MEET
Katie Williams:
Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Ideal Living
Like the Beatles said: “And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.” – Katie Williams.
MEET
Katie Williams:
Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Ideal Living
“My parents taught me about social consciousness from a very early age and instilled values that guide me to this day.”
Katie Williams, raised in a small upstate town in New York, set an early example of breaking norms by becoming the first girl to take on a paper route. Her adventurous spirit led her to embark on a bike trip to Nova Scotia at just 17 years old. This same boldness led her to brave the freezing temperatures of the Adirondack Mountains for a snowshoeing adventure. In hindsight, this was all a fitting prologue for her remarkable journey in life.
Katie graduated from Cornell University in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. She immediately began her career in direct response marketing, and within four years, she founded her own company, Williams Worldwide Inc. In 1992, she expanded into global marketing, forming another company, Williams Worldwide Television. Katie’s entrepreneurial skills quickly paid off as her company soared to become the number one women-owned business in Los Angeles. Her unique ability to understand the “storytelling” aspect of a product and her marketing skills are what set her apart from her peers.
Throughout her career, Katie built multiple products to $100+ million in sales and received numerous accolades, including induction into the Direct Response Hall of Fame and receiving the Electronic Retailing Lifetime Achievement Award. Yet what she’s most proud of is mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs who went on to start their own widely successful companies.
She takes pride in fostering growth among women, men, immigrants, and people of color, helping them launch successful ventures. Additionally, her efforts in empowering the education of over 60,000 underprivileged girls in India from first grade through graduation remains a significant source of pride and joy.
