Build the Fort: Simplifying Startup Community Building with Chris Heivly

Ecosystems For Change

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