You cant build any kind of organization if youre not going to surround yourself with people who have experience and skill base beyond your own.

There's an energy and excitement when you're building a company. You have so much tail wind. You're planting new seeds. But it's also scary, because there's no safety net.

I'm optimistic about the country; I'm optimistic about the American people.

It's ironic that no matter where I go, I meet people from Brooklyn. I'm proud of that heritage. It's where I'm from, who I am.

Risk more than others think safe.

When you're surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.

Customers don't always know what they want. The decline in coffee-drinking was due to the fact that most of the coffee people bought was stale and they weren't enjoying it. Once they tasted ours and experienced what we call "the third place" ... a gathering place between home and work where they were treated with respect.. they found we were filling a need they didn't know they had.