First published 2019
Howard Schultz examines what leaders and businesses owe society through his personal journey from Brooklyn housing projects to corporate boardrooms. The former Starbucks CEO weaves together two narratives: his challenging childhood that drove him to become the first college graduate in his family, and his unconventional approach to corporate responsibility. Schultz reveals how his father's struggles as a working-class laborer shaped his vision for a company that balances profit with human dignity. He details Starbucks' bold initiatives, from providing health insurance and college tuition for part-time employees to addressing issues of race and refugee assistance. The book profiles Americans who transformed personal struggles into shared victories: young people finding first jobs, students escaping debt, veterans overcoming disabilities, former coal miners and addiction survivors creating new paths. Schultz presents a blueprint for mutual responsibility, arguing that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results when they unite for purposes beyond individual success.
Genres: business, social-issues, biography-memoir, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: inspirational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: rags-to-riches, social-impact
Setting: Brooklyn, Starbucks
Period: 21st Century
368 pages · Hardcover · Random House