Some entrepreneurs build products. Others build businesses. Nirav Tolia built something even more ambitious—a global neighborhood. As the co-founder of Nextdoor, he didn’t just launch another social network; he created a digital town square that redefined how communities connect.

His journey, however, wasn’t a straight path to success. It was marked by pivots, hard lessons, and an unshakable belief in the power of trust and shared opportunities. From his early days at Yahoo!, to co-founding Epinions, to scaling Nextdoor into a billion-dollar company, Nirav’s story is one of strategy, resilience, and community-driven impact.

The Entrepreneurial Spark: From Yahoo! to Epinions

Nirav’s entry into the tech world began in the late ‘90s, just as Silicon Valley was becoming the epicenter of innovation. He landed at Yahoo!, where he got a front-row seat to the power of the internet to connect people. But he wasn’t content being a spectator.

In 1999, he co-founded Epinions, one of the first major consumer review platforms, which allowed users to share trusted opinions about products. The idea was ahead of its time, foreshadowing the rise of crowdsourced reviews.

Epinions grew rapidly and merged with Dealtime, forming Shopping.com, which later went public and was acquired by eBay for $620 million. But despite the financial success, Nirav experienced firsthand the challenges of misalignment between founders and investors. It was a tough but defining moment that shaped how he approached leadership in his next ventures.

The Birth of Nextdoor: A Solution to a Silent Problem

After stepping away from Shopping.com, Nirav spent time reflecting. He wasn’t interested in just another startup—he wanted to solve a real problem.

He realized something missing in the digital age: a place where real people, living in real communities, could connect in meaningful ways. Social networks like Facebook connected friends, LinkedIn connected professionals—but what about neighbors?

That insight led to the founding of Nextdoor in 2010. The mission? To create a private, hyperlocal platform where people could discuss everything from lost pets to local safety concerns.

The strategy was bold:

1. Trust First: Users had to verify their address before joining, ensuring real identities and authentic discussions.
2. Hyperlocal Approach: Instead of a global network, Nextdoor focused on small, neighborhood-based groups.
3. Community Over Virality: Growth was slow but deliberate, prioritizing engagement over quick scale.

The early days weren’t easy. Raising funding was a challenge—investors were skeptical about whether people would actually use a neighborhood social network. But Nirav and his team stayed committed, focusing on the depth of engagement rather than the speed of adoption.

Scaling to a Billion-Dollar Platform

Nextdoor’s breakthrough moment came as people realized how powerful local communities could be in times of need. Natural disasters, crime alerts, missing pets—Nextdoor became the go-to platform for real-time neighborhood conversations.

As adoption grew, so did the opportunities:

1. City governments partnered with Nextdoor to communicate with residents.
2. Local businesses leveraged it to engage with nearby customers.
3. Law enforcement used it to share safety updates.

The network effect took hold. By 2017, Nextdoor had expanded to the UK, Germany, and beyond, eventually reaching over 285,000 neighborhoods across 11 countries.

In 2021, Nextdoor went public via a SPAC merger, valuing the company at $4.3 billion. What started as a humble idea about connecting neighbors had transformed into a global community platform.

Lessons in Leadership: The Nirav Tolia Playbook

As an impactful C-suite leader, Nirav Tolia’s journey offers three key takeaways for entrepreneurs and executives:

1. Trust is the Foundation of Community: In an era of digital misinformation, Nextdoor thrived by ensuring real identities and real connections. Businesses and leaders should prioritize authenticity in every interaction.
2. Go Slow to Go Far: Unlike many startups chasing hockey-stick growth, Nextdoor scaled deliberately, ensuring engagement and retention before expansion. Sustainable growth always beats reckless scaling.
3. Solve Problems, Not Just Build Products: Nextdoor wasn’t about creating another social app—it was about fixing a real gap in local communication. The best businesses don’t just sell products; they solve meaningful problems.

A Legacy of Shared Opportunities

While Nirav Tolia stepped down as Nextdoor’s CEO in 2018, his legacy remains. Nextdoor continues to be a cornerstone of local engagement, and his entrepreneurial impact extends beyond the company.

Through his mentorship, investing, and speaking engagements, he continues to share the strategies that helped him build a global movement from a simple, yet powerful idea.

For today’s C-suite leaders and startup founders, his journey is a reminder that the most impactful businesses aren’t just about profits—they’re about people, trust, and shared opportunities that transform communities.