Who wants a dream that's near-fetched?

The Starbucks customer and the Teavana customer are two very different customers, two different need states that are highly complimentary.

Great companies that build an enduring brand have an emotional relationship with customers that has no barrier. And that emotional relationship is on the most important characteristic, which is trust.

I think Starbucks created a platform and, ultimately, a runway for many other companies to emulate. I suspect if we had not achieved what we have, there would have been many regional brands that would have succeeded. But I'm not sure there would have been a national brand of the scope of Starbucks.

Beverages have to be created. And they're created by looking at what trend is in, say, the fashion industry - what color's hot right now.

I conduct my life with an expectation that people will do the right thing. Yet even with all my experience, I am still surprised when they do not.

I could've just walked away but I never could have forgiven myself to allow Starbucks to drift into mediocrity or not be relevant. I just couldn't be a bystander.