Howard Schultz joined Starbucks in 1982 as director of operations and marketing when Starbucks had just four stores. At the time the idea of coffee shop as a public square and a daily destination between office and home was unheard of. As CEO he steered the company through an epic spurt and today there are more than 16,000 outlets around the world. Schultz stepped down as CEO in 2000, but in 2008 he made another unlikely move by returning to the CEO position. Schultz felt he had no other choice as he watched the company lose money and move away from its core values. One of his first efforts involved closing thousands of stores for one day to retrain it employees even though it meant the loss of millions of dollars. Schultz joins guest host David Lazarus to share the remarkable story of his return and the company’s ongoing transformation under his leadership, revealing how, during one of the most tumultuous economic times in history, Starbucks again achieved profitability and sustain¬ability without sacrificing humanity.

Guest:

Howard Schultz, President and CEO of Starbucks and author of Onward: How Starbucks Fought for its Life Without Losing its Soul