Oprah’s Super Soul Special: Howard Schultz — Pouring Your Heart into Your Business

Podcast: Oprah’s Super Soul
Host: Oprah Winfrey
Guest: Howard Schultz (Chairman & former CEO of Starbucks)
Date: February 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This in-depth conversation between Oprah Winfrey and Howard Schultz traces the deeply personal and professional journey of Starbucks’ transformative leader. Howard Schultz shares the origins of his passion for business—rooted in family hardship—and the values-driven approach that led to Starbucks’ success, crisis, and renewal. The discussion explores leadership, company culture, vulnerability, and the search for meaning in one’s work, offering lessons for aspiring leaders and anyone interested in the intersection of business and soul.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Howard's Roots and Early Inspiration

• Howard describes growing up in Brooklyn projects, his father's struggles with blue-collar jobs, and the profound impact of seeing his father injured, jobless, and unsupported ([03:10]).
• Schultz: “I guess what I saw was the fracturing of the American dream...what happened as a result of that was the shame and the scars of feeling as if something was really wrong.” ([03:10])
• His ambition became to create “the kind of company my father never got a chance to work for.” ([03:44])

2. The Calling: Coffee as a Vessel for Service

• Oprah questions if Schultz’s calling was coffee itself, or the desire to serve people ([02:38]).
• Schultz shares it wasn’t coffee per se, but a drive to build something meaningful, using coffee as the vehicle for a greater purpose ([03:10], [04:28]).

3. Discovering the Starbucks Experience and Vision

• Schultz discusses his pivotal trip to Italy, witnessing the espresso bar culture—the social, community-focused role of coffee ([06:13]–[07:23]).
• He returned determined to bring that sense of connection—a “third place” between home and work—to America ([06:36]).
• The original Starbucks was a coffee retailer, not a café; Schultz pushed for a new model, facing initial resistance ([07:25]).

4. Overcoming Rejection & Launching Il Giornale

• Schultz details how his idea was turned down by Starbucks’ founders, prompting him to start his own coffee bar, Il Giornale ([07:47]).
• He struggled to raise funds, pitching to over 200 investors who couldn’t see the vision ([08:17]).
• Schultz: “You want people to pay two, three dollars for a cup of coffee with Italian names that no one could pronounce in a paper cup? And you want to give benefits to the employees?...No, no.” ([07:54])

5. Acquiring Starbucks and Building Culture

• When Starbucks’ founders decided to sell, Schultz found himself with an enormous opportunity but no money. He assembled investors and closed the deal ([09:43]–[10:13]).
• His vision: “A company that had a purpose...as managers and leaders, we would put our feet in the shoes of our people.” ([10:13])

6. Rapid Expansion and the Pitfalls of Success

• Starbucks grew from 11 stores to hundreds, then thousands worldwide, with Howard relinquishing the CEO spot in 2000 after feeling unfulfilled and distanced ([11:15], [13:57]).
• The podcast explores the perils of success—feeling unchallenged, bored, and spiritually adrift ([13:57]).

7. Losing—and Regaining—the Company’s Soul

• Schultz describes returning as CEO just as the recession hit, realizing Starbucks had strayed by prioritizing profits over purpose. A leaked memo sparked a public reckoning ([14:52]–[15:38]).
• Schultz: “The growth and the success of the company was covering up mistakes.” ([16:07])
• Oprah asks directly: “Had Starbucks lost its soul?” ([16:02]); Schultz says while the company wasn't soulless, “we were not going to recognize the company anymore.” ([16:07])

8. Return to Core Values: Transparency, Truth, and Training

• Schultz led the company back to its values, closing stores nationwide for retraining, emphasizing not just service but craft and purpose ([17:23]–[18:42]).
• Schultz: “The currency...of leadership today and building a company...is transparency and truth.” ([18:13])

9. Sustaining Soulfulness at Scale

• With Starbucks' vast reach, Oprah presses on how to keep "soul" intact ([19:22]).
• Schultz: “The challenge we have is how do you get big and stay small? ...It was built literally through the experience and through the lens of our people.” ([19:42])

10. Defining Success and Purpose

• Schultz and Oprah discuss sustainable success.
• Memorable Schultz quote:
  • “Success is not sustainable if it's defined by how big you become.” ([20:03]; Oprah reads from the book.)
  • "The only number that matters is one—one cup, one customer, one partner, one experience at a time." ([20:23])
• Schultz: “It's not what you do, it's why you do it.” ([20:47])

11. Personal Connection and Taking Business Personally

• Schultz recounts how criticism of Starbucks "poster child" for excess affects him ([21:55]), stating:
  • “I take everything about Starbucks very personally. Too personally.” ([22:01])
  • “You can't build something unless you're going to take it personally. And I want our people to take it personally.” ([22:06])
• He shares a moving story about a Starbucks barista who donated a kidney to a customer, illustrating deep community ties ([28:31]).

