Leadership Starts with How I Treat the "Little Person"
Today, while making my usual social media rounds, I shared my dissatisfaction with Nextdoor, its culture, and CEO Nirav Tolia.
I started thinking about where I learned one of the most valuable lessons of my life.
It wasn't in a boardroom or a Stanford classroom.
It came from working everyday jobs—sweeping floors in a deli, delivering newspapers, cleaning gum off a movie theater carpet, and doing the kinds of jobs that keep society moving.
Those experiences taught me a simple creed:
Treat everyone as if they were the CEO.
The person making the sandwich at Jersey Mike's. The attendant pumping gas in Oregon. The landscaping crew cleaning up the neighborhood. The janitor, the cashier, the receptionist, the call center agent.
Everyone deserves to be acknowledged. Everyone deserves to be heard.
That's where I believe the culture problem at Nextdoor begins.
I'm not a billionaire investor. I'm not a celebrity entrepreneur. I don't have a television show or a Founding Shark title. And I don't automatically agree with every mention of AI as the solution to everything.
Does that mean my feedback should be ignored? My questions silenced? My LinkedIn account blocked for expressing shareholder concerns?
Leadership isn't measured by how you treat influential people. It's measured by how you treat the person with no power at all.
I'd rather treat the building environmental services engineer like they're the CEO than imitate a CEO who dismisses the little person.
Because one approach builds loyalty and trust.
The other builds resentment.
Day 1: Still Waiting, Nextdoor
Yesterday I sent an email to Jacob Chavis requesting the full research behind Nextdoor's latest insurance study.
Today? Nothing.
No "I'm working on it."
No "You're 57th in line."
Not even a polite "Go pound sand."
In my experience, that's become part of the culture at Nextdoor—where transparency often seems optional and accountability appears to stop somewhere near the top of the org chart. Leadership sets the tone, and that includes CEO Nirav Tolia.
Meanwhile, NXDR climbed another $0.055 today. Maybe the C-suite and Board should send me a thank-you note for suggesting they lean into the circus that is Nextdoor. At least the entertainment value is increasing.
The difference between Nextdoor and the social media platforms it competes with? Those companies may be divisive too, but they consistently generate meaningful revenue and shareholder returns. A pig in a dress is still a pig.
And finally, I got another knock at my virtual door today—from someone at Nextdoor. It happened early this morning Eastern Daylight Time. They're remaining anonymous because they fear the backlash and toxicity they believe exists within the culture.
Sometimes the most interesting conversations happen off the record.
NXDR and The Gambler: Know When to Hold 'Em... and Know When to Walk Away
Looking at the 1-year chart of Nextdoor Holdings (NYSE: NXDR), the stock is up roughly $0.60 year over year, rewarding investors who bought during periods of pessimism.
Based on the historical trading patterns I've observed over the past four years, I believe July could bring another round of profit-taking as short-term investors lock in gains.
Kenny Rogers' The Gambler offers timeless investing wisdom: "Know when to hold 'em" and "know when to walk away." For investors, knowing the difference can mean everything.
That brings me to a larger question.
What is CEO Nirav Tolia doing to ensure minority shareholders receive a meaningful return on their investment?
If AI is truly the future of Nextdoor, why aren't users seeing a steady stream of innovative features that strengthen neighbor relationships and make communities more useful?
Instead, the public conversation often revolves around disputes over moderation, neighborhood division, sponsored surveys, and advertising initiatives.
Likewise, the recent publicity campaign featuring appearances on podcasts and interviews may generate headlines, but has it materially changed user engagement, revenue growth, or investor sentiment? The stock chart suggests investors are still waiting for stronger evidence of execution.
Nirav Tolia graduated from Stanford with a degree in English, and he is clearly an effective communicator. But public companies ultimately succeed by delivering measurable results, not compelling narratives. We expect a strategy supported by transparent metrics and product execution.
Some questions I'd like leadership to answer:
Where are the AI features that materially improve the neighbor experience?
How is AI translating into shareholder value?
Why does the platform still appear more divisive than connective?
What measurable milestones should investors expect over the next 12 months?
How will management demonstrate that AI investments are producing tangible financial returns?
As a shareholder, I want Nextdoor to succeed. But success requires more than media appearances and AI talking points. It requires products that users love, communities that thrive, and financial results that reward investors.
These are my personal opinions and observations and should not be considered financial advice. Always perform your own due diligence before making investment decisions.
Nextdoor's Latest "Study" or Just Another Sales Pitch?
For months, I've been requesting transparency from Nextdoor leadership regarding the surveys and research they publish. I've asked for methodology, sample sizes, demographics, confidence intervals, moderation metrics, and the data behind the headlines.
The questions have largely gone unanswered.
Now we're presented with another report claiming that 74% of Nextdoor neighbors are open to switching home insurance providers. To me, this comes across more like a marketing vehicle designed to encourage insurance companies to advertise on the platform rather than independent research.
Suppose the data is legitimate; great. Show us the methodology. Show us the complete report. Let everyone evaluate the findings for themselves.
Today I sent an email to Jacob Chavis requesting the comprehensive research behind the study. We'll see what happens.
Based on my past interactions with the company, I don't have high expectations. Requests for information have historically gone unanswered or taken an unreasonable amount of time to respond.
Transparency builds trust. Marketing headlines without supporting data create more questions.
I'll happily update this post if and when the full report is provided.
Recruiter... or Resume Sales Pitch? You Decide.
Ever receive a message on LinkedIn that looks like the start of a great career opportunity, only for the conversation to take an unexpected turn?
I recently had an interaction that left me scratching my head. It started like a normal recruiter conversation but quickly shifted into something that felt very different.
Was it a legitimate recruiting discussion, clever marketing, or something in between?
I'll let you decide.
Watch the full video and see the entire conversation for yourself at https://NielFlamm.com/videos/scams.
While you're there, check out the rest of my Internet Garbage—you never know what strange story, movie review, or life experience I'll post next.