I Work in Tech and Love Living in Pennsylvania
A Philadelphia area native shares what he loves about his job and state.
People in a vast array of industries, from tech and advanced manufacturing to life sciences and energy, are drawn to Pennsylvania – and it doesn’t take long to understand why. Sturdy and stable innovative companies offering great jobs can be found across Pennsylvania. Plus, the commonwealth itself allows residents to lead the perfect live-work-play lifestyle. In other words, people can build the lives they want – both on and off the clock.
To get the scoop on why those who work in tech love living in Pennsylvania, we sat down with Leon Degtar, a native of the Philadelphia area.
Degtar is the COO of Liberty Fox Technologies, which began 14 years ago and focuses on building software that helps businesses run more efficiently and successfully. While Liberty Fox is based about 25 miles north of Philadelphia in Huntingdon Valley and has an office in Abington Township, its employees work remotely, and its clients can be found all over the world.
How did you get involved in tech and what do you love about your job?
I went to Rowan University in south New Jersey, just outside of Philadelphia, and studied accounting. I started my career as an accountant, and about 15 years ago, I got into tech with an agency called Tonic Design.
I facilitated the sale of that company to a larger local company called Rush Order Tees that has a big presence in Philadelphia. I stayed in technology consulting and the tech service business, and Liberty Fox was one of my first clients. Things went really well, and I became their CFO and partner. I got into tech through accounting, but I stayed in the industry because I just love it.
Why is Pennsylvania especially good for people who work in the tech industry?
Philadelphia is kind of considered the Silicon Valley of health care. We have several large insurance companies based here, big hospital systems, and life sciences companies. All of these are accessible here, and the technology sector has really come from startups.
We have our own little venture capital scene here – not as big as in Silicon Valley or in New York City, but you’re seeing a lot of change in those areas. A lot of people left New York and came to Philly during COVID. There’s a boom in construction, and that has catalyzed a lot of business. I’ve seen a lot of really interesting technology companies come out of Philadelphia and do some amazing work. It’s a major hub, you have a major airport, and you’re close enough to other cities.
What do you enjoy about living here?
Philadelphia kind of exists on its own because Pennsylvania is such a huge state. What I love about Philadelphia is that it has its own personality and vibe as a major East Coast city, but I much prefer it to someplace like New York City because it’s smaller and homier. You’ll still see people you know even if you’re downtown.
Our restaurants have just been nominated for the most James Beard Awards in history. We have an incredible food scene here. I’m a big fan of live entertainment, and I go see shows a lot, and we have a really neat music scene. There’s no shortage of things to do, and Philadelphia is more walkable and approachable. It has all the trappings of a major city like New York, but it’s more accessible and has a cheaper cost of living.
What are some of your favorite restaurants?
I particularly love steakhouses. Butcher and Singer is a really cool one. It’s been around for a long time; it’s a staple. It has incredible escargot. Wm. Mulherin’s Sons is a cool Italian restaurant in a former whiskey distillery. Double Knot is very nice. It is a sushi and Japanese fusion restaurant that never misses. There’s a famous steakhouse called Barclay Prime that does an extravagant rendition of a cheesesteak. The restaurant flies in Wagyu beef and makes truffle Cheez Whiz – it has foie gras, fried onions and is served with champagne for $140. It’s something people love to experience together.
Where do you go to explore the outdoors?
I’m a runner, and in Philadelphia, there are lots of trails you can run on along the Schuylkill River – you can run for quite a long distance there. There are great parks for hiking in the mountains if you go up toward the Poconos. Buck Hill Falls is really pretty. It has 4,500 acres of woodlands. There are plenty of opportunities to get outside across the state, which personally is more my speed than working out in a gym. That’s one nice thing about the East Coast. We get all four seasons, but it’s not brutally cold or brutally hot, and you can be outside and find things to do most of the year.
What is there to do after work on weekdays?
I like comedy a lot. I recently took my business partner and some clients to Helium Comedy Club in Philadelphia, which was cool. I have played blues guitar since I was a kid, and I love to see live music. There’s a really neat blues restaurant and bar called the Twisted Tail. It’s a long running tradition there to have an open blues jam with working musicians who don’t know each other but show up and rotate through. It’s a blast. I go to other concert venues like Union Transfer or World Cafe to listen to live music, too.
Why would you recommend others who work in tech live in Pennsylvania?
I’ve observed growth in tech startups and private finance investment to startups and technology companies over the past 15 years in Pennsylvania. With premier schools like the University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon, large health care organizations and enterprise companies like Comcast calling Pennsylvania home, there are a lot of opportunities for people to work in technology.
Over the past few years, incredible startups have started out in the state, such as Gopuff, Duolingo, and LifeBrand. We have seen a noticeable increase in desire to leave the tech hubs previously considered highly desirable across the country, creating major growth in our state.
This article was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
