This October marks 6 years since our family moved from Atlanta, GA to Birmingham, AL. In that time, our kids have grown a few feet, I started my first two businesses and gained several more gray hairs in the process. Moving from a growing Atlanta metro to the decidedly smaller Birmingham was a big transition.
The first two questions we were asked when we moved in were if we had found a church to join and what football team we supported. In case you are totally unaware of the college football culture in Alabama, there are only two teams in the world- University of Alabama and Auburn University. I have much love for all my Samford, UAB and Troy friends but most of them incorporated either the “Roll Tide” or “War Eagle” vocal reflex during childhood.
Those questions were an early indication that our new life in Birmingham may be a bit simpler, exceedingly sincere and endearing.
Atlanta was a transient city and it seemed like no one there was from there (including us). Everyone came from somewhere else as Atlanta serves as some kind of young professional waypoint. People come and people go in Atlanta as the general economy waxes and wanes.
Socially and emotionally, the transition for our family was easy. After spending several years becoming more involved in the business community here in Birmingham, one thing struck me as the start of the football season grew near.
From a business and economic development standpoint Birmingham is the Marv Levy of cities.
Let me elaborate on that awkward comparison.
Marv Levy is a first-ballot NFL Hall of Fame coach and has one of the most interesting legacies in the history of football. He took the Buffalo Bills to 4 consecutive Super Bowls- losing all four. Some regard that as abject failure while others recognize it as one of the most impressive runs in professional coaching simply based on the incredible odds against reaching the championship game 4 years in a row. It had to be excruciating to get that close and not reach the pinnacle of success.
Much like Marv Levy’s Bills, Birmingham’s success or failure is largely based on the perspective of the interpreter. I think it’s fair to say the city has often taken two steps forward to take one, two or even three back in some cases.
Birmingham was a juggernaut in the steel industry because the three main components to make steel were in close proximity to the city. Foundries, furnaces and mines popped up everywhere with more than 26,000 people employed in some facet of steel and iron production.
This steel boon contributed to Birmingham receiving its nickname- The Magic City. At the beginning of the 20th century, Birmingham expanded in population and infrastructure at such a rapid rate, it was considered to be just like “magic.”
Two steps forward.
In the 1940s, Birmingham raised the aviation fuel tax while courting Delta Airlines to place their hub here. Delta chose Atlanta- something that has played a major role in our neighbor to the east establishing itself as a major economic city, eventually getting the Olympics and proceeding to grow like crazy. That also created a durable disdain for Atlanta in older Birmingham social circles.
One step back.
Birmingham’s history is complex. It is recognized as a successful pioneer in heavy industry while also being glacially slow to recognize the responsibility of driving social progress and civil rights. This historical dichotomy should create a crippling gravity working against innovation, development and growth.
Thankfully, we have a whole new group of entrepreneurs in Birmingham that remind us just how close we are to realizing our full potential as a city and region.
Having spent some time with several companies at Birmingham’s Innovation Depot, talking with the newly-minted entrepreneurs at Co-Starters in Woodlawn and donating time to Rev Birmingham, I am reminded of the famous Marv Levy quote:
“Where else would you rather be than right here, right now?”
In many ways, it feels like the Birmingham entrepreneurial community has ripped off the rear view mirrors and put the pedal flat against the floor despite the disadvantages we have inherited or have self-inflicted.
We have high tech companies like VIPAAR providing virtual augmented reality allowing surgeons to consult with other surgeons thousands of miles away, in real time, as surgeries are being performed. Motus Motorcycles, the first American-manufactured and designed sport touring motorcycle, started delivering bikes to their first customers in the last 60 days. Other creative businesses like Revelator Coffee who literally make each cup of coffee by hand and craft brewers Good People, Trim Tab, Avondale and Cahaba appear to embrace and leverage the advantages of our small enclave. Their success may be because of Birmingham or in spite of it but that doesn’t really matter.
What matters is that Birmingham has developed a meaningful entrepreneurial community of products and services. Birmingham is showing that is doesn’t need or even want to be Nashville, Atlanta or Dallas. As my friend Deon Gordon, the head of Business Development for Rev Birmingham says, “We are trying to be the best Birmingham we can be.” The unique combination of stubbornness, naivety, creativity and crocodile skin among our entrepreneurs has created an up and coming business community for which I am equally proud and excited.
Like Levy’s Bills, Birmingham routinely gets so close to what feels like ultimate success but just hasn’t reached the level where our entrepreneurs are widely celebrated. Far from just getting a participation trophy, Birmingham entrepreneurs have already succeeded by striving to get better every day- even if that isn’t fully appreciated by the general population. We… are… so… close…
So I ask you- “Where else would you rather be than right here, right now?”
