Howard Schultz

And what are the headwinds?

And what are the headwinds?

Headwinds were the level of attrition of customers.

Headwinds were the level of attrition of customers.

And we weren't as good as we were when we were small.

And we weren't as good as we were when we were small.

And this goes back to what I said earlier. Growth covers up mistakes. And success breeds hubris. And it did.

And this goes back to what I said earlier. Growth covers up mistakes. And success breeds hubris. And it did.

How could it not? I mean, how could you... Starbucks today is so freaking ubiquitous, which again is one of the things I love about it. It's consistent anywhere I travel in the world. I can count on it. I can mobile order and pay. There's all these wonderful things. But when you become like government level scale in the world, people assume it's a piece of public infrastructure.

How could it not? I mean, how could you... Starbucks today is so freaking ubiquitous, which again is one of the things I love about it. It's consistent anywhere I travel in the world. I can count on it. I can mobile order and pay. There's all these wonderful things. But when you become like government level scale in the world, people assume it's a piece of public infrastructure.

I assume employees even must feel that way during some periods of time of like, we're so big, we're just... But the worst thing that Starbucks could have become...

I assume employees even must feel that way during some periods of time of like, we're so big, we're just... But the worst thing that Starbucks could have become...

And the worst thing that Starbucks could become is a utility. Scale and ubiquity creates complexity. Complexity demands efficiency. But we are in a business where that touch point between the customer and the barista has to be protected and has to be elevated. Now, then you get stores that are so busy where the barista can't even look up, can't look up.

And the worst thing that Starbucks could become is a utility. Scale and ubiquity creates complexity. Complexity demands efficiency. But we are in a business where that touch point between the customer and the barista has to be protected and has to be elevated. Now, then you get stores that are so busy where the barista can't even look up, can't look up.

And then you get mobile order and pay, which we haven't even talked about.

And then you get mobile order and pay, which we haven't even talked about.

Which is a thing I love and do every day and depersonalizes the experience by definition.

Which is a thing I love and do every day and depersonalizes the experience by definition.

Yes. Starbucks demands nurturance. It's a company that has to be nurtured like a young child. That is an anomaly, inconsistent with scale. And you get people coming into the company with different experience, different language. The immersion doesn't quite hit them in the heart or the soul or the conscience of the company.

Yes. Starbucks demands nurturance. It's a company that has to be nurtured like a young child. That is an anomaly, inconsistent with scale. And you get people coming into the company with different experience, different language. The immersion doesn't quite hit them in the heart or the soul or the conscience of the company.