CRO Nextdoor, Heidi Andersen: Nurturing an Elastic Mind

Many people run from uncomfortable situations. Heidi Andersen, CRO at Nextdoor, isn’t like most, as she embraces new challenges and makes mental toughness a centrality to her approach. From the very beginning of her story, Heidi has been rooted in hard work and the personal gratification of earning her success. Known as a corporate athlete, Heidi stands out from the pack and proudly holds the torch for women in tech.

In this episode, Heidi shares her perspective on leaving Denmark to join Google in California and we explore the fundamental beliefs she inherited from her family before she embarked on that journey. Heidi also shares insight on the fascinating role Nextdoor plays in building supportive communities in neighborhoods across the globe, why she loves to inspire others, her previous side hustle as an Equinox instructor, and more.

In this episode, we cover:

• The greatest gift Heidi’s parents have given her. (02:53)
• How Heidi navigated her transition from Denmark to Google’s Silicon Valley - and why she calls herself “half introvert, half extrovert.” (06:11)
• Heidi reflects on her time as an Equinox fitness instructor - and a deep dive on the impact that exercise can have on one’s sense of belonging. (11:15)
• Why Heidi prioritizes pursuing what brings her joy - and her perspective on taking on uncomfortable challenges to build mental toughness. (20:59)
• Heidi’s views on her position as a leading woman in the industry and why she focuses on helping women move into successful careers. (27:51)
• From LinkedIn to Nextdoor: The criteria that Heidi used to evaluate her new opportunity - and an overview of Nextdoor. (35:40)
• Heidi shares her perspective on Nextdoor going public and how she approaches this new milestone - and a look at how Nextdoor aims to connect neighbors through acts of kindness. (45:13)
• A discussion about Nextdoor’s monetization and growth strategy - and more on Nextdoor’s impact on communities. (54:40)
• Heidi shares insight on her recruiting superpowers. (01:03:50)

Links:

• Connect with Heidi
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: heidi@nextdoor.com
  • Building Mental Toughness for Higher Levels of Performance
• Connect with Joubin
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email: gtmg@kleinerperkins.com
• Learn more about Kleiner Perkins