By Chris Heivly, Managing Director at Build The Fort and Startup Community EIR @ Techstars

This post is about why I do what I do, and it relates to Raleigh Durham Startup Week - an annual event for founders and their startups.

Let me start with the numbers, because they’re pretty great.

We just wrapped up our fourth Raleigh Durham Startup Week — 1,000+ attendees, 100+ speakers, five packed days of learning, connecting, and sharing stories. But what blows me away isn’t just the scale. It’s that this entire thing ran on the energy and effort of just 30 volunteers and about $25k from about 10 sponsors.

That’s right. 30. That’s right. $25k.

Even more impressive? I wasn’t even running the show this year. After three years of co-founding and co-chairing with my buddy Archie O’Connor, we handed the reins to two incredible community leaders. Call it proactive succession planning or just me knowing my own strengths — I'm a zero-to-one guy through and through. Truth is, the event ran better without me, which is exactly how it should be.

And that’s where the real story begins.

I do this because startup communities aren’t built by titles, org charts, or formal committees. They’re built by people who care. People who show up. People who, when given the space to lead, rise up and make it better than before.

I’ve spent the better part of a decade helping to build this ecosystem, not because I needed another job, but because I saw the potential and frankly the need. I also needed connection. Meaning. Impact. Watching RDSW grow from a scrappy idea into a full-fledged annual experience has been a gift. It’s the culmination of a belief that simple things — like giving first, showing up, and building together — can actually spark long-term change.

But here’s the real reason I keep doing this: the unprompted conversations.

About 100 different folks came up to me this week and said one of three things:

1. “I learned more in the last three days than I have in the last three years.”

2. “I can’t believe this is all free.”

3. “Thank you for getting this off the ground. The energy is off the charts. I already can’t wait for next year.”

That’s the fuel. That’s why I keep leaning in and giving of my time. I’ve learned that momentum in a startup community is fragile. It needs constant nudges. New leaders. New energy. Someone to buy the pizza. Someone to tell the story. Someone to build the damn fort.

So yeah, I’m proud. But mostly, I’m grateful. Grateful that others are willing to take the baton. Grateful that folks still believe in gathering in person to share and grow. Grateful that this little idea we had four years ago now lives in the hearts of hundreds of people.

That’s why I do this.

And if you’re reading this wondering whether you should start something in your town — an event, a meetup, a newsletter, whatever — let me give you the green light. Don’t wait for permission. Don’t wait for perfect. Just start. Be bold. Build your fort.

And if you wanna hear how we organize, I would love to share this with you. Frankly, I am more proud of this than my startups or venture funds.

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