In 2008, Howard Schultz, the president and chairman of Starbucks, made the unprecedented decision to return as the CEO eight years after he stepped down from daily oversight of the company and became chairman. Concerned that Starbucks had lost its way, Schultz was determined to help it return to its core values and restore not only its financial health, but also its soul. In Onward, he shares the remarkable story of his return and the companyÂ’s ongoing transformation under his leadership, revealing how, during one of the most tumultuous economic times in history, Starbucks again achieved profitability and sustainability without sacrificing humanity.

Table of Contents :

Introduction xii
Part 1 Love
Chapter 1 A Beverage of Truth 3
Chapter 2 A Love Story 8
Chapter 3 Surfacing 14
Chapter 4 Nothing Is Confidential 26
Chapter 5 Magic 33
Chapter 6 Loyalty 39
Chapter 7 Believe 47
Part 2 Confidence
Chapter 8 A Reservoir of Trust 55
Chapter 9 A New Way to See 69
Chapter 10 Playing to Win 81
Chapter 11 Elevating the Core 88
Chapter 12 Get In the Mud 96
Chapter 13 A Reason to Exist 102
Chapter 14 Benevolence 116
Chapter 15 Beyond the Status Quo 123
Chapter 16 Bold Moves 128
Part 3 Pain
Chapter 17 Whirlwind 139
Chapter 18 A Lethal Combination 147
Chapter 19 Reverence 155
Chapter 20 No Silver Bullets 164
Chapter 21 I Know This to Be True 170
Part 4 Hope
Chapter 22 Truth in Crisis 183
Chapter 23 A Galvanizing Moment 192
Chapter 24 Nimble 208
Chapter 25 Plan B 217
Chapter 26 Stay the Course 224
Part 5 Courage
Chapter 27 Innovate 239
Chapter 28 Conviction 250
Chapter 29 Connecting Dots 262
Chapter 30 Balance 271
Chapter 31 Conscience 287
Chapter 32 Winning 296
Chapter 33 Ni Hao 302
Tribute 313
Acknowledgments 329
Photo Credits 333