BOOK REVIEW

Onward – Howard Schultz

Behind-the-scenes peek at the Starbucks coffee empire, penned by the man who would know best

            Authored by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, Onward tells the story of the coffee house’s resurgence following a period of dramatic turbulence in the mid-2000s. One of the first business books I've read, it enlightened me as to the operational complexity of a massive, global enterprise and the immense strategy required to stay ahead of the competition. I also appreciated that Schultz spent some time briefing the reader on the company’s early growth from its humble beginnings in Seattle. This let me better understand the major incidents in its recent history and reinforced the importance of experience in running a business.

                  Schultz is a true raconteur, enthusiastically instilling his passion for Starbucks in the reader without coming off as fanatical. What I liked most about the book was his explanation as to why and how certain decisions were made – such as the implementation of a new type of coffee machine, or the training of baristas – in order better customer experience, and thus urge the business forward. Because in my mind books are an opportunity to learn from the experiences of others, this represents a unique insight into the wisdom of one of the world’s most successful businessman, not least since every anecdote serves as a minor case study.  

-NP, May 2012