Howard Behar is one of three top executives who have helped shape one of the most recognized companies in the world: Starbucks. A widely acclaimed leader, Behar, with his signature energy, smarts, high expectations, and belief in people, has become a symbol of the soul and candor of the Starbucks culture.

In It's Not about the Coffee, Behar outlines his simple yet effective approach to success: focus on people over profits. He offers ten fundamental leadership lessons we all need to practice as well as preach every day, including clarity of purpose, listening, truth telling, accountability, and persistence. Each chapter explores one of these principles, incorporating inside stories of turning points in the development of Starbucks' culture and business and offering inspiring advice.

“[S]haring anecdotes from Starbucks itself is Behar’s strong suit….[T]he voice of experience and in-house examples from a popular company make for a decent read for those wanting to develop or refresh basic business leadership skills.”

Howard Behar is the former president of Starbucks Coffee Company North America and Starbucks Coffee International. He joined Starbucks in 1989 as vice president of sales and operations and oversaw the retail business growth from 28 stores to more than 400 stores in six years.