PROFILE 2019 | THE FORTUNE 500
CONTENT FROM WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.
WWW.FORTUNE.COM/ADSECTIONS
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 thriveCEO 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 SuccessLAURA 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.”