- Wendy Daniels owns a real estate consulting business and is a mother of three.
- He was drawn to Atlanta for business opportunities but later moved.
- He said living in Baton Rouge means less time commuting and more job opportunities.
This story-in is based on a conversation with Wendy Daniels, owner of the Beechwood Residencesis a Baton Rouge-based real estate development company. It has been edited for length and clarity.
As a child, I moved around, living in New Orleans and Oakland, California, before my parents settled in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, when I was in the seventh grade. When I left home for college to study urban planning, I thought I wouldn’t be there in a million years. back to Baton Rouge.
After graduate school, I hiring for a position in Atlanta. It was like the city chose me. I was glad that I didn’t have to look for anything to do because there was so much going on. Growing up, I didn’t know many Black entrepreneurs, but in Atlanta, I worked with the best and most intelligent people. When I became a mother, I was happy that my children were also with that.
But during my more than 15 years in Atlanta, the city lost some of its charm. One of the the biggest traffic jams. It was unbearable. I lived 10 minutes from downtown, but picking up my kids from daycare and getting home could take over an hour on a Friday afternoon. It affected my career because I had to leave the office or client meetings at 2:30 to get to daycare on time.
I sighed every time I left the city
When I visited my mother in Baton Rouge, I felt at peace. I found myself missing the Louisiana culture. In Atlanta, nine out of every 10 people I meet are trans. My house became a house where everyone gathered on holidays and after work, but I tried to create that neighborhood feeling in a city where there was nothing.
By the time I had three young children, I knew us it was necessary to leave the city. In that case, it just didn’t feel like the right thing for our family. I owned my own business and knew I could take care of my customers. My husband got a job in Baton Rouge, about a 10-hour drive from Atlanta, and we saved up.
We settle on a short term list as we decide where we want to shop. Although I am from the city, there are many changes. Shortly after we arrived, the owner of the apartment invited us for a glass of wine and said he wanted to get to know us. It was the exact village culture I wanted. It was like I could breathe again.
We spend more on housing and less on education
We sold our house in Atlanta and bought one in a hot neighborhood in Baton Rouge. Our house prices did go up, but it wasn’t an apples to apples comparison. We lived in a nicer area.
We saved money on preschools and private schools, however. In Atlanta, private Catholic schools cost about $20,000 per student each year. In Baton Rouge, I put all three children in private schools for that amount.
The biggest change in my life is the car situation. I can drop off all three kids and get to my office in 25 minutes, but in Atlanta, it can take an hour. I didn’t realize how much stress came over me until after that.
Before, I had to go to Atlanta every month for work. I can leave my house and be at my airport gate within 20 minutes. I’ve never flown, but I can’t imagine it being better than that. While I can fly directly to Atlanta or Washington DC, many other airlines have connections, a diversion from Atlanta, where I can fly directly anywhere.
The promotion also promoted my career
I’m very good at what I do, but there was more competition in Atlanta. While I had good connections, they weren’t as deep as the connections of people who have family ties to Atlanta or went to college there.
When I moved, I was able to tap into a wonderful connection. Not only because I grew up here – because, in a small town, you can have a big impact. I have the mayor’s number, and I believe I can get the governor’s phone if needed. Because of websites and less competition, my business has been successful.
Living in Baton Rouge is not a big city life, but it has everything I need. Sure, I may need to study more, but I can still go to the music, meet friends for drinks, and make professional connections, without the stress I had in Atlanta.