# Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Home Furnishings:  Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2022-03-28
- Length: 1h 06m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams

## Summary

Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, the co-founders of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Home Furnishings, explain how they leveraged Gold's industry experience at Bloomingdale's and Lane Furniture to launch a bold, design-forward upholstered dining chair line in 1989. They describe the critical early decision to partner with an underutilized factory in Taylorsville, North Carolina, rather than building their own, and how they secured massive initial orders from JCPenney and Levitz by negotiating accelerated payment terms. The founders detail their evolution from a small design operation to a multi-million dollar brand, including the strategic pivot to opening their own retail stores and the personal journey of navigating their relationship and identity within the conservative furniture manufacturing hub of North Carolina.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=0) Introduction: Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams
- [4:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=279) Mitchell Gold's early life and identity struggles
- [10:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=617) Bob Williams' design education and career start
- [13:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=783) Gold's retail experience at Bloomingdale's and Lane Furniture
- [16:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=966) How Gold and Williams met and moved to North Carolina
- [24:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=1440) Launching the business with a factory partnership and initial orders
- [30:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=1854) Fulfilling the massive JCPenney and Levitz orders
- [35:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=2139) Early operations, design iterations, and factory acquisition
- [47:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=2870) Shifting to direct retail and omni-channel strategy
- [55:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-03-28-mitchell-gold-bob-williams-home-furnishings-mitchell-gold-and-bob-williams#t=3307) Company culture, social justice activism, and legacy

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Bloomingdale's (company)
- Lane Furniture (company)
- JCPenney (company)
- Levitz (company)
- Crate and Barrel (company)
- ABC Carpet & Home (company)
- Parsons (other)
- 17 magazine (other)
- Metropolitan Home (other)

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- [STL INT: Interview with Garrett Wade founder Garry Chinn](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/shop-talk-live/2020-10-02-stl-int-interview-with-garrett-wade-founder-garry-chinn) (Shop Talk Live)
- [052: The business model behind custom window coverings, Alice Orozco of Pret-a-Portiere](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-09-052-the-business-model-behind-custom-window-coverings-alice-orozco-of-pret-a-por) (Product Startup)
- [044: Turning customizable jackets into a multi-million dollar business, Elyse Daniels of Exodus Wear](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-03-14-044-turning-customizable-jackets-into-a-multi-million-dollar-business-elyse-dani) (Product Startup)
- [Founder Feature: Becca Wright of Piedmont Pennies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-01-17-founder-feature-becca-wright-of-piedmont-pennies) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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