Onward

How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul

By: Howard Schultz, Joanne Gordon

Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

In 2008, Howard Schultz, the president and chairman of Starbucks, made the unprecedented decision to return as CEO, eight years after he stepped down from daily oversight of the company to become chairman. Concerned that Starbucks had lost its way, Schultz was determined to help it return to its core values and restore not only its financial health, but also its soul. In Onward, he shares the remarkable story of 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 sustainability without sacrificing humanity.

A compelling, candid narrative documenting the maturing of a brand as well as a businessman, Onward represents Schultz's central leadership philosophy: It's not just about winning, but the right way to win.

©2011 Howard Schultz. (P)2011 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"This is a must-read for anyone interested in leadership, management, or the quest to connect a brand with the consumer." ( Publishers Weekly)

Great Book

loved the. book, very interesting and insightful. really enjoyed hearing the Starbucks history and many struggles.

Great insight into Starbucks

I found this book to be fascinating and gave me a new appreciation for the values and choices that are behind the business. It is great to see how the company that seemed to epitomize "excess" during the recession reinvent itself and come out on top. A few parts get a little too "inside baseball" but overall, a great listen.

Listen to the story, hear more than the story

I have to admit, towards the end I was looking forward to finishing this audiobook. Sometimes the "name dropping" got long and felt purposeless although I can appreciate that Howard Schultz gives credit where credit is due.

The "story" itself is interesting and several parts felt thoroughly inspiring. I have definitely learned a great deal about Starbucks! Other than the company's navigation through its hardships though, the reader (or better yet, the listeners) can also read, between the lines, a great many lessons. From change management, to marketing, to branding and ultimately, to giving a company a soul, this audiobook covers an interesting array of challenges that a company faces. Definitely an interesting listen!

Hours of Howard Schultz humble-bragging

I like Howard Schultz, but this is just too much. Listen to the how I built this podcast episode and you will get the same good info and lessons in half an hour.

Howard Does it Again

What can I say...I love Starbucks! Howard's passion, the entrepreneurial spirit inherent in the organization's DNA, and how those things are manifested in the experience of stepping into a Starbucks store propels me proudly atop my soap box to sing Starbucks praises.

Started off good

I finished just to finish, but midway, it got Pretty boring. Tires could have been shorter with less filler

A good lesson for any company

I had read Howard Schultz first book and was already a fan of Starbucks but this book made me even more of a fan. Starbucks is one of those rair companies who manages to stay true to ther roots and their small store beliefs even after they turn public and have thousands of stores. But this is the story or a turn around, of seeing the problems even before they affect the bottom line, of making hard decisions, of treating their people, and customers right. I learned a lot from this book and if your at all interested in Starbucks as a company, or if you have a company that's having trubble, then I recommend this to you. The only drawback, and it's a small one is the reading style is a little slow. I wished at times that Bowlby would speed things up a bit.

great but slow at times.

The book was very interesting as far as learning about Starbucks company history but the personal story of Howard was sometimes a struggle to get through due to his high views of every single decision he has ever made. he basically comes off very over confident. other than that great book

Great Book!

After listening to this, I have found a new respect and admiration for Starbucks! This is a place that anyone should be proud to work for. Howard is a very inspiring leader.

Real life version of Weird Al's Mission Statement

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Only if they had already read all of the other popular leadership / large company books (e.g., Steve Jobs, various Google ones) and were running low on options. That's how I came to it.

Would you be willing to try another book from Howard Schultz and Joanne Gordon ? Why or why not?

No. Howard Schultz seems to have no sense of humor. He tries to be humble in certain places but without any sense of self deprecating humor, it comes off as if he's just covering his butt and placating. The language was also strikingly similar to the jibberish blend of buzz words that Weird Al put together in his recent "Mission Statement" song. Maybe Howard Schultz is a really good leader, but this writing came across as though he was trying to fit the mold.

What three words best describe Stephen Bowlby’s performance?

Clear but too movie-announcer-y