Just over a year ago, my then girlfriend had narrowed her job search down to about 10 different cities in the United States. My plan was to quit my job in Washington, DC and follow her to our new home, wherever it may be. I spent time researching the job market in all 10 cities and as a lifelong east coaster I was shocked by one thing — Minneapolis had an amazing amount of creative opportunities.

I found myself lobbying for the Twin Cities, maybe second only to Los Angeles — just because I wanted to be a star. How did the Midwest win over an east coaster like me? Here are four reasons I think the Twin Cities is such a hotbed for creativity and marketing agencies.

It starts with great companies

Before my research, my knowledge of commerce in the Cities could be summed up by one word: Target. I assumed that if I moved to Minneapolis to work in corporate America, I would basically have to work for Target. I couldn’t have been more off. There are 17 Fortune 500’s in Minnesota like UnitedHealth Group, General Mills and Polaris Industries. On top of that, Minnesota boasts private giants like Cargill and Mayo Clinic.

With so many corporate powerhouses in our midst, it’s no wonder creative agencies have flourished to support these entities. The industries are varied enough to provide agencies with an opportunity to specialize. If an agency can demonstrate value, there’s no shortage of opportunities to work.

Minneapolis also happens to be a pretty cool place

If someone had told me Minneapolis was a cool place before moving here, I would have responded with a bad joke about the temperature. Now that I’m here, I get it. The winter is rough, sure. But the restriction of the winter has taught the city’s people how to appreciate good experiences and find ways to circumvent the cold. Everyone dives head first into cool things. The local drinking scene is one that would make any other city in the nation jealous. You can enjoy a beer at Bauhaus Brew Labs’ unique taproom, take a tour of Summit’s brewery, or drink a Prairie Vodka cocktail on any number of the Cities’ rooftops. It’s also a biking city. It’s a city with serious art collections at Walker and MIA. It’s a city with waterfronts and nature everywhere. It’s a city that has everything a creative person could want for inspiration.

Innovation is bred from the confines of winter, and marketing agencies fit right in with the laid back, creative environment derived from it.

There’s so much talent in the Cities

Marketing agencies are built on their employees. Minneapolis couldn’t support a thriving marketing industry without first attracting talent worthy of its great brands. You don’t have to look any further than the folks at Spyder Trap to see just how talented digital marketers in the Cities can be. Everyone from strategists with advanced degrees to those who eschewed a degree because they were too busy creating innovative code that I can’t even begin to understand. Talent is attracted to the area by the cool environment described above — which I can vouch for personally. People stay because of the opportunity to work on really cool projects and lead the charge in digital innovation.

There’s a support network of creative events & organizations

If having a large marketing industry weren’t enough, Minneapolis also has an extremely active community. There are so many chances for digital experts to get together and further their craft. On my very first day in Minneapolis I found myself at a MIMA networking event and haven’t faced a dearth of industry events since. Whatever you want to learn, there’s a place to gain experience and insights. From Social Media Breakfasts to AdFed events to MnSearch panels for search marketing, many agencies hold events to further innovation and promote industry growth. Spyder Trap’s own hiring parties and Digital Way Finder panels are a prime example.

After a year in Minneapolis, I’ve probably only scratched the surface on what makes Minneapolis a top city for marketing agencies. I’m looking forward to diving deeper into the creative community here and seeing what is in store for the rest of 2015—especially here at Spyder Trap where there are some really great things happening now, and on the horizon. I feel compelled to say thank you for welcoming this outsider into your community, or at least being Minnesota nice about it.