The challenge of the retail business is the human condition.

Our history is based on extending the brand to categories within the guardrails of Starbucks.

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

I honestly never dreamed at the time that I would one day own the Starbucks and or be in a position where we would have more than 10,000 stores around the world. It has just been an incredible journey for all of us.

At an early age, my mother gave me this feeling that anything is possible, and I believe that.

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.

People want guidance, not rhetoric. They need to know what the plan of action is, and how it will be implemented. They want to be given responsibility to help solve the problem and authority to act on it.