Do I take criticism of Starbucks personally? Of course I do.

There's a metaphor Vincent Eades likes to use: "If you examine a butterfly according to the laws of aerodynamics, it shouldn't be able to fly. But the butterfly doesn't know that, so it flies.

There's this myth that has been exacerbated by others that Starbucks means a $4 cup of coffee, which is not true.

Certainly the caffeine in coffee, whether it's Starbucks or generic coffee, is somewhat of a stimulant. But if you drink it in moderation, which I think four or five cups a day is, you're fine.

Hiring people is an art, not a science, and resumes can't tell you whether someone will fit into a company's culture.

Post-9/11, we saw an immediate uptick in the amount of people in our stores, all over the country. People wanted that human connection. We are not going to fracture the Starbucks experience.

I never wanted to be on any billionaires list. I never define myself by net worth. I always try to define myself by my values.