Why I Moved my Marketing Agency from California to Charlotte, North Carolina

From the Desk of Kimjera Whittington, CEO of Evolve Global Marketing

I was born and raised in California and I’ve lived there my whole life…until now. California is an amazing place to live…the sun, the sea, what else could you possibly ask for?

But over the last few years, there have been two big changes in my life that have prompted me to ask myself, “Is it time for me to move on? And if it is…where to?!”

Big Change #1: Two out of three of my kids moved to Europe. I am a big wanderlust. If you follow me on Instagram, you know how much I love to travel the world and experience new places. My kids have inherited that from me and I’m so proud of my two oldest children for deciding to go to college in Europe. They are following their dreams and my husband and I couldn’t be happier for them. But Temecula, California is pretty much the furthest place in the United States from Europe…and being so far away from my kids is not ideal.

Big Change #2: My business (this business, Evolve Global Marketing!) has been thriving. I started this business about four years ago and it has experienced rapid growth. From making under six figures to seven, my business is everything I’ve ever dreamed of. It provides for my amazing family and employees, helps hundreds of clients grow their businesses, and serves the community.  I am so blessed.

As my business continued to grow and I wanted to be closer to my kids, my husband and I started the search for a new home, one where businesses can thrive…and that’s how we found Charlotte, North Carolina.

Okay, okay, so I don’t live in the middle of Charlotte, I live right outside of it in Mooresville, North Carolina. But Huntersville and Mooresville are sooooo close to Charlotte and I’m in Charlotte all the time, so pretty much!

Now, to answer the big question, why Charlotte, North Carolina? It’s not a particularly well-known city for businesses nor is it the biggest hustle and bustle city. Au contraire, my friend. Charlotte is an absolutely amazing place for business, family, and fun. Why I Moved my Business & my Family to Charlotte, North Carolina 

Why I Moved my Business & my Family to Charlotte, North Carolina

Reason #1: Charlotte is an ideal place to run a business.

Not only is it a financial hub, but the taxes are great, it’s expanding as a city, it has a growing market, and there is amazing talent just waiting to be tapped into. If my family and I were going to move, we needed to find somewhere that would allow Evolve Global Marketing to continue to grow and expand. I honestly can’t think of a better place for that to happen than here. We did a ton of research looking into places that were both family friendly and business friendly, and this was the perfect place.

Instead of being an oversaturated market where you’re constantly competing to get business like California, Charlotte offers a growing arena for small and medium sized businesses like mine to thrive. Not only that, but the competitors are fewer than in California. Not only is that good for business, but that also means that we get to bring our services to clients who truly need our assistance. If you know me or have ever worked with me, you know how important it is for me to actually be helping our clients.

In Charlotte, Mooresville, and Huntersville, North Carolina, there aren’t many businesses like mine…if any. That means that there are tons of other businesses that now have the opportunity to tap into the power of storytelling to improve their branding and marketing. My hope is that Evolve Global Marketing can be the go-to creative agency for Charlotte businesses so that we can help them grow and scale like never before.

Reason #2: Life in and around Charlotte is…well, amazing.

I am a sun and sea girl, so Charlotte is not where most of my close friends and family would have placed me. Cold winters, brisk falls, woods, and lakes are not what I’m used to. But what’s life for if not getting out of our comfort zones and trying new things? And if I’m being honest with you, I’m so glad I did, because living by the mountains, the lake, and the beach is absolutely incredible.

The lifestyle in Mooresville is unbeatable. You have the mountains right around the corner, the lake in our backyard, and we are surrounded by the woods. Everyone is so warm and friendly…we even made friends at a bar in a grocery store once. If you’re a city person, you probably think that’s crazy talk, but that’s just how welcoming the people are here.

As for the cold winters, I’m not quite there yet since I moved earlier this year, but all I can say is that I’ve loved the changing seasons so far and I’ve bought a very warm winter coat. Bring it on!

And of course, flying to Europe from the east coast is so much easier, quicker, and cheaper than flying there from the west coast. I’ll get to see my kids way more often and maybe can even pop over to Europe for more of my vacations…you know how much I love a good Euro trip 😉

California will always be home for me. I was born there and I’ve lived there my whole life. I love California, but it just wasn’t right for my family and my business anymore, and I can easily say that I’m so glad I took the plunge. Living in Charlotte has already been everything I could have hoped for and more. Moving is never easy, but my business is growing. I’m able to service clients in this area who truly need creative marketing, storytelling, and brand strategy design services. And my family is happy. What more could I possibly ask for?

If you’re thinking about moving your family or your business, I’m here for you. I know that it’s a tough decision to make and it can feel overwhelming…and you never really know that it was the right decision until after you’ve already taken the leap. If you have any questions about moving to Charlotte or the Carolinas in general, please feel free to reach out to me! And as always, if you ever need a helping hand in your business, you know where to find us.

Happy evolving!

Kimjera Whittington