Lessons from Starbucks (part 1)

The first thing that strikes me about the Starbucks story (see previous post below) is the passion that Schultz and his team have for coffee. He believed in the coffee experience so much that he left a $75,000 a year job to join this small coffee company that only sold coffee beans (they didn't sell beverages yet)! He was captivated by the romance of coffee from the time he stepped into his first store to the time he spent in Italy and its many espresso coffee shops.

They didn't just want to make money. They wanted to share a lifestyle! A coffee experience. THE coffee experience! And throughout their journey, they held unswervingly to their ideals and core values...even if it cost them money (LOTS OF IT TOO)!!!

To say that they have a passion for coffee is an understatement. They have people who can tell the difference between different coffee grinds just from the taste or smell! They are ever-learning and pursuing deeper understanding of their product. They are obsessed.

How many of us can say that about what we do?

It's this kind of passion that will set any organization apart from the rest. How rare this truly is!