Nirav Tolia: Nextdoor. How neighborhood chatter went global

In this episode of 'How I Built This,' Guy Raz speaks with Nirav Tolia about the origins and evolution of Nextdoor, the neighborhood-focused social network that aims to foster community connections. Tolia recounts the stark statistics revealing that many Americans hardly know their neighbors, motivating the creation of an online platform to bridge this gap. The journey of Nextdoor began in 2010 with the daunting challenges of establishing trust, retaining users, and eventually monetizing the platform.

Tolia shares his prior entrepreneurial exploits, including his early career at Yahoo and founding ePinions, which led to insights he applied while developing Nextdoor. The company faced struggles, including years without revenue and Tolia stepping down as CEO in 2018 due to burnout and concerns over leadership effectiveness. However, he later moved to Italy, finding personal renewal during his time away from the company.

Returning as CEO in 2024, Tolia outlines a revitalization strategy focused on improving user engagement and creating a more vibrant community platform. He emphasizes the importance of local connections and the unique role Nextdoor can play in people's daily lives, integrating features that not only connect neighbors but also offer a suite of local services. Tolia concludes with reflections on luck versus hard work, acknowledging the significance of relationships built throughout his career.