Howard Schultz Quotes & Sayings

Social and digital media is a bullet train, and that bullet train is not coming home. — Howard Schultz

Be bold, but be fair. Don't give in. If others around you have integrity, too, you can prevail — Howard Schultz

For Starbucks, there will be no shortage of the highest-quality arabica beans. I suspect that for some others there could potentially be a problem, not in the near term, but over time. — Howard Schultz

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.
"Life is a sum of all your choices," wrote Albert Camus. Large or small, our actions forge our futures and hopefully inspire others along the way. — Howard Schultz

Starbucks is committed to evolving and enhancing our customer experience with innovative and wholesome food offerings. — Howard Schultz

At its core, I believe leadership is about instilling confidence in others — Howard Schultz

Our mission statement about treating people with respect and dignity is not just words but a creed we live by every day. You can't expect your employees to exceed the expectations of your customers if you don't exceed the employees' expectations of management. — Howard Schultz

When we love something, emotion often drives our actions.
This is the gift and the challenge entrepreneurs face every day. The companies we dream of and build from scratch are part of us and intensely personal. They are our families. Our lives.
But the entrepreneurial journey is not for everyone. Yes, the highs are high and the rewards can be thrilling. But the lows can break your heart. Entrepreneurs must love what they do to such a degree that doing it is worth sacrifice and, at times, pain. But doing anything else, we think, would be unimaginable — Howard Schultz

Work should be personal. For all of us. Not just for the artist and entrepreneur. Work should have meaning for the accountant, the construction worker, the technologist, the manager and the clerk. — Howard Schultz

And with the right mentor, don't be afraid to expose your vulnerabilities. Admit you don't know what you don't know. When you acknowledge your weaknesses and ask for advice, you'll be surprised how much others will help. — Howard Schultz

I am concerned about any attrition in customer traffic at Starbucks, but I don't want to use the economy, commodity prices or consumer confidence as an excuse. We must maintain a value proposition to our customers as well as differentiate the Starbucks Experience. That is the key. — Howard Schultz

I think Starbucks created a platform and, ultimately, a runway for many other companies to emulate. I suspect if we had not achieved what we have, there would have been many regional brands that would have succeeded. But I'm not sure there would have been a national brand of the scope of Starbucks. — Howard Schultz

Remember: You'll be left with an empty feeling if you hit the finish line alone. When you run a race as a team, though, you'll discover that much of the reward comes from hitting the tape together. You want to be surrounded not just by cheering onlookers but by a crowd of winners, celebrating as one. — Howard Schultz

With a population of more than 600 million people, an emerging middle class that is driving strong consumption, and a robust and resilient economy, Southeast Asia presents a compelling growth opportunity for Starbucks. — Howard Schultz

Pouring espresso is an art, one that requires the barista to care about the quality of the beverage. — Howard Schultz

I tried to build a company my father would have been proud to work for, that he would have looked back on and said, 'That's the company that honoured me, even though I don't have an education'. I wanted to build a company that had a conscience. — Howard Schultz

I can't imagine a day without coffee. I can't imagine! — Howard Schultz

Success is empty if you arrive at the finish line alone. — Howard Schultz

While their service is ending, our responsibility is just beginning! — Howard Schultz

I'm optimistic about the country; I'm optimistic about the American people. — Howard Schultz

If you put on a lousy production with white actors, it's lousy. There is a problem, or can be, at this stage of our social evolution, with mixing the casts. It may not be a question of race so much as class. You would rarely find a black man in a high executive position where he was swinging his weight around. — Howard Schultz

America's leaders need to put their feet in the shoes of working Americans. — Howard Schultz

The growth of the company and the license that Starbucks has is to participate in other food and beverage opportunities. We have a global business ... and in many parts of the world, tea is much, much bigger than coffee, and we're going to bring tea and bring our capability and our understanding of what we've done for coffee to tea. — Howard Schultz

Grow with discipline. Balance intuition with rigor. Innovate around the core. Don't embrace the status quo. Find new ways to see. Never expect a silver bullet. Get your hands dirty. Listen with empathy and overcommunicate with transparency. Tell your story, refusing to let others define you. Use authentic experiences to inspire. Stick to your values, they are your foundation. Hold people accountable, but give them the tools to succeed. Make the tough choices; it's how you execute that counts. Be decisive in times of crisis. Be nimble. Find truth in trials and lessons in mistakes. Be responsible for what you see, hear, and do. Believe. — Howard Schultz

I had written hundreds of memos during my 26 years at the company, and all had shared a common thread. They were about self-examination in the pursuit of excellence, and a willingness not to embrace the status quo. This is a cornerstone of my leadership philosophy. — Howard Schultz

Starbucks has changed the rules of engagement for the music industry. — Howard Schultz

This may sound a bit naive, but I got here by believing in big dreams. — Howard Schultz

Sometimes the difference between winning and losing is will. The will to make it happen. — Howard Schultz

