--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would argue that's because we had a…" description: "\"I would argue that's because we had a bunch of smart people running around here. They were coming in and working very hard and many of them had left jo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/john-hickenlooper-2400_hard_i-would-argue-that-s-because-we-had-a-bu_3231198.jpg" --- # I would argue that's because we had a bunch of smart… ![“I would argue that's because we had a bunch of smart people running around here. They were coming in and working very hard and many of them had left jobs in which they made significantly more money.” quote by John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/john-hickenlooper-2400_hard_i-would-argue-that-s-because-we-had-a-bu_3231198.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/john-hickenlooper-2400_hard_i-would-argue-that-s-because-we-had-a-bu_3231198.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/john-hickenlooper-2400_hard_i-would-argue-that-s-because-we-had-a-bu_3231198.jpg) > “I would argue that's because we had a bunch of smart people running around here. They were coming in and working very hard and many of them had left jobs in which they made significantly more money.” [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Smart, motivated workers left higher‑pay jobs to join a new venture, boosting local effort. **In simple terms:** Talented people chose lower pay for purpose. Key Takeaway Leverage talent for community growth. Themes economic development talent migration motivation Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational leadership When to use this quote - startup recruitment - policy incentives - community building - retention strategies Key Concepts human capital career choice regional growth Questions to Reflect On - What motivates people to leave better‑paying jobs? - How can regions retain talent? A Different Perspective Higher wages may still attract talent despite purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Smart people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-people/) [Working hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-hard/) ## Related quotes > [I had an opportunity with someone that offered me significantly more money than Spotify and my gut, I was like, 'Nope, it's Spotify.' 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I would presume that cult leaders are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-napoleoni/i-think-generally-the-heads-of-terrorist-groups-are-very-very-smart/) [Loretta Napoleoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-napoleoni/) > [Being drunk leads smart people to do stupid things, which is what is so interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williamson/being-drunk-leads-smart-people-to-do-stupid-things-which-is-what-is/) [Kit Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williamson/) > [The single most important thing a city can do is provide a community where interesting, smart people want to live with their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-single-most-important-thing-a-city-can-do-is-provide-a-community/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Congress is full of good, decent, smart people who have devoted their lives to public service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/congress-is-full-of-good-decent-smart-people-who-have-devoted-their/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [I have great people, smart people that are around me and we love the challenge. I guess it's like climbing a mountain or building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/i-have-great-people-smart-people-that-are-around-me-and-we-love-the/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [Smart people are no different than anyone else. Sometimes they exercise bad judgment, like we all do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-smith/smart-people-are-no-different-than-anyone-else-sometimes-they/) [Judy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-smith/) > [I believe in smart people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-believe-in-smart-people/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [People know I'm smart. 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You've got smart people and you've got dumb people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/i-m-a-meathead-i-can-t-help-it-man-you-ve-got-smart-people-and-you-ve/) [Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/) > [Smart people duck when they hear the dread announcement 'I'm going to be perfectly honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/smart-people-duck-when-they-hear-the-dread-announcement-i-m-going-to/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [Smart people don't carry the weight of the world on their shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kishore-bansal/smart-people-don-t-carry-the-weight-of-the-world-on-their-shoulders/) [Kishore Bansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kishore-bansal/) > [A lot of times when you're around really, really smart people, you don't really understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/a-lot-of-times-when-you-re-around-really-really-smart-people-you-don/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) ## More by John Hickenlooper > [Especially during the first nine months, there was so much going on with trying to hire 55 people to run the city, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/especially-during-the-first-nine-months-there-was-so-much-going-on/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [There's nothing wrong with the Democratic Party that talks more about - and more loudly about - jobs, and cutting red tape, and bureaucracy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-the-democratic-party-that-talks-more-about/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [One's ability to enter into thousands of lawsuits as a tool for success, or to use bankruptcy to avoid paying your former employees and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/one-s-ability-to-enter-into-thousands-of-lawsuits-as-a-tool-for/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [I could easily say that, for quite a long time before I became mayor, I had obeyed all laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/i-could-easily-say-that-for-quite-a-long-time-before-i-became-mayor-i/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [We have tax revenue that's going to allow us to look in a much more comprehensive way at intervening in addiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/we-have-tax-revenue-that-s-going-to-allow-us-to-look-in-a-much-more/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [Some day, someone will do something wrong and there will be a scandal to report in the paper. 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Colorado and Wyoming are very similar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/i-think-a-couple-things-i-mean-you-know-the-tragic-death-of-matthew/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [The Affordable Care Act was passed in large part because of recognition that our nation's health care system is not working. 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During a downturn, everyone in our company got laid off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/i-started-out-here-in-colorado-as-a-geologist-during-a-downturn/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [This is a generous country that realizes people want to work hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/this-is-a-generous-country-that-realizes-people-want-to-work-hard/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) [Explore all 168 John Hickenlooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) ## More Hard quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. 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The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. 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