Houzz's Alon Cohen, who emigrated from Israel, describes the isolation he first felt from not having the same shared experiences as his American co-workers. He then says a colleague reframed Cohen's situation, of coming to the United States and succeeding in Silicon Valley, as the epitome of the proverbial "American dream."

Alon Cohen, co-founder and president of Houzz, talks about how becoming an entrepreneur later in life is just as viable as starting a company as a young adult, pointing out that experience leads to knowledge. Fundamentally, success depends on building a useful product and continuously working on it.

Houzz Co-Founder and President Alon Cohen recalls how building a product first, and being able to show investors how much people use it, eased and simplified fundraising. While "bootstrapping" isn't always seen as the best approach to starting a business, Cohen says it proved to investors that his team could build a viable product with limited resources.

Houzz Co-Founder and President Alon Cohen says to see firing someone who is a bad fit as a favor to both the company and the individual being let go. That person would probably rather work elsewhere anyway, and so it's best to be decisive and accept that a bad hire was a mistake before it takes a toll on the team and the work, according to Cohen.

Houzz's Alon Cohen discusses the importance of investing in a business's future to remain competitive. In addition to exploring new technologies that could enhance product, Cohen says his company strategically researches what additional needs current customers have that aren't yet being met.

Alon Cohen, co-founder and president of Houzz, explains how the ordeal of remodeling his home led him and his wife, Adi Tatarko, to start the company, now a leading online platform for home remodeling and design. He also recalls wise words from a fellow entrepreneur on how to know if they were doing the right thing: "Don't enter if what you want is to exit."