From 28 Stores to 30,000—But It Was Never About the Coffee.

I had the incredible privilege of sitting down with Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks and one of the driving forces behind its global transformation.
What made this episode truly special? We invited rising high performers from our BoomerangFX Toronto team to join the live taping. They listened in, asked powerful questions, and left inspired by a masterclass in leadership.

But Howard didn’t talk about coffee. He talked about people.

Leadership. Culture. Purpose.

His philosophy—rooted in servant leadership, emotional intelligence, and culture-first thinking—is what really scaled Starbucks into the global powerhouse it is today.

My favorite takeaways:

• Culture Over Coffee: The real mission wasn’t espresso—it was human connection.
• Scaling With Soul: Even while expanding globally, Howard saw himself as the keeper of the culture.
• People First: “It’s hard to get fired for missing numbers. It’s easy to get fired for mistreating people.

This episode isn’t just a story about Starbucks. It’s a road map for anyone building something that matters—with values, vision, and heart.

#Leadership #ServantLeadership #Starbucks #ChallengerMindset #BoomerangFX #ChallengerXPodcast #HowardBehar #TeamCulture #PersonalGrowth #HighPerformance