Onward: How Starbucks Fought For Its Life Without Losing Its Soul [Hardcover]

This is Howard Schultz's second book about Starbucks, where he is chairman, president, and CEO.
The book covers the period from 2008, when Starbucks was in crisis, its sales slumping and stock tumbling. Schultz tells us how through re-focusing on core values and continuing innovation the company was brought back to sustainable growth and profit.
Schultz joined the company in 1982, when Starbucks only had four stores, in the 29 years since, Starbucks has grown to be global brand with 17,000 stores in 50 countries.
Clearly Schultz is a driven individual, committed to his business, and open to new ideas. The company's shift to Fair Trade coffee is admirable, as are it's charitable donations. I would have like to have read what Schultz has to say about criticisms aimed at Starbucks, but that's not something tackled by this book.
The book is useful for anyone interested in leadership, management, and building a consumer brand.

I was doing a report on Starbucks for my master's degree so I purchased this book. Compared to the other books on Starbucks I enjoyed this one the most. Schultz has unique opinions and it was very interesting to see how his policies and ideas for Starbucks changed over the years. It also opened my eyes up to the way their channel management works, and how they work to maintain high-quality coffee. It's a good read for anyone interested in Starbucks or business in general.

In January 2008, chairman Howard Schultz resumed his roles as President and CEO of Starbucks eight years after he relinquished them, replacing Jim Donald, who took the posts in 2005 but was asked to step down. Schultz's immediate objective was to restore what he called the "distinctive Starbucks experience" after years of rapid expansion that had compromised it. The bulk of this book's material covers the period since then, although Schultz (in collaboration with Joanne Gordon) does include valuable perspectives on the events that preceded his joining Starbucks as director of retail operations in 1982 and his subsequent purchase of the company from its three co-founders in 1987.

Others have their own reasons for praising this book, Here two of mine. First, Schultz is a skillful raconteur and the dramatic narrative that he provides is compelling as he introduces various characters, develops a lively plot filled with crises as well as triumphs, and meanwhile examines several themes that invest the narrative with structure and direction. For example, how to accelerate but manage growth so that the company (however large it may become) retains its entrepreneurial spirit? As Starbucks expanded into new locations, states, and even countries, how to preserve the ambiance of an Italian café (i.e. coffeehouse) while take full advantage of modern technologies? This book is a great read because Schultz has a multitude of fascinating stories to share.
My other reason is that the book anchors in real-world situations, involving real people, a number of business principles that are relevant to all organizations, whatever their size and nature may be.

For example:

1. Don't "fall in love" with loyal, devoted workers. By all means employ them and find useful work for them to do but keep in mind that business development (especially when growth is rapid) frequently creates new demands that some people cannot handle. Schultz acknowledges that he waited too long to respond to earnest and willing but clearly under-performing employees of whom he is obviously fond and for whom he feels genuine appreciation.

2. Do not confuse investments with costs. Schultz was (and remains) a passionate advocate of frugality but eagerly made (and makes) substantial investments in people (e.g. generous benefits for part-time workers) and equipment (e.g. purchasing only the very best beans, state-of-art onsite brewers). Compromising quality to save money is never a "bargain." On the contrary, its cost is prohibitive.

3. No matter what, always preserve and nourish your core business. For Starbucks, the core is the multi-sensory experience it offers as a "third place" renowned for its hospitality, ambiance, indeed its panache. Offer, serve, and sell only what enhances each patron's experience. Also, hire only those who will be evangelists of that experience. There is no reason why where they work can't be as enjoyable for them as it is for those whom they are privileged to serve.

With regard to the title of the book, it refers a process, not a destination. Schultz stepped down when he thought the company could continue to improve, returned when he realized that it hadn't and couldn't without him, and since then he makes certain that the process continues into an otherwise uncertain future.

This is among the most entertaining as well as informative accounts by a CEO that I have read thus far, worthy of inclusion with those written by Alfred Sloan, Andrew Grove, Sam Walton, John Whitehead, Jack Welch, and more recently, Danny Meyer and Chip Conley.

Thank you, Howard Schultz, for the pleasure of your company!