Starbucks: A Model of Successful Business

by Rushiqah Dahlan

Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks

Starbucks – a company that started small, but dreamed big – is now the largest coffeehouse company in the world. Everybody knows that. Here in Singapore, you can spot at least one store wherever you go. Considered as one of the most successful and admired companies today, Starbucks has grown organically from one local business in Seattle to more than 20, 000 stores in over 65 countries!

Current CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, was a general manager for a Swedish drip coffee make manufacturer, Hammerplast, when he first visited Starbucks in Seattle. When he saw great potential of Starbucks, he joined the team as he wanted to connect his life with it.

When Schultz went to Italy, he was inspired by the Italian coffee culture that he insisted that Starbucks adopts the Italian café model – small coffee houses at every corner of every street, which serves cups of brewed coffee and customers spend their time at the café with friends or families. When his idea was not accepted by the management, he left the group and started his own coffee business, Il Giornale, which was a success. When Schultz earned enough money, he bought Starbucks for about $4 million. His main goal was to expand Starbucks to numerous locations.
Starbucks underwent massive growth in just a few years and continued exponential growth from there. Between 2007 and 2008, there were Starbucks stores opening every weekday!

Small businesses have so much to learn from Starbucks and its fearless leader, Schultz. Besides the taste of its coffee, there are a handful of elements that propelled Starbucks to the forefront. Here are the key factors that contributed to the success.

1. Schultz’s Passion

“The most powerful and enduring brands are built from the heart.” – Howard Schultz

If it wasn’t for Schultz’s love for coffee, he would have given up and there would be no Starbucks. He was genuine and very determined to make his dreams come true. It was his passion and commitment that motivated him to work hard in order to achieve his goals.

You cannot fake true passion because people will immediately notice it. You (and your employees) need to love your products and services in order to get others to love them as well. Whenever you feel like giving up, think of what you can do to regain the passion and excitement you felt when you first started your business.


2. Know your customers and employees

At Starbucks, giving customers a memorable, personal experience is one of the most important factors that make them happy. Set up a customer contact programme to keep in touch with customers. Ask them questions to understand them better or ask for feedbacks to gain valuable insights, in terms of what is good and what to improve. When you cater to their needs and interests, they will most likely stay loyal to your brand.

Schultz once mentioned, “The way we have built our company by including the success of the company with everyone in it and not leaving our people behind is a great example of building a business the right way. We’re not ever going to turn our backs on our [employees].”

Don’t forget about your employees! They are important too, they help you run your business. Take time to get to know them and what they expect from the organisation. When you know your employees very well, they will feel appreciated and motivated to perform well at work.


3. Be innovative and take risks

“Don’t do things the way they’ve always been done. Don’t try to fit the system. If you do what’s expected of you, you’ll never accomplish more than others expect.” – Howard Schultz

Starbucks is extremely innovative. For instance, realising that consumers want to spend more time at its location, Starbucks began providing free Wi-Fi in 2010. They produced instant coffee for those who wanted to enjoy it at home. Now, they even allows customers to pay using their iPhone app. However, they did their best to stay true to its roots.

It is important to be adaptable, welcome changes to your business, think out of the box and be different. With the technology getting more advanced, your business needs to keep up with the changes as well.


4. Embrace social media

We all know that social media plays and important role in promoting and marketing your brand, but how can you perfect your social media presence. Starbucks used Instagram to tell its brand story. They used it to showcase their products, and also share images of customers enjoying their products.

You have to find the right platform for your businesses. Use it wisely, as Schultz pointed out that “the mistake most companies are making is that they are using social media as an opportunity to sell stuff. It’s really not designed for that.” That’s because you should use social media to increase brand awareness, engage in conversations with customers, maximize brand loyalty and demonstrate brand values, not to directly sell your products or services. This will then hopefully get users or viewers to buy or encourage others to buy from you.


5. Emotional connection

“Starbucks represents something beyond a cup of coffee.” It aims to provide people – regardless of age, profession or location – with an emotional and unique experience: a place to rest and relax from a busy day, socialize, work and even daily destination. Starbucks is often homey and welcoming. Starbucks wants their customers to feel that they care for them. You should too. Creating strong emotional connections with your clients will in turn drives repeat business.

Remember, Starbucks started out really small, just like any other business. However, with an open mind and network, almost nothing is impossible. You should stay true to your passion and what inspires you, like Schultz did. A piece of advice from him, “Believe in your dreams. Dream big. And then after you’ve done that, dream bigger.” 

