Product Description

Coffee is a commodity. You can get a cup at any café, sandwich bar or restaurant anywhere. So how did Starbucks manage to reinvent coffee as a whole new experience, and create a hugely successful brand in the process?

My Sister's a Barista tells the Starbucks story from its origins in a Seattle fish market to its growing global presence today. This is a story that has unfolded quickly - at least in terms of conventional business development. Starbucks is a phenomenon. Unknown 15 years ago, it now ranks among the 100 most valuable brands in the world. It has become the quintessential brand of the modern age, built around the creation of an experience that can be consistently reproduced across the world.

In exploring the secrets behind its success, this book also tackles the wider question of what makes a successful brand. But ultimately it is a fascinating human story to inspire all of us.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #785561 in Books
• Published on: 2005-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Review
"An eye-opening story of how a simple café brand found a warm place in the hearts of the yuppie masses." -- The Independent, UK

"Be prepared to be riveted by the story of Starbucks. A fascinating read, by a fascinating writer." -- Rita Clifton, Chairman, Interbrand

"John Simmons brings stories to life in ways that are fresh, bold and inspiring." -- Jon Potter, Global Brand Director, Guinness

From the Publisher
Great Brand Stories is a new series that sets out to tell the inspiring stories of some of today's top brands. Edited by brands expert John Simmons, the books focus on brands that have not only reaped huge profits for their owners, but also established themselves as icons of contemporary society. Other titles in the series include, Brand It Like Beckham: Building a brand with balls; Guinness is Guinness: The colorful story of a black and white brand; All Day I Dream about Sport: The story of the Adidas brand; Brand America: The mother of all brands; From Boy Wizard to Brand Warrior: How Harry Potter cast a magical marketing spell; Great Ikea: A brand for all the people; Search Me: The surprising success of Google.

From the Inside Flap
In 1995, I went on a coast-to-coast trip across the US. When we got to San Francisco, the sun was shining and the people were relaxed. We wandered into a Starbucks, the first I'd ever been in.

We sat enjoying our coffees and the buzz of conversation around us. There's a willingness to share your life with the world that seems particularly characteristic of California. The overheard conversation ran like this:

"I like this place. I come here when I'm stressed out."

"The people seem OK. Not the usual geeks."

"Hey man, my sister's a barista."

Welcome to Starbucks.

Customer Reviews

Excellent book!
This book can be finished in a day! I simply couldn't put it down. It's written as a story so you get quickly pulled into the storyline to find out the end. Although, you already know the ending...Starbucks is one of the most admired brands and successful companies ever known.

So how did they do it? This book answers this question and more. What I enjoyed about the book is that it opened the door to the heart and soul of Starbucks to reveal their evolution and foundation. As I prepare my business plan, this book has been more helpful to me than typical business plan books. A lot of times those books provide heartless examples of companies. Sure you've got a great idea for a product or service, but how do you translate that into a brand? What is in the best interest for your customer? After all, Starbucks just sells coffee and coffee related products - nothing extravagant alone, but the mystical & romantic experience surrounding their coffee is a distinctive brand that is difficult to match.

This book answers the Who? Where? When? Why? How? of the Starbucks development - their trials, errors and commitment to their beliefs. The concepts discussed in the book are things that I feel touch every business, yet this book provides consistent examples of how to address them.

Concepts such as:-
-Growth & development
-Branding
-Why you don't have to franchise to be successful brand
-Rewarding customers by first rewarding employees ("partners") and suppliers
-Turning down profitable alternatives if it sacrifices the customer's overall experience or a partner's view of the company

I must admit I have not read "Pour your heart into it" so I can't comment on any similarities/differences between the two books. What I can say is that if you are interested in creating a world-class company and want to learn how to infuse your company with a soul (rather than focusing on your product development) to ensure success, then this is your book!

Depends what you are looking for
I love all things Starbucks which is why I purchased this book.

I was under the impression that this story would be a diary type book, complete with juicy stories of interactions and goings on at Starbucks.

This was not the case. This book is basically loaded with all types of information (business-wise mainly) on Starbucks, coffee, and the industry in general. There are some great photographs of various Starbucks stores in various cities in the world.

This book is interesting if you are looking for dry facts. If you are looking for anecdotes, cute stories or juicy gossip, this is not the book for you.

However, having said that, it is obvious that the author was painstaken about his research and certainly took his subject matter to heart.

GREAT BOOK
I think this is a great book that gives not only the story of starbuck's as a store, but it also narrates how the company's philosophy of the company was established giving it's added value service.
Highly recommend for anyone who works on marketing or communications related areas.