History Of Video Games

As you probably know, Austin is a center of video game creation and the industry.

Check out our books on the history of video games here.

Wizards of the Coast in Austin

I'm not totally clear on what Wizards of the Coast is, it has something to do with role playing and cards and stuff.

Anyway, they're opening a studio in Austin, good reminder that the area is full of creative fun businesses you can get involved in!

Article here.

Austin Tech News

This is great site that gives you local Austin tech business news.

Austin Influencers on Social Media

If you're a charismatic, good-looking person who wants to blog or make videos about your clothes or  the restaurants you go to you might consider becoming an influencer.

Companies pay you to promote their products on social media but it looks all authentic and street and stuff because you portray yourself as just this cool person rapping about your life. Except your life has product placements.

Read all about it here – some people actually do this for a living.

Co-Op Societies

here are all of our links related to co-ops, credit unions and the like!

Austin and Affordable Housing

Here is an article that basically lays out a case that Austin housing affordability is not a problem for most people, is a natural consequence of capitalism, and is a desirable thing for the city's tax base.

You may or may not agree but the article is presented here.

Amazon's New Headquarters Quest

What Really Happens When Amazon Comes To Your Town

I'm actually fairly confident it's going to be Austin. The article above talks about the two-tier inequalities and skyrocketing house prices that follow. We shall see.

Austin Startups

Here's a pretty good webpage devoted to Austin startups with an emphasis on tech.

Austin Startup Blog

Blog devoted to startups in Austin. These tend to be cool companies: social media, software companies, laboratories and more.

A great resource for finding out how companies attract funding based on their business model and also who's HIRING.

Austin and San Antonio Book of Lists

The Austin Book of Lists (heck, San Antonio has one too) is one of my favorite business publications.

It lists the biggest companies in the Austin/SA area by a variety of measurements: sales, retail square feet (for mall operators), hospital beds (health care), average rent (for apartment operators), etc....

You can't easily find these things elsewhere.

Our database Reference USA has a bit of that information, but not everything in the Book of Lists.

Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Average Wages

Look up what different professions make in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Metro Area here.

Office managers, financial professionals, health care workers, construction, lots of other professions' average local salary here.

Austin and San Antonio Business Journal

Austin Business Journal

Find local Austin business information news in this journal: new businesses, expansion, openings and closings, and interviews with local entrepreneurs.

Plus job openings and business seminars and events are listed too. Oh yeah, and bankruptcies, liens, building permits and commercial real estate transactions.

Austin Business Journal on the web.

We also have it in library in dead trees, all the way back to 2001.

San Antonio Business Journal

The San Antonio Business Journal has great articles about current events in San Antonio. Both small and large businesses are covered. Read about partnerships, expansions and success stories. Plus there's interviews with local business people and job listings.

There's also information about tax liens, bankruptcies and commercial real estate transactions.

See what businesses are starting or succeeding and why that is.

Read Austin Statesman's Business Blog

Great way to stay current on Austin businesses - the Statesman Austin business blog.

What's opening, changing, closing or coming to Austin. From food trailer to major companies like Stratfor, Samsung and Dell. Interviews, thoughts and rumors too!

Samsung Makes Apple Chips in Austin

Remember that Samsung factory in Austin? Well, they're making a chip for the Apple Iphone in it.

In America. Rad.

Facebook in Austin

The Austin American goes inside Facebook's new Austin crib.... This is what a new economy company looks and feels like.

Austin a Top Market for Personal Care Products

Austin is a huge market for personal care, gym memberships, fancy haircuts, grooming and all kinds of dandified metrosexual shennigans:

"The average household in Austin, Texas spends $143 a month on personal care, or $1,716 annually — the highest of the top 100 largest cities in the country, and more than two times the national average."

Click the link, but personal care includes gyms, drug stores, hair salons and a few other things.

Not 100% precise, but gives you an idea of a town's flavor and what else they might go for.

Underwater Mortgages in Austin and Texas

Good question today: How many home mortgages in the Austin area are underwater (i.e. people owe more than the house is worth)?

The standard figures, from an organization called American CoreLogic, has come up with a report that is cited by several newspapers and business newspapers.

It includes the top 50 metropolitan areas by underwater status.

I would have put the report up in PDF form, but you must register for free beforehand, and I don't want to step on anybody's toes over at American CoreLogic.