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How different is the culture at Williams Sonoma compared to the previous experience you mentioned? What are the main points of differentiation between the two?

First of all, Laura used to work for Gary for a long time, and there's not a lot of love between them. She seems to take great pleasure anytime they stumble, which is just part of her competitiveness and personal feelings. However, she's a fantastic merchant with an amazing sense for production and a good instinct. All of these qualities are crucial for a retailer creating their own product. It's important to have someone who understands product development, merchandising, and what makes a product successful. On the other hand, Laura is extremely financially and operationally disciplined. She understands the impact of her decisions and seeks input and information before deciding. She doesn't delegate important decisions to others but considers the ramifications thoroughly. She steps back from the emotions of wanting everything to be perfect and focuses on being commercial and responsible, understanding the operational implications of her decisions. This is one of the main differences between the two companies—the rigor with which they develop products and bring them to market.

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