Business Icons: Howard Schultz

Howard Schultz stands out, not just because of his success in business but because he has always been willing to take chances. He didn’t go to an exclusive business school but got a speech communication degree from Northern Michigan University and started his career as a salesperson with Xerox. Schultz did well with Xerox but soon moved on to become the general manager of Hammarplast. It was as a client of the coffee manufacturer that he first encountered Starbucks. He was so impressed with the business that he expressed interest in working with them. Eventually, he joined them as the director of marketing. At this point, his life was on a normal trajectory with no hint that he would go on to change the business world.

Brewing Innovation

On a buying trip to Milan, he noticed how coffee shops were a part of the culture, with one on almost every street that served as a meeting place. Returning to Seattle he convinced the owners of Starbucks to expand their coffee offerings and replicate the Italian model in one of their locations. Though it was successful, the owners did not want to expand the concept to their other stores. Certain of his idea, Schultz left Starbucks and, with the support of the founders and $100,000 borrowed from a friend, opened his own coffee shop.

Leap of Faith

Soon the original Starbucks founders decided to focus in a different direction. They sold the name and original location to Schultz who quickly began to expand the brand. As he chose to reject the common franchising model, the company retained ownership of all locations. Afterwards, he went on to make several interesting business choices to achieve his vision for the company. He stepped down as CEO to drive international expansion as the Chief Global Strategist. Schultz spent time in numerous positions over the years, deciding to focus on areas where he could best help growth. He eventually left Starbucks in 2018.

Howard Schultz’s story proves that you don’t need a fancy degree or to come from money to be successful in your career.

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