Former Starbucks CEO had lost all hope for the business — his pregnant wife’s words changed everything
'She is the glue to everything that happened; the whole thing could have been over,' the business celebrity confessed.
Coffee enthusiasts today are obsessed with Starbucks, but things weren’t always so rosy. In fact, Howard Schultz, the former CEO, had to work as a barista without a salary because they couldn't afford to hire more people to help with the business. He had almost given up on his dreams, but it was his wife, Sheri Kersch Schultz, heavily pregnant at that time, who gave him the strength to carry on. In conversation with Acquired (@acquiredfm), the multi-millionaire shared an incident where his father-in-law had almost convinced him to leave Starbucks and join a regular job, but his wife’s support changed everything.
Howard said he was behind the counter and worked as a barista for almost two years. His wife, Sheri Kersch Schultz, pregnant at the time, was financially responsible for their home. When she was around 6-7 months pregnant, her parents visited them; her father pulled Howard aside and subtly tried to convince him to leave the business. "He says, 'Whatever you are doing, I respect it, but it's not a job; it's a hobby,'" the businessman recalled. His father-in-law wanted him to realize that his pregnant wife had to work to put food on the table, while he was chasing a dream that looked too good to be true. Howard felt guilty, and as his emotions overpowered him, he decided to quit Starbucks and start afresh. He came home and told his wife about his conversation with her father. Sheri was shocked and very angry with her dad, but she didn't play the victim. Instead, she gave Howard the confidence to continue chasing his dream without feeling guilty. Sheri looked her husband in the eye and announced that there was no way they were leaving Starbucks halfway, and that partially drove Howard towards success. "She is the glue to everything that happened; the whole thing could have been over," he confessed.
Studies led by Nickola C Overall wanted to analyze how partners help each other improve themselves. They found that couples who felt supported were more likely to make more progress on their goals. Having supportive partners also affects overall life satisfaction. Similarly, researchers Brooke C. Feeney and Nancy L. Collins found that close relationships — a partner or spouse — help people thrive. "For example, romantic partners who received more responsive support during the discussion of a personal stressor reported greater increases in positive mood after the discussion," and the women who were in a cue, waiting for a stressful laboratory task, were observed to be calmed by their romantic partner's emotional support during the waiting period. When hit by challenges and downfalls, we run to our safe place, which more often than not is our partner. In response, when they act as catalysts and encourage personal growth and new opportunities, we are more likely to achieve our goals, fight obstacles, and achieve long-term success. This explains why Howard, who had lost all hope in his company and was almost convinced to leave Starbucks to go back to the corporate world, was instantly motivated after a brief conversation with his wife.
Netizens praised Mrs. Schultz for always supporting her husband; for instance, @danfazio_ commented, "Shoutout to his wife, but her dad did what every father would and should do in that case. He didn’t say a single thing wrong." Similarly, @seanp5000 confessed, "Yes. Every man needs a woman who stands behind their man. I want one." @steve commented, "Whoever doesn’t understand that their wife is the glue, the food, the nutrition, and the vision of the family doesn’t get it."
You can follow @simplyougrow on Instagram for more motivational content.
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