Howard Schultz

And you were raising $1.6 million? About $1.6, $1.7 million. And they said, no one is going to buy Italian espresso in Seattle or in America. Which is stupid, because you watched it happen.

And you were raising $1.6 million? About $1.6, $1.7 million. And they said, no one is going to buy Italian espresso in Seattle or in America. Which is stupid, because you watched it happen.

I ran this store for six months, and it was flying off. Yeah, they didn't want to do it.

I ran this store for six months, and it was flying off. Yeah, they didn't want to do it.

So Lavazza and Faema, just get that on the record, turned me down. They'll deny it. That's a fact. So then I go back to the US. I'm trying to raise money, and I hit the three titans in Seattle. Jack Benaroya, Herman Sarkowski, and Sam Strong. three of the leading citizens of Seattle, Washington at the time. And the three of them have a little bit of an investment together in other things.

So Lavazza and Faema, just get that on the record, turned me down. They'll deny it. That's a fact. So then I go back to the US. I'm trying to raise money, and I hit the three titans in Seattle. Jack Benaroya, Herman Sarkowski, and Sam Strong. three of the leading citizens of Seattle, Washington at the time. And the three of them have a little bit of an investment together in other things.

And they say, we're going to believe in you. And they take me over the hump. Wow. Okay. And we opened three Il Giornali's, two in Seattle, one in Vancouver, BC. And all three are doing well, all three. But I didn't have enough money to expand.

And they say, we're going to believe in you. And they take me over the hump. Wow. Okay. And we opened three Il Giornali's, two in Seattle, one in Vancouver, BC. And all three are doing well, all three. But I didn't have enough money to expand.

Yeah, more labor, yes. But the stores weren't that expensive to open because they were small, less than 1,000 square feet. And we understood how to do it. And I was working as a barista with Dave Olson and other people to keep the cost down. We were behind the counter, and I had no salary. I had no salary for almost two years.

Yeah, more labor, yes. But the stores weren't that expensive to open because they were small, less than 1,000 square feet. And we understood how to do it. And I was working as a barista with Dave Olson and other people to keep the cost down. We were behind the counter, and I had no salary. I had no salary for almost two years.

while Sherry was working and pregnant with our first child. So looking increasingly worse from a traditional perspective of leaving a high quality job, moving across the country, then just a couple of years later, here you are not making any money again, while raising millions of dollars to try to start your own business.

while Sherry was working and pregnant with our first child. So looking increasingly worse from a traditional perspective of leaving a high quality job, moving across the country, then just a couple of years later, here you are not making any money again, while raising millions of dollars to try to start your own business.

It gets worse. Sherry is six, seven months pregnant. She's working. Her parents visits you. They're from Ohio. Father asked me to take a walk.

It gets worse. Sherry is six, seven months pregnant. She's working. Her parents visits you. They're from Ohio. Father asked me to take a walk.

God is my witness. True story. Take a walk, and he says, whatever you're doing, I respect it, but it's not a job. It's a hobby. You need to get a job. My daughter's pregnant. She's working. You're not. I start crying.

God is my witness. True story. Take a walk, and he says, whatever you're doing, I respect it, but it's not a job. It's a hobby. You need to get a job. My daughter's pregnant. She's working. You're not. I start crying.

I bet.

I bet.

So embarrassed. And I come home at 3, 4 o'clock in the afternoon, whatever it is. I don't say a word. Completely shaken by the whole conversation. Her parents go to bed after dinner. I'm sitting with Sherry. And I said, I got to tell you something happened. She was so angry at her dad and so upset. And she said, there's no way we're turning around. We are going.

So embarrassed. And I come home at 3, 4 o'clock in the afternoon, whatever it is. I don't say a word. Completely shaken by the whole conversation. Her parents go to bed after dinner. I'm sitting with Sherry. And I said, I got to tell you something happened. She was so angry at her dad and so upset. And she said, there's no way we're turning around. We are going.