Lets take a step back in time:

At the beginning when the coffee giant first started out in Seattle in 1971, Starbucks coffee was just three friends with a passion for fresh gourmet coffee, Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl and Gordon Bowker, they opened a small shop and began selling fresh-roasted, gourmet coffee beans and brewing and roasting accessories.

In 1980 Zev Siegl wanted out to explore his opportunities elsewhere. By that time Starbucks coffee was the biggest roaster in Washington with six different stores. In 1981 the little coffee giant managed to get the attention of Howard Schultz, a plastics salesman that noticed the huge supply of plastic drip coffee thermoses they were buying from Hammarplast.

Starbucks Coffee 1982, history was marked forever when Baldwin hired the highly energetic Schultz as the new marketing developer. It was not long after that he was sent on a business trip to an international housewares show in Milan, Italy 1983. Schultz was amazed and amused with the vibrant coffee culture of Italy. In another town nearby Verona, Schultz had his first caffe’ latte’ and, as he noticed people at the cafe talking and laughing exiguously while sipping on their coffees in the luxurious surroundings, ideas starting flowing.

In what he describes as an epiphany, the idea hit him, “I could start a community gathering place like the great coffee house of Italy in the United States?” he thought to himself. This idea would place Starbucks coffee history into the annuls of business journals for many years to come.

Latter on, while back in the united states, Schultz’s idea did not go over well with Baldwin and didn’t think it would be a good idea to wager over into the restaurant business aswell distracting him from his original goal of selling whole coffee beans. However, he did let him try out a small espresso bar in the corner of one of the coffee stores. It was an immediate success and Schultz branched out on his own and opened Il Giornale, a coffee house named after Italy’s largest newspaper, ‘The Daily’.

1987 Starbucks coffee was up for sale and Schultz managed to raise $3.8 million by convincing investors of his vision, one hundred and twenty-five outlets in the next five years. Schultz modified the Starbucks bare-breasted mermaid logo into a more socially acceptable figure, changed the name of Il Giornale to Starbucks and converted the six existing Starbucks coffee roasting shops into a more elegant, suitable coffee houses. Starbucks coffee history was just starting to take form.

Shultz reached his goal and more by 125 stores in 5 years, 1992 there were 165 cafes up and running. Today there are more then 8,000 stores in 30 different countries and annual revenues over $7.5 billion.

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For more great coffee tips and clips, coffee talk and chat visit Starbucks Coffee . Don’t forget to see our coffee articles found from around the world from other coffee lovers like you Starbucks Coffee .

Now to be perfectly clear about this Howard Schultz is the man that had the vision of what Starbucks could become but he is not the founder of Starbucks. That title actually belongs to three other men. The three men are Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegel, and Gordon Bowker and they are the actual founders of Starbucks. Now the original Starbucks was a bit different than it is today. The three founders actually opened their store so that they could sell just coffee beans. Their inspiration actually came from another store called Peet’s Coffee & Tea which they would later buy.

It wasn’t until 1982 that Howard Schultz joined the company as the director of marketing. And while on a trip to Milan, Italy he learned of the Italian coffee bars. Once he returned from his trip he tried to convince the owners that they needed to start offering traditional espresso beverages. The owners weren’t particularly keen on the idea though as they thought that coffee was meant to be brewed and enjoyed at home. They did let him try out a small bar within the store but while successful they decided not to pursue it further.

Howard Schultz on the other hand had different ideas. Seeing that he was not going to get anywhere with the owners of Starbucks he decided to pursue the concept himself. So he opened Il Giornale in 1985. His small chain soon proved to be successful but it wasn’t until about two years later that his real opportunity came knocking. The founders of Starbucks were looking to sell. A short while back they had bought Peet’s Coffee & Tea which was their original inspiration and they wanted to focus on it. Soon after buying Starbucks Howard Schultz changed his Il Giornale stores into Starbucks locations as well.

