Jeff Hoffman High Res Photo.jpg

Jeff Hoffman, co-founder of Priceline.com, loves entrepreneurship -- and apparently Northeast Ohio. He offered the Northeast Ohio Media Group a few thoughts on the region and its entrepreneurship vibe. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Hoffman)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jeff Hoffman is an entrepreneur best known for helping grow Priceline.com, a site allowing people to bid for hotel rooms, flights and cars. He's a rock star in the business world. He sits on the boards of companies in the U.S., Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia and frequently speaks about startups. He just co-authored with entrepreneur and writer David Finkel a book called "Scale: Seven Proven Principles to Grow Your Business and Get Your Life Back."

While Hoffman may not be a household name to Clevelanders, he bought a house in Northeast Ohio two years ago and spends quite a bit of time here. That says a lot -- he moved from Chicago. I asked him recently to talk about living here and about the region's entrepreneur vibe. Here's a slice of our conversation.

You have a resume and accomplishments that scream East Coast and West Coast. Why have you settled on the North Coast?

JH: When my career is over, I hope that people will say that I helped them achieve their own goals in some way. So, coming to an area like Northeast Ohio, where there is not enough mentorship and inspiration for entrepreneurs, gives me a chance to actually make an impact on the community around me, to be part of a better future for the North Coast. That means something to me.

Does location matter as much in the startup world as it does in the real estate world?

JH: Yes and no. Location does not determine the validity of an idea. A good idea is a good idea, no matter where it comes from. Silicon Valley has no patent on creativity. Northeast Ohio has many amazing and creative people. But the yes part is that the scarcest resource for startups is not cash, it's talent. We need to retain our young talent so they don't think they need to head to the West Coast or East Coast to achieve success. And we have to attract new talent by making Cleveland a better and better place to live.

Earlier this year, you spoke to the Cleveland Chapter of Entrepreneurs' Organization. Cleveland has a number of organizations trying to inspire, foster and promote entrepreneurs. What are the most important things a community like ours should do to support them?

JH: Simple -- mentorship. We need more mentors. Experienced business people in Northeast Ohio need to find the time to help our entrepreneurs. They need to share their expertise and experience. We need to help ourselves. The second need I see is for collaborative workspaces. Entrepreneurs need cheap co-working spaces to launch their businesses and help each other. The region needs to provide more of that.

Northeast Ohio is full of innovators but many leaders from the outside still see us through rust-colored glasses. How would you sell Northeast Ohio?

JH: I would sell the quality of life in Northeast Ohio as one of America's best-kept secrets. Wait, should we really sell that? Beautiful suburbs, an ever improving downtown, and much more. And I would sell our great universities and the plethora of talented and enthusiastic people in our region that are smart enough to launch and run their own businesses. Plus, in the worst case, if you think Cleveland is behind in some way, then moving here is an opportunity to make a real difference.

The parent company of Northeast Ohio Media Group and The Plain Dealer has been making dramatic changes to adapt to a digital and smartphone-obsessed world. What do you see for the future of newspapers?

JH: The good news is that I think they still have a place. First of all, there are two parts to your business -- collecting the news and presenting the news. Collecting the news requires a special skill set and a keen eye that only journalists have. So, as a collective of news-seeking journalists, newspapers still know how to find the story. The big change is in presenting the news. Why would anyone wait for a physical paper to come out to get news when its at our fingertips electronically 24x7? However, I still read the newspaper for all the non-urgent, non-breaking stories. Human-interest stories, deeper digs into culture or sports, etc. There is still a place for professional journalists to craft and deliver such content.

It may be too early to ask, but what do you like most and least about Northeast Ohio?

JH: Hang on, I'll answer in a second -- there's still some snow on my car. OK, winter isn't really that bad. What I like least is the attitude. Too many people accept the negative views of the area from outsiders, instead of standing up proudly and touting our benefits. Happiness is contagious. Let's show the world that we like it here. What I like most is that we have a little bit of everything here. Sports, culture, the lake, the East Side and the West Side, museums, parks, great restaurants, and a good location not too far from places like Chicago or New York.