Florida man starts popular online groups for Californians looking to leave the state

WINTER PARK, Fla. - A Winter Park, Florida, man said he started a Facebook group to connect with other people who were frustrated with life in California. He never thought it would grow into a business. 

After growing up in Winter Park, Terry Gilliam moved to California in 1986. He stayed there, working in the corporate world and real estate, but he was concerned with the direction he felt the state and its leadership were taking. 

"Every answer in California, when there's a problem, is to raise taxes," he said.

In 2018, he started a Facebook group, "Leaving California," while considering moving away. Within two years, it grew to 2,000 members. He started a second group, "Life After California, " during the pandemic." Both groups grew during the COVID-19 shutdowns, totaling more than 280,000 members. 

"There's a lot of people in California who are not happy with the way things are going. Either the cost of living is too high or the politics are not of their liking," Gilliam said.

Gilliam has since returned to his parent's home in Winter Park and turned the groups into a full-time job. He makes money by referring members exiting the Golden State to a nationwide network of real estate agents. He also collects a fee from a list of reputable moving companies that he personally vets and recommends to the groups. 

Users like Mary Miller, who left California, say they're grateful for the help.

"I used it to help find a mover, which we did use, a mover who's on the list of recommended movers, and they did a fabulous job."

In fairness, there is movement the other way, as California Gov. Gavin Newsom said during a FOX News debate with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. 

"The last two years, more Floridians going to California than Californians going to Florida."

Gilliam is next starting to produce video tours of cities in the south where people could relocate. Granted, Gilliam’s users are a self-selecting group, but Gilliam said he rarely got complaints. 

"I can't tell you how many people have said, 'My gosh, I've moved to Greenville, South Carolina, and just wished I'd moved years ago; this is the best thing I've done in my life.'"