As an AI startup founder, my impression is that $180k in the Bay Area mostly gets you new grads or relatively junior talent these days.
However, remote work has fundamentally changed the equation. Expanding hiring beyond the Bay Area, or even internationally (for example, hiring remotely from Canada), can dramatically broaden the talent pool while significantly reducing costs.
Totally agree. Lots of people want to work remotely, and in many companies that works fine for certain types of jobs.
There's strange kinship and signaling in proximity. It's similar to college degrees. Working in SF - either in person or locally remote - puts people in a separate bin.
It's not just signaling. Once people move away the kinship factor fades, even when you already know them well past the signaling stage.