Gianforte, Greg (1961–)

When Thomas Jefferson bought a large section of the land west of the Mississippi, immigration and migration was inevitable. However, it was new technology that helped mitigate the challenges of migration. In western expansion, the steam engine and railroad had profound effects on immigration. The railroad compressed time and space immediately, and allowed settlers and tourists alike to travel from coast to coast in days or weeks instead of months. In addition, new markets became available everywhere.

Just as the railroad transformed time and space, the Internet is now having the same effect on immigration to the West. Being able to communicate and work on the Internet completely eliminates geographical constraints. Mountain ranges and remote locations do not carry the same effects they once did on immigration patterns. Global markets can easily be reached with a computer. One such example of this new trend is Greg Gianforte and his company RightNow Technologies. Based in Bozeman, Montana, RightNow Technologies is an Internet-driven company that is able to do business with clients all over the world without ever setting foot outside Bozeman. Not only has Gianforte started a very successful company, but also by locating its headquarters in Bozeman, he has started a migration trend that is similar to trends of past migrations.

Greg Gianforte was born April 17, 1961, in San Diego, California. His family then moved to Daytona Beach, Florida. Gianforte's father worked in the aerospace industry, so the family spent time in multiple locations but finally settled in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He describes the area as a normal, big-city suburb and says that his activities were similarly normal: He played football, basketball, and wrestling. He also enjoyed any chance to be outdoors fishing or catching snakes.

It was in junior high school that Gianforte had his most profound experience with the Big Sky and open spaces of Montana. A teacher at his junior high loved Montana, but the limitations of a teacher's salary made the trip very difficult to make. However, if one brought 18 eighth graders along with him, then it was possible. Thus in 1976, Gianforte made his first trip to Montana. He spent his summer in the Absorkee-Beartooth wilderness, hiking and fishing, and fell in love with everything western—towering peaks, alpine lakes, and a sheer abundance of wildlife. It was also at this time that his natural talent for business became apparent.

Gianforte is a self-titled “serial entrepreneur,” and his talent for business showed at an early age. His first entrepreneurial effort was a lawn-cutting business. Prior to the beginning of the lawn season, he went [Page 279]around the neighborhood and collected contracts for his services. He quickly discovered two things: First, he had collected far too many contracts was unable to fulfill his obligations; second, mowing lawns in the summer was hot, sweaty work. Gianforte found some other kids in the area that he could hire to mow the lawns and still come out ahead. At a very early age, he demonstrated a firm grasp on basic business practices, such as creating contractual relationships and labor relations. Over time, the lawn business became repetitious, and soon he turned to computers and software for his next endeavor.

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