Howard Schultz, Starbucks visionary, once said, “I believe life is a series of near misses. A lot of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It’s seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It’s seeing what other people don’t and pursuing that vision.”
In 2003, more people across America were working than the year before and unemployment was at a five month low. This was making the Starbucks CEO a very happy man; the company’s profits rose 23 percent in that same period. It seems that more and more people were celebrating the fact that they had jobs by splurging on a cup of Starbucks coffee.
He didn’t invent the idea behind the chain, but he had the vision to take the small operation that three men based in Seattle had started and turn it into something bigger. Today, the coffee giant that has emerged has become a national icon and has created a nation of coffee addicts. The success of the company is all the more impressive given that it spent almost nothing on advertising and marketing. Instead, the chain grew by the sheer force of word of mouth.
Today, many lessons on entrepreneurship can be drawn from the Howard Schultz Starbucks. Firstly, the entrepreneur himself advises to dig deep to find something that you are truly passionate about – and it might not be the product itself. Your passion will then inevitably be transferred to everyone you interact with – investors, customers, employees, and colleagues – and will make them more likely to want to do business with you and help you achieve your goal.
Secondly, the success of the chain demonstrates the rewards that come from having a clear vision. Schultz was able to rally a team behind his efforts, and tap into their emotions and inspire them by painting a picture of a world that was better because of the presence of Starbucks.
With the imagination and doggedness with which he pursued his goal, he was able to transform a small Seattle-based operation into the international success that has emerged today. With over 10,000 locations and hundreds of millions of loyal coffee addicts, it is difficult to imagine a world without the Starbucks.
Today, the Howard Schultz Starbucks is not just a place to go and grab a cup of coffee. It is a meeting place, a place to relax, a place to do business, a home away from home. And, the company is taking its vision even further. Having conquered the coffee industry, Howard Schultz is taking his first steps into the movie business. It was part of a promotional deal for the popular film “Akeelah and the Bee,” aggressively promoting the film in all of its North American retail outlets and selling the accompanying DVD and soundtrack. The success of this program has encouraged the company to continue venturing into new industries. After all, Howard Schultz never was one to deal well with limits placed on him.
Howard Schultz Starbucks
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