Podcast appearances and mentions of chris heivly

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Overcast Support the Show. Get the AudioBook! AudioBook: Audible| Kobo| Authors Direct | Google Play | Apple Introduction Entrepreneurship is often seen as a solitary pursuit, however, building a thriving startup ecosystem requires more than just individual grit—it needs community, trust, and a deep understanding of complex systems. Many entrepreneurs struggle to find the right support network, and too often, local communities fail to create the conditions for entrepreneurial success. So, how do we move from isolated efforts to a collaborative, vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem? On this episode of The Entrepreneur Ethos, Jarie Bolander sits down with Chris Heivly, co-founder of Raleigh Durham Startup Week and author of Build the Fort, to dive deep into the essence of community building for startups. Chris, a seasoned zero-to-one expert and investor, shares his unique perspective on how successful entrepreneurial communities don't follow the traditional hierarchical systems that govern most organizations. Instead, they thrive when they're built on networks of peers, reducing friction for entrepreneurs and fostering an environment where ideas and connections flourish organically. Chris recounts his own journey, traveling the world to study various startup ecosystems, and reveals the power of small, consistent actions—what he calls "success through a thousand nudges"—that can transform entire cities into hubs for innovation. From mentoring to running startup events, Chris emphasizes the importance of giving back and building a legacy that inspires the next generation of founders. If you're an entrepreneur, community leader, or simply someone interested in how startups can shape local economies, this episode is packed with actionable insights. Learn how you can reduce friction, cultivate trust, and help create an ecosystem where entrepreneurs don't just survive—they thrive. Tune in now to discover the building blocks of a successful startup community and why your role in it matters more than you might think. Links Chris Heivly  LinkedIn Keep In Touch Book or Blog or Twitter or LinkedIn or Get Story-Driven Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can a founder transition from a successful entrepreneur, to empowering other entrepreneurs by becoming a key figure in building startup communities? Join host Trevor Schmidt as he talks to Chris Heivly, Co-Founder of MapQuest and The Startup Factory and author of the book “Build the Fort”, about the importance of self-awareness, curiosity, and customer understanding for startup success--and how that success can, in turn, lead to building successful communities. What are some of the many ways that these startup communities can be beneficial? Find out on today's episode, as Trevor and Chris discuss the value of entrepreneurial communities, mentorship, and technology in navigating the entrepreneurial landscape effectively.Hosted by Trevor Schmidt, Founder Shares is brought to you by Hutchison PLLC and is edited and produced by Earfluence.

This week's Friday Nooner—sponsored by Whitley Recruiting—provided a look into the near future, at least once the GrepBeat Godfather finished talking about his chickens. (A new chick was allegedly eaten by a hawk.) Joe and Pete welcomed guest Archie O'Connor, the Co-Founder (with Chris Heivly) of Raleigh-Durham Startup Week. RDSW returns for Year Three next week as a four-day, all-free event from Tuesday-Friday, April 9-12. The first two days are in Durham before shifting to Raleigh for the last two days. Archie recommends checking out the RDSW site and then downloading the event's Whova app to make the most of your time. You can also check out our full preview of the event here. Watch the full episode on LinkedIn here or Facebook here.

Entrepreneurship Ecosystems are critical to the success of startups. As the startup ethos has spread beyond Silicon Valley, more communities are seeing the economic and social value of supporting and promoting local entrepreneurship ecosystems. Paul interviews Eric Weissmann, director of NEXT, and Bryan Davis, director of The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman University, about the ecosystem in Upstate South Carolina and how they see their role in supporting startups and promoting exits now and into the future. For more on building startup communities, check out Startup Communities by  by Brad Feld and Build the Fort by Chris Heivly.Follow David on LinkedIn or reach out to David on Twitter/X @DGRollingSouth for comments. We invite your feedback and suggestions at ventureinthesouth.com or email david@ventureinthesouth.com. Learn more about RollingSouth at rollingsouth.vc or email david@rollingsouth.vc. Follow Paul on LinkedIn. Download our White Papers and Cheat Sheets HERE. Thanks for listening and remember: Our mission is to MAKE MONEY, HAVE FUN AND DO GOOD.

Summary On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley, Jeff Amerine, and Victoria Dickerson are joined by Chris Heivly, co-founder of MapQuest and managing director of Build the Fort. Based out of Durham, North Carolina, Chris is the author of Build the Fort: The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide, a book which simplifies entrepreneurship and outlines five basic elements that are common to both startups and startup communities. Chris is passionate about sharing his expertise in helping other entrepreneurs find success, and as a frequent blogger and public speaker, Chris advocates the importance for communities to develop viable entrepreneurial ecosystems. Throughout the episode, Chris discusses the value in networking and mentorship as an entrepreneur, the mechanics of building a startup ecosystem, and the different types of business systems.   Show Notes (0:54) Introducing Chris Heivly (5:03) The Trajectory of MapQuest (10:21) Chris' Startup and Investing Journey (13:17) The Importance of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (18:41) The Process of Building an Ecosystem vs. A Venture (22:02) The Impact of Mentorship (29:16) Advice to Younger Self (30:57) Closing Question   Links Caleb Talley Jeff Amerine Victoria Dickerson Chris Heivly heivly.com Build the Fort Build the Fort: The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide The Startup Factory   Quotes “Every entrepreneur knows, and if anybody's been doing it for more than a couple of years, and if you've ever had any real success, you know that your success is based on the backs of the people that helped you. And it's just the nature of this thing that you get help. And I think the best entrepreneurs seek help and are more self aware and more vulnerable to put themselves out there.” - Chris Heivly, (10:40) “The very nature of being in an entrepreneurial community is one of disruption, is one of discovery, is a process of knowns and unknowns, with the best intent and with the best motivation.” - Chris Heivly, (17:03) “The basis for our view is around systems theory, and in systems theory there's either three or four types of systems. But along this continuum from simple to chaotic are two systems, complicated and complex. And although they're synonymous in the dictionary, in systems theory, they couldn't be more opposite.” Chris Heivly, (19:30)  “People think networking is a transaction. It's not, it's a connection. And I found the value in connecting with people and asking them two questions. Asking them what they're stuck on and asking if there's any way I could help them. And in doing that, I helped other people, and then other people helped me.” - Chris, Heivly, (23:48) “To close the gap between success and failure you have to use your network, and your network is your community.” - Chris Heivly, (24:57)

Ever found yourself awestruck by the tales of tech pioneers who've navigated the treacherous yet rewarding seas of startup creation? Our latest episode features none other than Chris Heivly, the geography geek turned tech titan who co-founded MapQuest. As Chris unravels his journey from passionate mapping enthusiast to a leading figure in entrepreneurial community building, you'll be inspired by how the threads of curiosity and innovation can weave together a story of monumental success.Set sail with us on an exploration of entrepreneurial wisdom, where Chris shares the essentials of starting up, from the invaluable feedback loops with customers to the art of bootstrapping. He deftly illustrates the parallels between playful childhood endeavors, like fort-building, and the foundational principles of building a startup. It's a narrative that celebrates the power of action, the clarity of vision, and the sheer resilience required to scale the fort walls of the business world. With Chris's guidance, you'll discover how to keep your startup ship steady and sailing towards the coveted treasure of product-market fit.As we steer towards the more intricate waters of entrepreneurial finance and community ecosystems, Chris's insights on the significance of smart money investors and strategic investor alignment become your compass. He shares firsthand experiences and cautionary tales that are akin to navigating through a fog of venture capital – enlightening for both seasoned sailors and those just hoisting their sails. By the end of our voyage, Chris leaves us anchored with the wisdom that supporting fellow founders through the storms is as crucial as celebrating their sunny days of success. So join us, and let's chart the unexplored territories of startup adventures together.