To stay vigorous, a company needs to provide a stimulating and challenging environment for all these types: the dreamer, the entrepreneur, the professional manager, and the leader. If it doesn't, it risks becoming yet another mediocre corporation. — Howard Schultz

In life, you can blame a lot of people and you can wallow in self-pity, or you can pick yourself up and say, 'Listen, I have to be responsible for myself.' — Howard Schultz

As Americans, there are very few things we have confidence in. — Howard Schultz

Managing a business, small or large, today requires an extremely disciplined, thoughtful approach with regard to the pressure that people are under. — Howard Schultz

Protect and preserve your core customers," he [Jim Sinegal, cofounder and CEO of Costco] told our marketing team when I invited him to speak to us. "The cost of losing your core customers and trying to get them back during a down economy will be much greater than the cost of investing in them and trying to keep them. — Howard Schultz

A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received. - ALBERT EINSTEIN — Howard Schultz

I probably have about four or five cups of coffee a day. I make myself an espresso macchiato when I wake, which is a shot of espresso and just a dollop of steamed milk. Then, if I'm going to do some work at home, I would make myself a French press. It's the best way to make conventional coffee. — Howard Schultz

The future of America is not an entitlement. We have been given a treasure chest of gifts and opportunities, but some people are being left behind, and success is not sustainable unless it is shared. — Howard Schultz

So when some refer to Starbucks' coffee as an affordable luxury, I think to myself, Maybe so. But more accurate, I like to think, is that the starbucks experience - personal connection- is an affordable necessity. We are all hungry for community. — Howard Schultz

Growing up I always felt like I was living on the other side of the tracks. I knew the people on the other side had more resources, more money, happier families. — Howard Schultz

Care more than others think wise. — Howard Schultz

Often, organizations need bold, grand gestures to galvanize people towards a new mission or refocus their attention. — Howard Schultz

Many companies today are reducing hours of full-time people to get under the minimum so they don't have to pay health care costs. I just shake my head because that's not going to build long-term value and trust with your people. — Howard Schultz

Most business people today are not going to invest in the uncertainty that exists in America. — Howard Schultz

Starbucks was under attack, mostly from within. — Howard Schultz

London, a city where creativity and innovation have always flourished, provides a significant home for Starbucks and a significant gateway into Europe. — Howard Schultz

I could've just walked away but I never could have forgiven myself to allow Starbucks to drift into mediocrity or not be relevant. I just couldn't be a bystander. — Howard Schultz

Everyone starts strong. Success comes to those with unwavering commitment to be at the end. — Howard Schultz

My kids probably started drinking coffee in their late teens. — Howard Schultz

When you're building a business or joining a company, you have to be transparent; you can't have two sets of information for two sets of people. — Howard Schultz

If you don't love what you're doing with unbridled passion and enthusiasm, you're not going to succeed when you hit obstacles. — Howard Schultz

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 see And pursuing that vision. — Howard Schultz

A well-built brand is the culmination of intangibles that do not directly flow to the revenue or profitability of a company, but contribute to its texture. Forsaking them can take a subtle, collective toll. — Howard Schultz

Do I take criticism of Starbucks personally? Of course I do. — Howard Schultz

The evolving social and digital media platforms and highly innovative and relevant payment capabilities are causing seismic changes in consumer behavior and creating equally disruptive opportunities for business. — Howard Schultz

Customers must recognize that you stand for something. — Howard Schultz

Starbucks has stores in America in many, many communities that are governed by many, many different municipalities. Starbucks cannot dictate to a municipality in Cincinnati or Kansas City or Sacramento how or why or when there should be a recycling program. — Howard Schultz

Any business today that embraces the status quo as an operating principle is going to be on a death march. — Howard Schultz

This is not his job, I thought, it's his passion. — Howard Schultz

If you examine a butterfly according to the laws of aerodynamics, it shouldn't be able to fly. But the butterfly doesn't know that, so it flies — Howard Schultz

The response to the Starbucks brand has been phenomenal in our international markets. — Howard Schultz

The challenge of the retail business is the human condition. — Howard Schultz

We also sold books, creating several best sellers and helping to put unknown authors on the map. — Howard Schultz

For more than three decades, coffee has captured my imagination because it is a beverage about individuals as well as community. A Rwandan farmer. Eighty roast masters at six Starbucks plants on two continents. Thousands of baristas in 54 countries. Like a symphony, coffee's power rests in the hands of a few individuals who orchestrate its appeal. So much can go wrong during the journey from soil to cup that when everything goes right, it is nothing short of brilliant! After all, coffee doesn't lie. It can't. Every sip is proof of the artistry
technical as well as human
that went into its creation. — Howard Schultz

People have come to me over the years and said to me: 'I admire the culture of Starbucks. Can you come give a speech and help us turn our culture around?' I wish it were that easy. Turning a culture around is very difficult to do because it's based on a series of many, many decisions, and the organization is framed by those decisions. — Howard Schultz

If you look at coffee, tea, food and juice, we think there are inherent opportunities. If you look at health bars or grab-and-go products that are in our stores, we think we can significantly enhance them and make them more widely available. — Howard Schultz

My biggest concern is that America is drifting towards mediocrity and that people don't recognize - and by people I'm meaning Washington - don't recognize the sense of urgency and the fact that I don't think this is a crisis anymore. I think it's an emergency. — Howard Schultz

Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise. — Howard Schultz

Who wants a dream that's near-fetched? — Howard Schultz

We must restore the emotional relationship that people have to the idea of America, that no matter where you come from, no matter where you live, that you have access to the same opportunities that somebody who is born in privilege. — Howard Schultz

In many places where coffee is grown, deforestation is a major issue. With Starbucks' position in the marketplace and the respect and relationships we have, we can - and have, in some cases - been able to educate and influence people. — Howard Schultz

A founder's perspective is unique.

