Sublime

Mass advertising can help build brands, but authenticity is what makes them last. If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand.

This memo was sent in February 2007 by Howard Schultz. In the memo, he shares his feelings about the challenges of going from 1k to 13k stores and the changes and sacrifices that had to be made in order to accomplish the growth.

But my story is as much one of perseverance and drive as it is of talent and luck. I willed it to happen. I took my life in my hands, learned from anyone I could, grabbed what opportunity I could, and molded my success step by step. Fear of failure drove me at first, but as I tackled each challenge, my anxiety was replaced by a growing sense of opt... See more

What distinguishes the talented person who makes it from the person who has even more talent but doesn’t get ahead? Look at the aspiring actors waiting tables in New York, as an example: Many of them are probably no less gifted than stars like Robert DeNiro and Susan Sarandon. Part of what constitutes success is timing and chance. But most of us ha... See more

Additionally, they streamlined store design to gainefficiencies of scale and to make sure they had the ROI on sales to investment ratios that would satisfy the financial side of the business. Many decisions had to be made in order to maximize speed and profits. Decisions that sacrificed the feeling of a community coffee store for a chain feel. Star... See more

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.