Book Review: Pour Your Heart Into It By Howard Schultz

Whether Howard Schultz is at the helm of Starbucks or not (he’s been its CEO three times), any trouble with the coffee chain usually shines the spotlight on him as well. But the recent media coverage of its on-going struggles with employee unionization is a chance for us to revisit the brand’s humble beginnings and Schultz’s under-rated status as philanthropist and visionary business leader. If you haven’t read ‘Pour Your Heart Into It’, now’s the time to get inspired.

‘Pour Your Heart Into It’ is the first of three memoirs that Schultz has written that are mainly about his devotion to and leadership of Starbucks. First published in 1997, it covers his life and the founding story of the brand right up till 1996, a nine-year period that is considered the most pivotal, since it encompassed his acquisition of the company and its eventual IPO.

He spends the initial chapters on his humble youth and upbringing. It might surprise some to know that he lived in a poor, working class suburb of Brooklyn, New York, called Carnarsie, resulting in a reputation which often subjected him to humiliating discrimination as a youth.

He writes openly about his father’s struggles as a blue-collar worker and the lack of a financial security net that constantly troubled the family. The most fascinating chapters - of course - detail his discovery of the fledgling Starbucks store on a trip to Seattle and his subsequent relationship with the founders. While joining Starbucks was eventually a joy for him, the frustrations in its lack of growth caused a rift with them. (Few would also know that Starbucks started out only selling coffee beans). Schultz was inspired early on by his trips to Italy where espresso-drinking was a part of the daily Italian lifestyle, enjoyed in a communal atmosphere. He felt it would be warmly accepted in America too, except that the founders were adamant in their original strategy. This fundamental disagreement led to him leaving amicably to found his own coffee chain, Il Giornale, built with this vision mind, helped along the way by Seattle luminaries like Bill Gates, Snr. And the happy story culminates in an opportunity to acquire and merge Starbucks back into Il Giornale, with the former name being kept for the new entity.

The book’s second act charts the expansion that he always wanted and is another fascinating look at early failures as well as successes. Throughout the book, the ever-present dilemma of product expansion and possible brand dilution is always addressed, but one thing is certain, Schultz’s ambition to expand Starbucks nationally and beyond was a prime motivator in many of his decisions.

It’s also apparent that Schultz’s vision is really centred around his humane view of the brand as an experiential brand first (tasting authentic coffee) but also how it extends to the internal workings of the company (how employees are treated). As his memoir charts Starbuck’s growth and numerous challenges, the theme of humane leadership rings as consistent as a church bell. As Schultz points out, Starbucks was the first retailer to provide all employees with stock options. It was the first to provide healthcare benefits for all staff, regardless of age or orientation. This was driven by Schultz’s father’s experience, of course and we sense some satisfaction that he was able to use such experiences to treat others better. While it sparks admiration, Schultz also doesn’t hold back from revealing the fascinating boardroom disagreements from investors who didn’t agree or took lots of convincing for every milestone the company implemented. The various crises and challenges faced by a growing company are also laid out vividly by Schultz, including the massive impact the coffee bean prices could have on the company’s performance and some notable incidents. On a more positive note, his passion for marketing and innate sense of brand-building are explored, since it is one of the things that would resonate most with readers who are loyal Starbucks patrons..

‘Pour Your Heart Out’ makes for great reading for start-up founders and marketers alike. It’s inspiring and insightful. More importantly, it’s a timely book to re-visit for both CEOs and boardmembers alike, who still don’t subscribe to the theory that their employees need to be treated humanely with all the benefits they deserve. Retailers and B2C platforms still with-holding benefits and insurance for their gig-workers would do well to take a leaf out of Schultz’s book.

It can read a little ‘preachy’ at times, with Schultz punctuating his chapters with advice to the reader (presumably someone who aspires to be like him) or at least defending why his success and vision worked. It borders on being case study-like if it weren’t written so honestly at times. And one can’t help but to admire his spirit of entrepreneurship and dedication to a more humane workforce. Perhaps that’s what the world needs more of today. Union woes or not, a lot of what corporate America is thankful for today can owe its genesis to his principles and vision.

Summary

Readability: 8/10

Relevance: 10/10

Applicability: 9/10