Chris Heivly is the Co-founder of MapQuest, a pioneering online mapping service that has refashioned how we experience navigation and geographic information systems. He has rich experience in entrepreneurship, including company-building experience, startup expertise, and venture capital investment as an early-stage investor. Chris is a best-selling author of the Build the Fort series — a renowned guide for startup community builders. He is also a prolific blogger on his website — www.heivly.com, a contributing writer for INC.com, and a sought-after public speaker on startups, startup communities, corporate innovation, and entrepreneurial ecosystem development. In this episode… Launching and nurturing a successful entrepreneurial venture takes effort. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or embarking on your entrepreneurial journey for the first time, building a thriving business requires constantly learning new ropes and evolving your processes.  Chris Heivly, a seasoned entrepreneur and renowned “startup whisperer,” emphasizes the importance of creativity in entrepreneurship. Fearless idea-sharing and unshackling from self-doubt are critical drivers of entrepreneurial success. In addition, finding valuable collaborators, nurturing connections, and building a supportive network is also an art that amplifies your chances of growth. In this episode of Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Chris Heivly, the Co-founder of MapQuest, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and successful startup building. Chris delves into the five key lessons in his book Build the Fort. He emphasizes the importance of sharing ideas without fear, finding collaborators, utilizing existing assets, keeping the scope small, and taking the first action.

Chris Heivly is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and the Managing Director at Build The Fort, an umbrella entity that serves entrepreneurs, and startup companies. He is one of the nation's leading experts on launching startups and has been dubbed The Startup Whisperer.  Chris co-founded MapQuest, which was sold to AOL for $1.2 billion. He is also a public speaker and the author of Build The Fort: Why 5 Simple Lessons You Learned as a 10 year-old Can Set You Up for Startup Success as well as Build the Fort: The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide. In this episode… Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey, and without a supportive community, managing a business can be a burdensome challenge. To keep growing, it is important to seek help from other entrepreneurs who have faced similar struggles. Your lack of expertise in a given area can hinder your business. Chris Heivly's advice is to identify your strengths and weaknesses while leaning on your community for support. This includes your industry peers, employees, and business partners as an essential part of reaching the next level.  Chris Heivly, the Managing Director at Build The Fort, joins Rich Goldstein in this episode of the Innovations and Breakthroughs Podcast to talk about the need for a supportive community for entrepreneurs. They also discuss the history of MapQuest, the value of giving back, and common mistakes people make when starting a business.

On today's bonus episode, I'm speaking with Chris Heivly. Chris has over 40 years of experience working as, for, and with entrepreneurs and I was delighted to talk with him about why he wants to see more ecosystem and community builders come together and build a fort.Chris Heivly is a life-long entrepreneur and multifaceted investor who spent forty years working as, for, and with entrepreneurs. Prior to becoming a successful startup community builder and consultant, Chris co-founded MapQuest—which sold to AOL for $1.2 billion. He currently serves as a managing director of The Startup Factory and is a highly sought-after public speaker. His first book, Build the Fort: Why 5 Simple Lessons You Learned As a 10 Year-Old Can Set You Up for Startup Success, was inspired by his widely acclaimed TEDx talk in 2014.Listen to the full episode to hear: Why Chris uses the metaphor of building the fort when addressing ecosystem builders and entrepreneurs How the fluidity of complex adaptive systems benefits entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders Why you have to identify and speak with as many of the actors in your ecosystem as possible Why collaboration and partnerships are vital to creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts How to identify the gaps in your ecosystem and bring the right people together to fill them How adopting a short term mindset can help ecosystem builders dive in, get stuff done, and build momentum Why you can't wait for a permission slip to get involved How leaders and influencers set the tone for the culture of an ecosystem Learn More About Chris Heivly: Website The Startup Factory Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Build the Fort: The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide Building the fort -- a metaphor for starting anything Learn More About Anika Horn: Website: www.socialventurers.com  Instagram: SocialVenturers Newsletter: Sign up for Impact Curator Resources: The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley, Victor Hwang and Greg Horowitt Startup Communities: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Your City, Brad Feld The Startup Community Way: Evolving an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Brad Feld and Ian Hathaway Ecosystems for Change Season Two: The Slow and Complex Nature of Ecosystem Change S05E05: Start. Hand over. Repeat. The Cycles of Ecosystem Building with Larkin Garbee S04E06: Investing in the Lives of Founders with Todd Nuckols S04E08: Succession Planning: Transferring Social Capital To The Next Generation with Rick Turoczy EcoMap Technologies

