Without a doubt Disney put Orlando on the map as a worldwide tourist destination, but now the city of Orlando is making a name for itself apart from its tourism roots. It’s an exciting time to be living and working here in Orlando, and here’s four reasons why: A Thriving Creative Community

Obviously Orlando has the creativity of Walt Disney World in it’s backyard, but we're also starting to become known for our dense pockets of creatives in the areas of art, digital media, music, photography, videography, and design.

Organizations like Art House Orlando and Urban ReThink are helping Orlando to develop and retain its creative talent, transforming it into a hub of creativity nationwide that could stand side by side with cities like Austin and Portland.

Big City Food

The James Beard Foundation Awards are the most prestigious honor in the food and beverage industry. This year, Chefs from four Orlando restaurants were represented among the nominees, including The Ravenous Pig.

Orlando also has one of the most active food truck scenes in the country, with food truck events around the city on every day of the week (Have you tried the 420 Burger from Crooked Spoon food truck yet?!). And if it’s barbeque you’re looking for, Orlando is also home to the award winning 4 Rivers Smokehouse.

Entrepreneurial Hub

If you’re looking to start a business, Orlando is a great place to learn and network. Orlando is becoming widely recognized as a center for new business and innovation. Orlando is also home to the National Entrepreneur Center, a joint effort between Walt Disney World, University of Central Florida, and the Orange County Government.

The Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce developed an Entrepreneur Academy and also puts on the BIG Summit every year for entrepreneurs and startups, which has attracted well known speakers including Gary Vaynerchuk.

Tax incentives and lower costs than saturated areas like NYC & Silicon Valley have attracted tech companies, startups, and talent to the area. As a result, Orlando has also been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as the Number One City for Entrepreneurs, and in the Top 10 for Best Cities to Start a Small Business.

Quality of Life

If you can stand the heat of an average of 107 days over 90 degrees each year, you can’t beat the quality of life here in Orlando. You can enjoy the year round greenery & fresh air on the many bike and walking trails have been developed throughout the Orlando metro area. There’s also no shortage of water around Orlando. From the lakes to the springs to the beaches, you could visit a different spot every weekend for years if you wanted to.

Orlando has been recognized by Forbes as #9 on America's Safest Cities list, and #26 on the Best Cities for Singles list. When compared to other major cities, the cost of living in Orlando is low, so you get more home for your money.

At Talking Head Studio, we feel fortunate to live and work in the Orlando community and are excited to be a part of its continued growth and success!

About Talking Head StudioHeadquartered in sunny Orlando, Florida, Talking Head Studio is offers our full-scale video production services to local businesses and national clients alike.

Feature Photo Credit: Scott Smith (SRisonS) via Compfightcc