Nick Doyle’s Post

Starbucks has always been more than just a coffee shop—it's a place where coffee lovers gather for a premium, handcrafted experience. But in recent years, the brand turned to discounts to keep customers coming back, especially during tougher economic times. Now, under new CEO Brian Niccol, Starbucks is returning to what it does best: offering great coffee in a welcoming environment. Like any business, finding balance is key. It's exciting to see how they’re redefining customer value beyond just price cuts—much like luxury brands that prioritize experience over discounts. Some unique things to learn from this move - Strategic Resilience: Pivoting back to premium pricing shows Starbucks’ confidence in its brand equity, despite economic pressures. Operational Simplification: Reducing promotions allows for more predictable staffing and order flow, improving operational efficiency. Leadership Transition: Starbucks is using leadership changes to inject fresh strategy into a legacy brand, much like Brian Niccol's turnaround success at Chipotle What do you think? Can a return to premium positioning redefine brand loyalty in today’s market? #PricingStrategy #Starbucks #BrandStrategy #CustomerLoyalty #BusinessTrends

This story is a well-known example of strong leadership and commitment to core values. It highlights Howard Schultz's return to Starbucks in 2008 when the company was struggling with declining sales and customer dissatisfaction. Rather than implementing traditional cost-cutting measures to save the business, Schultz focused on reigniting Starbucks' culture of quality and customer experience. After rejoining Starbucks, Howard Schultz made a bold and commendable decision to close 7,000 stores for a day to retrain baristas, signaling a return to the company’s core values. By prioritizing quality coffee and an exceptional customer experience over short-term profits, Schultz reaffirmed his commitment to long-term excellence. His decisive leadership revitalized the brand, restoring customer trust and realigning the company with its original mission. Schultz’s actions highlight the power of staying true to core values, maintaining a clear long-term vision, and leading by example. This bold move sparked a remarkable turnaround, driving renewed customer loyalty, robust sales growth, and global expansion that cemented Starbucks’ sustained success. #LeadershipLessons #CustomerExperience #GrowthMindset #SuccessStory

As I am sure you have probably already read about or heard, Starbucks Appointed its Fourth CEO in Two Years last week. My visualization of this is below. The next post will document the turnstile CEO position there. Quickly the history of Starbucks CEOs since the company’s founding in 1971. Laxman Narasimhan is out as CEO after Starbucks’ recent woes. This is particularly interesting, as Howard Schultz once praised him as a “strategic and transformational leader”. Here were some of the lowlights during Narasimhan’s tenure. In the most recent quarter, sales at stores open for at least 1 year fell 3% globally YoY. Even worse, comparable store sales in China fell 14% YoY Starbucks has clashed with union workers over various cultural issues such as the treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers and support for Palestine Can Brian Niccol turn things around? Niccol will replace Narasimhan as CEO on Sept. 4, tasked with reversing Starbucks’ declining sales. Niccol has a wealth of experience in the food industry, serving as CEO of Taco Bell (2015-2018) and Chipotle (2018-2024). Under his leadership, Chipotle moved on from its E. coli controversy in 2016 and has seen strong, consistent revenue growth. Selected text is © Visual Capitalist, 2024. All Rights Reserved, used with permission. Graphic is © Mark S. Mandula, CLO BCR Learning, 2024. All Rights Reserved.

First of two posts on this subject.

☕ Starbucks CEO Outlines Turnaround Strategy & Stock is Brewing Gains! Under Brian Niccol's leadership, Starbucks is undergoing a transformation! 📈 Not only is he focused on "getting back to Starbucks," but the company's stock has also surged 23% since he took the helm. 🚀 Given his impressive track record of turning around Chipotle, long-term investors are keeping a close eye on Starbucks. 👀 In a recent CNBC interview, Niccol shared his vision for the future, addressing key areas like pricing, customer experience, and employee relations. 🤝 Key takeaways from the interview: Pricing: Niccol acknowledges the premium price of Starbucks coffee and aims to provide an experience that matches its value. 💰 He's committed to simplifying pricing and increasing transparency. Customer experience: Starbucks is dedicated to elevating the customer experience. 👍 Expect faster service, improved consistency, and an overall enhanced coffeehouse atmosphere. ⏱️ Employee relations: Niccol is prioritizing employee satisfaction. 🌟 He's focused on promoting from within and creating growth opportunities for Starbucks partners. 🌱 Niccol also addressed the company's return-to-office policy. 🏢 He believes in-person collaboration fosters a strong company culture and brand immersion. This is an exciting time for Starbucks! Niccol's leadership, combined with his focus on customer satisfaction and employee well-being, makes Starbucks a company to watch in the long run. ☕ #Starbucks #Coffee #Business #Leadership #Turnaround #StockMarket #Investing