Build the Fort Chris Heivly, BuildTheFort.com   – The Sharkpreneur podcast with Seth Greene Episode 964 Chris Heivly Chris Heivly is one of the nation's leading experts on launching startups and has been dubbed the “Startup Whisperer.” He co-founded MapQuest, is an angel investor, ran a corporate venture fund and 2 micro venture funds (directed over $75M) and was recently SVP Innovation with Techstars. Chris just released his new book, The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide for founders, investors, and economic development leaders to better accelerate their ecosystem.   Listen to this informative Sharkpreneur episode with Chris Heivly about his book, Build the Fort. Here are some of the beneficial topics covered on this week's show: - How it's important to adopt a “Build the Fort” mindset when starting or growing a business. - How many adults overcomplicate the process of starting a business by focusing too much on a distant vision and waiting for perfection. - Why you should break up goals into smaller steps while thinking about what needs to be accomplished in the next three months. - Why socializing your idea and getting feedback from others is crucial. - How collaboration and teamwork are essential for successful entrepreneurship.   Connect with Chris: Guest Contact Info Twitter @chrisheivly Facebook facebook.com/BuildTheFort LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/chrisheivly   Links Mentioned: buildthefort.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Matt Watson and Chris Heivly, Managing Director of Chris Heivly, for a discussion about founders versus ecosystems and which comes first. Listen to them dig into why startup ecosystems are so important in and for communities. Matt and Chris also talk about Chris's latest book, Build the Fort, the role of corporations in building startup ecosystems, and what founders need the most.   Find Startup Hustle Everywhere: https://gigb.co/l/YEh5   This episode is sponsored by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io   Learn more about Chris Heivly: http://heivly.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Show Notes: Chris Heivly and Will Bachman discuss the concept of startup communities and the importance of building them. Chris is the co-founder of MapQuest, which was sold to AOL for $1.2 billion, and the author of the Build the Fort. His second book, The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide, focuses on how five simple lessons learned as a 10-year-old can set entrepreneurs up for startup success. Chris defines a startup community as a set of people involved in innovative activities in a particular geography. He explains that startup communities can be incredibly powerful in helping entrepreneurs to succeed and should be proactively built by providing resources, mentorship, and capital. The Benefits of a Startup Community Chris talks about the concept of startup communities and how they are no longer geographically bound. He believes that networks are essential in order to develop a successful startup community, and that all members of the community, such as corporate innovators, investors, founders, researchers, and university students, should work together for the greater good. Additionally, he mentions that the concept of startup communities applies to industry-specific communities as well, and not just geographically bound ones. He believes that the key to advancing technology is through startups and corporate innovation, and that these networks should be utilized to the fullest extent. Chris points out that it is important to rely on people outside of one's geographic network to build a successful community.  He explains that it can be difficult for founders to invest time and energy into the community due to the amount of tasks they have to complete in their business. He mentions that it is important to build meaningful connections in order to make a successful community and connect with venture capitalists, local investors, and to get involved in the local economy to make sure that it is thriving, and that one will gain knowledge and potential customers by doing so.  Chris suggests startup lawyers, marketing experts, economic development professionals, and people from universities want to ensure the success of startups and help create a vibrant local economy, and he shares a case study on a startup community he was involved with. The Advantages of a Local Tech Scene Chris talks about the advantages of being in a local tech scene, rather than working in a virtual space. He adds that the local physical advantage is that one can easily access mentorship and advice in a formal sense. He notes that this may come in the form of attending events, or engaging with other startups in the same building. He also points out that networking with local resources can be beneficial for finding answers to questions, and finding the right attorney for legal needs. He explains the importance of providing resources, such as programming and co-working spaces, to help new entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground. Chris emphasizes the value of what they call gear, or ad hoc advice and mentorship, as an invaluable resource. These resources can be found through serendipitous sparks, such as running into people at coffee shops or events.  Chris suggests that the best way to create events and activities that will engage the community is to listen to what the people want and find a leader who is motivated to make a change. He encourages grassroots-style initiatives that come from the bottom up, and to move forward with the goal of helping or supporting others. The Three A's that Help Build Local  Community  To help the local community, Chris suggests that it can be done in various ways, such as running a Little League team or getting involved in the arts. He recommends getting involved in the entrepreneur community and how it can have a great economic impact.  Chris talks about the three A's framework in his book which stands for actors, activities, and attitudes. This framework is designed to make the ecosystem more inclusive and inviting for everyone to play a role. Actors can range from economic developers, government bureaucrats, university people, corporate members, founders, investors, and more. Activities vary depending on the maturity of the ecosystem. Attitudes are the most forgotten part of the framework and are important in creating a collaborative, supportive, and inclusive mindset. Chris encourages everyone to adopt a better attitude and behavior in order to create a better ecosystem. He offers a few steps to drive this forward. To build an active network that you can lean on, Chris suggests introducing two people from your network who don't know each other, and having a 'gift first mentality' by reaching out to others without expecting something in return. He shares a story from 2009 to 2010, where he ran around doing 275 connections in five months, and at the end asked a simple question: What can I do for you?. He encourages people to ask what keeps them up at night, and what their challenges are, so that they can be helped. Building a Network of Trust Chris believes that by helping others without expecting anything in return, a strong network of trust and support is created that can benefit everyone. He has met with over 4000 people in the Raleigh-Durham area to build these relationships. He encourages young people to do the same to get more done faster. In return, these contacts are more likely to help him with projects such as writing a book or speaking at events. Chris believes that by investing time and effort into forming meaningful relationships, success can be achieved more quickly. Chris has encountered thousands of people over the past 15 years and has created a system of pre-investing with each of them individually. He explains that he has an open office hours system where anyone can sign up for a 20 minute meeting. He also explains that, although he doesn't have a strong connection with all 4000 people, he can activate them whenever he needs to. His purpose is to support and empower founders to create successful businesses and cities. He hopes to accomplish this through his meetings and connections. Chris shares a few success stories from the people he has met and connections he has made, and the path he took after the success of his startup MapQuest. Timestamps 01:49 Building a Startup Community  03:47 Conversation on Building a Startup Community  06:48 Exploring the Benefits of Joining a Local Startup Community  13:58 The Advantages of Being Local in a Start-up Scene  16:52 Building a Startup Community in Raleigh, NC  25:14 The Four Stages of Ecosystem Maturity  29:33 Exploring the Benefits of a "Gift First" Mentality in Building Community Connections  36:33 Connecting People for Mutual Benefit  43:06 Career Development and Corporate Venture Funds  45:20 Writing the Build a Fort Series  Links: Website: http://heivly.com/ The Book: Build the Fort  CONTACT INFO: Twitter: @chrisheivly Email: Chris@buildthefort.com Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.  

In this episode of The Sports Backdrop podcast, we chat with Chris Heivly, a successful entrepreneur (co-founder of MapQuest), and an ardent lover of hockey. Chris resides in the Raleigh, North Carolina area — after spending 10 years in the bustling city of Chicago (and before that, the northeast). This hockey goes south episode is ... Read more The post Hockey Goes South appeared first on SportsEpreneur.

My guest today is Chris Heivly, Co-Founder of MapQuest and a Venture Partner at Atrium Capital. He serves as Managing Partner at The Startup Factory. He is the founder of the Big Top Job Fair. Previously, he was Executive Vice President of Ultimus Software. He served as a Board Member at Momentum. Prior to Ultimus, he was Chairman of Agular Systems after serving as its Chief Executive Officer and President. Before Agular, he served Rand McNally as President and led Andersen Consulting (Accenture). Earlier in his career, he was Vice President of 77 Capital Corporation.  The topic is his book Build The Fort: Why 5 Simple Lessons You Learned as a 10 year-old Can Set You Up for Startup Success. In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss: MapQuest journey How AOL became successful Evolution of technology Financial crisis Microstrategy Startup success Jump in! --- I'm MICHAEL COVEL, the host of TREND FOLLOWING RADIO, and I'm proud to have delivered 10+ million podcast listens since 2012. Investments, economics, psychology, politics, decision-making, human behavior, entrepreneurship and trend following are all passionately explored and debated on my show. To start? I'd like to give you a great piece of advice you can use in your life and trading journey… cut your losses! You will find much more about that philosophy here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/trend/ You can watch a free video here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/video/ Can't get enough of this episode? You can choose from my thousand plus episodes here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/podcast My social media platforms: Twitter: @covel Facebook: @trendfollowing LinkedIn: @covel Instagram: @mikecovel Hope you enjoy my never-ending podcast conversation!

