Source: Acquired

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Before the frappuccinos, PSLs, and 40,000 stores, Starbucks was just a quirky little coffee bean shop in Seattle — and Howard Schultz wasn’t even the founder.

This episode is different. For the first time ever, Howard Schultz joins the Acquired podcast not just as a guest, but as a cohost — telling the entire story of how he took a six-store operation in 1987 and built it into one of the most iconic global brands.

Howard is fully out now — no board seat, no CEO role, no plans to return — so what you get is raw, unfiltered reflection. From big vision bets to cultural missteps, it's honest, deep, and surprisingly emotional.

✅ Brand building lessons
 ✅ Culture, leadership, retail scale
 ✅ How not to lose your brand soul at scale

It’s rare to hear a founder at this stage talk like this.