orleans was so sweet, too. It’s those little times we see our kids come alive that encourages me to hit the road more- and gives me the urges even more to pursue the nomadic lifestyle.
Oh God the failures and the network marketing! They sure do teach you a lot. It’s so hard to overcome them but I think if you look at them as being a very important part of your journey for how it makes you grow, you can accept them and move forward to better things.
Very inspirational post for budding travel entrepreneurs. Loved the fact that you used the places which inspired you, to inspire us.
New Orleans looks like a fairy tale!
Wonderful post. I am so glad to see someone highlight traveling in America. It seems that the travel blog community is inundated with reasons that you must travel in Southeast Asia. America has so much to offer travelers from here or abroad. It is a vast expanse covering so many climates and cultures.
Even more though, I appreciate your definition of “The Tall Poppy Syndrome”. I have never heard this before but is sadly a spirit I have started to notice in America as well. My whole life the “American Dream” was about making yourself whatever you dreamt. Suddenly, I hear an attitude of “who do you think you are?”, “steal from the successful because they must have cheated somehow”. Where I was most saddened by this attitude is in our public education system. In an effort to serve all student populations (which I understand is a tough task) the gifted and/or successful students have become pariahs. They are subject to ridicule by their peers and scorn from the teachers that see them as extra work.
I don’t like to see people become successful on the backs of less privileged, but if anyone has created success legally and through their own initiative and hard work, then I say: MORE POWER TO ‘EM!!
Such a great comment Janet and so true. That’s so sad the Tall Poppy Sydnrome is creeping in. It’s a horrible thing. The term comes from back in the convict days in Australia. As a form of control, the British soldiers would punish the entire work gang if one of the convicts spoke out and was cheeky. They’d come in from a day of work, and their faces would be all burnt and look like a poppy. If one would stand up and give the soldiers cheek, the rest of the gang would shout out, “sit down you tall poppy”
So the syndrome comes from way back then. Standing out was one of the worst things you could do. It’s really sad.
We’ll be road tripping around the US later this year for the next couple of years. We’re excited to share so many wonderful things about the country. Australians tend to spend so much time seeking to explore outside our own country. We loved road tripping around Australia and inspiring many people to explore their own backyards. We hope to do the same in the US for our US readers!
Colorado is amazing! I had the chance to snowboard there which fueled my love for the sport. Beautiful state. Living in Amsterdam I miss the mountains. But we’ve made it a yearly family vacation to do a snowboarding trip here in Europe.
I really hope to see Zion Canyon at some point, and your blog really inspires me to take leaps towards that! Thanks!
Oh, Caz, so inspirational as ever. Just as I was sitting down to chase unpaid invoices and deal with how to manage someone stealing almost all my money from my bank account! Thanks for the boost – and for the reminder that the US is full of wild open nature as well as gritty cities. Wishing you all the best in the next stage of your journey!