If you’re planning on going to the Innovation Showcase in Indianapolis on July 9th, you really need to brush up on your Chris Heivly — the opening keynote speaker. Sure, Chris helped co-found MapQuest (sold to AOL for $1.2B) and he’s held leadership roles with companies ranging in size from $200,000 to $20 million, but it’s his venture funding experience that drives most of his articles published by Inc. magazine.

Chris has been a startup evangelist and investor since the 1990s, but he is best known today as one of two managing directors of The Startup Factory based in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area. The Startup Factory has made 35 seed investments so far of about $100,000 each, so Chris knows a thing or two about startups, how they are structured, and what leads to success.

I’ve been reading through the archive of Inc. articles for the past couple of weeks and I think I’ve come up with the definitive list of 5 Chris Heivly articles every Innovation Showcase attendee should read:

5 Embarrassing Things to Never Say When Talking to Investors
Don’t put yourself in this situation–ever.

The 5 Most Important Tools for Getting Your Company Noticed
Creating company awareness is paramount for a startup. Make sure you are represented on these 5 simple must-have platforms.

Is Your Business in a Headwind or a Tailwind? Your Success Depends On It.
There are two different strategies depending on your answer.

5 Signs Your First Big Sale Won’t Close
Smart executives ensure that their selling teams follow these simple rules.

Do You Answer or Do You Listen?
We all sell everyday. When you are selling do you talk before listening?

Here’s a bonus! Chris also has a short video series on Vimeo where he asks experts and friends “What’s the one thing …”

A Great Pitch from Chris Heivly on Vimeo.

The One Thing – Tim Flood