In short: There wasn't one big reason I chose Tampa. It was a balance: Florida without Miami's intensity, a state with no personal income tax, and a city where you can build real relationships without needing to be in the biggest market. Here are my notes on Tampa, and what I'd tell any founder choosing where to build.
When Sean Kelly asked me on Digital Social Hour why I chose Tampa, he probably expected a big answer. I didn't have one. For the most part, there wasn't one particular reason. It wasn't Miami, and that was part of it.
I've thought about that answer since, and I think it's the honest one. Most good decisions about where to live aren't driven by a single factor. They come down to balance.
Why Tampa instead of Miami?
Miami is a great city, and it has a lot of energy, a lot of money and a lot of noise. Tampa has some of the same things at a lower volume. That's the balance I was looking for: close enough to the action, far enough from the distraction to get work done.
Does Florida's tax picture matter?
It came up immediately in my conversation with Sean, and it's a real factor for a lot of founders. Florida doesn't impose a personal income tax, according to the state's Department of Revenue (Florida Department of Revenue). Businesses still have obligations, like corporate income tax for some entities, sales tax and reemployment tax, so it's not a tax-free state for companies. But for individuals, it changes the math.
I'd never tell someone to move for taxes alone. A great tax rate in a city where you're miserable isn't a deal. It's one factor among several.
Do you need a big city to network?
Sean and I talked about this too. Networking in the biggest cities is good, but you can get that networking in other cities. Most of the relationships that mattered in my career started with a phone call, an introduction or a conversation at an event, not with an address.
What matters is who you get in a room with and whether you follow up, not the skyline outside.
The day it snowed in Florida
Florida's weather is part of the appeal, most of the time. But I remember being in Las Vegas for the Digital Social Hour recording and realizing it was warmer there than back home. We'd just had snow. Most of the Panhandle got it.
That wasn't an exaggeration. On January 21, 2025, a historic storm dropped 8.9 inches of snow on Pensacola, smashing a record that had stood since 1895, according to the National Weather Service (NWS Mobile/Pensacola). Tampa didn't get the snow, but the cold reached all of us.
What I'd tell any founder choosing a city
If you're deciding where to build, here's the checklist I'd use.
| Factor | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Cost of living | Can I afford to stay here through a slow year? |
| Taxes | What will I pay personally, and what will my business pay? |
| Ease of starting | How simple is it to register a business and get licenses? |
| Talent | Can I hire the people I'll need in two years? |
| Network | Are there founders, investors or mentors I can actually meet? |
| Lifestyle | Will I want to live here when the business is hard? |
On ease of starting, Florida's official business registry, Sunbiz, lets you search names and file online (Florida Division of Corporations). The Florida SBDC Network offers free consulting for small businesses across the state (Florida SBDC). Resources like these matter more than people think when you're starting from zero.
Where I spend my time now
My biography describes me as living in Tampa and Abu Dhabi.
▸ Where my work happens
Most of my work now doesn't depend on where I live. My role as Advisory Council Chair at Reseated Councils (United Nations SDG 8 & 9) is about small-business growth everywhere, and it isn't tied to one city. One of the positions I've published is that registering a small business should take days and a small fee, not months of paperwork. Wherever founders live, that's the first rail. Tampa is home base.
FAQ: Robert Nikic and Tampa
Where does Robert Nikic live?
Robert Nikic is based in Tampa, Florida.
Why did Robert Nikic choose Tampa?
He describes it as a balance rather than one reason: a less intense alternative to Miami, Florida's lack of personal income tax, and a city where good relationships are still within reach.
Does Florida have a state income tax?
Florida does not impose a personal income tax, though businesses may owe other state taxes.
Pick a city for the life you want to run, not the one you want to show.
Related reading: How to Pronounce Robert Nikic · Where I'm From, and Why I Don't Have an Accent · Biography
