Back to the Roots

Alejandro Velez and Nikhil Arora
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship

Hosted by Alejandro Velez and Nikhil Arora, co-founders of Back to the Roots, this podcast is about community, connection, and what it really takes to grow a purpose-driven brand — from seed to shelf. Born from a college experiment in indoor gardening, Back to the Roots has always been about more than just growing food. It’s about growing relationships, ideas, and impact. Now we're sitting down with some of the incredible builders, backers, and changemakers we've met along the way — people building businesses that care about sustainability, storytelling, and the power of purpose. Let's grow together!

Episodes

  1. Aug 12

    My Founder Story: From MUSHROOMS to a Movement with Alejandro Vélez (Part 2)

    Part 2 picks up with Alejandro Vélez fresh off turning down a signed investment banking offer to grow mushrooms with a friend named Nikhil. What came next was five years of urban farming and waste collecting, building equipment out of a local Home Depot, and running the "office" out of the Starbucks across the parking lot. Alejandro talks about the moment that idea turned into a mission: getting families and classrooms across America to experience the magic of growing their own food. He also shares the dream that's still driving him today: a Back to the Roots so woven into American households that gardening becomes a required part of growing up, literally written into how kids graduate from school.   This is Part 2 of 2. If you missed Part 1, you can listen to it here:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5K3NKimgFtSu8rx99jfMik?si=e7FluWT5RYWC8vMdeZRD9g Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-founder-story-from-medell%C3%ADn-to-mushrooms-with/id1831541067?i=1000776900477 YouTube: https://youtu.be/vxyljtGcgPc 🔗 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

    My Founder Story: From MUSHROOMS to a Movement with Alejandro Vélez (Part 2)

  2. Jul 15

    My Founder Story: From Medellín to MUSHROOMS with Alejandro Vélez (Part 1)

    Alejandro Vélez has never told his full story before. In this episode, he goes back to the beginning: growing up in Medellín, Colombia during the Pablo Escobar years, moving to a town of 5,500 people in Michigan at age 10 without speaking English, and getting diagnosed with cancer at 15. 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

    My Founder Story: From Medellín to MUSHROOMS with Alejandro Vélez (Part 1)

  3. Jun 3

    How The Home Depot Has Helped 70,000 Veterans Find Housing

    Welcome to Episode 4 of the Back to the Roots Podcast! 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

    How The Home Depot Has Helped 70,000 Veterans Find Housing

  4. May 19

    Inside The Home Depot Kids Workshop: 575,000 Kids, One Seed, and a 10-Year Vision

    Welcome to Episode 3 of the Back to the Roots Podcast! 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

    Inside The Home Depot Kids Workshop: 575,000 Kids, One Seed, and a 10-Year Vision

  5. Apr 2

    What The Home Depot Gets Right About Culture That EVERY Business Can Learn From

    Welcome to Episode 2 of the Back to the Roots Podcast! 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

    What The Home Depot Gets Right About Culture That EVERY Business Can Learn From

  6. 09/09/2025

    How One Man Turned Manure and Hard Work into a Soil Empire

    🎙️ Welcome to the very first episode of the Back to the Roots podcast. 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 childThe mentor who shaped his business mindset and valuesWhy Red Star Fertilizer’s composting process supports sustainability across CaliforniaThe key deals and decisions that helped him go from truck driver to landownerThis 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

    How One Man Turned Manure and Hard Work into a Soil Empire

  7. 08/06/2025

    Coming Soon... The Back to the Roots Podcast!

    Welcome to the Back to the Roots podcast, hosted by Alejandro Velez and Nikhil Arora. In this trailer, you'll hear why we started this show, who it's for, and what to expect as we sit down with entrepreneurs, partners, and collaborators building businesses rooted in purpose, sustainability, and growth.

    Coming Soon... The Back to the Roots Podcast!

Trailer

About

Hosted by Alejandro Velez and Nikhil Arora, co-founders of Back to the Roots, this podcast is about community, connection, and what it really takes to grow a purpose-driven brand — from seed to shelf. Born from a college experiment in indoor gardening, Back to the Roots has always been about more than just growing food. It’s about growing relationships, ideas, and impact. Now we're sitting down with some of the incredible builders, backers, and changemakers we've met along the way — people building businesses that care about sustainability, storytelling, and the power of purpose. Let's grow together!

Information

  • Creator
    Alejandro Velez and Nikhil Arora
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Back to the Roots