Quality of Life

I moved to Denver 25 years ago and my appreciation for the things that make this such an attractive community continues to grow each year. Yet, one doesn’t have to live here to understand just how special we are as a community. Month after month, outside reports highlight and validate all that makes this region so special.

For example, here’s what we saw in just the April and May reports:

• Denver is attracting highly skilled labor at the fastest rate in the country, according to an analysis of US census data from JLL.
• Denver is No. 3 in U.S. News & World Reports’ list of 2018 Best Places to Live.
• Denver is No. 4 in the nation on MagnifyMoney’s list of the best U.S. cities for working women.
• Denver is No. 10 in the country on a list of the best cities for entrepreneurs and startups from Business.org, a website that provides research, product reviews, and recommendations to business owners.
• Denver ranks No. 12 out of 182 in WalletHub’s 2018 Best Large Cities to Start a Business.
• Boulder’s Small Business Development Center was recognized as the best SBDC – out of about 1,000 – in the country.
• Colorado is 6^th on the 2018 Wallethub list of “Most Innovative States.”
• Colorado is the 9^th best state for millennials, according to WalletHub.
• Colorado’s tech employment grew at the 10^th-highest rate in the country and we ranked 15th for net tech employment according to a recent report from CompTIA.

And, of course, the business attributes reflected in these rankings are complemented by our lifestyle. This time of year, I start most workdays with a 20-mile bike ride on the extensive network of bike paths running through and around Metro Denver. That early morning ride is both my most productive thinking time and my “zen” moment leaving me energized for the business day ahead. I know that having such accessible recreation gives the same boost to many of my peers and employees. The fact that it’s so easy to get outside and play is, I’m convinced, one of the things that helps many of our local businesses thrive. When both CEOs and their employees can recharge their batteries in 300+ days of sunshine by just walking out the door, that spurs productivity. Quality of life translates to quality of work.