Podcasts

Conversations on entrepreneurship, mentorship, and Give First — from the Techstars network.

YOUR STARTUP COMMUNITYJuly 23, 2026

Inclusiveness Is a Responsibility, Not an Invitation

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly takes on the third principle of the Boulder Thesis: being inclusive of anyone who wants to engage. Most communities assume they are inclusive because they do not exclude anyone. Chris argues real inclusiveness is not about leaving the door unlocked. It is about knocking on doors. One is passive. The other takes effort. He unpacks why founders skip events, why every city has invisible entrepreneurs, and why organizations should recruit one another instead of competing. Because building a startup community is not about waiting for people to find you. It is about taking the community to them.

YOUR STARTUP COMMUNITYJuly 9, 2026

Podcasts

Long-Term Commitment Is the Whole Game

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly digs into the second principle of the Boulder Thesis: long-term commitment. Most startup communities do not fail because they misunderstand entrepreneur-led leadership. They fail because they underestimate time. Chris explains why startup communities behave like complex systems rather than complicated ones, and why that distinction changes everything about how founders and investors should think about progress. He also tackles a harder truth: the people involved in a startup community will change. Founders move on. Investors shift focus. Community builders burn out or retire. But the mission has to survive all of it. Because the goal is not a startup community that depends on a handful of people. It is one that no longer needs any single person to keep going.

YOUR STARTUP COMMUNITYJune 25, 2026

Podcasts

Founders First, Always

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly breaks down the first principle of the Boulder Thesis: entrepreneurs must lead the startup community. It sounds simple. It is not. Chris unpacks why governments, universities, and economic developers, no matter how well-resourced or well-intentioned, cannot substitute for founder-led leadership. Drawing from his own experience in rooms full of civic planners without a single current founder present, he makes the case that startup communities are living systems, not strategic plans. Because you can remove friction. You can create the conditions for collisions. But you cannot engineer entrepreneurial energy from a conference room. The goal is not a managed community. It is a community where founders are heard, elevated, and in the room.

YOUR STARTUP COMMUNITYJune 12, 2026

Podcasts

Stop Fundraising and Start Building

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly challenges one of the most deeply held beliefs in startup culture: that raising capital is the same as building a company. Drawing from his recent Raleigh-Durham Startup Week, where over 2,700 founders and community builders gathered, Chris unpacks why the answer founders give about what is blocking their progress reveals a much deeper problem. Capital matters. But capital is not a strategy. And when founders and community leaders treat funding as the finish line, they risk skipping the harder, more important work. Because the goal is not a community full of funded startups. It is a community full of durable companies.

YOUR STARTUP COMMUNITYMay 21, 2026

Podcasts

Evolution or Revolution?

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly explores one of the biggest leadership questions in startup communities: when should you evolve slowly, and when do you need a complete reset? Drawing from his four-stage startup community maturity model, Chris breaks down how leadership, culture, and trust shape the long-term health of a community. He explains why some communities need steady experimentation and gradual progress, while others need bold cultural change to break patterns of gatekeeping, hierarchy, and exclusion. From nascent startup communities trying to build trust, to leading startup hubs trying to avoid complacency, this episode unpacks how different stages require different leadership approaches. Because building a startup community is not about forcing one big win. It is about understanding what the moment actually requires.

YOUR STARTUP COMMUNITYMay 7, 2026

Podcasts

What Effective Networking Actually Looks Like

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly reframes one of the most misunderstood ideas in entrepreneurship: networking. It is not about events, business cards, or getting access to the right institutions. It is about building real relationships with real people. Chris breaks down the common trap founders and community builders fall into, chasing logos instead of trust. He explains why meaningful networks are not built through affiliations, but through human connection, shared experiences, and showing up for others. Because in the end, organizations do not build trust. People do. And the strongest startup communities are not the most connected on paper. They are the ones where people actually know, trust, and help each other.

YOUR STARTUP COMMUNITYApril 16, 2026

Podcasts

The Real Value of Accelerators is the Network

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly breaks down the real value of a great accelerator and why it has less to do with curriculum or capital and everything to do with network. A strong accelerator does not just connect founders to people. It surrounds them with a curated, relevant network of mentors, peers, and operators who understand the realities of early-stage building. Chris shares why building this kind of network alone can take years, and how the right accelerator compresses that timeline. He also explains why not all mentors are helpful, and why relevance matters more than prestige when it comes to guidance. Success is not just about working harder; it is about getting the right advice, from the right people, at the right time.

The Aspirational Stack: How Role Models Fuel Startup Communities

YOUR STARTUP COMMUNITYApril 2, 2026

Podcasts

The Aspirational Stack: How Role Models Fuel Startup Communities

In this episode of Your Startup Community, Chris Heivly breaks down one of the most overlooked drivers of strong startup communities: role models. It is not just about capital, programs, or space. It is about people who make success feel real and possible, especially at the local level. Chris introduces the idea of the aspirational stack and explains why role models are the force that brings it to life. The best ones are visible, accessible, and engaged. They share the full story, not just the wins, and create the belief early-stage founders need to keep going. Because startup communities are not built on resources alone. They are built on signals. And role models are some of the strongest signals a community can create.