The Atlanta area contains around 13,000 technology companies employing tens of thousands of Georgians, according to the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce . Most of those companies are startups, many of which veer toward a model of down-home customer service and prudent growth.

Graham says GuildQuality’s motto is “Be Nice,” but it’s not just about Southern politeness. “We’re very high-touch, and we do very little marketing.”

Southern software firms may be conservative, but they’re also apparently resourceful.

David Cummings started his first software company 11 years ago while he was still a student at Duke University. He tried to raise money, but no outside investors he approached were interested. He decided instead to focus on adding customers to grow the business.

In 2007, when he and a partner decided to start their company in Atlanta, digital marketing hub Pardot , they made a conscious decision to bootstrap their business.

Today, Pardot boasts a growth rate of 100 percent annually and employs 70 people. Cummings, who is originally from Tallahassee, Fla., says Atlanta is suited to the work-life balance he prefers.

“The cost of living here is so much cheaper,” he says. And thanks to local universities such as Georgia Tech, he is able “to staff up with smart people.”

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