The real reason Howard Schultz built Starbucks. It wasn't about coffee, it was about a promise to his father. A reminder that behind every great company is a powerful "why." This is the story of a founder's "why." Before Starbucks became a global brand, it was a promise made to a father who was fired after an injury with no benefits. Howard Schultz built Starbucks to be a place his father never had the chance to work at—a company with dignity and respect at its core. This is what it means to bui