Great companies are defined by their discipline and their understanding of who they are and who they are not.

China traditionally has been a tea-drinking country but we turned them into coffee drinkers.

The hardest thing about being a leader is demonstrating or showing vulnerability. And that has a lot to do with trust.

When you start a company, it's a singular focus. You have the wind at your back.

Remember: You'll be left with an empty feeling if you hit the finish line alone. When you run a race as a team, though, you'll discover that much of the reward comes from hitting the tape together. You want to be surrounded not just by cheering onlookers but by a crowd of winners, celebrating as one.

The success of the Starbucks has been based on this balance between profitability and a social conscience. Everywhere we're doing business, were trying to manage the business through the lens of humanity.

We can't wait for Washington. Business leaders are going to have to galvanize their own constituencies and do everything they can to demonstrate confidence in the economy, and I think that can be contagious.