One of my favorite reads in 2011 was Onward by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. Its subtitle sums up the author’s story pretty well: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul. These words accurately capture how Schultz regained control of the company in early January of 2008. (He had stepped aside to become chairman of the board in 2000.) It’s full of astonishing details of his laser-like focus and commitment to reinvigorating the Starbucks brand. Every CEO should be reading this book. So should every business major. And so should anyone else involved in the pursuit of building a charismatic brand.
Personally, I’ve always loved the Starbucks brand. What’s not to like? A great product, designed to be delivered in an atmosphere surrounded by quality and consistency. Not to mention full benefits to each and every one of the company’s part- and full-time partners (they don’t refer to them as employees).
Here’s an excerpt from early in the book:
There are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust. But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and best thing to do. We refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead.
This is the kind of passionate conviction that sparks romances, wins battles, and drives people to pursue dreams others wouldn’t dare. Belief in ourselves and in what is right catapults us over hurdles, and our lives unfold.
For any person looking for evidence that Howard Schultz is indeed a visionary, I’ll remind you that after he took control of Starbucks on January 7, 2008, the company’s stock price bottomed out at $7.17. Last Friday it closed at $47.36. And for good measure, Schultz was recently named Fortune magazine’s 2011 Business Person of the Year.
Now, every time I buy my mocha it puts a smile on my face.
