But Karla Santi, managing partner and creative director at Blend Interactive, says the firm’s location is not surprising when you know what South Dakota has to offer.
“We chose South Dakota because of the lifestyle that is available, as well as a low cost of living,” Santi said. “Because costs are lower here, we are able to offer very competitive pricing to our customers while still successfully making a profit for ourselves.”
And that strategy has worked well for the company.
“When we started out back in early 2005, our managing partners made up both the development and design teams within the company. Since then, we have grown consistently, adding two or three employees each year,” Santi said. “We now have a team of 18, and we consider that growth an accomplishment, especially during an economic downturn.”
Blend Interactive specializes in creating large-scale websites for clients in industries ranging from healthcare to education, and Santi says the company is always “pushing limits on what can go on the web.”
Additionally, Blend Interactive offers a higher level of communication and customer service than many of its competitors – something that can be partially attributed to the famously superior work ethic of Midwest workers.
“The Midwest work ethic is just another of many reasons for choosing South Dakota,” said Santi. “South Dakota is also very welcoming to small businesses, and the regulations and taxes are less burdensome than they are in other states.”