Internships, Jobs and Careers: Starbucks Asia Pacific President Stresses Passion and Building Personal Relationships

John Culver, president of Starbucks Asia Pacific, could be a spokesperson for my FLIPPING BURGERS AND BEYOND philosophy:

The July 21^st article by Tor Ching Li in The Wall Street Journal was titled “Culver of Starbucks Asia on Getting Started: ‘Be Passionate.’”

Music to my ears.

And the blog post I did just before this one (see http://tinyurl.com/6kd4eh) ties in nicely with this quote from Culver in response to what was the biggest lesson he learned on his first job:

“I washed dishes and waited on tables when I was still in high school. The biggest lesson I learned is to treat people the way you want to be treated. As humans we all share a desire to be acknowledged and recognized, whether it is a warm greeting or a sincere thank you. It is the little things that build personal relationships.”

And in response to what’s the one thing he wished every new hire knew, Culver said:

“It is important to have the basic knowledge and skills, but it is more important that you choose a career path or company that you are passionate about and aligns with your values as a person.”

These are topics that I talk about again and again as part of the FLIPPING BURGERS AND BEYOND philosophy. And I strongly believe in the earlier the better for you to start following your passion to see where that leads.

It’s your own life in which you’re investing energy. And it’s much easier to invest that energy if you’re enthusiastic about what you’re doing.

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