In the hundreds of Starbucks locati

In the hundreds of Starbucks locations I've visited, not once can I name an experience where I didn't feel welcome--no matter how long I was working there. In fact, I walk into the location at Broadway and 38th Street, downstairs from our New York office, and the manager, Tara, always says, "Hey Damian, how's your son doing?"--regardless of how busy the store is.
This success does not happen by accident; it's not simply great marketing. It's a collective mindset throughout their organization that truly captures the brand greatness (and ultimately the differentiation) in everything Starbucks does. The company puts actions to words and is a brand model I aspire to.