Plenty of entrepreneurs assume they need to relocate to succeed. Major cities offer more access to capital, talent, and media, so the pressure to move often feels built in. But building a company doesn’t have to mean leaving home behind.
Some founders stay where they started. They build in the places they know best, relying on familiarity, trust, and long-standing relationships. David Colakovic is one of them. As founder of Eco-Power Group, he grew the company to more than £60 million in annual revenue while remaining in South Yorkshire. His Crunchbase profile highlights the scale of his business, but the more telling detail is that he never left.
“I never saw leaving as necessary,” Colakovic said. “There was no reason South Yorkshire couldn’t be the base of something substantial. You just have to commit to building with what you have.”
Instead of treating hometowns as temporary stops, some entrepreneurs treat them as stable foundations for long-term growth. For certain businesses, staying close offers not only comfort, but real strategic value.
Colakovic didn’t avoid ambition. He chose to grow in a way that fit the resources and networks already around him.
Local Knowledge Isn’t Sentimental
When people know your name, conversations move faster. Founders who stay close often start with a level of trust that others have to build from scratch.
They also tend to understand how things work locally. That might include knowing which suppliers deliver on time, when local events impact staffing, or how pricing needs to adjust with seasonal income swings. These details shape decisions and operations every day.
Hiring is usually easier, too. Word-of-mouth referrals bring in employees who are more likely to stick around. Vendors return calls more quickly. And when something goes wrong, a reputation built over time can buy goodwill that solves problems faster than money.
Support from institutions comes more readily, especially for businesses that invest in their region. Local newspapers are more likely to cover companies based nearby. Economic development groups often prioritize employers who keep jobs in the area.
According to Pew Research Center, 86% of U.S. adults believe local businesses have a positive effect on the country. That kind of sentiment helps generate patience and loyalty, even during challenging stretches.
Staying Put and Scaling Anyway
Let’s look at a few examples: Happy Earth Apparel grew into a global e-commerce brand while remaining in New Jersey. Red Land Cotton scaled from a farm in Alabama without moving its core operations. Colakovic’s Eco-Power Group did something similar. Focused on energy-from-waste systems, the company expanded significantly while continuing to operate from South Yorkshire.
Each of these companies used existing connections and local insights as a starting point. They didn’t move to gain legitimacy. They built it where they were.
This approach isn’t unusual. In rural areas, more than 84% of businesses are local companies, employing over half of the local workforce. These firms stay put not because they lack ambition, but because they know how to work with what they already understand.
As Leila Janah, the late founder of Samasource, often said: “Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not.” Staying local can help correct that imbalance, especially when founders commit to growing where they’re needed.
David Colakovic: Business and Community Can Move Together
Some companies do more than operate locally. They participate. That might mean supporting youth sports, backing a community fundraiser, or helping sponsor a neighborhood event. These gestures may not seem big, but over time, they shape how a business is perceived.
People tend to support companies that show up and stay involved. When a business becomes a regular part of the local story, it earns trust in a way no marketing campaign can match. “This isn’t a side effort for me,” says David Colakovic. “My support for local teams and charities truly reflects a broader view of my business, one where success includes responsibility to the place that made growth possible.”
Ties like the ones that Colakovic mentions may not necessarily show up in profit margins. But they build reputation, reinforce relationships, and often make the company stronger in ways that last.
When Moving Makes Sense—and When It Doesn’t
Some business models truly need access to global networks or highly specialized talent. In those cases, relocation isn’t just smart, it’s necessary. But many companies operate in sectors where location can work in their favor.
Industries like logistics, construction, and infrastructure often depend on local systems, reliable suppliers, and a steady workforce. Staying close to those assets can offer more value than setting up in a high-profile city.
Founders thinking about relocating can ask simple questions: Are your customers local or distributed? Are your suppliers nearby? Would moving truly improve your operations, or just make them more expensive? The answers usually speak for themselves.
Remaining in place isn’t about playing it safe. It’s actually about building where the resources and relationships already exist.
Local Can Be a Smarter Long-Term Bet
Businesses that stay close to home often build momentum that’s hard to create elsewhere. Relationships deepen. Word-of-mouth travels faster. Reputation becomes more personal and harder to replace.
There’s also less distraction. Instead of chasing new markets, local-first companies can focus on improving the core of their operations and delivering more value to the customers who already rely on them.
Eco-Power Group grew steadily, expanding from a base that aligned with both Colakovic’s goals and the company’s business model. Staying local can help companies grow in ways that feel more stable and deliberate.
Staying Can Be the Plan
Founders who stay often contribute to the broader community—helping shape local economies, long-term expectations, and shared identity.
Their presence can shift how people view what’s possible. A business that succeeds locally shows that growth doesn’t always mean moving on. Sometimes it means staying and investing in what’s already there.
The decision to stay played a role in shaping both the company and the surrounding region.
And for founders facing the same decision, that’s something worth considering.
