Howard Schultz

Have you ever wondered how a tiny coffee shop turned into a familiar place all over the world? Howard Schultz did just that. Howard Schultz is an American entrepreneur from the late 20th and early 21st centuries who made Starbucks into a global brand. Today we'll focus on how he turned coffee shops into warm, friendly places between home and work and grew them from a few stores into thousands.

In the 1980s, Schultz visited Milan, Italy, and loved the lively espresso bars where people met and talked. He joined Starbucks in 1982, left to start his own company, and in 1987 he bought Starbucks. He wanted to bring that Italian coffeehouse feeling to America. He helped popularize espresso drinks like lattes, built cozy cafés, and expanded Starbucks around the world, creating millions of jobs.

Schultz also tried to take care of the people who worked for him. Starbucks offered health benefits and stock programs for workers and later launched a college tuition program for many employees. He returned as CEO in 2008 to help the company recover and then stepped down after making it stronger. His lasting impact is simple: he showed that a business can offer great coffee, warm places to connect, and respect for workers. One person's idea—one cup—changed coffee everywhere.