From there everyone pretty much knows what happened. Today Starbucks is considered the leader in coffee. They not only sell drinks directly to the public but sell coffee beans as well which is somewhat ironic. They now operate over 15,000 locations in 44 different countries. Just about everywhere you go you can find the Starbucks logo on a street corner somewhere. It really is amazing how far they have come in a relatively short period of time. And if not because of the persistence and perseverance of one particular person the idea may have never even got off the ground.

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An article in Forbes online says, “According to the NCA [National Coffee Association], 80% of Americans drink coffee, and more than half of the population drinks it every day.” Wow! How often do you find a product that 80% of the population wants, and half of us consume every day? In addition, coffee shops have become the social hubs of our communities. Did you know that a new Starbucks store opens somewhere in the world every day?

Coffee for health

An Arabian legend tells of a goatherd who made a beverage from berries growing on strange shrubs, and after drinking it experienced extraordinary lucidity and wakefulness. The shrubs were said to have been planted by the descendants of the Queen of Sheba, who came from Ethiopia, where Coffea arabica originates.

The Forbes article adds, “Despite earlier beliefs that coffee has negative health effects, it is becoming increasingly clear that the opposite is in fact the case. Coffee consumption is now being linked to the lowered occurrence of cases of certain cancers and chronic diseases. One study, conducted by the Harvard University School of Public Health, shows that the risk for developing Type II diabetes is lower among regular coffee drinkers. There are even studies that link coffee to added endurance during physical workouts.”

Many of coffee’s healthful qualities come from its abundance of antioxidants. The health benefits of coffee include:

–Reduced risk of cancer, especially colon and bladder

–Increased good (HDL) cholesterol; decreased bad (LDL) cholesterol

–Reduced risk of heart disease

–Reduced risk of strokes

–Reduced incidence of kidney stones and liver cirrhosis

–Reduced incidence of Type 2 diabetes

–Reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease

–Decline in levels of depression and anxiety

–Asthma relief

–Relief of malaise associated with the common cold

–Increased speed of information processing, alertness, energy, endurance, motivation, and concentration (with important implications for night shift workers and for drivers, as well as anyone wanting to remain productive on the job after lunch)

–Soothes headaches (caffeine is a vaso-constrictor–that’s why it’s a major ingredient in headache remedies)

–Science has debunked myths that caffeine contributes to breast cancer, bladder cancer, ulcers, indigestion, and osteoporosis

–Harmless during pregnancy; children are no more sensitive to caffeine than adults

–Last but not least, caffeine stimulates metabolism

Not to neglect tea or tea drinkers: according to Tribute to Tea online, “Tea’s rising popularity has encouraged entrepreneurs to open tea shops around the country, even in rural communities such as Newton, N.J.; Carefree, Ariz.; and Anoka, Minn., where people sit for a while and enjoy a pot or a cup. And even in coffee-loving Seattle.”

Tea holds its own in the health department, too: it’s a source of flavonoids; vitamins A and B6, thiamin, and riboflavin; nicotinic, pantothenic, ascorbic, and folic acids; manganese, potassium, and fluoride. Tea is being studied for its benefits in enhancing immune function, lowering LDL and raising HDL levels, reducing blood pressure, thinning blood, reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer, increasing longevity, aiding digestion, and promoting dental health.

What about the addiction question? Neither coffee nor other caffeine-containing products are classified by drug dependence experts as addictive. Coffee drinkers do not exhibit the behaviors that define addiction–severe withdrawal symptoms, tolerance, the need to consume the addictive substance at all costs, and antisocial behavior including crimes.

