Douglas and Sena Hineline are both Indiana natives, “Hoosiers by birth.” Douglas grew up in Indianapolis and went to North Central. Sena grew up in Brown County and attended Butler University. The two met while working for the Indianapolis Star, Douglas in marketing and Sena in sales.

San Francisco’s booming tech scene and job opportunities attracted the couple, but when they decided to start a family, it was time to move back to Indiana. “We moved 2,200 miles, moved again and then had a baby all within the course of three months. That is not something we recommend.”

With a baby on the way, the couple was looking for a home where it would be easy to raise a family. “That was the biggest thing about the Bay Area. It’s a great place to have a career; it’s a terrible place to have a family, at least for us… daycare is like college tuition there.”

The couple chose a house on five acres in Pendleton, and their new mortgage is less than the rent they paid for a small two-bedroom apartment in California. They love their park-like yard, one of their favorite perks of Indiana living.

Both Douglas and Sena are working remotely for San Francisco companies, the same jobs they held before the move. Prior to relocating, they worried that making contacts and networking would be difficult since they would be working from home, but they have found it easy to engage with the Indy tech community. “The tech scene here in Indy is growing, which is awesome, because when we left there just weren’t that many options in tech…we’ve been pretty blown away by how much the city has grown up since we’ve been gone.”

One of the most striking differences between professional life in San Francisco and professional life in Indiana is the ability to connect, a “real sense of collaboration and community throughout the marketplace.” Douglas has arranged meetings with CEOs and venture capitalists, with just a phone call, something he says is virtually unheard of in the Valley, “It’s great to feel such a sense of community support when you’re moving into an area you haven’t lived in for more than six years.”

The Hinelines didn’t move away from San Francisco (a city they still love) because of anything the city was doing wrong. “We moved for all the things Indiana is doing right.” Plus, “We love that there’s proper weather here.”

Do you know someone who would be a good fit for an Indiana tech job?

Share this link with them and copy Talent@TechPoint.org on the email.