Did Starbucks trade its soul for efficiency? Once an inspirational gathering spot where people socialize and get work done while enjoying quality coffee and treats. Now, it feels more like a slow vending machine with Wi-Fi. Starbucks is a reminder of how technology should enhance, not replace, the human experience. Starbucks shifted gears, chasing tech to reduce friction and boost sales, but lost sight of its mission, vision, and values along the way. They optimized every aspect but forgot the heart of what made them unique – a vibrant community atmosphere. Union tensions and $7 lattes can't fill that void. Take a step back. Not all friction is bad - a name written on a cup is Starbucks. Profit does not always equate to value, and a plan that is devoid of a company's unique mission and vision is not a strategy. If you were Brian Niccol, Starbucks' new CEO, would you bring Starbucks back to its roots, or would you seize the moment to redefine the brand and set a new MVV in the years ahead? ⚡️ #Leadership #Strategy #Transformation

🚨 Starbucks is struggling to find its soul again. 🚨 The company that revolutionized the "third place" concept—offering customers a cozy space between home and work—has been losing its way. Recent quarterly earnings revealed a 4% decline in same-store sales, with an alarming 11% drop in China. What’s the root cause? Self-commoditization. This insightful article delves into the ways Starbucks has veered off course—replacing meaningful in-store experiences with efficiency-driven strategies—and offers actionable ideas to reignite its core purpose. 📖 Discover how Starbucks (and other experience-driven brands) can rediscover their soul, reconnect with customers, and lead with authenticity once again. Author credit to Joe Pine, Louis-Etienne Dubois and Harvard Business School. #Leadership #CustomerExperience #Starbucks #BusinessStrategy #BrandAuthenticity #CorporateCulture #RetailInnovation #EmployeeEngagement

I knew Brian Niccol would shake things up at Starbucks—but even I didn’t expect him to move this fast. 📌 In my first post, I analyzed Brian Niccol’s career and how his leadership at Taco Bell prepared him to transform Starbucks. His reputation? A leader who moves fast and executes with precision. 📌 In my second post, I explored his strategic vision: simplification, customer experience, and a return to the brand’s core identity. Now, let’s talk about execution—and how his actions are already impacting Starbucks' performance. 1️⃣ Speed & Efficiency: 30-Second Coffee Niccol set a bold goal: serve brewed coffee in under 30 seconds and espresso-based drinks in under four minutes. This drastically cuts wait times, making Starbucks faster and more competitive. The impact? 🔸 Shorter lines = Higher customer satisfaction. 🔸 Faster service = Increased sales without expanding store count. 2️⃣ Experience & Connection: Bringing Back the Starbucks Magic He reintroduced Sharpies for cup names, reinforcing personalization and community. The condiment bar is back, giving customers more control over their drinks. The impact? 🔸 Small details drive emotional connection to the brand. 🔸 Starbucks reclaims its identity as a welcoming “third place.” 3️⃣ Transparency & Pricing: A Customer-First Approach Amid rising costs, Niccol paused price increases for the fiscal year. He’s also simplifying pricing to make it more transparent for customers. The impact? 🔸 Retains price-sensitive customers. 🔸 Builds trust and strengthens brand loyalty. From CEO to High-Performance Leader What sets Niccol apart? He doesn’t wait—he acts. Instead of taking months to analyze, he identified Starbucks’ key issues within days and moved fast to fix them. ✅ Clear, simple strategy. ✅ Rapid execution for immediate impact. ✅ Bringing Starbucks back to its roots. What’s Next? If Niccol keeps this pace, Starbucks could see even bigger shifts ahead. But will his approach lead to long-term success? For now, I want to hold on tight to my Starbucks shares. 🔗 Missed the first posts? Catch up here. https://lnkd.in/dCuxFpEW https://lnkd.in/dWTv7jCe 🔍 #Leadership #HighPerformance #Starbucks #BrianNiccol #Strategy #Execution #BusinessGrowth

Whenever I write about Starbucks, I get flooded with readers telling me one of two things: 1. "Starbucks serves terrible coffee." 2. "I stopped going to Starbucks years ago." Well, new Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol is trying to change that. In his first week on the job, instead of looking ahead, he's looking back. And he's trying to get Starbucks to focus on what made it grow into a household name in the first place, namely by: 1. Making better coffee 2. Getting people to gather at their stores Of course, this isn't Niccol's first rodeo. He was able to turn Chipotle around after they poached him from Taco Bell. Can he do it again at Starbucks? Read the full story in today's column on Inc. I'm curious: What do YOU think? Has Starbucks gotten worse over the years? Can Niccol return the company to its glory days? I look forward to reading your comments. #starbucks #leadership #management #BrianNiccol