What should we make of Jeff Bezos’ decision to move from Seattle to Miami?
It’s tempting to see the Amazon founder’s departure as a blow to the Seattle region. But like many of us, he was a transplant, and different from Microsoft co-founders Bill Gates and the late Paul Allen in that way, in his reasons for being here and ultimately in his long-term commitment to the place.
That said, Bezos did as much as anyone to change this city and region, indirectly and directly, for better and worse, over the course of three decades. In that way, at least symbolically, it’s the end of an era.
Regardless of his professed reasons for leaving, there are important questions to be asked about what this says about the state’s new capital gains tax structure, and what it will mean to have one of the region’s longtime business leaders and biggest philanthropists living in another state.
But in the post-pandemic era, when physical location matters less than ever, and when public opinion about billionaires is perhaps lower than ever, Bezos bolting for Miami will cause a lot less hand-wringing in Seattle than Boeing jetting off to Chicago did. He’s still the executive chairman of a major Seattle-based company, after all.
Presumably they’ll let him sleep on a cot at Amazon HQ when he visits for board meetings.
That’s our first topic on this week’s episode of the GeekWire Podcast. Also on the show this week: Convoy’s final destination; a new AI feature from Seattle startup Yoodli that helps startup founders hone their pitches; and Amazon tests Bluetooth earplugs for warehouse workers.
Related stories and links
- ‘Seattle, you will always have a piece of my heart’: Jeff Bezos leaving Amazon’s hometown for Miami
- Jeff Bezos’ move out of Washington state sparks questions about wealth taxes
- Swimming from Seattle? Jeff Bezos’ big move brings us full circle from the mid-1990s
Flexport buys Convoy’s tech; Convoy CEO Dan Lewis, other employees to join freight company
AI-powered ‘VC pitch coach’ from Yoodli helps startup founders prepare to face investors
Amazon tests letting warehouse workers listen to music and other audio via Bluetooth earplugs
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