Coffee as a business

An article at Java Bean Review online gives us “The 7 Deadly Sins of Coffee Shop Entrepreneurs”:

–Starting to spend your money and time without testing your business plan

–Listening too much to friends, family, and suppliers

–Choosing the wrong location

–Weak untested brand

–Not knowing how to design your work environment for speed and efficiency

–Poor menu design – too long or too short with an unproven mix

–Poorly trained employees

By opting for a franchise (a pre-packaged business complete with existing brand, business systems, and suppliers), you skip some of the many decisions and loads of work that traditionally accompany a business startup. “A franchise offers you the opportunity to go into business for yourself, but not by yourself and they have already addressed the 7 Deadly Sins,” the Java Bean Review article concludes.

Have the best of all worlds: operate a coffee shop that also serves tea–or vice-versa. Add a drive-through for customers who are in a hurry and aren’t shopping for the social factor.

Besides your coffee supplier, you’ll need a marketing expert. Be sure to find one who loves coffee as much as you do!

Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance copywriter specializing in direct response and marketing collateral, with a special interest in the health, pets, specialty foods, and inspirational/motivational/self-help niches. She has a degree in biology, has worked in a variety of fields including pharmaceuticals and teaching, and has volunteered for many causes including special-needs kids and literacy. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, art, music, outdoor exercise, and all things Celtic and Renaissance.

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The strategic plan defines the company’s “competitive edge,” that collection of factors that sets the business apart from its competitors and promotes its chances for success. It requires a clear evaluation of the competitive business climate and an intimate knowledge of the market for the entrepreneur’s product.

The foundation for the strategic plan is a clear mission statement for the venture. Addressing the following questions can assist in developing this statement:

What business am I in? The answer to this question is not as simple as it seems. A good example of an industry group that failed to take a broader view is the railroads. If they had viewed their business as transportation rather than trains-and-tracks, then the airlines would be named Union Pacific and Illinois Central.

Who is our product intended to satisfy? What customer needs are being satisfied? How are these needs being satisfied, that is, by which of our methods or products?

An important strategic option is in how we price our product (as a price leader, value leader, or prestige product). Other options include the way in which we differentiate ourselves from the competition and the particular “niche,” or subset of the market, we seek to serve.

Once we have set internal objectives, we must examine the external and competitive environments in which we will be trying to achieve them.

The external environment consists of those factors that are largely outside our control, but affect the market for our product. Examples of these factors include general economic conditions, regulations, technological developments, and consumer demographics and attitudes. This environment is very dynamic, but some attempt must be made at projecting its changes.

Analysis of the competitive environment must begin with consideration of whether there are any barriers to the entry of a new competitor into the market. How strong is consumer loyalty to existing brands? How important are economies of scale; can a small independent firm compete? Are capital requirements prohibitive? Is there some proprietary technology that puts prospective entrants in a serious competitive disadvantage? Is access to raw materials or to distribution channels limited in some way? Are new entrants limited by permit restrictions or regulations?

The competitive structure of the industry is another important consideration. Are there a few dominant firms, or is the industry fairly fragmented? Will current competitors attempt to “punish” new entrants, such as through a price war, heavy advertising, or exercising their clout with key suppliers? Is there some geographic niche we can serve? What factors create cost advantages or disadvantages? How important is a firm’s position on the learning and experience curves? How are prices set? Is demand rising, even, or falling? Are there exit barriers that raise the risk of entry?

Relative strengths of our strategic partners must also be considered. What is the bargaining power of suppliers? How wide is our choice of suppliers? Is it costly for us to switch? Can our suppliers compete with us for the same customers? How important is our industry to our suppliers?

Do buyers have a wide choice of vendors? Can they make our product themselves? Are there less expensive or superior substitutes to our product in some segments of the market?

These are certainly not easy questions to answer, but performing the research to make better informed decisions, and addressing these questions “head-on” can improve our chances of success.

John B. Vinturella, Ph.D. has almost 40 years experience as a management and strategic consultant, entrepreneur, author, and college professor. For 20 of those years, Dr. Vinturella was owner/president of a distribution company that he founded. He is a principal in business opportunity sites jbv.com and muddledconcept.com, and maintains business and political blogs.