Howard Schultz

I think many start-ups make mistakes because they are focusing on things that are farther ahead, and they haven't done the work that has built the foundation to support it.

More than anything else, technology will pave the way for innovative change at Starbucks. The bulk of Starbucks' innovation over the next several years will be technology-focused.

A great business has to have a conscience. You have to know who you are and who you are not.

I believe life is a series of near misses. A lot of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It's seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It's seeing what other people don't see And pursuing that vision.

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.

Good results is not an entitlement. It has to be earned and earned each individual working day via the lens of humility.

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.

Managing a business, small or large, today requires an extremely disciplined, thoughtful approach with regard to the pressure that people are under.

If you don't love what you're doing with unbridled passion and enthusiasm, you're not going to succeed when you hit obstacles.

I was taken by the power that savoring a simple cup of coffee can have to connect people and create community.

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.

Cutting prices or putting things on sale is not sustainable business strategy.

I think if you're an entrepreneur, you've got to dream big - and then dream bigger.

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

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.

Overnight the digital age had changed the course of history for our company. Everything that we thought was in our control no longer was. But within a year we had invested in social media and digital experts. Now Starbucks is the number one brand on Facebook.

If it Captures Your Imagination, it will captivate others.

Turning a culture around is very difficult to do because it's based on a series of many, many decisions, and the organization is framed by those decisions.

Victory is much more meaningful when it comes not just from one person, but from the joint achievements of many.

When you're building a business or joining a company you have to be transparent, you can't have two sets of information for two sets of people.

Grow with discipline. Balance intuition with rigor. Innovate around the core. Don't embrace the status quo.