We Had to Reimagine Nextdoor | CEO & Co-Founder Nirav Tolia
Jun 3, 2026 · 57:02
Nirav Tolia, CEO and co-founder of Nextdoor, explains the company's multi-year turnaround from treading water to 14% revenue growth and 22 million weekly active users, and argues that the future lies in an AI-enabled 'age of human connection' where technology amplifies real-world community rather than replacing it. He recounts the crucible moment when a board meeting in May 2018 led to his return as CEO after a five-year absence, and how investor Bill Gurley's recitation of Rudyard Kipling's 'If' spurred him to persevere. Tolia emphasizes that Nextdoor's requirement of real names and verified addresses, built from the start, gives it a trust advantage in an AI-dominated era. He describes the importance of co-founders like Sarah Leary, with whom he has worked for 27 years, and shares specific data: one in three U.S. households are on Nextdoor, with an aspiration to reach three of three. The episode also covers his brief stint as a Shark Tank shark, the opening of a new Dallas office, and a hybrid work philosophy that prioritizes both in-person energy and remote flexibility.
