"(L-R) Kate Zdrojewski ('05), Chuck Williams (founder and director emeritus - Williams-Sonoma), and Carin Posedel ('04).
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RMI students had the honor of meeting with Chuck Williams, the founder of the extraordinary Williams-Sonoma company, and with other distinguished members of the RMI Advisory Board on May 5.
Williams is one of the local entrepreneurs responsible for revolutionizing the cooking and retail industries. We were privileged enough to sit down with Williams to learn about his company and receive advice about what it takes to succeed in the retail industry today.
Williams began by explaining how Williams-Sonoma got it’s start, nearly 50 years ago, in 1956. “During my trip to France in 1953, I realized that the French had so many culinary luxuries in their own kitchens that were only available in the U.S. to professional restaurants and bars. I wanted to bring those items to the U.S. and sell them to Americans who were as interested in cooking as I am,” explained Williams. Williams had originally worked as a building contractor, and after making what would be a life-changing trip to France, he realized he could use his love for working with his hands in another field. Recognizing the potential market for professional cookware in the U.S., he found himself starting up a retail store in San Francisco, an industry he had never planned to enter but soon grew to love.
When asked about his favorite part about retail, Williams did not hesitate. “Giving excellent service and making friends with the customers,” he said. Williams-Sonoma was founded on the principles of establishing relationships with customers and loving the culinary arts.
Williams shared stories with us about delivering the proper cookware to a desperate cook’s home on Christmas Eve so that she could complete her special holiday dinner, and advising customers over the phone at 5 p.m. as to how to finish a recipe that was not going as planned.
“I like to do things like that, and so do Williams-Sonoma’s employees. If you have the right people, you will find they do those things on their own, and they like to do them. The difference with Williams-Sonoma is the feeling we give our customers; that is what it is all about,” said Williams.
Williams-Sonoma prides itself on delivering high-quality products and customer-centric service, and Williams hopes that this 48-year tradition will continue for many years to come.
Not only did Williams share the goals and values of his company, he also offered some personal advice that we can all take to heart. “Do something you want to do. Learn as much as you can about it, do it yourself, and have the love of doing it.” It is obvious to others at Williams-Sonoma that Williams adheres to his own advice. “Chuck is the first person here in the morning and the last to leave at night,” said Howard Lester, the chairman of the board at Williams-Sonoma.
“I have given up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I have never regretted it and I have loved every minute of it,” Williams told us with a smile.
It is our hope that we can find the same satisfaction in our own careers. In a time that demands instant gratification, it is common to want to start big and expect big results. However, Williams lends the advice that “It is better to start small and watch it grow. Stability is more important in the long run than a sudden and short-lived result. Thinking rationally and learning as much as possible about an intended venture will never result in failure; it will always result in knowledge gained. There is definitely something to be said for that.”
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