My guest today is Chris Heivly, Co-Founder of MapQuest and a Venture Partner at Atrium Capital. He serves as Managing Partner at The Startup Factory. He is the founder of the Big Top Job Fair. Previously, he was Executive Vice President of Ultimus Software. He served as a Board Member at Momentum. Prior to Ultimus, he was Chairman of Agular Systems after serving as its Chief Executive Officer and President. Before Agular, he served Rand McNally as President and led Andersen Consulting (Accenture). Earlier in his career, he was Vice President of 77 Capital Corporation.  The topic is his book Build The Fort: Why 5 Simple Lessons You Learned as a 10 year-old Can Set You Up for Startup Success. In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss: MapQuest journey How AOL became successful Evolution of technology Financial crisis Microstrategy Startup success Jump in! --- I'm MICHAEL COVEL, the host of TREND FOLLOWING RADIO, and I'm proud to have delivered 10+ million podcast listens since 2012. Investments, economics, psychology, politics, decision-making, human behavior, entrepreneurship and trend following are all passionately explored and debated on my show. To start? I'd like to give you a great piece of advice you can use in your life and trading journey… cut your losses! You will find much more about that philosophy here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/trend/ You can watch a free video here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/video/ Can't get enough of this episode? You can choose from my thousand plus episodes here: https://www.trendfollowing.com/podcast My social media platforms: Twitter: @covel Facebook: @trendfollowing LinkedIn: @covel Instagram: @mikecovel Hope you enjoy my never-ending podcast conversation!

In this episode, we dive into the world of startup communities and explore why founders should actively engage with their local ecosystem. Our guest, Chris Heivly, the renowned "Startup Whisperer" and co-founder of MapQuest, shares his insights on launching startups, angel investing, and his latest book, "Build The Fort - The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide." Join us as we unravel the secrets to being a more effective entrepreneur by harnessing the collective power of your startup community. For more information or to get started in multifamily investing, please visit: https://www.multifamilyinvestingacademy.com/. 

Chris Heivly is co-founder of MapQuest and a prominent figure in the research triangle entrepreneurial ecosystem. Recently Chris published his new book, Build the Fort: The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide.Chapters:00:00:00 - Spreading Entrepreneurship to Non-Hub Locations00:02:41 - Building Entrepreneurial Communities00:05:37 - Overcoming Rejection and Moving Forward in Entrepreneurship00:06:23 - The Value of Startup Communities in Fostering Economic Growth00:08:38 - Creating a Collaborative Entrepreneurship Community00:11:31 - Importance of Collaborative Work00:12:00 - Creating a Great Community for Startups and Entrepreneurs00:13:17 - Embracing and Encouraging Failure for Success in the Future00:14:31 - The Value of Entrepreneurs in Local Communities00:20:00 - Success Through a Thousand Nudges00:22:54 - Left Bell Curve vs Right Bell Curve00:25:45 - The Importance of Quick Decision Making00:28:54 - Shifting from Fear to Confidence as an Entrepreneur00:31:52 - The Birth of Mapping Technology00:35:05 - Taking off the Crap00:38:02 - The Vibrant Startup Community of Durham00:39:02 - The Entrepreneurial Culture of Boulder00:40:23 - Taipei: A Hardware-Focused Tech Hub00:40:55 - Reykjavik: A Surprising Startup Community00:41:08 - The Importance of Writing00:44:05 - The Rise of Entrepreneurship in PopularityConnect with Chris:→ Website: heivly.com→ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrisheivly/→ Twitter: twitter.com/chrisheivlyCheck out his book:→ Built the Fort: amazon.com/Build-Fort-Startup-Community-BuildersResources Mentioned in The Episode:→ Jake (Swap Stack) Episode: youtube.com/watch?v=NBltBgTgBhg→ Orbit Metrics: orbitmetrics.io→ Map Quest: mapquest.com→ Warren Buffett (Article): cnbc.com/why-warren-buffett-writes-his-sistersHelp The Louis and Kyle Show:→ If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or leave a review!→ Leave a review: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1504333834→ Drop us an email: LouisandKyleShow@gmail.com→ Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCb6qBiV1HAYcep87nKJmGhAFollow The Show on Social Media:→ Twitter: twitter.com/LouisKyleShow→ Instagram: instagram.com/louiskyleshow→ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/65567567Connect with Louis and Kyle:→ Read Louis' Newsletter: louisshulman.substack.com→ Louis' Twitter: twitter.com/LouisShulman→ Kyle's Twitter: twitter.com/_kylebishop→ Louis LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/louisshulman→ Kyle's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kyle-bishop-7b790050

Can you imagine combining geography and computer science in 1980? Well, that's exactly what Chris Heivly did and he's here to share his story for anyone wondering how they, like Seth Godin says, can create a ruckus. In this episode of Entrepreneur Perspectives, we discuss the intersection of entrepreneurship and family, explore the untapped ROI ... Read more The post EP155 | Share Your Damn Stories, Take Risks, Be Curious | Chris Heivly, MapQuest Co-Founder appeared first on KazSource.

Build the fort! Ideas that seemed simple when you were a kid may seem insurmountable as an adult, but scaling up and building out your dreams really doesn't have to be that hard.   Dubbed “The Startup Whisperer” by startup community enthusiasts, Christopher Heivly is a life-long entrepreneur and multifaceted investor who spent forty years working as, for, and with entrepreneurs. Prior to becoming a successful startup community builder and consultant, Chris co-founded MapQuest — which sold to AOL for $1.2 billion. He currently serves as a managing director of The Startup Factory and is a highly sought-after public speaker.   Building a fort is a metaphor for all of the things that are required to hack away at a vision. Get rid of the noise, stop overanalyzing, and simplify your approach. How would you have tackled a project as massive as building a fort when you were 10 years old? Whether you're building a startup or scaling up your business, Chris takes an approach that feels as simple as building a fort.   Chris shares several stories that highlight his simplified approach to upping your game and building out your dreams. From building out the life-changing (at the time) MapQuest to the work that he has done with Written Word Media founder Ricci Wolman, he has seen the power of creating a community, fostering successful founders, and learning the ways that will make your company work.   There are a thousand ways to mess up your company, but experimenting is a critical component of success. Whether you are facing company, campaign, or hiring failures, just assume that you're going to make a bunch of mistakes and then go back to the simplicity of building a fort. Embrace failure, learn from the mistake, and just keep trying. It's really not that complicated.   Interview Links: Build the Fort   Resources: 20,000 Scaleups Scaling Up Summits (Select Bill Gallagher as your coach during registration for a discount.) Bill on YouTube Recruiter.com Short List (use code scaleup)   Scaling Up is the best-selling book by Verne Harnish and our team for Scaling Up Coaches (formerly Gazelles). We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail.   Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the show, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.   We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash so that they can Scale Up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Scaling Up is based on Verne's original best-selling business book, Mastering the Rockefeller Habits.   Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover the Scaling Up Business Podcast so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.