We are proud to have Starbucks as one of the sponsors for IGNITE! Music Festival this year! After all the jumping and moshing, you can find Starbucks booth at IGNITE! Village and buy a cup of happiness! Remember to be kind and thank the baristas afterwards.

Slick Snips at The ‘A’ Street

by Rachel Ng

Haji Lane is a name familiar to many. It’s got offbeat graffiti art on alleyway walls, whimsical boutiques and hipster cafes all residing on one street. On the second floor of one of its shophouses lies a quaint barber shop that can be easy to miss if you don’t observe closely enough.

The ‘A’ Street Barber Shop prides itself as your friendly local barber - walk down to shophouse number 53, and you’re instantly greeted by the traditional barber pole right in front, and its equally striking signboard along with it too.

24-year-olds Nooris Fadzli, Muhd Khairi Bin Sulaihi, Alfian bin Juffri (from left to right) are the resident barbers of The ‘A’ Street Barber Shop, which opened about three months ago.

Head barber Khairi (pictured above), did his first haircut almost ten years ago, when he was in Secondary 2. A passion sparked - he cut his friends’ hair in school, and continued to practice haircutting at the same time. A barber shop spotted his haircuts on Instagram soon after, and contacted him to cut at their shop.

After his stint as a barber, his very own The ‘A’ Street Barber Shop was born. Not having any rules or practices for his barbers, Khairi believes in letting his barbers do what they want with their own style with no restrictions.

The ‘A’ Street also takes in apprentices, such as 18-year-old Aqil Swafiq. He was also taken in after his haircuts were spotted on Instagram, just like Khairi back then.

It’s evident that these guys love what they do, and it’s easily proven with one thing: the look on their faces when they’re on the job. The passion and concentration on their faces, the laughter exchanged when they’re making conversations with their customers. To them, they’re not just customers - they’re friends.

Fun fact: They’re also Manchester United fans!

So what will they be bringing to IGNITE! Music Festival this year? Providing haircuts, of course! And at a discounted price no less! It’ll be one of the most unique booths at the festival, being the only one that’s indoor and air-conditioned. It’ll be a once-in-a-lifetime experience as you get to sit down in a barber’s chair, get your hair cut and styled, while watching a free concert at the same time. They’ll also be bringing Byrd hairdo products and pomade, made in California, to give you that slick look for the festival.

Don’t miss the chance and head on over to IGNITE! Music Festival on 21 - 22 Aug 2015, where The ‘A’ Street Barber Shop will be having their very first pop-up booth, operating from 3pm to 8pm!

Exploring managers and their relationships with bands/artists

by Jozua Zhang

Music Manager: Keith Tan (far right) and Edwin Waliman (left) sat down for a couple of hours to discuss an array of topics about the local music scene, such as the role of a manager in a band to gaining more publicity if and when your band starts getting attention after an EP release. PHOTO BY: FASIHA NAZREN

“As an artist you are sort of in your own little (creative) bubble, and then your manager is the one who actually reaches out and is a liaise point between the world and the band itself,” summarized Edwin Waliman, an associate for Secret Signals and who is also an artist.

Speaking at the TRCC Lab on 19th August on a Wednesday evening, Edwin was joined by Keith Tan, a music manager whose clients’ list extend from singer-songwriter Daphne Khoo to instrumental band In Each Hand a Cutlass, to conduct a Music Management Workshop by Macbeth.

Right off the bat, the duo started off the discussion talking about the motivations for a band having a manager, and that is it vital that an artist has his “work of art protected and that he sees a return (financial, or whatever) basically.”

“I’m guessing the most important thing for any manager is having integrity, a manager who is honest, who you (as an artist or group) trust most importantly and also someone who shares the same vision as you/or your group,” recounted Mr Waliman, who is also the bassist for the pop/rock band The Summer State, a band who released their self-titled EP as well as music video for their hit “I Do, I Don’t” a couple of years ago.

The duo reiterated that not every act or artist necessarily needs a manager and that the best manager a band can get is not the one who is the most famous or most successful, but the one who is the best fit for your band.

Keith also spoke about how if a manager rejects a band: “It’s not that the artist or band sucks, but it’s just that it might not be the right fit.” One example was if a metal band approached a manager who was active in the hip hop industry, it might not be great fit as he might not be as influential or prominent in the metal scene and could not have the right or necessarily the best contacts for that group.

However, they stated that there was no rule for that and partnerships between an artist and a manager of different genres do happen, and that it could very well be a great working relationship.

The duo delved into many areas of the business side of the music industry and how when some artists reach a level of success, they would tend to need a larger team who is able to meet the expectations of the artist or the group.

