# #169 - "How to Take Advice" with Nikhil Arora

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2024-11-12
- Length: 56m
- Episode: 93
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-11-12-169-how-to-take-advice-with-nikhil-arora
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/ce7f4aeb

## Summary

Nikhil Arora, co-founder and co-CEO of Back to the Roots, discusses the nuances of receiving and giving advice while scaling his organic gardening brand from a college project to a $100M retail business. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a 'North Star' purpose, the critical role of his co-founder relationship with Alejandro Velez, and the necessity of resilience in entrepreneurship. Arora shares specific lessons learned from mentors like Jony Ive and Michael Pollan, as well as costly mistakes involving rushed product launches and underestimating retail costs.

## Outline

1. Introduction and Back to the Roots Origin
2. Growth Drivers: North Star, Consistency, and Resilience
3. The Power of Cold Emails and Serendipity
4. Framework for Giving and Receiving Advice
5. Evaluating Advice: Good vs. Bad and Context
6. Key Mentorship: Jony Ive, Michael Pollan, and Gary Hirshberg
7. Rejecting Bad Advice: Co-CEO Structure and Brand Vision
8. Jeff Bezos' One-Way vs. Two-Way Doors Framework
9. Founder Vulnerability and the Co-Founder Relationship
10. Major Mistakes: Perfectionism, Rushed Launches, and Retail Costs
11. Product Design Lessons and Hiring Strategy
12. Birthday Tradition and Conclusion

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Back to the Roots (company)
- Water Garden (product)
- Jony Ive (other)
- Michael Pollan (other)
- Steve Jobs (other)
- Jeff Bezos (other)
- Gary Hirshberg (other)
- John Fork (other)
- Paul Stamets (other)
- Home Depot (company)
- Nordstrom (company)
- Petco (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Kickstarter (other)
- Annie's (company)
- Stony Field Farms (company)
- Urban Center (company)
- Vitamix (product)
- Nvidia (company)
- Apple (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Back to the Roots: Nikhil Arora and Alejandro Velez](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-11-08-back-to-the-roots-nikhil-arora-and-alejandro-velez) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Michelle Wahler of Beyond Yoga](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-17-advice-line-with-michelle-wahler-of-beyond-yoga) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Nick Green of Thrive Market](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-10-08-advice-line-with-nick-green-of-thrive-market) (How I Built This)
- [Thrive Market: Nick Green](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-08-12-thrive-market-nick-green) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line: Growing Beyond Your Niche](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-10-advice-line-growing-beyond-your-niche) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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