Former Facebooker Noah Kagan Tells Us Why Austin Matters

Noah Kagan can work a room. That’s the first thing you’ll figure out about him. The second thing you’ll learn is that he doesn’t want you to move to Austin.

Kagan, whose latest project is called OKDork, is the founder of AppSumo and Facebook employee #30. He quit the Valley and moved to Austin to found AppSumo, a daily deals site the features long, detailed discussions of the products and a lot of Kagan’s own high-energy marketing advice.

During our brief interview in Austin I asked Kagan who should move to Austin. “No one,” he said. He even suggested a new motto for the city, replacing “Keep Austin Weird:” “Don’t move here.”

The city, he explained, has its own magic and refugees from the Valley rarely fit in. However, if you want a great night life, food, and lots of fun it might be a spot for you. He initially moved with his then girlfriend and decided to stay, realizing a city that revolves around live music, barbecue, and being the strangest town in Texas has its charms.