Former longtime Starbucks CEO and Chairman Howard Schultz famously noted that his team was not in the coffee business but in the people business serving coffee. 

The people business—it feels generic. People are the lifeblood of an organization, the avenue by which client revenue is generated, and the coaches for their subordinates’ advancement and ultimate careers.  People are more than business—people are dynamically our collective livelihood (financially, socially, and everything in between). 

How do we maximize the people element? That’s ultimately what we’re all looking to achieve—to maximize experience, maximize output, and maximize loyalty. This phenomenon is constant in my workplace dialogues, both internally and with clients. Approaches vary based on tenure, role, demographic, personality, etc., but what is constant is the desire for a vastly diverse yet inclusive team that fosters authenticity—and ultimately individual and team growth. 

The pursuit of maximizing the people element is not just a goal, it’s a continuous journey that requires commitment and adaptability. After all, as the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. 

Howard (Schultz) defined an idea now core to (the Starbucks identity): “We aren’t in the coffee business serving people, we are in the people business serving coffee.”

https://archive.starbucks.com/record/howard-behar