Building Starbucks as a company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Building Starbucks as a company - Essay Example A growing mail-order business helped Starbucks decide where to expand after its successful IPO. Fast paced growth led Schultz to realize [197-198]2 that for the company to maintain its competitive edge without taking a toll on the company’s values, he had to reinvent himself and go back to his entrepreneurial roots. Schultz appointed someone else to take care of day-to-day operations so he could be the leader and pathfinder looking into the future, whose job was to help Starbucks keep its marketing edge by providing a stimulating and challenging environment for dreamers, entrepreneurs, professional managers, and leaders [190-204]. The success of the Frappuccino, a cold coffee drink ideal for hot weather, was the result of Schultz’s reinvention. A cold drink was not part of the Starbucks vision, but customers loved it, so Schultz allowed it. It was a hit! Starbucks entered the music business as customers loved the music playing in the stores. Music sales lifted over-all store sales as customers were delighted to find a good product they liked and because good music added to the Starbucks experience and sense of esthetics [205-214]. Related to this, Starbucks will release on November 22, 2005 the Rolling Stones CD Rarities: 1971 - 2003, a collection of remixes, exotic B-sides and hard-to-find live recordings, another way for customers â€Å"to discover, experience and acquire great music through CD compilations and music programming† (Lombard).