What happens when a seasoned entrepreneur spots a gap in the market and decides to take a risk on something entirely new? For Jason Widen, it’s led him from founding Raleigh Founded, a cornerstone of the Triangle’s startup ecosystem, to creating Blue Co. – a flexible warehouse solution designed for service-based businesses.

In this episode, Jason shares his journey of building community-driven businesses, from his early days working at a ski resort to launching Raleigh Founded and now expanding his vision with Blueco. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to pivot, scale, and truly make an impact in your community, this conversation is packed with valuable insights.

Tune in to hear:

• How Jason’s early entrepreneurial experiences shaped his work ethic and future ventures.
• The story behind Raleigh Founded and its pivotal role in connecting Triangle entrepreneurs.
• Why Jason saw a need for Blue Co. – a flexible warehousing solution – and how it supports small businesses like plumbers, electricians, and moving companies.
• The lessons Jason learned from building and scaling businesses in hospitality, real estate, and co-working.
• Jason’s future vision for Blue Co. and his strategy for expanding across the Southeast.

Where to Find Jason Widen:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonwiden
• Blue Co.: https://www.bluecowarehousing.com/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:03:00) Jason’s early years and how a ski resort job sparked his entrepreneurial spirit.
(00:10:15) The start of Raleigh Founded, a co-working space that grew into a hub for Triangle entrepreneurs.
(00:18:00) The inception of Blue Co., a flexible warehouse solution for plumbers, electricians, and moving companies.
(00:26:30) Real-world lessons from Jason’s ventures, including the challenges of starting a restaurant and building a real estate empire.
(00:38:05) Scaling Blue Co. and Jason’s plans for expanding across the Southeast.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

Chris Heivly’s journey through the tech world is one for the books, literally - thanks to his deep-rooted love of maps. From his early days studying geography and computer mapping to shaping the future of internet navigation with MapQuest, Chris shares an inspiring story of innovation, risk, and community-building.

In this episode, we explore Chris’s entrepreneurial journey, discussing everything from his time building map systems for the U.S. State Department to his pivot into founding one of the Triangle’s first startup accelerators, the Triangle Startup Factory.

Tune in to hear:

• Chris’s early fascination with maps and how it led him to become a leader in the tech space.
• The inside story of MapQuest and its revolutionary role in the rise of online mapping, years before Google Maps.
• The entrepreneurial lessons Chris learned while transitioning from MapQuest to venture capital.
• Insights from running one of the first accelerators in the Triangle and how it shaped the region’s startup ecosystem.
• Stories of standout companies from the Triangle Startup Factory, including the success of Archive Social.

Where to Find Chris Heivly:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisheivly/
• Build the Fort Blog: https://heivly.com/blog/

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:03:00) Chris's love of maps and how it shaped his career from geography major to tech innovator.

(00:10:15) The breakthrough moment: from computer mapping to building mapping systems for the U.S. State Department.

(00:17:45) The story of MapQuest’s creation, why it was so ahead of its time, and how it revolutionized navigation.

(00:27:30) Chris’s time at Donnelly and the strategic decisions that led to MapQuest's success.

(00:38:05) The evolution from VC to accelerator: Chris’s journey building the Triangle Startup Factory and shaping the local ecosystem.

(00:46:52) Chris’s key lessons for startup founders and how to build a lasting legacy.

In the news:

• Going Against the Flow: Chris Heivly, Managing Director of The Startup Factory: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/going-against-the-flow-ch_b_10596620
• One-on-one: ‘Startup Whisperer’ Chris Heivly talks Raleigh-Durham Startup Week, Triangle’s success, new book: https://wraltechwire.com/2023/04/19/one-on-one-startup-whisperer-chris-heivly-talks-raleigh-durham-startup-week-triangles-success-new-book/

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/

If you ask someone what’s at the heart of a successful engineering team, the answer might involve tools, talent, or tech. But Hersh Tapadia, CEO and co-founder of Allstacks, believes it all starts with one thing: measurable productivity. While we all know engineering teams face unique challenges, Allstacks is tackling the toughest one—how to measure and improve engineering productivity at scale.

In today’s episode, we talk to Hersh about his journey, from growing up in Raleigh to leading a company that's reshaping the way engineering teams operate. Hersh shares how Allstacks went from a consulting business to a product-driven company, the challenges of raising capital, and what he’s learned about engineering productivity in the process.

Tune in to hear:

• Hersh’s path to founding Allstacks and his early struggles with raising capital.
• The challenge of measuring engineering productivity and how Allstacks solves it with data.
• Insights on making the leap from consulting to product development and what tech companies need to understand about the market.
• The future of engineering productivity—how AI is playing a role in tracking performance.
• Lessons learned from building a dev-tech startup in a competitive space.

Where to Find Hersh Tapadia:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hershtapadia
• Allstacks: https://www.allstacks.com

Where to Find Scot Wingo:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
• Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
• X: https://x.com/scotwingo

In this episode:
(00:03:00) From Raleigh to Allstacks – How Hersh’s journey led him to build a product that’s changing the game for engineering teams.
(00:10:15) The Early Days – Raising capital, finding product-market fit, and making the leap from consulting to product development.
(00:17:45) The Allstacks Approach – How data can drive engineering productivity and why it’s more than just tracking output.
(00:27:30) Navigating the Tech Space – The challenges of scaling in the dev-tech world and the lessons learned along the way.
(00:38:05) The Future of Engineering Productivity – What’s next for engineering teams and how AI is shaping the way they work.
(00:46:52) Lessons for Founders – Hersh’s hard-earned wisdom on building a company, raising capital, and navigating the startup rollercoaster.

In the news:

• Allstacks raises $20M to help engineering teams measure productivity: https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/30/allstacks-raises-20m-productivity/
• How Allstacks is changing the way engineering teams measure success: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hersh-tapadia-allstacks/
• The Importance of Data-Driven Engineering Teams in 2025: https://www.businessinsider.com/data-driven-engg-productivity-allstacks

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Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West.

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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:

• Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/