Our guest, Chris Heivly, talks about his experience starting MapQuest and compares starting a company as an adult to building a fort in the woods as a kid. He also shares lessons he has learned as he has become a mentor for many other start up companies. Chris Heivly is an accomplished executive in the information-technology sector with proven experience in marketing, sales, business development, investment finance, and operations. He was a co-founder of MapQuest (sold to AOL for $1.2B), a managing director of 77 Capital (a $25 million venture fund) and has been an executive at five other companies. Key Takeaways Channel your inner 10 year old when approaching creating anything How to start and scale startup communities in nascent cities Starting will eventually create a path to work on so stop talking about ideas and work on them How Mapquest came to be His new book Build the Fort Purchase Chris' Book, Build the Fort The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Build-Fort-Startup-Community-Builders/dp/1544542607

In this special and intriguing episode, guest host Jodi McLean, Director of Sales and Marketing at EIC, is joined by Chris Heivly, Managing Director of Build the Fort, an umbrella entity that helps Chris serve entrepreneurs, startup companies and startup community champions through books, speaking, in-person workshops, and consulting. Chris is one of the nation's leading experts on launching startups and has been dubbed the “Startup Whisperer.” He co-founded MapQuest, is an angel investor, ran a corporate venture fund and 2 micro venture funds (directed over $75M) and was recently SVP Innovation with Techstars. Heivly discusses the complexity of ecosystem building and the 4 levels of community maturity: nascent, developing, emerging, and leading. He breaks down the 7 drivers that are needed to activate these different stages of community ecosystems.. Different drivers are used for different business stages. Jodi and Chris speak on mentorship, which is critical, and helps to build great community leaders. Developing good community relationships is key. You need to inspire and support new startups, while also developing new investors, corporations, universities, and government. Heivly remarks that you cannot have an ecosystem without community.Heivly also emphasizes the importance of connectivity; he mentions that he likes to see who is hyper-connected and how those connections are being created and nurtured. He speaks on a frequently asked question; If we believe that some startups may fail, how do we invest in the right ones?.To connect with Chris, visit his LinkedIn. To purchase his recently published book, “Build the Fort: The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide”, check it out on Amazon, Kindle, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook (in the next coming months).

There's no one playbook that defines the path to startup success. For Chris Heivly, it's a mindset. My conversation with Chris touches on his new book, Building the Fort, what people can expect to take away from his talk at Inventures, and he gives listeners some great insight how to pitch.Welcome to Shift!Inventures sessionsStartup Pitch Event – The Metaverse – June 01, 9:15 amWhy Building Great Ecosystems Is Even More Important Today – June 02, 10:15 amBioChris Heivly,  Managing Director, Build The FortChris is one of the nation's leading experts on launching startups. He co-founded MapQuest, is an investor (angel, corporate VC, 2 micro funds ~ directed over $75M) and was SVP Innovation with Techstars. Today he is focused on startup community building enabling city leaders to create the right environment for entrepreneurs.Shift by Alberta Innovates focuses on the people, businesses and organizations that are contributing to Alberta's strong tech ecosystem.

We're driven to accelerate growth in our local startup communities but in the process, we overthink, we overanalyze, and overload even our simplest activities. Before long, our community's goals buckle under the weight ... The post Build The Fort: Chris Heivly appeared first on Author Hour.

Described as the foremost expert on how to build startup communities, Chris Heivly has written “Build the Fort: The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide.” Listen in as Chris and David talk about what Heivly discovered while writing and practical steps to take for anyone who wants to launch a startup community.From building a pipeline of founders to feeding that funnel continuously and storytelling, Heivly reminds listeners the first step is culture. “Connections are the lifeblood of a healthy community” said Heivly. “If the founders don't have access to the frictionless network that exists to help them do something, they are going to go elsewhere.” The longtime colleagues also regale listeners with a few stories from their days raising money and starting businesses, including one incident that involved Heivly nursing a recent (and bloody) run in with a hockey puck. Buy the book now: AmazonFollow David Cohen on Twitter @davidcohenFollow Chris Heivly on Twitter @chrisheivlyListen & subscribe to the Give First podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pete, Joe, and Chantal talk CNN+ shutdown and Pete's parody Twitter account before welcoming featured guest Chris Heivly. You may know him best for co-founding MapQuest, his current venture Build The Fort, or of course, one of the organizers for Raleigh-Durham Startup Week.

Dave and Larry chat with Chris Heivly, author of ‘Build a Fort'. Rekindling the spark of confidence we had as children can be difficult, but is necessary in order to execute your goals. Tap into your inner ten year old and go out and do the thing that you know you want to. Take risks, Read more about Ep 80 – Chris Heivly and Build the Fort[…]

Today we are talking with Chris Heivly, current Managing Director of Build The Fort, and former Co-Founder of MapQuest. Co-founding the first commercial web mapping service was Chris's first real foray into entrepreneurship. As the Managing Director of Build The Fort, Chris helps other entrepreneurs through his books, speaking, workshops, and consulting. Fast-forward 20+ years, Chris has a lot of knowledge to share with others in the startup space. Technology Is The Wave Of The Future Chris has both a bachelors and a masters in geography, and he can still picture his dad's face when he told him what he wanted to major in. His dad's response, even in the 80s, was that Chris should get into computers. Luckily, Chris did learn some computer skills and coding while studying cartography. Combining the two, he found himself writing mapping software. Something Better Is Out There While working for the US Department of State as the Director of Mapping, Chris says they were printing maps for National Geographic, phone books, and the like. As technology progressed, Chris developed the first CD-ROM that helped to plan trips. When the internet was the next big step in technology, the entrepreneur in Chris said there has to be a better way. That's when he branched off on his own, threw together the URL and created MapQuest. Chris says they had no fear when creating the company, mostly because they were clueless. With their headquarters in Pennsylvania, they found they had a hard time recruiting the best talent from places like Silicon Valley. Despite their original struggles, the company did grow. Passing The Torch For his last three years with the company, Chris served on the board of directors. He's a firm believer in knowing when you've hit your ceiling, and it's time to move aside for someone else to take up the reins. While he helped with the lead up to going public, Chris left the company shortly before it actually happened. He says that most entrepreneurs can't take a company from its founding to a million dollars, and that's okay. Always stick to what you're good at, and don't be too proud to bring in someone to do what you can't. The Decision To Sell The KPIs they were tracking were first, page views, and second, revenue. The website's traffic was what mattered most, as there were 3-4 advertising spots on each page, so page views equaled revenue. The company went public in 1999, and they found themselves asking what is the risk vs reward of going bigger. When they really thought about what the right decision for the company would be, selling was at the top of the list. Having been on AOL's radar for several years, they thought that could be a great fit. Where To Learn More If you'd like to connect with Chris, he can be found on LinkedIn @ChrisHeivly. For more information on startup success, visit www.buildthefort.com. -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You'll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/

