Book Review of How Starbucks Changed My Life

We've all heard the rags to riches stories. This is a riches to rags story. In "How Starbucks Changed My Life", author Michael Gates Gill shares the humbling and valuable life lessons he learned from working in a minimum wage job with people of a different age, race and financial background than he had come from. It was a life changing experience for him.Michael was an account executive with a good income at an advertising agency. He was raised in a wealthy neighborhood and was able to provide the same for his family. One day, he was let go from his job because of age. They said he no longer fit the corporate image. He was too afraid to tell his wife. He attempted to start his own business, but it didn't make it. He made the mistake of having a brief affair with a younger woman, which led to the birth of a son, but she didn't want Michael in her life.After his wife divorced him, he was homeless, unemployed and now had to provide insurance for this new son, he was feeling pret
ty low. He stopped at a Starbucks coffee shop to sit and contemplate on what to do. On this particular day, Starbucks was having a job fair, but he wasn't paying attention. The store manager asked him if he would like an application for a job. He thought about it for a second and stated that yes, he actually did need a job.Michael was hired as the custodian. His duties included taking out the trash and cleaning the restroom. The store manager, Krystal taught him about treating people with respect and doing your very best, no matter what the task. He learned to respect his co-workers who were different from him. He enjoyed chatting with customers and eventually was given the opportunity to give taste sampling demonstrations. He took pride in telling about each of the coffee varieties.Michael took the train each day to and from work. He had a modest, small apartment with minimal furnishings. His older children were grown. One day, his daughter suggested that he keep a journal
about his experiences. After working at Starbucks for approximately two years, someone asked if they could show his journal to a friend. That led to the publishing of this book.As of the printing of the book, Michael continued working at Starbucks. It had been such a life changing experience that he kept the ties there. I'm sure that since receiving the royalties from the book and being at a retirement age, he no longer needs to work. However it turned out, he learned lessons that each of us can learn from.

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