Good morning, Broadsheet readers! X CEO Linda Yaccarino defends Elon Musk's expletive-filled advertiser comments, Bari Weiss's news site is having a breakout moment, and Williams Sonoma CEO Laura Alber is the longest-serving female CEO in the Fortune 500. Have a restful weekend!
- Staying power. Laura Alber is in the midst of her 28th holiday season at Williams Sonoma, the parent of West Elm, Pottery Barn, and its namesake brand, known for high-quality (and high price point) furniture and home goods. She started at the company as a senior buyer for Pottery Barn in 1995 and says that since then she hasn't interviewed for a single job outside the business. Her 13 years as CEO of the $8.7 billion-in-revenue retailer makes her the longest-serving female chief executive in the Fortune 500.
Staying put has allowed Alber to wade through plenty of challenges, as I explore in a new story in the December/January issue of Fortune. There was the pandemic, which arrived a decade into her tenure. Now there's the housing slowdown. With homeowners locked in by low interest rates, fewer home sales—and fewer moves—eliminates a big occasion for furniture shopping.
