Arizona is home to a growing number of small and medium-sized businesses. This makes it a great place to work, whether you’re a recent grad or far along in your career.
We asked 12 Arizona professionals, “What do you enjoy about working here, that someone from outside of the state may not think of?”
They may be biased, but for good reason.
A Great Place to Live
Arizona is a great place to work because it’s also a great place to live. Because Arizona is a growing market, there is always a new opportunity nearby. Almost any industry has a presence here with a variety of options within them. Foodservice, hospitality, finance, technology, you name it. In Arizona, there is something for everyone.
Growth
Arizona is a great place to work because it’s growing. In the last few years, Arizona has had an amazing boom in population which has led to more opportunities for small and medium businesses to find a market. Communities are always adding new developments that continue to encourage more growth for businesses here.
Vanessa Molica, The Lash Professional
Community
For its size, I have always felt Phoenix has a “close-knit” feeling in the business community. Phoenix is a very entrepreneurial town, and there is strong support for small businesses here. It’s important to leverage that network of support when building your business.
City Life Without the Cost
Arizona is a great place to work because we have all of the benefits of having a larger metropolitan area without being land constrained which drives up the cost of living. The real estate in San Francisco, New York City, Denver, etc is significantly higher because they are either constrained by water or mountains. This means we have a comparable level of opportunity with a very real possibility that someone could actually afford to own a house.
Arizona is Still Young
Arizona is only 100 years old and still developing its identity. There is plenty of opportunity for entrepreneurs in this state. What I enjoy the most is that Arizona is still very much a blank canvas that I have the opportunity to paint on.
Lloyd Hopkins, Million Dollar Teacher Project
Abundant Resources
I love Arizona. In the 15 years, I’ve resided in the Phoenix area, I’ve seen the value of our community multiply tenfold. Arizona is a solid tech hub with amazing community resources such as #yesphx for startups, collaborative and supportive groups for female business owners, and more amazing resources for businesses of all sizes. Plus, the weather is great.
Stephanie Riel, RielDeal Marketing
Good Weather
Tech is an up-and-coming sector in Arizona, providing a wide range of opportunities. The “life” part of the work/life/balance equation is appealing, with commute times being relatively short and the cost of living being quite manageable. And the sunny weather 300+ days of the year does wonders for your mental state. Yes, it gets hot during the summer, but the weather during the rest of the year is phenomenal.
Rennie Leon, Director of Marketing and Communications
Variety
Arizona is a great place to work because it’s a growing city. It seems like there’s something new popping up, and it’s an opportunity to meet new people and to see new businesses. working here allows you to have different hobbies and interests. You can be in the middle of nature by driving only half an hour out of the city and suburbs. It’s such a short trip to get into nature and see Arizona’s picturesque landscape. It helps with work-life balance because a change of scenery helps with destressing outside of work.
Danielle Ganon, Phoenix SEO Company
New Ideas
AZ is a land of nomads, renegades, and mavericks–very welcoming to small business and big ideas.
Janice Sweeter, NAU School of Communication
Friendly to Newcomers
Arizona has a relatively low cost of living and loads of sunshine. The workforce is increasingly educated and highly motivated. And the state, from its universities to its government, is welcoming and supportive of newcomers and their businesses.
Chris Owen, Real Estate Consultant and Investor
Opportunity
Arizona is a growing and versatile community of businesses. We have a variety of industries to work with; hospitality, farming, tech, government, sports, medical, and so many more. The business community in AZ is full of people willing to open their network and improve their way of operating. I find the culture very open-minded and I’m constantly inspired by very talented people.
Candace Cotton, Halo Branded Solutions
A Warm Welcome
The culture here is very welcoming. I think it’s because most people came here from somewhere else. When we arrived, people welcomed us and we feel compelled to give back the same way.