Natalie Gdalyahu has been preparing to work at Houzz since she was 10 years old. She just didn’t know it. From helping teachers navigate their computers to keeping an eye on new construction in her neighborhood, Natalie has a deep-seeded passion for both technology and home design. Now, as senior product manager for Houzz Pro, she combines both – along with her love of improv comedy – to help the home professionals who use our software manage and grow their businesses.

How did you first hear about Houzz, and why did you want to join?
Houzz and I are a love story. (I’m the one who fell in love first!)

Technology and design have been my passions from the time I was young, so it was hard for me to choose what to do with my life. After I was accepted to architecture school, I decided to study computer science, psychology and neuroscience instead. But I knew later in my life I’d have a connection to design.

When I was a student, I heard about Houzz, and I was like, “That’s for ME! I need to work there!” It’s the perfect combination of what I love. Once I heard about Houzz’s growing team in Tel-Aviv, I knew I had to find a role here. I began as an engineer and, within two years, moved to the product team.

What made you want to shift from engineering to product?
I knew from the start this would be my path. I wanted to be more involved in how a pro would use our product, and I thought it would be helpful to have an engineering background. It helps me on a daily basis; I am happy I did it. 

What do you enjoy most about your role?
The amazing people on our team – and the other teams I work with – are helping pros manage their businesses more efficiently by building a great software solution. It’s exciting and motivating to meet with pros, hear their feedback and use it to make decisions that shape our products. I believe we’re making a significant difference in the lives of our pros.

As part of my role, I also enjoy working with a wide range of people from various teams, like engineering, design, marketing and customer success. I really like starting my day knowing that it will be filled with brainstorming, fruitful meetings and great people.

What’s been your favorite thing to work on?
I have worked on a lot of features, but Room Planner is my favorite. I talk about Room Planner as if it’s my baby. I dream about it, I talk about it all day, my husband knows all about it and how it works. Room Planner is an amazing tool for pros to present their vision and concepts. It’s a workspace that allows them to express and share their creativity and professionalism, as well as provide them with tools for design, management, collaboration and presentation. The creation of Room Planner involved a lot of effort from many teams, including design, product, engineering, marketing and more. I am excited by the results, the adoption of this feature, the feedback we’re getting, and the impact it’s having on our pros and their clients. 

What makes our culture unique?
I’ll start with the people. All the people I work with – without exception – are great. We can build a strong culture when everyone is willing to help and listen. This is what makes Houzz unique. 

Plus, we have an amazing product! 

What excites you most about the future of Houzz?
In Houzz Pro, we’re building software that serves each step of the renovation, design and custom-build process – from starting the project to ideation to management, and more. I am inspired by how we connect the dots, starting with the first step and then linking it to a totally different feature to cover the whole project lifecycle. 

What are your earliest memories around technology and design?
When I was a child, I was the fastest typer in my class, and teachers often asked me to help them with their computers. I even built websites for the celebrities I loved when I was 10 years old.

And I’ve always loved house design and architecture. When I was little, I wanted to see the design progress of houses that were being built near my home. I would ask my grandmother if we could call the owners to see the houses when they were finished!

What do you do when you’re not working?
I love learning. Now that I’ve finished my MBA, I’m thinking about the next course I can take. I enjoy spending time with my family and dogs, and I’m also getting back into an old hobby: improv. It’s a place to be creative. You can’t prepare for it; you need to respond immediately to whatever happens. It’s challenging, so I love it! 

Do you think there are parallels with your job?
Yes! To be a product manager, it helps to think outside of the box and come up with new ideas. Responding to challenges and making quick decisions are also part of my job, even when there are many unknowns. Sometimes you can prepare for them, but sometimes you can’t. 

And finally, as we approach the end of Women’s History Month, what advice do you have for the next generation of women in the product and technology field?
Follow your dreams, and you can do anything. Don’t be afraid to try, even if you think it won’t work. Maybe it will! And believe in yourself. Sometimes it takes time, or effort, or takes longer to achieve your goal. But do your best and try to get support from the people you love. You can do whatever you dream of!

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