Quality of Life, Limitless Opportunities Lure Entrepreneurs to Cheyenne
business, cheyenne, development, entrepreneurs, era advantage real estate co, kim andereck, nick dodgson, real estate,
If you’re planning to start a business‚ you’ve come to the right place.
“The streets are paved with gold in Cheyenne‚” says Kim Andereck‚ who moved to Cheyenne in 2003 and started ERA Advantage Real Estate Co.
“This is a community time has forgotten. There are a thousand services‚ shops and amenities that should be here‚ but aren’t here yet. So for an entrepreneur who comes here and asks‚ ‘What ain’t here yet?‚’ the possibilities are virtually endless.”
Andereck came to Cheyenne with his wife and young son from Massachusetts‚ where he was a corporate vice president for real estate and development.
“After 9/11‚ we didn’t know if there would be more attacks‚ and my family felt being in the Northeast was a little frightening‚” Andereck says. “Living there was also inconvenient – traffic was terrible‚ parking was a mess.
The lifestyle and security of Wyoming motivated us to come West.”
The chance to “discover Wyoming’s undiscovered opportunities” was also encouraging.
“There’s only one Best Buy in Wyoming‚ so you’d think‚ ‘What would happen if I opened a Best Buy here?’ ” he says.
In three years of doing business in Cheyenne‚ Andereck’s company has captured 15 percent of residential real estate transactions in Laramie County and grown from three to 22 real estate agents.
“We have a niche with newcomers to Laramie County and people who know ERA as a strong residential brand. We help them find homes‚ churches‚ office space‚ schools for their kids‚” Andereck says. “Compared to the rest of the world‚ you can live great for cheap in Wyoming. This area is America’s best quality-of-life bargain.”
Glenn and Stephanie Krupp‚ co-owners of Rocking Horse Furniture on Carlson Street‚ moved to Cheyenne in 2005 from the San Francisco Bay area of California. Their reasons for choosing Cheyenne were similar to Andereck’s.
“Cheyenne is great for entrepreneurs because it’s one of the few places where you can still find something people aren’t doing already‚” Glenn Krupp says. “There’s also a lot of growth and a lot of money moving in here. Many Californians are fed up with million-dollar homes – they want a nice place where they can raise their kids.”
Cheyenne is a breath of fresh air for Krupp‚ who used to drive four hours a day to get to and from work.
“Here I have a two-minute commute‚ and you can get anywhere in Cheyenne in 10 minutes‚” he says. “There’s a madness in big cities – you get an uptight feeling‚ everybody’s in a hurry‚ people are honking horns … Cheyenne doesn’t have that madness.”
Midas owner Nick Dodgson came to Cheyenne in 1992 all the way from England. His initial purpose was to go to school here‚ but he soon realized Cheyenne was full of business opportunities.
“Cheyenne is very much a small‚ business-oriented community‚” he says. “There’s a lot of support for small businesses‚ a very active chamber of commerce and big-city amenities of Denver close by. There is also an honest‚ hardworking pool of people here who are prepared to work for a living. I have a fantastic group of guys to work with – I don’t have to look over my shoulder and wonder what’s going on.”
Like Andereck and Krupp‚ quality of life was also a factor in Dodgson’s decision to put down roots here.
“The people of Cheyenne are fantastic‚ it’s a wonderful place for bringing up children‚ and you feel totally safe here‚” Dodgson says. “This area also has some of the most gorgeous scenery you can find in the world.”
Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Antony Boshier
