As one of Montana’s longest-running and most successful tech companies, PrintingForLess.com (PFL) has had nearly 20 years to develop its playbook of best practices for recruiting in Big Sky Country.

Rick Hill didn't pick up and move to LA or New York where all the action was. He stayed in Alabama and focused on mastering his craft, producing Grammy-winning albums and turning local musicians into the best rhythm section in the country. Hill developed a reputation for making hit records and the industry came to him.Montana high tech companies do the same thing.

Jeff White went into the Victor schools searching for a student who was good with computers to help him with a project. The teachers recommended Jeb, a 7th-grader who was passionate about coding, hungry to learn, and grateful to find a mentor who validated the way he thought.

As I'm out talking with people, I sometimes hear them say things about Montana's business community that are based on false assumptions. To counter, here are two truths I've learned working with Montana's high tech and manufacturing companies.

Two years ago, in July 2012, the Montana Programmers persuaded Brad Feld, a Boulder venture capitalist and author of the book Startup Communities, to give an inspiring talk to the Montana tech community. Rob Irizarry wrote up a great summary.

Today I mark two milestones as director of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance - the end of my first 90 days on the job, and the enrollment of our 90th member…

When we launched in April 2014, the MHTBA board and I set a goal to sign up 50 members by January 2015. I am an optimist, and I always believed we would meet our goal. But the Montana High Tech Business Alliance has grown faster, and bigger, than I ever imagined.