Day 51: Another Email Sent. The Question Remains the Same.
Today, I sent another email regarding my request for the Nextdoor study.
The recipients were:
Nirav Tolia, CEO
Jacob Chavis
Sarah Leary, Co-Founder
Investor Relations
Communications
Bekah Hufnagel, a Nextdoor intern studying Communication Design at the University of Cincinnati
One thing I can confirm:
None of the emails bounced back as undeliverable.
So, as far as I know, the message reached the intended inboxes.
The email wasn't complicated.
It asked a straightforward question:
How does a simple shareholder request go unanswered for 51 days?
At this point, the study itself has almost become secondary.
The larger issue is communication.
If the answer is "no," say no.
If the study can't be shared, explain why.
If it no longer exists, say that.
Communication doesn't require agreement.
It requires acknowledgment.
One reason I included Bekah on the email is that she's studying Communication Design. This is a real-world case study in corporate communication.
If this situation were presented in a college classroom, what discussion would it generate?
How would 51 days without a response from Jacob Chavis, CEO Nirav Tolia, Investor Relations, or the Communications team be evaluated?
As someone who has spent much of my career in learning and development, I believe some of the best lessons come from real situations—not hypothetical ones.
This continues to be one of them.
I'm still willing to have a conversation.
I'm still waiting to see if it's worth having.
Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog. Leave some feedback—I'd love to hear from you.
The Profile Views Keep Coming... Now from Across the Pond
Yesterday, I noticed something interesting.
My LinkedIn profile received several views from people at Nextdoor.
First was Bekah Hufnagel, whom I tagged in yesterday's post after Nextdoor shared a look at life as one of its interns. From her profile, she's studying Communications at the University of Cincinnati.
Then I noticed two more.
One viewer chose to remain anonymous, showing only "Advertising Specialist at Nextdoor."
The other was Kathryn Lee, an EMEA Account Manager at Nextdoor, based in the United Kingdom.
So...
Hello from the other side of the pond! 🇬🇧👋
I appreciate the interest.
Whether you're reading my posts, viewing my profile, or simply curious about what I'm writing, thank you for taking the time.
Since several people at Nextdoor appear to be following along, perhaps someone could ask a simple question internally:
Why has it been 51 days since I requested a study from Jacob Chavis without receiving a response?
I'd also pose another question.
If Bekah is studying Communications, what better real-world case study could there be than observing how a company handles a straightforward request from a shareholder?
How does 51 days without communication from Jacob Chavis, CEO Nirav Tolia, Investor Relations, or the Communications team become an example of effective corporate communication?
If a communications professor presented this as a case study, what grade would it receive?
I've said from the beginning that this isn't about "winning."
It's about communication, accountability, and the culture a company chooses to build.
If my posts are making their way around Nextdoor, perhaps this one will reach the right person.
Please and thank you.
Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog. Leave some feedback—I'd love to hear from you.
Day 48: Leadership Is About People, Not Just Processes
If you're new to this saga, welcome.
I've been documenting this journey day by day at NielFlamm.com/blog.
At this point, it's honestly hard to believe this has continued for 48 days.
The original request was simple: a study from Nextdoor that I was directed to request from Jacob Chavis.
The one thing that has stood out to me recently is something I haven't seen in about a month.
There was another Nextdoor post discussing a study shortly after I made my original request.
Since then?
No mention of any study.
No mention of Jacob Chavis.
No updates.
It seems the role and these studies no longer exist.
Coincidence?
I don't know.
But it does raise questions.
Recently, I've been watching a lot of leadership content—not just best practices, but examples of what happens when someone is managing people versus truly leading them.
This video caught my attention:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1737323883971465
The situation in the video reminded me of something important:
Leadership is revealed in moments when people are vulnerable.
That brought me back to my own story.
I've shared my journey through my amputation and the decisions I had to make during that time:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18MqX3rAbE/
I was trying to figure out some of the biggest decisions of my life:
Was hospice the right path?
Was amputation the right decision?
How would I navigate disability insurance?