In this discussion with Chris Heivly about his ever evolving journey in the entrepreneurship space. Heivly is what he describes as a Lifelong Instigator, going from Entrepreneur to VC, to running an accelerator, to ecosystem building as a living, to current state as an author living full time on a lake. We also did a deep dive into Chris Heivly's first book, Built the Fort...the need for us to start small and simple, the future of his writing, and his experience as a first time author in an ever changing world of publishing. Adults tend to over complicate and over think things, making something like building a business an incredibly difficult task. Build the Fort is a metaphor that forces us to think about steps in growing the business the same way we used to think about building a fort as a kid...one step at a time. - Want to take this episode with you? anchor.fm/nextmattersmost To learn more about Chris Heivly & Nick Jordan: nextmattersmost.com/blogs/ We've got more to offer on our social platforms! linktr.ee/_nickjordan Thank you for watching this episode of the Next Matters Most Podcast! What did you think of this episode? Let us know in the comments!

What makes an entrepreneur? Can anyone be an entrepreneur? Those are the big questions that host Robbie Allen dives into with the help of his three guests in the premiere episode of For Starters

Techstars, SVP Ecosystem Development, Chris Heivly - 'in 3-10 years, there will be 2x more venture capital outside of the Valley than inside...' Shoutout From Chris Heivly: "David Shaner, Founder of Offline is one of my favorite CEOs..."

On this episode of Web Masters, Aaron talks to Chris Heivly, co-founder of MapQuest. As one of the earliest websites to achieve broad consumer popularity, MapQuest introduced an entire generation to the potential of the World Wide Web to shape the future.

Meet the 3 judges who will award $7,500 at Startup Day in Knoxville on September 29, 2020. Karen LeVert is Venture Partner with Pappas Capital. Sue Malone is founder and owner of Strategies for Small Business. Chris Heivly is Senior Vice President for Ecosystem Development for TechStars. The judges provide invaluable advice for the 6 founders who will be pitching at Startup Day and for any founder who is seeking capital.

Welcome to the fourth episode of our Countdown to Collision from Home show that will showcase highlights at our upcoming conference coming June 23-25, 2020!In this episode of Countdown to Collision from Home, our host with the most Casey Lau welcomes guests:Chris Heivly, Techstarshttps://www.techstars.com/ecosystem-developmentTwitter: https://twitter.com/chrisheivlyAlex LazarowAuthorOut-Innovate: How Global Entrepreneurs--from Delhi to Detroit--Are Rewriting the Rules of Silicon Valley: https://www.amazon.com/Out-Innovate-Entrepreneurs-Detroit-Are-Rewriting-Silicon/dp/1633697584Newsletter https://www.alexlazarow.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/alex_lazarowCarolyn Quinlan, Collision from HomeToronto Employment Initiative ticketshttps://www.collisionconf.com/employment-initiativeOpen Source ticketshttps://www.collisionconf.com/open-sourceStudent ticketshttps://www.collisionconf.com/studentsTwitter: https://twitter.com/cjquinnerswith hosts:Casey Lau, RISEhttps://www.riseconf.comhttps://www.startupsgba.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseylau_Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/casey_lauSunil Sharma, Techstarshttps://www.techstars.comhttps://www.collisionconf.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/sunil_extremeand in the Elevator Pitch:Babblyhttps://www.babbly.coTwitter: https://twitter.com/vizzarioWatch this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/UgGy310kZVM==================================================COLLISION FROM HOMESchedule: https://www.collisionconf.com/scheduleSpeakers: https://collisionconf.com/speakersStartups: https://collisionconf.com/startups/startup-programInvestors: https://collisionconf.com/investorsMedia: https://collisionconf.com/media==================================================Follow us:Twitter: https://twitter.com/CollisionHQInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/Collisionconfhq/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/collisionconf/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6MiQVyK_WaFlU5IvIT2b8A

In this Founder Feedback episode, we spoke with Chris Heivly, one of the co-founders of Mapquest and currently the VP of Innovation at Techstars. In this episode, we spoke to Chris about balancing your time working on your startup versus being in the startup ecosystem, what #givefirst means, and what it looks like to be acquired. To learn more about FounderCo, please visit founderco.org. To send in a question to be in used in a future episode, email us at podcast@founderco.org.

Top start up and entrepreneurial leaders Chris Heivly, VP Innovation at Techstars and Tom Snyder, Executive Director of NC Riot talk with John O'Connor, President of CareerPro Inc. about how a startup can respond to big challenges.

For today’s episode, we’re going back to where Matt spoke with Chris Heivly who is currently the VP of Innovation at Techstars. Chris is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, investor, and startup founder. And was one of the original Co-founders of MapQuest, a free Web and mobile mapping service that empowers consumers to engage with and navigate the world around them. This interview is from all the way back in November 2016, and we’re bringing it out of the archives because later this month on October 16th, we’re hosting a VIP event at the Industrious location in Raleigh, North Carolina discussing the topic “Why Tech Thrives in Raleigh-Durham” where Chris will be featured as one of our featured guests. We’ll be livestreaming the event on Facebook, so be sure to check it out! Now let’s get started! ------- Our guest today is Chris Heivly, who just might be the world’s first actual map geek. I say that because he co-founded one of the first online navigation tools, MapQuest. Some of you listeners may be too young to remember MapQuest and the wonderful experience of searching your route on your home computer so you could print your directions and take them with you.. But back in the day, MapQuest was like pure magic. This company was Heivly’s first and it blazed the trail for other navigation-powered apps like Google Maps, Waze, and Uber. MapQuest went public in 1999 and was acquired by AOL for $1.1 Billion dollars in the year 2000. That’s billion with a capital B. That’s a lot of money by any measure, but it was especially enormous when they sold back in the year 2000. Since his successful exit, Chris Heivly has personally directed over $75 million in investment capital on behalf of large companies including Rand McNally, Accenture, and others. He recently closed down the Startup Factory, which was the largest seed investment firm in the Southeast. And this conversation with Chris is just before they made their last investment at The Startup Factory (or TSF as we sometimes refer to it in this interview). But they had already made over 30 investments in high-growth startups and we caught Heivly just after a demo day for a group of their portfolio companies, so it was the perfect time to get his insight. I want to make sure I give a shout out to his book based on his famous TEDx talk, Build The Fort, which you can find on Amazon, Kindle, or Audible. He’s super active on his personal website Heivly.com and on twitter @ChrisHeivly. So give him a shout and tell him I sent you! This episode of Powderkeg is brought to you by DeveloperTown. If you’re a business leader trying to turn a great idea into a product with traction, this is for you. DeveloperTown works with clients ranging from entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 companies who want to build and launch an app or digital product. They’re able to take the process they use with early stage companies to help big companies move like a startup. So if you have an idea for a web or mobile app, or need help identifying the great ideas within your company, go to developertown.com/powderkeg. If you like this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on iTunes. You can also follow us on Soundcloud or Stitcher. We have an incredible lineup of interviews we’ll be releasing every Tuesday here on the Powderkeg Podcast. In this episode with Chris Heivly you’ll learn: How to perfect your pitch. (7:30) What makes a good elevator pitch. (16:40) How to attract the right people. (30:50) Please enjoy! If you like this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on iTunes. You can also follow us on Soundcloud or Stitcher. We have an incredible lineup of interviews we’ll be releasing every Tuesday here on the Powderkeg Podcast. Check it out at powderkeg.com/itunes.

