Starbucks Soul

"A third place between home and work" - Howard Schultz

This is the vision of Starbucks Chairman, Howard Schultz - for Starbucks to become a home away from home, a place where you can find comfort and a friendly environment. Howard has succeeded. I enjoy being at Starbucks. I enjoy the smell, the environment and the energy. Howard suggested in an interview on "60 Minutes" that Starbucks feeds the Souls of its patrons. It is clear that Howard's passion and soul extends itself through the organization and I believe, to his point, that is extends to the customer. A true Inspiration.

Starbucks is the quintessential rags to riches story, the vision was and is extraordinary and the direction is still going up and to the right. The leadership, culture and design/business model is the perfect blend that all companies should seek - blend to your desired tastes.

What I appreciate so much about Howard's vision is that is was such an incredible leap from what was then "reality". He turned what once was the least expensive beverage you could order into one that costs as much as an alcoholic beverage. If you have a vision but you think it is too risky, think about Howard and his vision and get started! Perhaps nothing was riskier or more extreme than the vision for Starbucks.

Sources: 60 Minutes "The Star of Starbucks" April 23, 2006, www.starbucks.com