Rating: 
Summary: Inspirational and very informative
Review: From purely an inspirational point of view, I found this book very motivating and interesting. Howard's unique perspective on management and operations provides some very informative insight into the success of Starbucks. If you are interested in learning more about corporate history in the making, check this book out.
Rating: 
Summary: Great cup of nonfiction flavored w/ a hint of fictitious fib
Review: First of, this is a marketing propoganda written by Howard Shulz to impart familiarity and intimacy for his company. To this extent, it is an emotional, inspiring, and enthusiastically well written piece, and it successfully leaves me understanding the company all the more. It is a great read and very fun to read. I feel a certain understanding for Starbucks now... but... it is true?I was too young to experience what Starbucks was like back in the good old 80's when it all got started and I didn't wasn't much of a coffee drinker during the 90's. I'm not sure what it was like in the past, but I know for a fact that on the majority, Starbucks of present falls far below the ideal and vision that Howard Shulz paints in this book. The idea and vision is so picturesque when you read it that you almost forget about the actual experience of your most recent visit at a local Starbucks. I've visited some Starbucks in which the espresso drinks were too sweet, coffee was not brewed correctly, and the baristas just plain rude. Often times, I don't get greeted. Nor do I get a thank you for your patronage. Don't get me wrong there are some great employees working there, but on the whole, they fail to live up to the expectations presented in this book. Where's the romance? The camaraderie he envisioned in his original Starbucks? Maybe it existed long ago, but it certainly does not exist anymore. The romance of hearing milk frothed is no longer romantic or even "cool." The baristas lack the qualities that Shulz portrayed in the Italian baristas.
There's no sense of the romance at all. Read this book for the enjoyment of it, and come away knowing that a disparity exists between Shulz's romantic vision of the espresso experience and the actual experience of today. If you hope to start your own coffee shop or any business for that matter. I would highly recommend this book for its attempt and success at providing vision and guidance and experience in starting your own coffee shop (or business). In that respect, you will be richer for reading the book. But just don't read it and believe that the ideals envisioned in this book still stands as it is today. Starbucks is far from this picture of perfection. They must crack down on quality and go back to its roots - the EXPERIENCE. 4 stars for a very enjoyable and inspiring blend of fiction/non-fiction!
Rating:
Summary: Must read for people working in start ups
Review: This is a very good book. If you have enjoyed Lee Icoca's book and Jack Welch's book, then you will enjoy this one also.
Schultz provides a good narrating of events that made the Starbucks company and also his feelings along the way. Folks working in small start up firms will benefit from this book because they will see the merit of managing day to day operations in the short term and at the same time, have the big picture for the long term.
Rating:
Summary: Gain inspiration from everyone.
Review: This is an amazing story. Starbuck's is one of the most corporate companies around and it's humble beginnings show how it all began. In a little less than two decades this company has changed the way Americans see and appreciate coffee. This was all done through clever marketing strategies and the ultimate goal of offering the best coffee around. Just as the producers created a movie based on Bill Gates and Steve Jobs there needs to be a movie that falls along the same vein about Starbucks. This book conveys the energy and excitement of the early days and it makes you wonder what went on behind the scenes. This book is highly recommended for entrepreneurs and it helps them see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Rating:
Summary: An inspiring life story about personal success
Review: I had to read this book for an MBA course of Entrepreneurship.
In the beginning I wondered "why would the professor reccommended this book if it deals about how a poor guy made his career to transforming a local coffee wholeseller into the greatest cafe ever?" I thought this was a book to read comfortably sitting on the beach on vacation.
Luckily it was on the syllabus because it's more than the sotry that lies beneath it. You can find the things most reccommended to do if you want to start up your own enterprise (that was the proffesor's goal I think) but sharing at the same time his sufferings, successes and setbacks. It's not only the "technical" aspect but the "emotional" aspect as well.
