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My First Million

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Economic Geography

Geographic Concentration of Economic Opportunity

Timeframe: Ongoing trend that has accelerated over past 20 years, likely to continue for next decade

What's Changing

Economic growth and high-paying opportunities are increasingly concentrating in a small number of major cities globally

Driving Forces

Network effects in innovation and business

Venture capital and investment concentration

Talent clustering and knowledge spillovers

Infrastructure and ecosystem development in major hubs

Winners

  • Young professionals who relocate to major cities early
  • Cities with strong tech/finance/media ecosystems
  • Companies that can access top-tier talent pools
  • Real estate owners in these concentrated markets

Losers

  • Small towns and secondary cities losing talent
  • Professionals who stay in low-opportunity areas
  • Companies trying to compete from non-hub locations
  • Local businesses in areas experiencing brain drain

How to Position Yourself

1

Move to major city before collecting 'dogs and kids'

2

Choose the biggest city in your nation, then global hubs

3

Accept high cost of living as investment in career acceleration

4

Build skills that are valued in hub economies

Early Signals to Watch

VC funding concentration ratiosMigration patterns of college graduatesSalary differentials between hub and non-hub citiesRemote work policy changes post-COVID

Example Implementation

A ambitious 22-year-old moves from Ohio to NYC, accepts higher living costs and smaller apartment, but gains access to better jobs, higher salaries, and professional networks that compound over career.