Chris Heivly

Chris Heivly: How do you tame your inner critic?

Posted by Chris Heivly | Mar 17, 2017

Editor’s note: Chris Heivly co-founded MapQuest (which sold to AOL for $1.2 billion), was sole managing director of 77 Capital (a $25 million venture fund), and has been an executive at five software companies. Currently, he is one of two managing directors of The Startup Factory in Durham. A national writer and speaker about startups and startup communities, Heivly is also the founder of the Big Top Job Fair. DURHAM – If you think that you are the only one with that nagging voice in your head that reminds you daily that you are not equipped to being a...

Chris Heivly: My time with a room full of Navy SEALS

Posted by Chris Heivly | Nov 25, 2016

Editor’s note: Veteran entrepreneur, investor, blogger and author Chris Heivly recently ended a self-proclaimed digital sabbatical. In his most recent blog post, the co-founder of The Startup Factory talks about his experiences in working with former Navy SEALS transitioning to a new challenge: Business. THis blog is reprinted with...

Chris Heivly: Networking (2) -Tips on setting up a meeting

Posted by Chris Heivly | Aug 29, 2014

Editor’s note: Chris Heivly, veteran entrepreneur and co-founder of The Startup factory, talks about setting up a networking meeting. This post, reprinted with permission, first appeared at Heivly’s blog “Thoughts from the Rooftop.” DURHAM, N.C. – I wrote recently [a blog] with some tips around networking. For me, it has gone from a burden to one of my mostimportant tasks. With the 2,200+ one-on-one meetings under my belt, I have been in every kind of networking session you can imagine. First things first – get a warm introduction from someone to the person you want to meet. How? Use LinkedIn to find...

Chris Heivly: Networking – I hate networking. You?

Posted by Chris Heivly | Aug 15, 2014

Editor’s note: Chris Heivly, veteran entrepreneur and co-founder of The Startup factory, speaks his mind about the pros, cons and importance of networking. This post, reprinted with permission, first appeared at Heivly’s blog “Thoughts from the Rooftop.” DURHAM, N.C. – Just the sound of the word makes me feel yucky. If the word “networking” feels forced and insincere you are not alone. Yet, what if I told you that I have networked with well over 2,000 RTPeeps in the last 4 years? Its true but I have to profess I have never “networked” by the classic definition. Is it time...

The Startup Factory’s pitch: Why new ventures should apply

Posted by Chris Heivly | Jun 18, 2014

Editor’s note: Chris Heivly, co-founder of The Startup Factory{/a}} and his partner Dave Neal are looking for startups to become part of its next “cohort” of companies. In a blog post at his “Thoughts from the Rooftop” website, Heivly makes a TSF pitch other than listening to companies pitch to him. DURHAM, N.C. - June 30th marks the end date for the Fall 2014 or 6th session of the Startup Factory. TSF is the only Triangle accelerator (defined as providing seed capital and mentorship) and has successfully operated since January of 2012. (I also ran the LaunchBox Digital accelerator here...

Coding help wanted: Much needed code academies come to RTP

Posted by Chris Heivly | May 21, 2014

Editor’s note: Chris Heivly, co-founder of The Startup Factory and a frequent blogger about issues facing entrepreneurs, says two recent additions to the Triangle’s tech community promise to be beneficial. DURHAM, N.C. – For anybody who has listened to me rant over the last year or two, I have long believed that we need a better education feeder system to literally feed the startups and early-stage companies all around us. The two areas of most concern are software developers and online marketing folks. This is important and causes me sleepless nights. This issue is troubling as institutional/traditional education programs (colleges...

Building Triangle startup ecosystem: It’s not a zero-sum game

Posted by Chris Heivly | Feb 8, 2013

I had a pretty cool opportunity to witness 10 other versions of what we are seeing in the Triangle regarding startups and entrepreneurship Tuesday in Washington, DC. A few of our locals involved in the quasi government-private initiative called Startup America (Mital Patel, Adam Hill, Adam Klein, Brooks Bell) invited me along for the ride. (Read Adam Klein’s blogpost about the trip.)The Startup America team is led by a very dynamic serial entrepreneur named Scott Case and is funded and supported by both the Kaufman Foundation as well as the Case Foundation (run by Steve and Jean Case of...