Nextdoor, Shondaland, and Raising Good Humans with Nirav & Megha Tolia

Tom and Kyle sit down with dynamic couple Nirav and Megha Tolia to dive into what it's like to partner in life and leadership. Nirav, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Nextdoor, and Megha, former President and COO of Shondaland, share their personal and professional journeys—from small-town Texas and LA roots to global business impact. The two talk about family values, cultural identity, raising kids, building businesses, and why they’ve planted roots in Dallas. It's a masterclass in navigating ambition, marriage, and meaningful impact. And stick around to hear their passion for equipping the next generation of entrepreneurs.

In This Episode

• [01:00] Odessa, Texas and early cultural experiences
• [03:30] Nirav’s pivot from medicine to entrepreneurship
• [05:30] Megha’s family story, growing up bicultural in LA
• [08:45] Philanthropy: Ashram education in Gujarat
• [11:00] Parenting philosophies: Work ethic, gratitude, exposure
• [13:30] How Nirav & Megha met—family setups and instant connection
• [17:00] Megha’s rise through brand management to Shondaland
• [21:00] Nirav’s entrepreneurial journey: Yahoo, Epinions, Nextdoor
• [27:30] What makes Nextdoor different
• [32:00] Fanbase failure & learning to pivot
• [36:00] Sabbatical in Florence, pandemic pivots, and the Dallas move
• [42:30] Getting involved at SMU and the Spears Institute
• [48:00] Their shared belief in creating access through community
• [51:00] Final thoughts on ambition, identity, and intentional living

Guest Resources

• Connect with Megha
• Conect with Nirav
• Nextdoor
• Shondaland
• SMU Spears Institute

Follow Us

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

—

Editing and Support by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Good Podcast Co.⁠