Howard Behar

I retired once. I stayed on the board of directors, but I'd kind of retired. I promised my wife when she finished her PhD, she's an oncology social worker and she finished her PhD. I thought it'd take her eight years. It took her about four. I'd made a commitment that we'd take a year off and just travel. So I went to Howard and Orrin and I said, okay, I'm going to take a year off.

I retired once. I stayed on the board of directors, but I'd kind of retired. I promised my wife when she finished her PhD, she's an oncology social worker and she finished her PhD. I thought it'd take her eight years. It took her about four. I'd made a commitment that we'd take a year off and just travel. So I went to Howard and Orrin and I said, okay, I'm going to take a year off.

You know, you may not want me back or whatever, but it's okay. And one day I'm at home after we'd finished our year of travel and I'm having a cup of coffee, sitting in the kitchen in my pajamas. And my wife, Lynn, is there. And all of a sudden the phone rings and it was Orrin Smith, who was then the CEO of Starbucks. And he said, Howard, We need your help for a few months.

You know, you may not want me back or whatever, but it's okay. And one day I'm at home after we'd finished our year of travel and I'm having a cup of coffee, sitting in the kitchen in my pajamas. And my wife, Lynn, is there. And all of a sudden the phone rings and it was Orrin Smith, who was then the CEO of Starbucks. And he said, Howard, We need your help for a few months.

The guy that was the president of Starbucks North America resigned abruptly. It was the week of September 11th. It was amazing. He just left. I don't know what was in his head, but he just left. So I said, Oren, sure, I'm happy to help out. And I was still on the board. So I got off the phone. My wife said, what did you just agree to? And I said, well, I'm going back. She says, you're what?

The guy that was the president of Starbucks North America resigned abruptly. It was the week of September 11th. It was amazing. He just left. I don't know what was in his head, but he just left. So I said, Oren, sure, I'm happy to help out. And I was still on the board. So I got off the phone. My wife said, what did you just agree to? And I said, well, I'm going back. She says, you're what?

So I said, yeah, just to help, just for a few months. Well, it turned out to be almost three years. And when I got back into the job, I realized that it had been about a year and a half. That short period of time, I'd kind of lost touch with what was going on. And they were starting to struggle a little bit. The comparable store sales were starting to flat.

So I said, yeah, just to help, just for a few months. Well, it turned out to be almost three years. And when I got back into the job, I realized that it had been about a year and a half. That short period of time, I'd kind of lost touch with what was going on. And they were starting to struggle a little bit. The comparable store sales were starting to flat.

And I couldn't figure out what was going on, what was happening. And Matter of fact, Howard came into my office one day and I was beside myself. I was just angry at myself because I couldn't figure it out. I threw my glasses across the room and I said, I'm failing. I'm not figuring this out. And that night I went home and I said to my wife, I said, I don't know what's wrong.

And I couldn't figure out what was going on, what was happening. And Matter of fact, Howard came into my office one day and I was beside myself. I was just angry at myself because I couldn't figure it out. I threw my glasses across the room and I said, I'm failing. I'm not figuring this out. And that night I went home and I said to my wife, I said, I don't know what's wrong.

I'm not in touch or something here. And she said, Howard, just do what you know how to do. Do what you know how to do. So I went in the next day and I called the whole team together. And I just, I said, I don't know what's up here. I'm missing something here. And everybody started talking. And I started to realize the place that I took, I took over the job.

I'm not in touch or something here. And she said, Howard, just do what you know how to do. Do what you know how to do. So I went in the next day and I called the whole team together. And I just, I said, I don't know what's up here. I'm missing something here. And everybody started talking. And I started to realize the place that I took, I took over the job.

He was a guy that believed in building resumes. And everybody that reported to him realized that in order to get ahead, they had to do something. They had to build their resume. They had to show success. They had to show all this stuff.

He was a guy that believed in building resumes. And everybody that reported to him realized that in order to get ahead, they had to do something. They had to build their resume. They had to show success. They had to show all this stuff.

Well, it turned from what Starbucks was, which was a we organization, which everybody was in it together, to he kind of built this me organization where everybody was doing it on their own. And all of a sudden I realized that was it. And so I started talking about that. I said, we're not going to get to where we want to go by just focusing on what we get. We're going to have to do this together.

Well, it turned from what Starbucks was, which was a we organization, which everybody was in it together, to he kind of built this me organization where everybody was doing it on their own. And all of a sudden I realized that was it. And so I started talking about that. I said, we're not going to get to where we want to go by just focusing on what we get. We're going to have to do this together.

So I'm a goal guy. I set goals for myself. And so out of thin air, I made up this goal. And I said, the team has to increase average unit volume by $100,000 in three years. Now, I didn't know if we could do it or not, but I just set out a goal. I just pulled it out of thin air. And I said, every department and the whole team has got to contribute towards it.

So I'm a goal guy. I set goals for myself. And so out of thin air, I made up this goal. And I said, the team has to increase average unit volume by $100,000 in three years. Now, I didn't know if we could do it or not, but I just set out a goal. I just pulled it out of thin air. And I said, every department and the whole team has got to contribute towards it.

So I said, in three weeks, we're going to get back together. And I want you to come to present to the team what your portion of that $100,000 is going to be. and how you're planning on doing it. So we got together, even human resources, supply chain, everybody came back and had their piece of the action.

So I said, in three weeks, we're going to get back together. And I want you to come to present to the team what your portion of that $100,000 is going to be. and how you're planning on doing it. So we got together, even human resources, supply chain, everybody came back and had their piece of the action.