In this episode of The Sports Backdrop podcast, we chat with Chris Heivly, a successful entrepreneur (co-founder of MapQuest), and an ardent lover of hockey. Chris resides in the Raleigh, North Carolina area — after spending 10 years in the bustling city of Chicago (and before that, the northeast). This hockey goes south episode is about growing up with hockey, the impact of hockey on family, and hockey culture. We also discuss cities, moving, and life decisions. Cities mentioned: Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Boulder, Chicago, Buffalo, Lancaster, PA.

Key Discussion Points in This Episode

Life Decisions and Moving to the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area: Our conversation begins with Chris explaining his move from chilly Chicago to sunny Raleigh-Durham, primarily driven by the weather. This decision was also fueled by the need for a place that could nurture his ventures, given Chicago’s then lack of familiarity with the internet in the early 2000’s

Choosing Cities to Live In: Chris delves into the process behind choosing his new home, discussing the comparison between Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and Boulder, Colorado. He shares insights into his preference for secondary cities that foster a faster pace of life and work, alongside being closer to aging parents on the East Coast.

The Appeal of Secondary Cities for Business: The discussion shifts to how often businesses, especially in the early days, were pressured to settle in major cities like San Francisco, New York, or Boston. Chris gives his perspective on why he chose not to adhere to this norm, despite building multiple businesses.

Hockey and Life Beyond Business: We explore Chris’s love for hockey, reminiscing about his childhood where hockey was a way of life. He shares a special family tradition involving attending away games of the Philadelphia Flyers, kindled by a shared family love for the sport.

The Culture of Hockey: We discuss the fascinating culture of hockey follows and the growth in areas where you wouldn’t typically expect it to thrive. Chris likens the hockey fanbase to the community of entrepreneurs, both being “second-tier” but equally passionate and tightly-knit tribes.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a hockey enthusiast, or someone looking for insights on life decisions and specifically how to think about where to live, this hockey goes south episode is for you.

Wrapping up:

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Credits:

Eric Kasimov is the founder of SportsEpreneur, part of the KazSource media network. Since launching the platform in 2015, he has hosted over 500 podcast episodes, written and published more than 1,500 articles, and advised business leaders, founders, and creators on building authority through media strategy.

Through his brands — KazSource, KazCM, SportsEpreneur, and QuietLoud Studios — Eric leads teams that produce podcasts, develop brand platforms, and help companies grow through modern content ecosystems. He also scaled KazSource Insurance into a seven-figure boutique agency, providing the foundation for the broader media network he operates today.

His work has been featured in Forbes, Axios, and Front Office Sports, and his podcasts have included conversations with top founders, investors, and athletes turned entrepreneurs.

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