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Howard Schultz
Howard Schultz
01:00

Howard Schultz

Starbucks

Seattle, WA USA

"There's always going to be people who tell you that what you're aspiring to do can't be done or that you're aiming too high. The greatest strength you have is your core purpose about what you want to do and how you want to live and define your life. You shouldn't allow anyone, even your parents, to tell you your dreams can't come true."

Career Roadmap

Howard's work combines: Business, Food, and Accomplishing Goals

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Day In The Life

Chairman and CEO

I run the worlds largest coffee chain and am responsible for enhancing the lives of our employees and their communities.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Speech Communication and Rhetoric

    Northern Michigan University

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    Grew up in the projects in Brooklyn--says his upbringing defined his values and sense of humanity.

  • 2.

    Emphasizes that the American Dream is possible, but no one is entitled to it--it takes hard work.

  • 3.

    A first-generation college student, he moved to Michigan to attend Northern Michigan University.

  • 4.

    During college, he had so little money that he would donate blood to earn enough to eat.

  • 5.

    Says the difference between winning and losing is the line between will, passion, and self-belief.

  • 6.

    When pitching Starbucks to investors, he talked to over 200 people and 99 percent of them said no.

  • 7.

    Says if you're only after money, you might achieve short-term goals, but it won't be sustainable.

  • 8.

    His purpose now as CEO is to find ways to enhance the lives of his 300K employees at Starbucks.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from undefined:

  • How I responded:

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • I lived in the projects... and it gave us an understanding that we would have to work very hard to not be defined by the station in life we were in