FROM SILICON VALLEY TO OWENS VALLEY
Cities like Aspen, Telluride, and Steamboat are among a few ski resort towns home to growing tech companies. Could Mammoth become the next California technology hub?
Maybe hub would be a stretch, but local tech entrepreneurs Neil McConnell and Rudy DeFelice definitely think you can build a tech business here. As proof, their Mammoth-based companies, MaxBP and KP Labs, recently made Inc. Magazine’s ‘Inc. 5000’ list of fastest-growing private businesses in the U.S.
Despite the ski town setting, both companies have thrived, and DeFelice’s was recently bought out. Thank the rise of remote work culture and advanced telecommunication technology.
DeFelice’s KP Labs is a company focused on advanced technologies and AI targeted to legal professionals in large corporations.
McConnell is the CEO of MaxBP, an accuracy training technology for athletes of all skill levels that pitches golf-sized balls at various velocities.
Both believe remote work is here to stay.
DeFelice cited an example of Yahoo! CEO, Marissa Mayer, doing away with remote work and losing 10% of her labor force overnight.
DeFelice said the percentage of remote work is generally determined by industry and geography, but estimates a 60% remote workforce is likely the future average.
Yes, it would make a better story, he concedes, if they were building out a company and hiring here, but he says [tech startups in Mammoth] are good for the local population mix, and good for the tax base.
“To me, it’s a pretty cool and unique thing to have a couple of people that are running companies from here,” said McConnell.
The most recent U.S. Census numbers estimate there are 71 Mono County residents who are self-employed working within their own incorporated businesses. Overall, the Census stated 686 residents work from home. In Inyo County the numbers are 12, and 564, respectively.
Work-from-home has become a popular option this side of the Sierra.
Harry Griffith is the Executive Director of Sun Valley Economic Development, and explained that the Wood River Valley in south central Idaho has one or two early stage companies in the biotech space—as well as a small startup related to software and analysis of commercial fuel usage for airlines.
He said that the Ketchum/Sun Valley area has approximately 1,900 remote workers, many of whom are in high-level positions. Remote work is defined as working out-of-office more than three days per week. Griffith explained that many work-from-homers flock to resort communities for the “lifestyle.”
Wanting the mountain lifestyle for his children was one of the main reasons McConnell moved to Mammoth in 2013, along with his wife and five children. He had a background in software, but they moved to provide an active lifestyle for their kids.
As McConnell proudly noted, “Here my kids have been incredibly active. They ski, they bike, they do the Gran Fondo. They even ski for the race team.”
His eldest, one of the Valedictorians of his Mammoth High School class, just started college at Purdue University.
The tech founder spoke of the resilience his children have developed through their jobs in local restaurants, while serving the visitors in Mammoth’s busiest months. He was candid about the duality of his experiences in Mammoth, describing it as “The best of times, and the worst of times.”
One recurring challenge for McConnell is how remote it can be. He said, “The only thing I’ve ever had a complaint about is traveling. I have a 14-hour drive ahead of me to Portland tomorrow.” When asked about flights, he said, “I could fly out of Reno or Vegas, but each of those have their own challenges.” McConnell considered relocating but found that he preferred remote management, as it allowed him to “Run the show while looking at mountains.”
DeFelice believes the local air service is sufficient enough, And adds, “Why build your business in Culver City? I’m telling you, you can do it from here.”
McConnell said that he believes Mammoth would be better off if there were more people like he and DeFelice in town. He tells the kids he coaches in Little League—which he has run for years and grown from 150 to 250 players—“To not get discouraged about the lack of people to date, or lack of interesting clubs at school. I tell them to hang on because college is right around the corner,” McConnell said. He urges them not to succumb to “island fever” and to appreciate the unique experience of growing up in Mammoth.
People ask him how he made the move from the beaches of San Diego to Mammoth. “Things cost more in Mammoth. Everything is more difficult and things take more time, but it’s a better overall experience,” he said. He was able to run his businesses from here and believes more people can, too.
The successes of MaxBP and KP Labs in Mammoth serve as a compelling example of how tech startups can thrive in seemingly unconventional locations. With a clear vision, entrepreneurs can not only build successful businesses, but also enjoy a fulfilling and balanced lifestyle in a place like the Eastern Sierra.