What would my future look like?
During that period, the people at the company I worked for showed me what leadership and compassion actually look like.
They supported me.
They treated me like a person.
They didn't just see an employee or a liability.
I would recommend those people for any role, anywhere.
Because at the end of the day:
Companies don't make companies successful. People do.
Organizations may focus on policies, procedures, compliance, and protecting the business.
Those things matter.
But the people inside an organization are the ones who create the culture, serve customers, build products, and drive results.
Companies exist to create value for customers and investors.
Taking care of people is one way they get there.
That's the leadership lesson I keep coming back to.
It's not just about what leaders say.
It's about what they do when people need them.
Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog. Leave some feedback—I’d love to hear from you.
Day 46: Welcome to the Nextdoor Weekend
It's 6:00 a.m. EDT on a Thursday.
Like many Thursday mornings, I was up early checking my fraternity's lottery pool tickets.
Spoiler alert...
We didn't win millions.
I know. Shocking.
The odds continue to be very disrespectful toward our group.
After posting the results and setting up the next pool on Discord, I had another thought.
I said to myself...
"Self, let's see if anyone from Nextdoor finally sent an email."
So I checked.
And...
Nope.
If you've been following this journey, you already know the story.
If you haven't, you can catch up at NielFlamm.com/blog.
Today isn't about rehashing the timeline.
It's about what Day 46 represents.
Forty-six days without receiving the study I requested.
Forty-six days without a response from Jacob Chavis.
Forty-six days of documenting my experience and asking questions about communication, moderation, and corporate culture.
Today is Thursday.
For many people, it's Friday Eve.
I've always called it "Pre-Friday."
But in the world of Nextdoor...
It also feels like the beginning of the weekend.
Because when you've gone 46 days without a reply, one more business day probably isn't changing the outcome.
That doesn't mean I'll stop asking.
Communication shouldn't take weekends off.
Neither should accountability.
I'll keep hope that one day, someone at Nextdoor decides the conversation is worth having.
Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Day 44: Change Is Immediate. Results Take Time.
This morning started at 5:00 a.m.
First order of business? Checking my fraternity's Powerball pool tickets.
The result?
We won $8...
...on a $130 buy-in.
Let's say the return on investment wasn't exactly Wall Street material.
While I was scanning the tickets with the South Carolina Education Lottery app, I had to laugh. I remember the days when checking lottery tickets meant comparing every number by hand, trying to memorize the winning combinations. Technology really can be a wonderful thing.
I also had another thought.
Before I scanned the tickets, I checked my email.
Part of me hoped I'd wake up to a message from Jacob Chavis.
I didn't.
Today marks another day without receiving the study or even an acknowledgment.
As I thought about that, my mind wandered to a conversation that may have taken place somewhere within Nextdoor.
I don't know who was involved.
Maybe it was between Nirav Tolia and Jacob Chavis.
It may have involved someone else in the leadership chain.
Maybe no such conversation happened at all.
But I couldn't help wondering whether someone, somewhere, said:
"Don't engage."
Or...
"Don't respond."
Or...
"Let's wait."
I don't know.
What I do know is that, from the outside looking in, continued silence raises questions.
Am I the only person who thinks something feels off about that?
I don't believe I am.
One of the most encouraging parts of this journey has been the people who've taken the time to react to my posts, leave thoughtful comments, challenge my perspective, or click the thumbs-up or heart button.
Those interactions matter.
They remind me that people are reading.
People are thinking.
People care.
They remind me that this effort isn't for nothing.
Recently, I heard a short video that said:
"Change is immediate. Results take time."
That line stuck with me.
Real change often begins the moment someone decides to speak up.
The visible results usually come much later.
Whether it's improving communication, questioning corporate culture, or encouraging accountability, meaningful progress rarely happens overnight.
So I'll keep asking respectful questions.
I'll keep listening to different viewpoints.
And I'll keep running the race.
Because while results take time...
The decision to pursue change happens today.
Join the discussion at NielFlamm.com/blog. Leave some feedback—I'd love to hear from you.