12. Principles of Leadership

• Schultz’s four guiding principles, as highlighted by Oprah ([29:25]):
  1. Don’t be threatened by people smarter than you ([29:37])
  2. Compromise anything but your core values ([30:02])
  3. Everything matters ([30:22])
  4. Leadership is sharing a vision that others want to join ([31:25])
• Vulnerability in leadership: Schultz recounts apologizing and crying in front of employees upon returning as CEO; “Vulnerability is transparency...the currency of leadership is transparency.” ([32:07])

13. Culture of Trust and Long-Term Thinking

• Schultz stayed firm against cutting employee benefits during crisis, despite pressure from shareholders ([37:33]–[38:14]).
  • "If you cut out the health benefits ...that would have cut out the foundation for your belief system, and we wouldn't be here today..." ([38:17])
  • “It's very difficult to lead when it's not convenient. And that was an inconvenient time to stand up for our people.” ([38:22])

14. Personal Philosophy and National Concerns

• Family remains his grounding force; raising responsible, grounded children in privilege ([32:53]).
• He's deeply concerned about American polarization, the state of the American Dream, and the need for “authentic, truthful leadership” ([35:13]–[35:59]).
• Oprah asks if he’ll go into politics; Schultz says he intends to keep serving from his current platform but will continue speaking out ([36:39]–[37:26]).

15. Life Lessons and Inspirational Quotes

• “Success is best when it’s shared.” ([37:37])
• “Do not let anyone...tell you your dreams cannot come true...believe in your dreams and dream big. And then after you've done that, dream bigger.” ([38:48])
• Favorite quote: Churchill’s “Never give in. Never give in. Never give in. Never.” ([39:23])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Quote | Speaker | Timestamp | |---|---|---| | “I guess what I saw was the fracturing of the American dream.” | Howard Schultz | 03:10 | | “The success of Starbucks...is the achievement of the balance between profitability and a social conscience. That’s the soul of the company.” | Howard Schultz | 19:01 | | "Success is not sustainable if it's defined by how big you become. ...The only number that matters is one." | Oprah (reading Schultz) | 20:03 | | “You can't build something unless you're going to take it personally.” | Howard Schultz | 22:06 | | “Leadership is creating a vision and creating followers because you’re not pushing people to come with you. You’re bringing them along on the journey.” | Howard Schultz | 31:30 | | “Vulnerability is transparency, and what I said earlier is the currency of leadership is transparency, and you’ve got to be truthful.” | Howard Schultz | 32:16 | | "If you cut out the health benefits ...that would have cut out the foundation for your belief system, and we wouldn't be here today..." | Oprah, paraphrasing Schultz | 38:17 | | “Do not let anyone...tell you your dreams cannot come true. ...Believe in your dreams and dream big. And then after you've done that, dream bigger.” | Howard Schultz | 38:48 | | “The world needs authentic, truthful leadership.” | Howard Schultz | 39:55 | | "My job is to serve others." | Howard Schultz | 40:29 |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Howard’s Childhood & Inspiration: 03:10–04:28
• Discovery of Italian Coffee Culture: 06:11–07:23
• Pitching Il Giornale & Facing Rejection: 07:47–08:17
• Acquisition & Vision for Starbucks: 09:43–10:36
• Company Expansion & Spiritual Crisis: 13:57–16:07
• Return to Core Values & Transparency: 17:23–18:42
• Maintaining Soul at Scale: 19:22–20:47
• Defining Leadership & Values: 29:25–32:38
• Starbucks Barista Kidney Donation Story: 28:31–29:24
• Corporate vs. Social Responsibility: 37:33–38:22
• Advice & Inspirational Quotes: 38:48–39:23

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• Purpose Over Profits: Schultz’s journey underscores the belief that true success in business is built on compassion, trust, and striving for more than just profit.
• Resilience and Tenacity: Rejection, crisis, and even ridicule never stopped Schultz from pursuing and defending his vision.
• Leadership as Service: Openness, vulnerability, and servant leadership are central, and Schultz emphasizes leadership's human dimension—what matters most is the “one” in every transaction and interaction.
• Business as a Force for Good: Companies have a responsibility to uphold social consciousness, especially in turbulent times.
• Dreams and Authenticity: Schultz's personal story inspires listeners to honor their roots, pursue big dreams, and never compromise their core values.

For anyone interested in leadership, organizational culture, or the potential for businesses to make a difference, this episode is both a practical case study and a heartfelt masterclass.