Today in Global Small Business: How Starbucks Is Turning Around

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Here’s what most turnaround stories get wrong: They focus on the result and skip the method.  Not Starbucks.  They did things differently.  See how.
• Key US export controls considerations for global data center projects.
• State of US tariffs (as of 4/8/26).
• Quote of the week:  “Growth doesn't require us to become something new, it requires us to be exceptionally good at who we already are." – Mike Grams, Chief Operations Officer, Starbucks, on the focus of the turnaround
• AI and the self you left behind.
• Advancing communications skills in the age of AI.

Note:  The Global Small Business Blog has been in operation since 2004 and is ranked number one in the world for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global.  In April, 2026, we had more than 2,920,000 – yes, 2.9 million – readers visit our blog.

The Authentic Starbucks Experience

©2025 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"People around the world, they want the authentic Starbucks experience." – Howard Schultz

(Location:  Starbucks Reserve, Chicago)

Starbucks Avoids Brewing Controversy in South Korea

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Walk into any Starbucks in South Korea right now, and there are some names you definitely won't be hearing.  Six to be exact - and they happen to be the names of the candidates running in the upcoming presidential race.  That's because Starbucks has temporarily blocked customers who are ordering drinks from using these names, which would be called out by baristas.

Oh, let's not forget Starbuck's goal of making sure every customer has a great experience in their coffeehouses.

Today in Global Small Business: Remember and Honor

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Remember and honor:  Wishing you a meaningful and thoughtful Memorial Day.
• Triple Shot Reinvention will focus on three priorities: elevating the Starbucks brand; strengthening the company’s digital capabilities; and becoming truly global; customized with “two pumps” unlocking efficiency and reinvigorating partner culture.
• Marriott International, Inc. announced the company’s record year of global signings with 52 percent more organic rooms signed in 2023 than in 2022, as it continues to expand offerings for owners, franchisees, and guests.
• Asia-Pacific emerges as the top destination for expansion as CEOs look to generative AI to drive growth.
• Quote of the week:  "Starbucks has a role and a meaningful relationship with people that is not only about the coffee." – Howard Schultz
• Where do CEOs see global growth in 2024?
• 5 must have steps in your 2024 global expansion plan.

 

Today in Global Small Business: 'Black is King' by Beyonce

©iStock/life in shots

What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• Basey banig weavers build a name for Filipino export products.
• LIVE updates from The New York Times on COVID-19 
• Quote of the week:  "It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get." – Confucius
• The upside to embracing your own madness.
• 'Black Is King,' a new album by Beyonce, will celebrate Black resilience and culture, and premiere globally on Disney+ on July 31, according to a press release. 
• Whoa, look out, Starbucks says it will pause advertising on social media platforms including Facebook.  They are not the only one starting to take this path.  Could be impactful.

Starbucks Keeps Growing Global

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Starbucks has launched two new quick-brew products to expand the coffee giant's presence in the UK and Japan.

Read more here.