Entrepreneurs are builders, and the lens through which I view Starbucks and the marketplace is somewhat different from what it would be if I were a professionally schooled manager. — Howard Schultz

I'm not losing any sleep over Dunkin Donuts. — Howard Schultz

Part 2: Confidence — Howard Schultz

The issue of managing through a crisis is you have to be decisive even if you don't have perfect information. — Howard Schultz

We need to reinvent food at Starbucks. Less could be more. — Howard Schultz

Even though people are under economic pressure, they still want to support those brands with values that are compatible with their own. — Howard Schultz

Without fanfare, Starbucks was also going to open two coffee shops in Seattle that were not like any of our existing stores. Each would serve Starbucks coffee but be unique — Howard Schultz

We would take something old and tired and common - coffee - and weave a sense of romance and community around it. We would rediscover the mystique and charm that had swirled around coffee throughout the centuries. — Howard Schultz

I conduct my life with an expectation that people will do the right thing. Yet even with all my experience, I am still surprised when they do not. — Howard Schultz

I think the currency of leadership is transparency. You've got to be truthful. I don't think you should be vulnerable every day, but there are moments where you've got to share your soul and conscience with people and show them who you are, and not be afraid of it. — Howard Schultz

We are witnessing a seismic change in consumer behavior. That change is being brought about by technology and the access people have to information. — Howard Schultz

Starbucks is in my blood. It is such a part of me that letting it unravel simply was not an option. — Howard Schultz

Every step of the way, I made it a point to underpromise and overdeliver. In the long run, that's the only way to ensure security in any job. — Howard Schultz

55 percent - about 1.4 million veterans among this generation - said they feel disconnected from civilian life in America. — Howard Schultz

Our strategy was to do more of what had worked in the past. But we were not pushing ourselves to do things better or differently. We were not innovating in lasting ways. We were venturing into unrelated businesses like entertainment. And we were pushing products that deviated too far from the core coffee experience. — Howard Schultz

I think many start-ups make mistakes because they are focusing on things that are farther ahead, and they haven't done the work that has built the foundation to support it. — Howard Schultz

If you pour your heart into your work, or into any worthy enterprise, you can achieve dreams others may think impossible. — Howard Schultz

Our history is based on extending the brand to categories within the guardrails of Starbucks. — Howard Schultz

Don't buy preground coffee. — Howard Schultz

I think people will walk into the Starbucks store and overnight recognize the significant difference between what Starbucks represents day-in and day-out and all the other coffee companies that have been serving coffee in India for so many years. — Howard Schultz

Great companies that build an enduring brand have an emotional relationship with customers that has no barrier. And that emotional relationship is on the most important characteristic, which is trust. — Howard Schultz

It's different when you're trying to turn something around, especially something that you built, at a time when so many constituents - the media, Wall Street, competitors, ex-employees - are all saying that Starbucks's best days are behind it, and that Schultz is never going to be able to bring it back. — Howard Schultz

Passionate conviction ... 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. — Howard Schultz

Anybody can leverage celebrity for profit. — Howard Schultz

Twenty Million New Customers Are Worth Taking a Risk For — Howard Schultz

Just. Plain. [Fu*king.] Grilled. Swordfish. — Howard Schultz

What distinguishes the talented person who makes it from the person who has even more talent but doesn't get ahead? Look at the aspiring actors waiting tables in New York, as an example: Many of them are probably no less gifted than stars like Robert DeNiro and Susan Sarandon. Part of what constitutes success is timing and chance. But most of us have to create our own opportunities and be prepared to jump when we see a big one others can't see. It's one thing to dream, but when the moment is right, you've got to be willing to leave what's familiar and go out to find your own sound. That's what I did in 1985. If I hadn't, Starbucks wouldn't be what it is today. — Howard Schultz

The world belongs to the few people who are not afraid to get their hands dirty. I — Howard Schultz

Sports was a great equalizer. It didn't have color. It didn't matter whether you were rich or poor, black or white. It really shaped me in many ways to be able to deal with a lot of different personalities and different cultures. Sports were the common thread. — Howard Schultz

I think if you're an entrepreneur, you've got to dream big and then dream bigger. — Howard Schultz

There's this myth that has been exacerbated by others that Starbucks means a $4 cup of coffee, which is not true. — Howard Schultz