“There’s your manager, booking agent, a business manager, a lawyer and a publicist. So basically how it all works is that your manager is the one who controls all the traffic at the top, “ explained Keith, who then went on to talk about how a local band’s set up might function. For example, some managers double up as booking agents sometimes, and they take on different roles.

It isn’t always easy to have a band, let alone manage one. It was an eye-opener as the duo spoke about their experiences in band management, and the workshop, an IGNITE! Music Festival fringe event, was certainly beneficial to all the aspiring musicians and band managers out there in the local music scene.

IGNITE! Music Festival happens this week on Friday and Saturday, 21 – 22 August 2015, at Republic Polytechnic’s Lawn.

Chillin' for Reel

by Charissa Heng

Christiane Mikaela (left), and ANISE (right), came down to RP to have an laid-back, relaxed acoustic session at The Reel Room.

The start of the school week is probably always a hard time for students. Having to get back into the mood of studying, focusing on projects and dealing with difficult people are just some of the things that give us a hard time. Sometimes, we just need a little chill and that’s exactly what IGNITE!’s Chill @ The Reel offered.

Set in Republic Polytechnic’s very own café ‘The Reel Room’, the cosy and laid back feel of the place made it the perfect location for enjoying an afternoon of relaxation, good food and most importantly musical acts such as ANISE and Christiane Mikaela. Students gathered at the café and there was a full crowd by 12pm, settling down with their food, anticipating the performances. With dim lights and a library surrounding the venue there was definitely enough to provide people with what they needed to chill.

Kick starting the event was ANISE. She graced the makeshift stage with her presence, performing some of her songs like ‘Aoraki’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’ that were instantly crowd pleasers. Being a freelance designer, she does music in her free time and does it well, preferring the quieter varieties of music. She believes in performing in smaller venues only because she feels that it is more intimate and we totally agree! Having studied abroad for a few years, her song writing has been inspired by her surroundings and how she felt back then. During her set, there were whispers here and there about how good Su Hui’s (ANISE) voice was and it was certainly a treat for us!

Thereafter, it was time for Singapore’s very own part time Pin-Up girl to show us how the blues are done right. Singer/songwriter Christiane Mikaela took the stage reeled in people to the event with her strong vocals and catchy songs all within her set. In between songs, she would not hesitate to share with the audience the song writing process and what the songs meant to her. When asked about her preference for performing venues, just like ANISE, she states: “I prefer this kind of setting because it is more intimate and personal.”.

Although the 2 ladies are into pretty different genres, they share one love for music. With more up-and-coming local artists, the music scene in Singapore is definitely not lacking in.

All Fired Up For IGNITE!

by Fasiha Nazren

All Fired Up! is a fringe event to showcase Republic Polytechnic’s (RP) very own Jammerz Arena (JA) who will also be performing at this year’s IGNITE! Music Festival. It was held on August 12th at South Agora in RP. This fringe event featured 4 JA bands – The Scarlets, Not So Average Joes, Keepsake and Still Wanna Bees. Making a guest performance was JA’s very own alumni, Tell Lie Vision.

Set Fire To The Stage: Jammerz Arena got the crowd singing along with their rendition of popular hits
such as Set Fire To The Rain by Adele. PHOTO BY: AZMI ATHNI/PHOTO REPUBLIC IG

The heart wrenching performance of How Does It Feel by Citizen pulled the heart strings of many. This finale item was even more meaningful to Syed Ali, 20, guitarist for the Not So Average Joes, as he dedicated this song to a relative who has recently passed on.

Though the last song touched the hearts of many, the other performances got the crowd banging their heads and singing along to the bands. Taking the stage by storm, JA also performed rocking renditions of 4 other popular songs. This included Set Fire To The Rain by Adele and That’s What You Get by Paramore.

Outstanding: Tell Lie Vision got their stage presence felt not only with their outstanding set,
but also with the constant interaction with the crowd.
PHOTO BY: AZMI ATHNI/PHOTO REPUBLIC IG

Alternative rock and post hardcore band, Tell Lie Vision, definitely didn’t disappoint the crowd. The quintet performed four songs, including an original, Reconcile. The band definitely felt at home on stage as they belt their hearts out and also dropped jokes to get the crowd pumped. The constant interaction with the crowd proved worthy as the crowd began to sing along to the chorus of Reconcile with them.

“It felt really nice and great to be back and perform in RP. It’s like playing on your home ground.” said Vikkash Suruchand, 23, guitarist for Tell Lie Vision.