I am glad I had read it, it's very inspiring and you cannot but admire Howard Schultz for his perseverance and push.
Rating:
Summary: Coffee Time
Review: Coffee was supposed to have been discovered by a boy named Kaldi in Ethiopia while grazing his goats in the forest. After eating the berries from a plant the goats started bleating and dancing on their hind legs. The curious Kaldi tasted those juicy red berries and he too joined the goats. The rest is history. Coffee has emerged to become the second largest commodity in the world after oil. But even after its "discovery" several centuries ago a cup of real good coffee still eludes the millions, who are yet to discover coffee at it best. But then, this is the business opportunity that Howard Schultz sets to exploit. A real sense of appreciation and the trait of a connoisseur, sip after sip, to truly enjoy the aroma of a freshly brewed cup of dark roasted beans of Arabica coffee, handpicked from the mountains, cured to perfection are some qualities that set Howard apart from the rest. During his visit to Milano, he couldn't but be inspired by the Expressos and Lattes, the Baristas and the scores of Coffee bars that people identify themselves with as a "Third Place", a place to relax, meet friends and just to have a cup of coffee. For Italians, Howard discovers, Coffee is a ritual and romance. This book is the story of brining that coffee romance to America and then to the rest of the world, one cup at a time. Throughout the book, the passion for coffee and to serve only the best to the customers in an ambience that make them return again and again is blended with the story of Starbucks. Due credit goes to the dedicated team of thousands of employees who pour that passion into every cup, straight from their hearts. This book is sure to make you a lover of Coffee and Starbucks. Don't miss the romance.
Rating:
Summary: This was a really interesting book at the time it came out
Review: Starbucks had not made it to every street corner in every city at the time this book came out but you could how it was coming. Schultz shares the secret of a tremendously forward thinking business plan. They did not get greedy. They did not sell franchises. They let the word of mouth build for itself and grew at a rapid but not insane rate. Starbucks is the model that restaurant chains should follow. This is the book that tells you how it happened and how they do it. Don McNay...
Rating:
Summary: ONE CUP AT A TIME OR ONE STORE AT A TIME
Review: I found this book informative and helpful from a business point of view. Although Schultz mentions here and there about his passion for "coffee", I don't believe it. Just because he has passion for coffee doesn't mean that a new Starbucks has to open daily. I recommend this book for the entrepeneurs and business owners. Schultz' ego is amplified throughout the book.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring, Motivational and Heart-warming
Review: Schultz goes from his early childhood, to his first experience with high quality coffee, from opening his first store, to opening his thousandth store, but what distinguishes this book, is not the technical aspects of how stores are opened, but rather how his passions and beliefs have guided Starbucks through a series of incredible accomplishments. The book is inspiring because Schultz comes from the Projects of New York and is able to rise to becoming the creator of a multi-billion dollar company. It is motivational because he works so hard and is able to successfully guide Starbucks through what many would believe to be the impossible. And it is heart-warming because he is able to reach his goals without compromising on his moral principals and beliefs. I read this book because I am interested in opening up a coffee shop and wanted some answers on technical aspects of designing and costs. I was surprised to find so much more than just that, I found all the emotions that happen at every stage of this entrepreneur and all the inspiration I'm going to need to do this. ...
Rating:
Summary: Heartwarming
Review: This book is a very revealing insight into Starbucks, and I particularly like reading about their formative years. The next time I go and drink coffee at one of their outlets, I don't think I can ever look at them the same way again! It is very easy to read and filled with many good pointers. Some people may argue that Starbucks Coffee is not exactly a corporation with a heart as portrayed in this book, but I'd rather focus on the triumph of the human spirit. The main thing that I take away from book is this: it is no fun if you arrive at the finish line alone, so you better work on surrounding yourself with winners. That's the essence of leadership, I guess. In the end, you just realise that it is possible to treat people as human beings, not merely resources. I will definitely make this a required reading for my guys at work.
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