Clarity about what you’re building, where you want to live, and what your burn rate is doing to your ambition.
Eric Hartnett had all three. After building a photography business and investing in a bar in Southern California, he and his wife made the call: pack up, sell the bar, and relocate to Prosper, Texas — a fast-growing town north of Dallas.
This wasn’t about chasing hype. It was about creating space — literally and financially — to build a life and business on their terms.
Here’s what happened, what it means, and why it’s a blueprint for the kind of decision more founders, families, and investors are making.
👟 What Happened
Eric and his wife were living in Orange County, California. He ran a wedding photography business and co-owned a local bar. Life was decent on paper — but the math and the momentum weren’t adding up.
They were paying $4,000/month in rent, taxes were heavy, and the path to owning land, raising kids, and scaling something long-term felt blocked.
So in 2022, they sold the bar, booked a U-Haul, and moved the family to Prosper, Texas — a suburban town with a population under 40,000 but growing fast thanks to its proximity to Frisco and DFW.
“My friend, who was a real-estate agent, had also been looking in the North Dallas area. He found a home he thought I'd like in Prosper. I was skeptical at first, because I didn't know a lot about the city, but I saw a lot of new development around the area, so I said, "Yeah, let's do that."
I also decided I was going to open a wine bar in the area. With all the expansion going on, I thought the area needed that kind of facility.”
They bought a home nearly double the size for less than half the cost, slashed their fixed expenses, and rebuilt life with margin — both financial and mental.
🔍 Why They Moved
The Hartnetts weren’t running from something. They were running toward something:
Affordability: The cost of living in Orange County made it hard to plan long-term. Rent alone was bleeding $48,000/year with no ownership upside.
Land + space: In Texas, they could buy a house with a yard, space for the kids, and room to work from home — without compromising proximity to major metros.
Business optionality: With lower overhead, Eric could refocus on photography, explore e-commerce, and consider new local partnerships.
Community + culture fit: Prosper offered what they described as “a values-aligned, family-centric place” that matched how they wanted to raise their kids.
“My breaking point was in 2017. I had an employee who had two young children and he bought a house so they could play and have a good time. He bought an 1,800-square-foot house in the northernmost region of Sonoma County for $650,000. The home had dog-pee stains on its carpet from the previous owner, but after buying the home, my employee couldn't afford to purchase new carpet.”
📈 What It Means (For You)
This isn’t about Texas. It’s about strategic relocation — something more people in your circle are quietly doing, and something we track every week inside Club Intelligence.
Three things this move illustrates:
1. Lifestyle arbitrage is still real
Yes, prices have gone up. But compared to legacy metros, places like Prosper, TN suburbs, or NC's Research Triangle still offer real cost advantages. If you're burning $6K+ a month in fixed costs, moving can be a form of capital injection.
2. You don’t need a “big exit” to reset
The Hartnetts didn’t raise a round or sell a company. They made a deliberate pivot — exiting one business (the bar), preserving the other (photography), and resetting in a region with better economics. No VC required.
3. Location affects execution
High-cost metros force tradeoffs. You delay hiring. You skip marketing spend. You take side gigs. Lowering your burn isn’t just about saving money — it’s about reclaiming attention and speed.
🧠 Takeaways
You don’t need to “escape” to move — you need a thesis.
Every $1,000/month you eliminate in burn is $12,000/year back in your operating runway.
The best moves are boring on the outside, transformational on the inside.
Real people are doing this. Not influencers. Not SPAC refugees. People like your neighbors, your LPs, or your younger self.
Make your next move count.
Stacy
Founder, CEO - Smart Movers Club
P.S. Every member’s at a different stage. Book a quick call and I’ll help you figure out which path makes the most sense for you.
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