Put Your Hearts Up: The audience certainly enjoyed the performance put up during ALL FIRED UP! as they flashed
hearts with their hands and cheered for the performers.
PHOTO BY: AZMI ATHNI/PHOTO REPUBLIC IG

Without a doubt, the performers gained more recognition and fans after giving an awesome performance. This includes Danial Japri, 19, a second-year Aerospace student.

“Personally, I didn’t know much about JA and have no interest in the local music scene. But after listening to their performances, they actually took me by surprise and are very good at what they do.” shared Danial.

For those that missed out this fringe event, not to worry as JA will be putting on an even bigger and better performance for the first day of IGNITE! Music Festival.

“It is definitely going to be more pumped up than All Fired Up!. The songs we chose for IGNITE! will have bigger projection but will still touch the hearts of many.” said Faith Ng, 20, vocalist for The Scarlets.

IGNITE! Music Festival happens this Friday and Saturday, 21 and 22 Aug, 4pm, at Republic Polytechnic Lawn. 

Senses reIGNITE!d

by Nicole Ho

Hitting the right note: Radiant Archery used only their instruments to impress the audience. PHOTO: NICOLE HO

With IGNITE! Music Festival 2015 just shy of a week away, fringe events have been popping up prior to the main show. Last Friday, students were streaming out of Republic Polytechnic after classes ended, anticipating the joy of going home to catch up on their beauty sleep. What they didn’t know was that as they were walking past the commotion at the entrance, they were missing out on something even more exciting than napping on a Friday evening.

IGNITE! Your Senses is a platform for budding artists to showcase their work. Bands such as OrangeCove, Arson and Take Two have been featured at this fringe event in previous years, before moving on to larger stages and playing for more events. This year, we had the pleasure of hosting 4 relatively new local bands – Singapore Association of Mental Health (SAMH)’s Rubber Band, Radiant Archery, Heir of Hounds and Vessel.

Representing SAMH, Rubber Band opened the set with harmonious covers of Flashlight and Price Tag by Jessie J. They brought forth well-played renditions of these chart toppers, and with 1 vocalist and 6 musicians. It was also a heartwarming sight to see the smiles on their faces when they received a round of loud cheers and applause from the crowd after their performance.

Following that was Heir of Hounds – a 3-piece alternative, post hardcore band, who get inspiration for their lyrics largely from personal experiences, and are influenced by American bands like Emarosa and Hands Like Houses. Very aptly, their song titled, ‘Beginnings’, was the first song they opened with. The band also did a cover of Bring Me The Horizon’s ‘Drown’ for their last song, which got the audience was tapping their feet to the beat and singing along.

Post metal quartet Radiant Archery was up next, stunning the crowd with their instrumental talent. Don’t let the absence of lyrics dissuade you from their music though, as it somehow managed to capture a heavy sound as well as the distinct melody of each of their songs – a combination that can very rarely be pulled off, but they made it work perfectly.

Afterwards, Vessel took the stage as the finale for the event. “We are very surprised that RP students are so receptive towards our sound, and we’re very flattered, almost at a loss for words,” said the band’s guitarist, Nabeel Harith. The crowd cheered endlessly for them and were relentlessly moving to the beat of each song being played, they ended their set with a track titled ‘Obsessed’.

Not to mention, they also released their debut EP, Depths, on the following day. It seems like they are actively moving onto greater things, and if you’re as obsessed with them as we are (pun intended), then do catch them on the second day of the IGNITE! Music Festival where they will be playing, as the runner-up of the IGNITE! Band Auditions, first up for the day at 5PM!

Way to IGNITE! Your Senses

by Nicole Ho and Tan Pee Geok

As the highly anticipated local music festival, IGNITE! Music Festival, draws near, fringe event IGNITE! Your Senses played their way to the audiences’ senses.

The event served as a platform for up and coming local bands to showcase their music and talent, and this year’s ear-candy line-up featured Singapore Association of Mental Health (SAMH)’s Rubber Band, Heir of Hounds, Radiant Archery and Vessel.

Missed IGNITE! Your Senses? Don’t worry – you can relive your moments of fun and also get to know the bands a little better through this photo story!

