Howard Behar: Leading Starbucks From 28 Stores To A Coffee Giant

This week Andrew talks with Howard Behar, the retired president of Starbucks North America and the founding president of Starbucks International. Howard joined Starbucks in 1989 when the company had just 28 stores. Over the next 21 years under Howard’s leadership, Starbucks grew to more than 15,000 stores across 5 continents. Howard shares a behind the scenes look at how Starbucks became the iconic brand it is today. At the center of it all is a culture built around people, authenticity, and servant leadership. This conversation is filled with practical lessons about organizational culture, how to help others reach their full potential, and the power of putting people first. 

Show Highlights:
1:33 - Getting connected with Starbucks in 1989
1:45 - Meeting Howard Schultz for the first time
2:30 - Working for free before deciding to join the company
3:14 - Evaluating the Starbucks culture
4:55 - Creating a people-centric mindset
5:40 - Reinforcing positive behavior
6:02 - Helping people grow through mistakes
7:01 - Challenges scaling Starbucks
8:37 - Interviewing for human skills
9:42 - Onboarding new team members successfully
11:58 - Making the organization comfortable with mistakes
13:36 - Leading by example
14:40 - Creating unique, joyful customer experiences
16:28 - Howard Schultze as an entrepreneur and leader
17:48 - How Starbucks took care of an employee with AIDS
21:30 - Starbucks leadership's "mission review" process
23:08 - Being vulnerable and transparent
25:34 - Impact of COVID on Starbucks

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