Remote work, mandatory for non-emergency roles during the pandemic, is now the standard for some people. And DFW is a top choice for those workers who would rather be here than anywhere else in the country – particularly for people who work in life sciences.

“I moved to DFW for my job with Johnson & Johnson,” says Victoria Wilmore, director of external supply services.  “I was working at our orthopedic manufacturing plant outside of Boston and moved here to work at our breast implant manufacturing facility. When I got promoted to a global role with J&J, I was able to stay in Dallas and work remotely.”

Wilmore said “yes” to Dallas because of the lower cost of living and better connectivity.

“I can get to anywhere in the U.S. on a plane in less than four hours.  Even for international flights to our European manufacturing hubs, there are a lot of direct flights.”

The downside of being a remote worker can be isolation, but Wilmore says she easily plugs into local industry groups or spends the day at a coworking space.

For Anup Patel, vice president of program management at Obsidian Therapeutics, the attraction was financial.

“You can’t beat ‘no state income tax’ — when my last company said my role is fully remote, I made the move from California.”

And for Himani Parikh, executive director, regulatory affairs at Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc., the pandemic enabled her to make the move she’d been thinking about for several years.

“I wanted to relocate from Chicago to be close to family. One key reason is the weather, the metro city feel, and ease of access that Dallas provides,” says Parikh.

Wilmore, Patel, and Parikh may work remotely for different companies, but they are united by the life science industry, which has shown fast growth in Dallas-Fort Worth in recent years and is expected to stay on that trajectory. It’s one piece of the thriving local economy.

How life sciences fits into DFW
The 35,000-foot view of DFW shows it is one the of the most diverse economies in the country, and includes 22 Fortune-500 and 48 Fortune-1000 companies; the fifth fastest growing life science hub, behind Durham, Raleigh, Phoenix, and Boston; and ranked fourth for number of computer, math, engineering, and engineering tech jobs in the U.S. People move here because of opportunity; they stay here because of the lifestyle it enables.

“I love flying airplanes and I’m currently working on my private pilot’s license out of a local airport,” says Wilmore.  “I also love going on adventures with my husband and two elementary school-aged kids — whether that is going to a festival, trying out new restaurants, or exploring new places.”

“I spend my down time attending sports events and trying all the barbecue and taco spots,” says Patel.

He also appreciates what he calls, “the incredible Indian diaspora” in DFW and the many Indian restaurants and events.

Tapping into Indian culture is something Parikh appreciates too as she enjoys Bollywood classes for fitness and fun. She also loves gardening and just relaxing in her backyard … although she learned quickly that you spend time outside during July and August at your own risk.

Saying Yes to Dallas and to life science, perfect together
At a time when your job and your home don’t need to be the same city, or even the same time zone, Wilmore, Patel, and Parikh are happy with their decision to become North Texans. They predict growth in both their industry and the population.

“Dallas is an up-and-coming metropolitan city that is well located and positioned to be a factor in the life science industry,” says Patel. “Biotech is no longer just on either coast but here in DFW as well.”

“DFW is well-positioned to become a leading hub for life sciences, offering a unique combination of talent, infrastructure, funding, and strategic location that can drive innovation and growth in the industry,” says Parikh. “The access to investment funds and talent pipeline are key reasons DFW region is well-positioned to lead.”

“Being a life science epicenter requires critical mass and I believe that the life science ecosystem will only get stronger with time. I have not met one person that has moved to the area and then decided it wasn’t a good fit,” says Wilmore.

Sure, DFW has shiny new office buildings in the center of densely populated areas as well as sprawling campuses that attract continued investment, but the biggest change we may see for years to come might be commuting from your kitchen to your home office while working in the life science industry – globally approaching $3 trillion, as of 2023.

Dallas-Fort Worth has sports bars, wine bars, dive bars … and for those looking for complex carbs rather than alcohol, a potato bar.

“We started in the Frisco Fresh Market, but relocated to a ghost kitchen in South Dallas – we do takeout and delivery from there. We’re looking to expand into Arlington and back towards Frisco/Plano,” says Sheena Marie Scott, founder of The Pot, baked potato bar, who describes herself as a cook, not a chef.

“My son’s the chef,” she laughs, “he even has a YouTube channel called KaiVersations.”

Customers can load up on stuffed spuds Tuesday through Saturday. With choices like The Humbler, on the left; and the Taco-ato, on the right, this is not where you go for a light snack.

 

“I want customers to have a great experience every time they come in – that means not spending a lot to get a lot.”

The idea for the eatery didn’t hit her like a lightning bolt, it materialized over a few years and has its roots in childhood.

“My aunt Lula, who raised me, taught me to cook. And there were no shortcuts – we made everything from scratch.”

In 2016, JPMorgan moved Scott from Wisconsin to Dallas, but she was part of a lay off in 2018. She moved back to the Badger state for another job opportunity with the company.

“I liked the area and wanted to stay, but a job opportunity came up in Wisconsin, so I went back.”

But not for long. The friendliness of the people, the potential for growth, and the weather compelled her to try Dallas again. She strategized, and in 2020 came back on her own terms.

“I had already started thinking of a long-term plan to start a business; DFW is the perfect place to get in front of a lot of people fast. And I think my child’s father had been sending me subliminal messages for years.”

You see, Scott doesn’t just cook potatoes, she loves to eat them too.

“He’d just roll his eyes and say ‘another potato?’”

Little did either of them know saying yes to the savory spud would lead to saying yes to being a small business owner in Dallas.

“This time I settled in Frisco with my two boys.”

And she opened The POT potato bar in 2021.

In her downtime, she’s learning to golf, loves entertaining … and visiting Nebraska Furniture Mart. No, seriously.

“(Laughing) yea, I love to just walk around. There’s something I find incredibly relaxing about it.”

As a business owner (something she never imagined calling herself when she was growing up), she wants to use her influence to help create a better quality of life in Southern Dallas County.

“This area has been labeled a food desert, there’s less economic growth than you see in other parts of Dallas, and fewer employment opportunities. I want to do what I can to turn that around.”

And she wants to do it with a loaded baked potato and plenty of sour cream.