It’s hard for Bo Fu to recall a time when he wasn’t using Houzz. For over a decade, Houzz’s products have been providing inspiration for his family’s myriad home design projects. And now, as senior director of Engineering leading the Advertising Solutions and Marketplace engineering teams, Bo has the unique opportunity to influence the very platform he loves so much.

How would you describe what you do at Houzz?
I oversee the engineering teams that support the inspiration and commerce areas of the platform used by homeowners and pros. Our goal is to provide the best experience for homeowners when renovating or designing their homes, help them find the best products, and connect them with home professionals who can bring their renovation dreams into reality. 

When did you discover your love for computer science?
My academic background is in computer science, both software engineering and machine learning. I started as a software engineer at a large tech company and eventually grew into leadership roles at one of the companies they acquired. I was there for more than 10 years and led several teams, which gave me exposure to not only engineering but also product, business and people management. 

I see myself as an engineer at heart, even though I’ve been in leadership roles for a while. I still enjoy discussing technical solutions with team members and learning new technologies.  

How did you get into your particular field? 
In high school, I was passionate about physics and math. When I went to college, computers were a tool people used every day, and yet I could already see technology would be something that would both deeply influence and change people’s lives. I really wanted to be part of the industry and make my own contributions to it. 

How did you find out about Houzz?
Houzz was always on my list! My wife and I have been Houzz users since 2012 when we were remodeling our first home, so Houzz has been a part of our lives for over a decade. 

I’ve always been impressed by the Houzz products and how they’ve changed over time to meet the needs of users. My wife and I were inspired by the high-quality and professional pictures in the pros’ profiles, which gave us great ideas. I think my wife had 20 or 30 Ideabooks when we redid our kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms! Adding the Houzz Shop was great for both Houzz users and the evolution of the business, too.

What is the best part about working at Houzz?
First, Houzz has a really strong Product team that cares about user happiness and making sure we’re providing value for homeowners and pros. When I first joined, I saw we were doing so many things – consumer inspiration, connecting homeowners to pros, the Houzz Shop, Houzz Pro. I was really impressed by the efficiency of both the Product and Engineering teams, and how much they do. The Product team is really great at focusing on our differentiation and what makes Houzz unique in the market. We have competitors in each of our areas, but we cover the whole spectrum by bringing all the tools for homeowners and home professionals onto one platform. 

Second are the people who make up the core of our great company culture. I feel so lucky to work with such talented people across the teams I work with – Product, Engineering, Data Science, Design, Marketing, Legal. Everyone is super-passionate about the Houzz product and really cares about our success. Also, they are very friendly! I can ping anyone on Slack or G-Chat, and ask any questions at any time. I feel like we’re deeply connected and always support each other.

What’s your favorite thing you’ve worked on at Houzz?
I could talk about business success, but as a person, I am really glad I’m able to work with my team and build trust with them. For example, my frontline managers have come to me to say they’ve appreciated my support and transparency. Having that kind of connection makes me feel like I’ve earned their trust and am contributing to the company.

What would you tell an engineer who might want to work at Houzz?
All my advice stems from Houzz being a relatively small company: Be flexible. If you’re thinking about career growth, everyone has a much bigger charter than you would at a larger company, which allows you to grow more quickly and have a bigger impact. Because we’re a fairly flat organization, we have the mindset to do the right thing and make it happen.

What do you do when you’re not working?
I have an 11-year-old boy, and we play baseball; he’s in Little League, and I’m a semi-coach for him. We also go biking together. Our record is an 18-mile ride, which is a lot when you’re 11. I also enjoy garden work, especially during the pandemic. A few years ago, I redid my sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, and my gardener complimented me on my design!

Finally, what makes you most excited about the future of Houzz?
From a business perspective, the home remodeling industry is massive, and we’re just in the early stages. This industry has many opportunities to embrace technology to be more efficient and successful. And for homeowners, our platform helps them better understand and play a more informed role in their own remodeling process. The possibilities are endless!

Interested in joining our team? We’re hiring! Check out available opportunities at houzz.com/jobs.