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Onward summary
Onward
- Schultz returned as CEO in 2008 as Starbucks struggled.
- He closed all US stores for an afternoon to retrain baristas.
- He closed hundreds of underperforming stores.
- He focused on coffee quality and the store experience.
- He invested in new products like VIA instant coffee and in digital tools.
How did Howard Schultz save Starbucks in 2008?
He returned as CEO and refocused on the coffee and the store experience. He closed hundreds of weak stores, once closed every US store for an afternoon to retrain baristas, cut costs, and invested in new products and digital tools, while trying to protect employee benefits.
Actionable
- Pick one quality standard and retrain your team on it.
- Close or cut one thing that isn't working.
- Write a short memo to your team about what matters most.
- Ask customers what they miss about your product.
Lessons
- Growth can dilute a brand.
- Turnarounds need bold symbols.
- Cutting is part of saving.
- Values guide hard choices.
Quick answer
Our summary of Onward by Howard Schultz (2011), in our own words.
What 125x is: 125x is a web app at 125x.app. You connect your YouTube subscriptions, and it gives you a feed of the latest videos from the channels you follow, each with a summary: a verdict, the 5 key takeaways, and the spoiler, plus Actionable and Lessons tabs with more tips. You read that and decide what's actually worth opening.
Open 125xWho is Howard Schultz?
Howard Schultz built Starbucks into a global chain and served as CEO three times.
He wrote this book with Joanne Gordon.
The story in 5 parts
- Warning signs in 2007.
- Returning as CEO.
- Closing stores to retrain.
- Cutting and rebuilding.
- Recovery.
A closer look
Schultz shares a memo he wrote in 2007 warning that Starbucks had lost its soul through decisions like automatic espresso machines and flavor-locked packaging. That memo leaked and became a public sign of trouble.
He describes the 2008 leadership conference in New Orleans, where thousands of store managers volunteered in the city's rebuilding. He saw it as a way to reconnect people with Starbucks' values.
He also admits the cuts were painful, including layoffs, and explains why he felt they were needed to save the company.
Business lessons from the book
- Protect the core.
- Act decisively.
- Communicate openly.
- Invest in innovation.
Who should read it
Leaders facing a turnaround.
Watch them in their own words
Hear it from Howard Schultz and the people around them in our interview summaries:
About this summary
We wrote this summary in our own words from the book and its public reviews. It follows the same layout as a 125x video summary: a verdict, 5 takeaways, the answer to the big question, and Actionable and Lessons tabs. More in entrepreneur biographies.
FAQ: questions people ask
What is Onward about?
Schultz's return to Starbucks in 2008 and how he turned it around.
Why did Starbucks close all its stores in 2008?
To retrain baristas on making espresso, for one afternoon.
Is Onward worth reading?
Some value given. Useful for turnarounds.
Related guides
- Entrepreneur Biography Summaries: Founder Lessons
- Billionaire and Founder Interview Summaries
- Productivity and Self-Improvement Book Summaries
- Every 125x guide
125x is a web app at 125x.app that turns your YouTube subscriptions into a feed with a summary on every video, plus Actionable and Lessons tabs with more tips, so you can see what's worth opening before you spend the time.
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