Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Interview

January 28th, 2010

A couple months ago I had the great pleasure of sitting down and talking with Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams when they stopped by their Nashville store to showcase their new book. It was great getting to talk to them and their team and to get to know what they believe in as a company. The interview was done during the book signing so it was a little loud in the background (everyone was having such a great time!) so we added subtitles to the video. You can also read a transcript of the interview underneath the video.

Jeffrey Johnson: I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to be here. I just want to find out exactly how you got started and what it’s like to celebrate 20 years?

Mitchell Gold: Well we started 20 years ago and Bob and I had an idea to do really comfortable furniture. We also had an idea to do a factory that treated our employees really well and to treat our customers well. We feel really fortunate that it’s also an interesting lesson that when you do things right and treat people right you can really build a good business. And here we are 20 years later.

JJ: So tell me where did the compassion come from? How did you get started in the business?

MG: Well we got started in the furniture business because I was in the furniture business and Bob was a graphic designer by training so we decided we wanted to start a furniture company it’s kind of what we do best in the world. And the compassion just comes from just the kind of people we are.

Bob Williams: It’s also just we want to treat people the way we want to be treated. I mean we’ve worked for people and we know what’s it like to be an employee and there’s a certain amount of respect that we have for our employees and that they have for us. It makes it very nice.

JJ: What was your vision of the store?

BW: We want a place that’s very relaxed and comfortable. But is still a little dressy but not so dressy that people are almost uptight and afraid and enjoy the furniture. We want something with style but still can be very comfortable.

MG: Yes, a lot of style. The other thing about the store and the way we designed it, is that it’s really white and gives people an opportunity to see the furniture in the setting and envision it how it would be in their home. We do colored walls intermittently so you have an idea how something would look against color.

JJ: Now tell me about the book. What was the purpose of it?

MG: Well, the book is called the Comfortable Home: How to invest in your nest and live home for less. And one of the things Bob and I realized is people really like our home. They often ask us how to get our home. So we wanted to create a book that laid out how to do that. And the other thing is that we see is that a lot of people are paralyzed to get started. They just don’t know how to get started furnishing their home, whether they’re doing it themselves or with an interior designer. So part of the book is when is a good time to engage in an interior designer, how to interview, and how to find some you’re compatible with. And another thing we talked about was how you, yourself can get started and get a room going.

JJ: I love your showroom, and you make our job as interior designers much easier. You have so many options. You have traditional, modern, and you’ve got clean lines. It’s just a matter of finding out what the client wants. And you’ve really done a wonderful, wonderful job. It’s really beautiful furniture.

MG: Thank you so much. You know an interesting thing, we have a respect for the work that interior designers do. We wanted to make sure to make a place where they feel comfortable with their clients. So we have a really well trained sales team here with the swatches and pictures and everything just to make it easier for you to accommodate your client.

JJ: Also, your price-point really works well with a lot of the clients.

MG: And in today’s economy, especially, we’ve hit a home run. Because people don’t want to overspend at all. They don’t want to have conspicuous consumption. They want to buy something that has good value so they can say to their friends that it was a smart purchase.

JJ: Not only that but you’re also simplifying your life. More and more people are buying less and less but they are appreciating simple, beautiful furniture more. Well thank you so much for doing such a great job and thank you for speaking with me.

Tags: affordable, Bob Williams, book, business, comfortable, Comfortable Home, furniture, interior design, interview, Jeffrey Design LLC, Jeffrey Johnson, Mitchell Gold, new
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