How I Built This with Guy Raz Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Home Furnishings: Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams
Mar 28, 2022
Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, co-founders of the acclaimed home furnishings brand, share their remarkable journey from a small furniture startup to a $300 million enterprise. They reflect on the challenges of navigating identity as a gay couple in a conservative society while building their business. The duo discusses pivotal moments, serendipitous encounters, and the balance of creativity with business acumen that fueled their success. Personal stories of self-acceptance and advocacy for social justice enrich their narrative, highlighting the transformative power of design and entrepreneurship.
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Difficult Teenage Years
- Mitchell Gold's teenage years were difficult due to his emerging homosexuality, viewed as a mental disorder at the time.
- He bullied effeminate kids to hide his own identity and prayed for change, highlighting the internalized homophobia of the era.
Parental Reactions and Self-Acceptance
- Mitchell Gold sought therapy to change his sexual orientation but learned self-acceptance instead.
- His parents' reactions reflected societal biases, with his mother initially asking him not to tell his father, fearing a stroke.
Bob Williams' Parallel Experience
- Bob Williams' experience mirrored Gold's, with tearful nights and a nervous breakdown in college due to societal pressures surrounding his homosexuality.
- This struggle led him to pursue design, ultimately choosing Parsons for its proximity to Madison Avenue.