By Travis Bradberry
Starbucks continues to grow relentlessly, with CEO Howard Schultz planned to design “next Starbucks—an evolution of our company deep with purpose.”
While many factors contribute to Starbucks’ immunity to economic trends, most are driven by Schultz. Starbucks’ massive size hasn’t stopped him from realizing his vision of creating a company that’s about much more than making money selling coffee; Schultz is committed to selling an experience and a lifestyle, both of which are inspired by a trip to Italy as a child, where he was drawn to the cafe scene.
Schultz is fiercely loyal to his values. When asked how he balances his values with strategic thinking, he said:
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