Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos begins a recent letter to the shareholders with this question. His answer is simple: “Day 2 is stasis. Followed by irrelevance. Followed by excruciating, painful decline. Followed by death. And that is why it is always Day 1.”
Amazon’s search for a second headquarters may be shrouded in secrecy. But in South Florida, three power brokers have a direct line to the e-commerce giant as they make their pitch to host HQ2.
John Schoettler, Amazon’s head of real estate, gave a few hints about what the company wants from its new headquarters city.
“We look forward to cities that are … progressive and are thinking forward and long term, in terms of affordable housing and mass transportation and being able to move people around,” he said.
It’s been my personal experience that entering a new market is a great ordeal. It’s time-consuming, financially daunting and worst of all, it comes with unforeseeable complications. From misjudging cultural biases to incorrectly pricing a product or service by not efficiently studying the new region, keeping these steps in mind should ease the entire process — especially for first-time entrepreneurs.
The 238 communities vying to be home to Amazon’s second headquarters are seeking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Creating up to 50,000 new jobs, paying $100,000 average salaries, Amazon’s HQ2, as it’s called, promises an economic burst that could fundamentally change the region’s business landscape.
Miami was always seen as an underdog for Amazon’s headquarters, given its thin roster of heavy corporate hitters, lack of a tech-savvy workforce and low marks on certain urban perks, like a vibrant transit system.
Amazon has made clear what it wants for HQ2: a business-friendly environment, a highly trained technical workforce, financial incentives and transportation infrastructure. How do we stack up?
This year, as in years past, the list of South Florida Power Leaders reflects a dynamic regional marketplace. Of the 153 executives on our list, 57 were not on last year’s list. Newcomers represent such sectors as construction, travel and tourism, regional business development and even pet supplies, which saw home-grown Chewy.com acquired for a rumored $3.35 billion last year.
Bob Swindell learned that South Florida made Amazon’s shortlist for its second corporate headquarters like a lot of people – – from a news alert on his phone.
A new year gives Black small businesses the opportunity for growth and new connections. With new programs in Miami launching and existing programs amping up their engagement, Black small businesses can use these resources to make this year better than the last.
