# Houzz: Adi Tatarko

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2022-05-30
- Length: 1h 16m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-30-houzz-adi-tatarko

## Summary

Adi Tatarko, co-founder and CEO of Houzz, explains how a frustrating home renovation in Palo Alto led her and her husband Alon to build an online community for homeowners and professionals. Initially a side project to share renovation photos, the platform grew organically through word-of-mouth until a mentor warned them they were leaving money on the table, prompting them to raise $2 million from angel investor Oren Zev. Adi left her career in financial planning to become CEO, focusing on product and community growth before monetization, eventually scaling Houzz to 65 million users and securing backing from Sequoia Capital.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-30-houzz-adi-tatarko#t=0) Introduction: Adi Tatarko and Houzz
- [4:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-30-houzz-adi-tatarko#t=295) Early Life and Meeting Alon
- [12:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-30-houzz-adi-tatarko#t=773) Moving to Silicon Valley and eBay
- [22:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-30-houzz-adi-tatarko#t=1325) The Frustrating Renovation That Sparked the Idea
- [27:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-30-houzz-adi-tatarko#t=1633) Building the First Version of Houzz
- [40:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-30-houzz-adi-tatarko#t=2402) The Mentor's Warning and First Funding
- [51:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-30-houzz-adi-tatarko#t=3098) Raising from Oren Zev and Sequoia Capital
- [1:01:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-30-houzz-adi-tatarko#t=3664) Scaling, Culture, and the Pandemic Boom

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Houzz (product)
- eBay (company)
- Sequoia Capital (company)
- Oren Zev (other)
- Google (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Founder Feature: Tabi and Meena Hoshmand of Tursh](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-14-founder-feature-tabi-and-meena-hoshmand-of-tursh) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [159: Build a Community to Sell Your New Product Invention](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-01-18-159-build-a-community-to-sell-your-new-product-invention) (Product Startup)
- [Oddball's Path From Idea to Funding a Nationwide Target Launch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-07-11-oddballs-path-from-idea-to-funding-a-nationwide-target-launch) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder + Funder: Anabel González, Founder of Good Bacteria and Hayden Williams, Partner of BrandProject](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-05-09-founder-funder-anabel-gonzalez-founder-of-good-bacteria-and-hayden-williams-part) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Gabriella Labi and Tonya Reznikovich of Gato Dates](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-03-founder-feature-gabriella-labi-and-tonya-reznikovich-of-gato-dates) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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