I had never heard someone speak about a product the way Jerry talked about coffee. He wasn't calculating how to maximize sales, he was providing people with something he believed they ought to enjoy.

He had a business philosophy the likes of which I had never encountered. First, every company must stand for something. Starbucks stood not only for good coffee but specifically for the dark roasted flavor profile that the founders were passionate about, that's what differentiated it and made it authentic. Second, you don't just give the customers what they ask for, if you offer them something they're not accustomed to, something so far superior that it takes a while to develop their pallets, you can create a sense of discovery and excitement and loyalty that will bond them to you. It may take longer but if you have a great product you can educate your customers to like it rather than cow-tying to mass market appeal.

Starbucks founders understood a fundamental truth about selling; to mean something to customers you should assume intelligence and communication and inform those who are eager to learn. If you do, what may seem to be a niche market can very well appeal to far more people than you imagine.

My mother was especially concerned, you're doing well, you have a future, she argued. Don't give it up for a small company nobody's ever heard of.

In daily life you get so much pressure from friends and family and colleagues, urging you to take the easy way, to follow the prevailing wisdom, that it can be difficult not to simply accept the status quo and do what's expected of you. But when you really believe - in yourself, in your dream - you just have to do everything you possibly can to take control and make your vision a reality. No great achievement happens by luck.

At Starbucks I hit the ground running. When I start something I immerse myself totally in it. In those early months I spent all of my waking hours in the stores. Working behind the counter, meeting the Starbucks people, tasting different kinds of coffee, and talking with customers.

It's one thing to dream but when the moment is right you've got to be willing to leave what's familiar and go out on your own.

How then should you evaluate a good investment opportunity? How do you identify a good entrepreneurship idea? What were people missing when they turned down the chance to invest in Il Giornale ? The answer is not easy but it has a lot to do with instinct. The best ideas are those that create a new mindset or a sense of need before others do and it takes an astute investor to recognize an idea that is not only ahead of its time but also has long term prospects.

What is it that people are responding to? Why did Starbucks and similar cafes strike a cord in so many disparate places? What need are we really fulfilling? Why do so many people willingly wait in long lines? Why do so many linger afterword, even with a to go cup on their hands? At first we figured it was simply because of the coffee. But as time went on we realized that our stores had a deeper resonance and were offering benefits as seductive as the coffee itself, a taste of romance. At Starbucks stores people get a five or ten minute break that takes them far from their routine of their daily lives, an affordable luxury. In our stores you may see a policeman or a utility working standing in line in front of a wealthy surgeon. The blue collar man may not be able to afford the Mercedes the surgeon just drove up in but he can afford the same $2 cappuccino. An oasis, in an increasingly fractured society our stores offer a quite moment to gather your thoughts and center yourself, casual social interaction.

Treat people like family and they will be loyal and give their all. Stand by people and they will stand by you. It's the oldest formula in business, one that is second nature to many family run firms.

To a lot of entrepreneurs hiring more seasoned executives can be threatening, and actually delegating power to them can be even more so. In my own case I have to admit it wasn't easy. My own identify had quickly become so closely tied up with that of Starbucks that any suggestion for change made me feel as if I had failed in some aspect of my job. Inside my head it was a constant battle and I had to keep reminding myself, these people bring something I don't have, they will make Starbucks far better than i could alone.

To stay vigorous a company needs to provide a stimulating and challenging environment for all these types: the dreamer, the entrepreneur, the professional manager, and the leader. If it doesn't it risks becoming yet another mediocre corporation. I'm determined that won't happen at Starbucks.

Nothing truly great can ever be achieved without taking risk. For a brand dependent company it's vitally important to champion and elevate the brand but you can't let that worthy goal prevent you from breaking new ground. When problems crop up, serious setbacks that might seem to threaten the image you have lovenly cultivated you have to withhold judgement on the success of the venture until you've thrown all your resources into attempts to solve those difficulties. Whatever you do, don't play it safe. Don't do things the way they've always been done, don't try to fit the system. If you do what's expected of you, you'll never accomplish more than others expect.

I used to think that marketing was the most important department at Starbucks. Today I'd say unequivocally that it's HR. Our success depends entirely on the people we hire, retain and promote.

One person can only do so much. But if he gathers a company of people around him who are committed to the same goals, if he galvanizes them and inspires them and taps into their inner drive, they can perform miracles together. It takes courage, a lot of people will try to tell you that it's impractical or impossible, they'll tell you to lower your sights, they'll tell you that business can't be benevolent.

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. Victory is much more meaningful when it comes not just from the efforts of one person but from the joint achievements of many. The euphoria is lasting when all participates lead with their hearts, winning not just for themselves but for one another Success is sweetest when it's shared.