Today our guests are Evan Rozantes and Chris Heivly.   By the end of the podcast, you will clearly understand their passion and the importance of building a strong innovation ecosystem in the Charlotte and Raleigh areas. Chris Heivly began his career in DC, then Lancaster, PA then Chicago and moved to the Raleigh/Durham area in 2005. Chris is an entrepreneur (MapQuest Co-Founder), early-stage investor and now serial startup community builder. He’s spent time building up the ecosystem in Raleigh/Durham as well as other cities and joined up with Techstars in 2017 to continue that mission on a global basis. In that role, he is an Entrepreneur in Residence as well as a VP of Innovation. His passion is to help other communities grow their start-up scene, not just in North Carolina but around the World. Evan Charles Rozantes started his career in Boston working in Private Equity at Bain Capital prior to moving to DC to work in private equity and distressed lending at Capital Source Finance. In 2006 he got the entrepreneur “bug” and started a promotional products company which he successfully exited. Thereafter he went full steam into entrepreneurship without a net, co-founding a pediatric health care company in Boston. A lifetime learner himself, in 2012 he co-founded Launch Academy – one of the first coding schools in the world.  Evan relocated to the Davidson area in 2018 with his family where he subsequently met Chris in his effort to bring a TechStars program to Charlotte. Chris has been using the principles laid out by Brad Feld, Co-Founder of Techstars, in his book, “Start-Up Communities” to build startup ecosystems. Chris is now working with Brad on a sequel to the book, hopefully to be published by the end of this year. Together, Chris and Evan are working to bring those three principles to Charlotte. As you’ll hear Evan mention several times during the hour, the goal is to bring an entrepreneurial mindset of experimenting often and failing fast to Charlotte and help further ignite the many excellent things members of the community are already doing. During the Podcast, we also discuss what it takes to create an innovative ecosystem, to create collaborative programs that work within communities, and what it takes to be a good entrepreneur.  We discuss the commonalities that exist between Charlotte and Raleigh and how both communities can work together to build a strong ecosystem. Chris and Evan discuss the importance of community participation in building an environment where people will succeed. We hope you enjoy this podcast!   William Bissett is the owner of and an Investment Advisor Representative of Portus Wealth Advisors, a Registered Investment Adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Opinions expressed on this program do not necessarily reflect those of Portus Wealth Advisors. The topics discussed and opinions given are not intended to address the specific needs of any listener.  Portus Wealth Advisors does not offer legal or tax advice, listeners are encouraged to discuss their financial needs with the appropriate professional regarding your individual circumstance.  Investments described herein may be speculative and may involve a substantial risk of loss. Interests may be offered only to persons who qualify as accredited investors under applicable state and federal regulation or an eligible employee of the management company. There generally is no public market for the Interests. Prospective investors should particularly note that many factors affect performance, including changes in market conditions and interest rates, and other economic, political or financial developments. Past performance is not, and should not be construed as, indicative of future results.

Chris Heivly is one of the nation's leading experts in how to turn startups into multimillion-dollar companies. Chris founded MapQuest in 1988 and served in leadership positions for global brands such as Rand McNally and Accenture. His latest book Build the Fort provides insight into getting through the earliest micro-steps of starting your own business through the lense of Chris's 30 years of experiences in startups, investments, big-company entrepreneurship and community development. On this episode you'll learn: What it means to Chris to be an ecosystem builder? What have been the most important institutions and initiatives in the ecosystem that have catalyzed and created the increased startup activity in Raleigh-Durham? What are Chris' thoughts on how a university can implement an EIR role?

Chris Heivly, author & entrepreneur in residence at Techstars, discusses the early days of MapQuest, Raleigh as a burgeoning tech city, and building up new tech communities. Build the Fort- Chris Heivly Techstars The Innovator's Dilemma- Clayton M. Christensen Rand McNally Startup Communities- Brad Feld Heivly.com The Lean Startup- Eric Ries Chris on Twitter See open positions at thoughtbot! Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!

Hai una STARTUP o un'IMPRESA?Allora saprai sicuramente quanto sia FONDAMENTALE saper realizzare una buona PRESENTAZIONE o un buon PITCH! Come fare?Ecco 3 consigli che Chris Heivly, fondatore di The Startup Factory ha svelato durante una recente intervista.

Hai una STARTUP o un'IMPRESA?Allora saprai sicuramente quanto sia FONDAMENTALE saper realizzare una buona PRESENTAZIONE o un buon PITCH! Come fare?Ecco 3 consigli che Chris Heivly, fondatore di The Startup Factory ha svelato durante una recente intervista.

Hai una STARTUP o un'IMPRESA?Allora saprai sicuramente quanto sia FONDAMENTALE saper realizzare una buona PRESENTAZIONE o un buon PITCH! Come fare?Ecco 3 consigli che Chris Heivly, fondatore di The Startup Factory ha svelato durante una recente intervista.

Join Mark Hagar and Steve Franks as they welcome Mapquest Co-founder, investor and community builder Chris Heivly

Techstars Entrepreneur in Residence, Chris Heivly, joins Eric from the 36 | 86 conference in Nashville, TN to explain why it’s “never too early” to join an accelerator. Chris, a fellow Inc Magazine columnist, shares his story of co-founding Map Quest, becoming an investor and joining the Techstars team all while remembering that the possibilities are endless when you’re an entrepreneur.

