Customer Reviews

Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul

5 star:		(56)
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2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

My fascination with Starbucks began as I savoured the first book 'Pour Your Heart into It' as a business school student and now continues with 'Onward', another highly inspirational read by Howard Schultz; a now humbled CEO with a natural talent for knitting powerful words together to tell an engaging motivational story that takes you through the nail biting journey of a company that went from peak to rock bottom to a slow, painful yet rewarding ride back up the mountain. I wont be surprised if this book finds itself in the business schools curriculum as a learning guide for reinventing oneself during challenging times. Get yourself a copy now!!

I am just about to finish the book...only a few pages left but I had to write a review. I don't write them very often but this book really resonated with me. Unlike a lot of business books written on leadership that are based on theory, ONWARD is a true story of one man's passion to restore his vision for his company. What I really enjoyed was how he didn't glorify himself. Howard was truly authentic in his communication. He had doubts, fears and made mistakes just like we all do. Basically, what I am saying is that you can learn a lot about business from this book but you will learn even more about the mindset and strategies of a true leader and what makes him tick. I am inspired by ONWARD and can't wait to get back to it. My copy is already full of notes, ideas and plans that I have already begun to implement in my company (with noticeable results) I highly recommend ONWARD!

As any Starbucks customer can tell you, the experience of walking into the well-known coffee shop is a delight to the senses. From the delicious scent of freshly ground coffee and the sight of appetizing treats behind the glass, to the cheerful greeting from the barista behind the counter, the store invites you to not only feed your appetite but also sooth your soul.

Now Howard Schultz has presented us with an inside look at the craftsmanship and sincere passion for excellence that have gone into creating this delectable experience. Onward takes the reader from Howard's decisions to return to his position as CEO and forward through the sometimes-agonizing task of finding the perfect balance between product quality, core values and profit.

Told in an earnest and detailed way, Howard's personal account of his leadership role in the company and the many crucial decisions that have gone into making it the icon that it is today makes for an inspiring look at true leadership and transformation!

This is a book about many things. Yes, it is centralized on Howard Schultz and his efforts to transform Starbucks at a time when it drastically needed it, but it is also the story of how much can be accomplished when strong leadership and vision work tirelessly to reach their goal. From the history of Starbucks, through its turning points, and on to its eventual transformation, Onward shows just how much love and dedication has gone into making it the company it is today.

The first half of the book I honestly enjoyed. I liked being able to go "behind the scenes" to get a look at the everyday operations of a retail giant like Starbucks, to get an idea as to what goes on outside of the cookie cutter stores. However, by the last 50 pages or so, I was skimming. It seems as though the entire book was a commercial, an extra long mission statement, to distract the consumers from realizing that Starbucks is the Walmart of coffee, destroying the little man and getting rid of independent coffee shops across the country.

I admit I read this book with a sense of cynicism, having worked in food service in various capacities over the years. I can't tell you how many times I'd have a human resources manager visit my store and act friendly with myself and my employees, smiling from ear to ear, all the while looking at name tags every few minutes because until that day we were all just a number on a profit sheet. I found it hard to believe that employees (I'm sorry, "partners") were as enthusiastic as Howard claimed them to be when he made a visit. I'm thinking more along the lines of "oh s***, he's here, clean that machine real quick and glue on a smile." I've been down that road.

Another of my issues with the book lies with the reasons behind the declining sales within Starbucks when the recession started. Howard claims that he noticed things were going downhill when wrote the infamous memo, but it wasn't until after the memo leaked that sales started to decline. My cynical take on the matter? Howard couldn't stand not being in charge (he alludes to that fact several times) and couldn't get along with a CEO who wasn't handpicked by him. You notice that he mentions firing the person who "leaked" the memo, but then has a kumbaya moment where he realized that that was no longer a priority. I think he leaked the memo on purpose to give himself an excuse to retake the reins.

In the end, is this an inspirational book, a book that can make you think anything is possible, that it's not over until the fat lady sings? Sure, if you've never held a job in the food service industry and seen what your superiors will do for a profit. All in all, this is a commercial. I laughed out loud when I read that Starbucks doesn't like to advertise. They do. They just like to do it in innovative ways. Not on your television, but at your local library.

Author, Jim Collins got it right when he said "Good-to-Great transformations don't happen without level 5 leaders at the helm, they just don't". Howard Schultz demonstrates his level 5 skills, which are a paradoxical combination of personal humility and professional will. Throughout the transformation outlined in this book, Starbucks seemed to methodically and systematically align all the elements required to not only reinvigorate the Starbucks experience, but to also plan on how to make long term changes that would significantly reduce costs and improve customer service making the company a fierce competitor once again. All of this while focusing on finding Starbucks Soul.

It has been fun to watch the company change direction and remember what made the company so great and learn how they have been able to embrace the qualities needed to rebuild their enduring greatness. The recipe seems so simple, but Howard Schultz shows us how difficult it can be to change with the times and embrace challenges such as environmental issues, political divides, and economic uncertainties all adding to the looming recession we were all about to experience. Their savvy strategies to recruit past partners who had the passion and skills to innovate and improve the in-store experience were brilliant! This was the shortest path to the customer and Howard Schultz was smart enough to surround himself with experienced passionate partners who knew how to execute with precision.

I was a former partner at Starbucks and have incredibly fond memories of the people and experiences that I feel so fortunate to have been a part of. Starbucks was and is a great company and Howard Schultz does a great job of sharing his personal journey and sharing what it means to be an entrepreneur. His passion, drive, anger, and love for all that Starbucks has to offer was an exciting read and I am grateful that he had the courage to grab the bull by the horns and take back what makes Starbucks so special. The soul of Starbucks comes to light in this book and it is great to see it shine so brightly once again.

When everyone around him saw failing numbers and a bleak future, Howard Schultz saw possibility and potential. Onward is the telling of just how clearly he saw all that Starbucks could be and his very personal journey to achieve it.

Like any entrepreneur, Howard wanted this business to be profitable, but he also wanted Starbucks to stand for strong values and impeccable quality not only to the customers, but also to his partners, employees and the community. This involved many changes including breaking bad habits and forming better ones and finding ways to improve in many areas that not only met customer expectations, but exceeded them.

I really enjoyed reading about how all this was accomplished and I was truly inspired by the sense of teamwork and resolve shown by all involved.

Onward is insightful and compelling. This book spotlights the spirit of innovation and success that is the hallmark of great leadership as seen through the eyes of Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks. In this first person account we see the trials and troubles that he faced both from economic turmoil and at times even betrayal from within the company. Through it all he carries with him the ideals and image he wants to see achieved and impresses them on everyone involved. It was a great read and carried a very motivating message for anyone in leadership.

Onward is an in-depth look into the true heart that drives Starbucks and what it has taken to make it the household name it is today. In it, Howard Schultz reveals the beliefs and motivations that lead him as he returned to his position as CEO in 2008 and with a genuine love of the product and the dream, lead the company back to a place of financial stability without sacrificing its product quality or fundamental values.

Onward is a bird's eye view of the journey taken by Howard Schultz as he resumed his position as CEO of Starbucks and carefully guided the company back into a position of profit and personal connection.

From decisions made in team meetings to the unexpected discoveries made in obscure locations around the globe, this book shows how very personal the road to success has been not only for Howard, but also for the entire Starbucks family.

It goes without saying that the reason there is such a loyal following among Starbucks customers is that not only do they provide an excellent product but also a genuine personal touch with each experience. This book shows where that spirit of personalization and attention to detail were born and how they were the driving force behind the company's incredible turnaround.