Fortune USA 201906

PROFILE 2019 | THE FORTUNE 500

CONTENT FROM WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.

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IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE THAT

retail has been disrupted in recent years.

Yet as some companies fail to keep up,

San Francisco–based Williams-

Sonoma, Inc., with its eight be-

loved brands, continues to thrive

CEO of Williams-Sonoma. With this mindset,

the company has built an unmatched portfolio

of the most loved brands in home and a

vertically integrated supply chain tailored to

shipping directly to customers at scale and

damage-free. It has also organically grown to

meet customers where they are and is truly

ahead of the multichannel game: More than

54% of Williams-Sonoma’s business is online.

And they are not stopping there. At the end

of 2017, the company acquired 3D-imaging

and augmented-reality platform Outward,

Inc. as part of its transition to immersive retail.

“We believe 3D visualization will completely

redefi ne how customers shop for the home,

and we want to be at the forefront of this

transformative shift,” says Alber.

The company’s deep commitment to sus-

tainability—an increasingly important factor

for customers—has also fueled growth. “We

are making a difference in the world

through the products that we put in

people’s homes,” says Alber. “This

is a key reason why customers

choose us over our competitors.”

Internal company culture plays

a pivotal role, too. “While others

can copy our products and chase

our strategies, our culture and

our people are truly our secret sauce,” says

Alber. Williams-Sonoma embraces a high-

performance mindset. And with an executive

team and board that’s more than 50% female,

the company has one of the most impressive

gender equality profi les in the world.

Ultimately, though, as Williams-Sonoma

continues to scale to exceed ever-changing

demands in unmatched ways, one thing has

never changed: Since its inception in 1956,

the business has maintained an unwavering

focus on customer service and quality. “At the

center of everything we do, every day, is our

customer,” says Alber. “Superior customer

service is oxygen for growth.” ●

Williams-Sonoma, Inc.’s dedication to customer needs

and values is allowing it to lead in a competitive industry—and

change the world for the better.

The Recipe

for Success

LAURA ALBER

CEO

Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

“We have a strong culture of

innovation and entrepreneurship,

which, combined with our deep

understanding of the customer,

enables us to bring great ideas to life.”