Howard Schultz

Yeah, you're exactly right. I mean, it was just fuel and bitter, acidic, And yeah, I think World War II and the GIs were kind of the impetus for that kind of quality coffee or not quality coffee to exist and have any kind of run after the war.

Yeah, you're exactly right. I mean, it was just fuel and bitter, acidic, And yeah, I think World War II and the GIs were kind of the impetus for that kind of quality coffee or not quality coffee to exist and have any kind of run after the war.

So you show up at Starbucks. You know a little bit about the market because you've been a supplier of theirs. But you happen to be a pretty talented salesman from your time at Xerox. And I want to make a tie here. Our previous episode was the Microsoft episode, or at least Microsoft Volume 1. You were selling word processors made by Xerox. Tell me what word processors were in the mid-70s. So...

So you show up at Starbucks. You know a little bit about the market because you've been a supplier of theirs. But you happen to be a pretty talented salesman from your time at Xerox. And I want to make a tie here. Our previous episode was the Microsoft episode, or at least Microsoft Volume 1. You were selling word processors made by Xerox. Tell me what word processors were in the mid-70s. So...

My territory was 42nd to 48th Street from Fifth Avenue to the river. And I had to make 50 cold calls, physical cold calls a day. That was a job. The Xerox job taught me incredible amounts about not only selling, but humility. Humility, because the rejection every day was so significant. And you put on your suit and tie and you go in an office building. There was no security at that time.

My territory was 42nd to 48th Street from Fifth Avenue to the river. And I had to make 50 cold calls, physical cold calls a day. That was a job. The Xerox job taught me incredible amounts about not only selling, but humility. Humility, because the rejection every day was so significant. And you put on your suit and tie and you go in an office building. There was no security at that time.

Just go in and you go from the top floor to the bottom. And then there are other people selling other products who are doing the exact same thing. And you had to get by the receptionist. I was making $1,000 a month and living at home when I started. Okay. The word processor was a big machine in which you are editing on that machine to basically create a letter.

Just go in and you go from the top floor to the bottom. And then there are other people selling other products who are doing the exact same thing. And you had to get by the receptionist. I was making $1,000 a month and living at home when I started. Okay. The word processor was a big machine in which you are editing on that machine to basically create a letter.

And does it have a screen or is it like a typewriter?

And does it have a screen or is it like a typewriter?

No, it's a typewriter.

No, it's a typewriter.

Yeah. The job at Xerox at the time was like working for Google. I mean, Xerox and IBM were the two pillars of technology and high-tech companies. You told somebody you're working at Xerox, you had a whole different patina that you were, wow, that's working for Xerox.

Yeah. The job at Xerox at the time was like working for Google. I mean, Xerox and IBM were the two pillars of technology and high-tech companies. You told somebody you're working at Xerox, you had a whole different patina that you were, wow, that's working for Xerox.

Wow. And so you quitting, well, Hammerplast, but quitting what seemed like a stable of pretty good jobs to drive across the country to provincial little Seattle, I mean, that's nuts.

Wow. And so you quitting, well, Hammerplast, but quitting what seemed like a stable of pretty good jobs to drive across the country to provincial little Seattle, I mean, that's nuts.

I knew after a couple of years, if I stayed at Xerox for a longer period of time, I was going to be locked in there. But I'll tell you the story that got me to realize I've got to get out of here. At the end of the year, The performance appraisal at Xerox was basically a scorecard from one to five. So you'd have a qualitative discussion with your manager and then he would give you a number.

I knew after a couple of years, if I stayed at Xerox for a longer period of time, I was going to be locked in there. But I'll tell you the story that got me to realize I've got to get out of here. At the end of the year, The performance appraisal at Xerox was basically a scorecard from one to five. So you'd have a qualitative discussion with your manager and then he would give you a number.

And when I got a three, I said, you know, I was just saying to myself, I worked all year. I just had a performance appraisal for my manager and I'm a three.

And when I got a three, I said, you know, I was just saying to myself, I worked all year. I just had a performance appraisal for my manager and I'm a three.