Our guest today is Chris Heivly, who just might be the world’s first actual map geek. I say that because he co-founded one of the first online navigation tools, MapQuest. Some of you listeners may be too young to remember MapQuest and the wonderful experience of searching your route on your home computer so you could print your directions and take them with you.. But back in the day, MapQuest was like PURE MAGIC. This company was Heivly’s first and it blazed the trail for other navigation-powered apps like Google Maps, Waze, and Uber. MapQuest went public in 1999 and was acquired by AOL for $1.1 billion dollars in the year 2000. That’s billion with a capital B, my Powderkeg people. That’s a lot of money by any measure, but it was especially enormous when they sold back in the year 2000. Since his successful exit, Chris Heivly has personally directed over $75 million in investment capital on behalf of large companies including Rand McNally, Accenture, and others. He recently closed down the Startup Factory, which was the largest seed investment firm in the Southeast. And this conversation with Chris is just before they made their last investment at The Startup Factory (or TSF as we sometimes refer to it in this interview). But they had already made over 30 investments in high-growth startups and we caught Heivly just after a demo day for a group of their portfolio companies, so it was the perfect time to get his insight. I want to make sure I give a shout out to his book based on his famous TEDx talk, Build The Fort, which you can find on Amazon, Kindle, or Audible. He’s super active on his personal website Heivly.com (that’s HEIVLY) and on twitter @ChrisHeivly. So give him a shout and tell him I sent you! In this episode you’ll learn: 1.) How to perfect your pitch. 2.) What makes a good elevator pitch. 3.) How to attract the right people. Download show notes and transcripts at powderkeg.co This episode of Powder Keg is brought to you by DeveloperTown. If you’re a business leader trying to turn a great idea into a product with traction, this is for you. DeveloperTown works with clients ranging from entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 companies who want to build and launch an app or digital product. They’re able to take the process they use with early stage companies to help big companies move like a startup. So if you have an idea for a web or mobile app, or need help identifying the great ideas within your company, go to developertown.com/powderkeg. Thanks again to everyone who has shared an episode of Powderkeg, subscribed to us on iTunes, or left us a review. It’s the only way we’re going to spread this message and reach new people and we could do it without you. We’re coming out with new episodes every Tuesday, so make sure you subscribe on iTunes or at powederkeg.co/itunes

Do you fantasize about entrepreneurship? About starting your own business? But stop short of taking the leap? What if you could crack the entrepreneurship code and increase your chances of a safe landing? Join host Hanna Hasl-Kelchner as she welcome serial entrepreneur Chris Heivly who shares the key to entrepreneurial success. WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP: How Mapquest went from startup to a $1.2 billion exit.  The role of fear in entrepreneurship.  The entrepreneurship CEO trap.  The single most important key to cracking the entrepreneurship code.  Why short-term thinking is a startup's best friend.  Where most startups waste the most time.  How to transition from a corporate job to entrepreneurship.  And much MORE. GUEST:Chris Heivly is one of the leading experts in how to build startups that grow into multimillion dollar companies. In some circles has even been called the Startup Whisperer. He has both large and small business experience, working at the highest level for giants such as Rand McNally and Accenture, and then being a co-founder of a startup called Mapquest that he eventually sold to AOL for $1.2 billion. How's that for the American Dream? During the go-go Internet boom of the 1990's he was a venture capitalist for a few years. It might make you might think his career path has been an express elevator to the top. But that's not really the case, Chris says he's been fired or laid off four times during his career and reinvented himself just as many. He's definitely resilient! Today, Chris is one of two managing directors at http://www.thestartupfactory.co (The Startup Factory). It's the largest seed investment firm in the Southeast, located in Durham, North Carolina. They have a remarkable track record. More than 60% of The Startup Factory's portfolio companies have gone on to raised follow-on capital after they left the accelerator program. That number is more than double the industry average for investment programs of this type. Besides being an early-stage investor with company-building experience, Chris is also a sought after speaker, he's spoken at TEDx and he's been seen and heard in the media, being quoted in Forbes, Washington Post and Crain's Business Journal, to name a few. Plus, being featured in the TV documentary Startupland. Chris is an avid writer frequently blogging on his own website, heivly.com, being a contributing Writer for INC.com, and authoring the book https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0976498634/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0976498634&linkCode=as2&tag=businconfinow-20&linkId=75241f9329c6c9aea86463698dc9982a">Build The Fort: Why 5 Simple Lessons You Learned as a 10 year-old Can Set You Up for Startup Success (Build The Fort: Why 5 Simple Lessons You Learn as a 10 Year Old Can Set You Up for Startup Success). RELATED RESOURCES:http://www.heivly.com (Contact Chris) and connect with him on http://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisheivly (LinkedIn), https://www.facebook.com/Cheivly (Facebook), http://twitter.com/chrisheivly (Twitter) and his http://www.buildthefort.com (book website). By the way, if you're looking to find or to fill a tech position in Research Triangle area of North Carolina, be sure to check out Chris' website: http://www.bigtop.it (Tech Jobs Under the Big Top.) Watch Chris' TEDx DUKE talk: SUBSCRIBE, RATE AND REVIEW:Subscribing is easy and lets you have instant access to the latest tactics, strategies and tips.  Rating and reviewing the show helps us grow our audience and allows us to bring you more of the information you need to succeed from our high powered guests. Download ♥ Subscribe ♥ Listen ♥ Learn ♥ Share ♥ Review ♥ Enjoy

Yuli Ziv was so passionate about her startup idea that she initially used her 401K to bootstrap it. Yuli is the Founder & CEO of Style Coalition, a first-to-market platform helping brands connect with top online lifestyle influencers. Yuli and Kelly talk about Style Coalition, being a bootstrapping solo founder, how being an immigrant inspired her to become an entrepreneur, and how you know you have product market fit when you are first to market! Notes HBR's 10 Must Reads on Emotional Intelligence by Harvard Business Review, iBooks RICHARD BRANSON: 'Social justice is good for business' by Rachel Butt, Business Insider Shark judge Daymond John: What I learned from a $6M mistake by Christine Wang, CNBC The Tim Ferriss Approach to Setting Goals: Rig the Game so You Win by Ryan Robinson, Entrepreneur Additional Reading The Economic Case for Welcoming Immigrant Entrepreneurs by Dane Stangler and Jason Wiens, Kauffman Foundation Inside Israel's Secret Startup Machine by Richard Behar, Forbes Start-up Nation by Dan Senor & Saul Singer, iBooks Funding a Start-up – How to Tap an IRA or 401(k) Wall Street Journal What It's Really Like To Pivot A Startup by Erik Larson, Fast Company 3 Characteristics Solo Founders Need to Succeed by Chris Heivly, Inc. How to Hire Your First Employees While Running Your Startup by Aja Frost, SitePoint 10 Ways Competition Can Improve Your Business by Firas Kittaneh, Entrepreneur Guest bios & transcripts are available on www.broadmic.com.

Chris Heivly and I talk about startups, overcoming fear, and building MapQuest, focused around his new book, Build the Fort: Why 5 Simple Lessons You Learned as a 10 Year Old Can Help You for Startup Success. Enjoy!