Tell Your Boss You Want to Work From Montana

Usually states that want to attract more business go directly after companies by offering tax incentives and other perks. But a Montana man who founded a successful software company there is targeting a more individualized demographic: employees in other states who want to leave the rat race and telecommute from Big Sky Country, NPR reports. Greg Gianforte has created the "Come Home to Montana" campaign to lure people who are already happily employed to plant their roots in a place he says is "perfect for telecommuting." He even created 18,000 brochures that are being distributed to alumni of two local colleges, as well as to chambers of commerce.

The brochure employs a hard sell, showing gorgeous mountain and lake scenes, listing telecommuting-friendly companies such as IBM and American Express, and offering tips on how to talk to your boss about a remote career. There's even a top 10 list that explains why Montana is known as the "Last Best Place," including its proximity to national parks like Yellowstone, reasonable housing costs, and "no traffic, so no road rage." Not everyone's rah-rah for Gianforte's campaign, though: The state's Democratic Party says he's using this as a PR ploy in advance of an anticipated run for governor. (Taking a "workation" is another trend that's gaining traction.)