We went public, and we have more than 50 percent American investors as shareholders. Before going public, I said to them, “Are you looking for a company that grows very fast, that makes profits that are too high, in our view, quick profits? Do not invest in our company. Do you want a company that grows in a gracious way? That allows suppliers to grow alongside it, so that your artisans can grow as well as the company’s staff?”
Saved by sari
Companies realize that a profits-only focus risks alienating customers and partners.
Balance had always been Starbucks’ challenge. Fiscal responsibility and benevolence. Shareholder value and social conscience. Profit and humanity. Local flavor on a global scale. Now our challenge was to restore proper balance between our desire for growth and the need to preserve our heritage.
Will we, the buyer, retain their employees and treat them well? How will we treat their customers and vendors, some of whom have become their friends? How will its sale affect the communities they serve?
I think we are trying to build a company that serves the people that use it rather than serves the company that we founded.