POTTERY BARN
Transforming Creative Operations at Scale
Role: Creative Director, eCommerce
CHALLENGE
When I joined Pottery Barn as Creative Director, eCommerce, the creative function was struggling to keep pace with business demands:
Manual, inefficient production processes causing 6-8 week lead times
Small team (4 people) unable to meet volume demands for 40,000+ product pages
No standardized brand systems or asset management across the $3.5B flagship
Inconsistent quality across massive SKU catalog
Creative bottleneck blocking merchandising and marketing initiatives
The business needed more creative output, faster, without compromising the luxury brand standards Pottery Barn is known for.
MY APPROACH
Built & Scaled Global Team
Grew from 4 to 13 people (US + offshore), establishing clear roles, skill development programs, and performance frameworks. Created a culture of excellence while maintaining team morale under aggressive timelines.
Pioneered AI-Enhanced Workflows
Researched and implemented AI tools for image processing, background removal, and asset optimization, cutting manual tasks by 60%. This wasn't about replacing creativity; it was about eliminating tedious work so the team could focus on strategic creative decisions.
Established Enterprise Brand Systems
Created comprehensive templates, style guides, and asset libraries that ensured consistency at scale. Built governance frameworks that gave teams clear guardrails while maintaining creative flexibility.
Transformed Stakeholder Collaboration
Implemented streamlined approval processes and project management systems that reduced revision cycles and improved cross-functional alignment with merchandising, product, UX, and marketing teams.
Elevated Creative Standards
While increasing speed, maintained la uxury aesthetic through strategic photographer partnerships, clear art direction frameworks, and quality control checkpoints.
THE RESULTS
50% reduction in time-to-market for seasonal launches
3x content output without proportional budget increase
2x team efficiency through workflow optimization
Enterprise systems adopted across Williams-Sonoma portfolio brands
High-performing team culture with low turnover despite aggressive demands.
Product Page
