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Round Rock Mayor Courting California Businesses


Texas Governor Rick Perry recently made headlines for radio ads he released that tried to convince California business to relocate to Texas. But Gov. Perry isn't the only one trying to bring in business from the West Coast. Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw is also trying to convince entrepreneurs to relocate. 

In fact, he just got back from a trip to Los Angeles where he met with several business owners. He says most had the same concerns, "It's a very common story with who we met with that they're really tired of the taxes and they're really tired of the regulation and they are looking to go somewhere."

In 2011 the American Community Survey estimates 58,992 people moved from California to Texas. 

But in order to attract business, the CEO of one mobile technology business we spoke with says you have to take bigger bets. Alan Knitowski is the Chairman and CEO of Phunware. Knitowski has two offices, one in Austin, another in California. He knows the benefits of both locations and says cities need to take chances on smaller companies. "When Phunware started out, we are only going to be 4-years old, we've grown from just three founders on up to 120 employees," he says.

Knitowski says it's giving those business the room to grow that's important.

That's exactly what Mayor McGraw intends to do. "Most of the business we met with is small business and small business is really the backbone of the economy," he says.

By Lydia Pantazes