Thanks to an Indiana-based company and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), California’s and New York’s losses are fast becoming Indiana’s gain. And this is not just a story reverberating inside the Hoosier state.
The Los Angeles Times and Fox News this month picked up on Indiana’s economic development effort to lure California and other states’ remote workers – and workers in general. MakeMyMove, which was co-founded by the late Angie’s List co-founder Bill Oesterle, and the IEDC got shoutouts in the stories for the creative technology, tactics and incentives they’re employing to attract hundreds of highly paid remote workers to Indiana. Many of those workers are in the tech sector.
The L.A. Times story not only details Indiana’s efforts but includes some appealing photos of life in Hoosier communities.
One family featured in the article that left California for Indiana told the L.A. Times that they were drawn to the state for the cash bonus, family space and community.
“You’re kind of getting paid to immerse yourself in the local community,” California native Mariah Zingarelli says.
The Fox News article headlines some of the creative incentives being offered, including golf club and local chamber of commerce memberships, thousands in cash, meals with local government officials, free babysitting services and even massages.
The concept of attracting remote workers is a relatively new endeavor – and one that Hoosier lawmakers included as part of Senate Bill 361, which passed in 2022. The Indiana Chamber’s BizVoice® magazine chronicled that and the growth of the effort spearheaded by MakeMyMove, which recently secured $2 million in venture capital to fuel the initiative.
Evan Hock, Make My Move co-founder and chief operating officer, isn’t surprised by his company’s or the state’s success nor is he completely stunned by the national attention. But one thing does surprise him.
Founded in 2018, the company’s original goal was to lure former Indiana residents to move back here for tech jobs.
MakeMyMove, which has developed a technology platform that allows Indiana communities to list their incentives and other features and helps them market to remote workers, has been growing fast in the last two years, Hock says, “with about 60% of the people we’re recruiting having no prior connection to the state. That part of it is unexpected.”
“A lot of these people are pure net new to the state of Indiana,” Hock continues. “That means people really are moving to find they’re happy place, places that match their lifestyle. Indiana plays well on all those factors.”
Not only is Indiana attracting lots of people from the East and West coasts, the state also is drawing people from other states, including Texas and Florida.
“People in these places have been priced out of buying homes and becoming part of the community,” Hock explains. “The level of crime in some of these communities is also a factor. In Indiana, we promote it as having great people, great community with lots of amenities. The cost of living is relatively low, safety is relatively high. When you consider the welcoming attitudes of these communities, it’s a welcoming pitch.”
So far, MakeMyMove and the IEDC have moved more than 400 people to the state since 2021. The IEDC has invested $1.8 million into the initiative and local communities have also invested about that amount, but Hock says it has been well worth it.
“With that investment, we’ve generated $13 million in economic impact for the state,” he says.
And Hock thinks MakeMyMove, the IEDC and various Hoosier communities are just scratching the surface.
“Tulsa (Oklahoma) is the baseline of what’s possible,” Hock explains. “Tulsa moves about 1,000 remote workers in a year, and that’s increasing. We certainly see the possibility of moving in more than 1,000 people to this state every year. We’re scaling up. We have some improvements to make on our marketing, but we see a lot of green fields ahead of us.”
The success, Hock believes, is dependent on the partnership of Hoosier communities, and he adds that’s off to a great start. He notes that there are a dozen relocation programs in Indiana, including in South Bend-Elkhart, Evansville, Muncie, Noblesville, Westfield and a five-county coalition in southwest Indiana.
“These communities are being very forward thinking, aggressive and creative,” Hock states. “Most programs offer at least a $5,000 relocation stipend, along with offering access to facilities, university venues, co-working spaces and so on. Noblesville, for instance, offers tickets to shows at Ruoff, access to co-working space and (a) local chamber membership. These cities and towns are really finding ways to weave these relocated workers into the community.”
As for the national press, MakeMyMove and state officials couldn’t be more pleased.
“This is a marketing and sales activity, so the national press is hugely helpful,” Hock emphasizes. “Pieces in outlets like Fox and the L.A. Times do two things. They, of course, raise awareness. But they also raise credibility to what we’re doing. This is a real thing. And it’s having a real impact. When people in L.A. see what life is like in Indiana and that these communities are actively recruiting and are welcoming people in, that really registers.”
