You'll hear how a small Midwest community rallied around a teenager going through chemo, how his mom rebuilt a life from $5,000 and a white van, and how a random question in a Berkeley business ethics class connected him with Nikhil, the person who'd become his co-founder and, in his words, his business soulmate.

This is Part 1 of 2. Part 2 drops soon. 🌱

🔗 CONNECT WITH US:
Back to the Roots: https://backtotheroots.com
Alejandro's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandrovelezramirez
Nikhil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aroranikhil

Alejandro flew to Austin, Texas, where Back to the Roots joined The Home Depot Foundation, Green Doors, and more than 400 volunteers to spend one day renovating Pecan Springs Commons, a housing community for formerly homeless veterans in northeast Austin.

Eight apartment buildings painted. New pergolas and outdoor gathering spaces built. Vegetable gardens planted. A playground refreshed. Rooms fully furnished, so veterans on the waitlist could move in the very next day.

In this episode, you'll hear from Christa Noland, Executive Director of Green Doors, on what actually causes homelessness and why their model, built entirely on respect and community, is different from anything else out there. You'll hear from Danny Watson of The Home Depot Foundation on why gardening is one of the most powerful tools for veterans in recovery. And you'll hear from Erin Izen on how The Home Depot has averaged five volunteer projects a day across the country for over 20 years and why that's no accident.

The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $650 million in veteran causes since 2011. Back to the Roots supplied the soil for the gardens going into Pecan Springs Commons that day and will be supplying the seeds after. This is what partnership looks like in practice.

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE TEAM:

Erin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinizen  

Danny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-watson-170563158  

Christa:  https:///www.linkedin.com/in/christa-noland-4204545  

Green Doors: https://greendoors.org  

The Home Depot Foundation: https://homedepotfoundation.org

🔗 CONNECT WITH US:

Back to the Roots: https://backtotheroots.com  

Alejandro's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandrovelezramirez  

Nikhil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aroranikhil

Alejandro headed to Atlanta, Georgia, for the Home Depot Kids Workshop — a free, hands-on event held every first Saturday of April at Home Depot stores across the country. This year, Back to the Roots partnered with Home Depot to put a free grow kit in the hands of every single child who walked through those doors. All 575,000 of them.

In this episode, Alejandro sits down with three people who made it happen and who remind us exactly why we do what we do.

🎧 In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why Alex Holguin, a 19-year Home Depot veteran, saw the future of organics before most merchants even knew what the word meant
• How Taforey Anderson, a Metro Atlanta District Manager, got Back to the Roots into his store before we were even officially listed — and why he's never stopped betting on entrepreneurs
• And Salima, a first grader who painted her planter, planted her seed, and explained the whole thing better than we ever could

This is what 10 years of work looks like. And honestly? We're just getting started.

🔗 CONNECT WITH HOME DEPOT:

The Home Depot: https://www.homedepot.com 

The Home Depot on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homedepot/

🔗 CONNECT WITH US:

Back to the Roots: https://backtotheroots.com

Alejandro's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandrovelezramirez

Nikhil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aroranikhil

This time, Alejandro flew to Atlanta, Georgia for a behind-the-scenes visit to The Home Depot's Store Support Center. He sits down with Jennifer Wagner, their Director of Culture and Values, for one of the most honest and inspiring conversations we've ever had.

Jennifer has been with The Home Depot for 14 years. She started on the store floor and worked her way into a role dedicated entirely to making sure 500,000 associates feel safe, valued, and part of something bigger than themselves. In this episode, she pulls back the curtain on how one of the world's most iconic companies has kept its culture alive across 2,000+ stores, for nearly 47 years.

🎧 In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why The Home Depot calls its headquarters the "Store Support Center"
• How the company's founders built a culture from scratch after getting fired with nothing to their name
• The personal story that made Jennifer realize she'd never leave The Home Depot
• The “Inverted Triangle” that helps businesses stay focused on who matters most

This is a story about doing right by your people and watching everything else follow.

Connect with Jennifer:

Jennifer Wagner's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-wagner-7a14b350/

The Home Depot: https://www.homedepot.com

The Home Depot on Instagram: @homedepot 

Connect with Us: 

Back to the Roots: https://backtotheroots.com

Alejandro's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandrovelezramirez

Nikhil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aroranikhil

We’re kicking things off with the remarkable story of Henry Viramontes, a California entrepreneur who turned a childhood spent working in the dairies into ownership of Red Star Fertilizer, one of the state’s leading soil and compost companies—alongside a fleet of trucks called the Viramontes Express.

Henry’s journey is rooted in relentless work ethic, loyalty to mentors, and a deep respect for the land. From hauling manure at age six to building a sustainable business that serves farmers, cities, and the U.S. Forestry Service, his story reflects everything Back to the Roots stands for: turning waste into growth and building a better future for people and the planet.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Henry learned the value of hard work as a young child
• The mentor who shaped his business mindset and values
• Why Red Star Fertilizer’s composting process supports sustainability across California
• The key deals and decisions that helped him go from truck driver to landowner

This is a story about grit, trust, and building something that lasts.

🔗 Connect with Us:

Back to the Roots: backtotheroots.com

Alejandro’s LinkedIn: Alejandro Velez

Nikhil’s LinkedIn: Nikhil Arora