Let's read...

For the last 40 years, we have had a Monday morning leadership meeting. For the last 40 years, we've had a quarterly board meeting. In every one of those meetings, metaphorically, I've had two empty chairs in that room. One filled by a Starbucks employee we call a partner and one by a customer. What I've tried to do with those two empty chairs is to ensure the fact that every decision that the management team was making every Monday and every decision that the board was making on behalf of the shareholders every quarter was literally going to make our people and our customers proud.

Let's follow Howard Schultz...

For the last 40 years, / we have had a Monday morning leadership meeting. // For the last 40 years, / we've had a quarterly board meeting. // In every one of those meetings, / metaphorically, I've had two empty chairs in that room. // One filled by a Starbucks employee / we call a partner / and one by a customer. // What I've tried to do with those two empty chairs / is to ensure the fact / that every decision that the management team was making every Monday / and every decision that the board was making on behalf of the shareholders every quarter / was literally going to make our people / and our customers / proud. //

Let's read...

If the answer was gray, then we should probably keep debating it and talking about it. If the answer was no, then I would candidly tell you that, 95% of the time, as close to a hundred as possible, we would not make that decision because it would have fractured the currency of trust with our customers and our people. The issue of partner, why do we call people partners? Because everyone at Starbucks 25 years before the Affordable Care Act received comprehensive health insurance including part-time people. Everyone – Thank you. Everyone became an owner of the company, even today, in the form of equity, in the form of stock options, 14% of people's base pay. Then, three years ago, perhaps what I'm most proud of, is with a partnership of ASU providing free college tuition for every single Starbucks person.

Let's follow Howard Schultz...

If the answer was gray, / then we should probably keep debating it / and talking about it. // If the answer was no, / then I would candidly tell you that, / 95% of the time, / as close to a hundred as possible, / we would not make that decision / because it would have fractured the currency of trust / with our customers / and our people. // The issue of partner, / why do we call people partners? // Because everyone at Starbucks 25 years before the Affordable Care Act / received comprehensive health insurance including part-time people. // Everyone / – Thank you. // Everyone became an owner / of the company, / even today, / in the form of equity, / in the form of stock options, / 14% of people's base pay. // Then three years ago, / perhaps what I'm most proud of, / is with a partnership of ASU / providing free college tuition for every single Starbucks person. //