ALWAYS GO TO JAPAN

During the international expansion period of the Starbucks , Howard Schultz , Founder CEO , was resolute that in they had to go to Japan. The board was leery and before acquiescing to his desire, they made him run this idea by a consultant . After extensive study and research of the Japanese market , the consultation was a resounding no. Japan was not going to be a good fit for Starbucks and opening there would be a flop. Howard forced the entry into the market and the entrance of Starbucks into the market was a resounding success. I love this story because book smarts , and all insight from professionals , will not always align with what your gut tells you to be true. I am weeks from opening my first restaurant and in opening the doors, I will have defied multiple nos and council against what i am doing. There are some decisions in life that you are going to have to jump and do what you feel is right even if it defies what the “Experts” say . The reason for such defiance is because facts and micro data do not account for an inner knowing . They are extremely pragmatic and analytical and these adjective are not what build empires. Estee lauder , the founder of the eponymous cosmetics company stated that “ Risk taking is the cornerstone of empires. Bringing a dream to reality is in some ways like an empire . Its limitations are really only that of the dreamer. Lastly , making the call to trust yourself despite the odds when you feel it is the right thing to do fulfills something that no data can ever do; It answers the question, what am I capable of. As I open restaurant location 1 of 100 , this question is what pushes me forward.