Houzz, seeking to expand, has had talks with investors to raise a round of funding that would value the business at more than $2 billion, according to a June report in the Wall Street Journal. We know across the board that people are getting jobs through Houzz." "When you are on Houzz, it shows you are keeping up with the industry and trends. They (homeowners) want to get to know you," he said, stressing the importance of listing memberships in professional organizations, as well as awards. "When you think of the process, it's very intimate. "This (the Stamford location) was perfect because designers in the area are familiar with it."ĭuring the training, Stein emphasized the need for Houzz users to be as informative as possible in displaying their work, detailing their backgrounds and describing their philosophy. "When people say they saw us on Houzz it's pretty cool," he said, adding Murphy Brothers often host educational sessions for architects and interior designers. Murphy Brothers, like many other contractors in the region, saw the benefits of joining Houzz, Murphy said. "I've spoken with tens of thousands of professionals, and about 20 percent are on Houzz before we talk with them," Stein said, noting the basic service is free. Developed in 2009 by Adi Tatarko and Alon Cohen, Houzz now boasts 23 million monthly unique users, over 80 percent of whom are homeowners, or "real people who are doing projects," Stein said. Stein has visited 33 states and several Canadian provinces introducing interior designers, architects and contractors to the benefits of participating on Houzz. This is the way things are going in the industry." "We thought our clientele could benefit," said Maher, who with Wylie has owned the business for 18 years. When Michael Murphy, head of new project development of Mamaroneck, N.Y.-based Murphy Brothers Contracting, suggested that they host the event they understood the value to their customers. Wylie and Maher know about the reach of Houzz and with their 22,000 square feet of display space serve interior designers throughout the region. The tutorial was led by Michael Stein, a member of the community team at the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company. More than 50 interior designers, architects and antiques dealers attended the training session Tuesday night at the Antique & Artisan Center, owned Bruce Wylie and Mari Ann Maher. It didn't take much to convince the owners of the Antique & Artisan Center in Stamford they were the right people to host a workshop by Houzz for home improvement professionals who want to learn more about the popular online website. Every young woman who is building or remodeling has a Houzz account." "Houzz has become a go-to site for homeowners, too," said Carroll, who conducted a focus group with young Fairfield County mothers about how they seek ideas for their homes. Houzz also has been an important tool for contractors, said Joanne Carroll, principal in JMC Resources in Branford, publisher of Connecticut Builder magazine. In 2013, she launched kdHOME, an online shop that offers accessories, furniture and window treatments. "Before Houzz, I'd lug around tons of magazines and ask clients to look at them for ideas," said Sohegian, a strong believer in the power of online marketing.
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