Prepped and Ready: Behind the restricted area is where our IGNITE! crew run their final checks before the show officially kicks off. They have been preparing for the success of the several fringe events to ensure that they run smoothly. PHOTO: NICOLE HO / CAPTION: TAN PEE GEOK

Gearing Up: The secret to a good show is not just about the bands and music. It’s also about the people behind it. One of our IGNITE! stage crew’s responsibilities is meticulously assisting bands to set up for their performances. PHOTO: NICOLE HO / CAPTION: TAN PEE GEOK

Firing it Up: IGNITE! Your Senses’ enthusiastic emcees were decked in matching checkered shirts, and they fired up the stage by welcoming the audience to the show and hyping them up with their banter and nuggets of information of the bands. PHOTO: NICOLE HO / CAPTION: TAN PEE GEOK

An Audience Awaits: As soon as classes ended, South Agora slowly filled up as people came down to enjoy the performance with their friends and unwind after a day of lessons. PHOTO: NICOLE HO / CAPTION: TAN PEE GEOK

Overcoming Barriers: The highlight for Rubber Band from the Singapore Association of Mental Health (SAMH)’s set was their courage to perform in front of an audience. Using the different music instruments that they have learnt, they performed Jessie J’s Flashlight that sang straight to the audiences’ hearts. PHOTO: NICOLE HO / CAPTION: TAN PEE GEOK

Guitar Hero: Seran Yeo, guitarist and main vocalist of Heir of Hounds opened their stage with a passionate performance of their debut single, “Beginnings”. The track came in third for on the iTunes Singapore Rock Charts, when they debuted as a band in 2014. PHOTO: NICOLE HO / CAPTION: TAN PEE GEOK

Music Makes One: Instrumental post metal Radiant Archery took on the stage as the third act for IGNITE! Your Senses, striking a chord with the audience with just purely their music. PHOTO: NICOLE HO / CAPTION: TAN PEE GEOK

Smooth-Sailing Vessel: A strong stage presence was brought by the quintet, Vessel, as they closed the show while performing songs from their new EP, which was also launched at the Aliwal Arts Centre on the following day. PHOTO: NICOLE HO / CAPTION: TAN PEE GEOK

With that, we close IGNITE! Your Senses! IGNITE! Music Festival 2015 is happening on the 21 & 22 August! Be sure to be there to immerse yourself in the growing scene that is local music. Do keep a lookout for more updates on our various social media platforms @IGNITEMusicFest. See you there!

Replug Presents: Origins

by Nellie Qistina

Can You Feel My Love: As Replug’s set came to a close, everyone involved in the production joined the performers on stage as they sang the last lines of Geronimo by Sheppard together. PHOTO BY: AMIR BIN AMRAN / PHOTO IG

“It feels awesome.”

“It was very relieving.”

Those were the replies of Shaneeta Karapan and Raiyan Sufyan, two members of the Replug Interest Group in RP that performed for Replug Presents Origins, when asked how it felt after the performance.

This fringe event held at South Agora was aimed at showing people the era that they grew up in through the songs performed. Popular hits such as Crazy by Gnarls Barkley, Need You Now by Lady Antebellum were what started off their set and it ended with Geronimo by Sheppard, lifting everyone’s moods.

Initially, the plan was to have a simple show. A show that was really cut down, stripped, with no drums and just very chilled and relaxed. But many changes have been made since the initial plan and Replug Presents Origins was the final product.

When asked about the process leading up to the show, Shaneeta and Raiyan shared that it was one filled with many ups and downs. From going for previews and having to cut out almost half of the songs chosen to constantly motivating their team mates, it was a tough 3 months.

Another thing they both agreed on was how passion played a key role in their journey, not only in the one leading up to Origins but also through their journey in the Interest Group. Despite the constant struggle to manage their time between studies and families, they credit their stay in Replug to the passion that they possess.

Passion Plays A Part, A Large Part: Shaneeta says that the one of the main reasons why everyone still stays in their IG is because they all have so much passion for what they do. PHOTO BY: WONG ZHI XUAN ALEX / PHOTO IG

“Honestly, if it is something that you want to do, just go out there and do it. Yes, it’s going to be scary the first time you do it but once you do, you’ll just get addicted to it. Performing is like a drug,” said Shaneeta.

Beyond having the passion to do what they love, another important factor was to have the courage. Raiyan, the Vice-President of Replug, says that he lives by one rule. “Take 20 seconds of courage to do something that you want. You countdown that 20 seconds and just sign up for an IG or go on stage to perform and just do something crazy. You’ll never know if it’ll change your life,” he shares.

The Courage to Pursue: Raiyan Sufyan, the Vice-President of Replug IG, believes in one thing and that is to take 20 seconds of courage and just go for what you want. PHOTO BY: AMIR BIN AMRAN / PHOTO IG

These two members honestly hope that everyone has enjoyed their show.

However, they were not the only band at Origins. Guest band The Madhatter Project, opened the whole show by playing a few of their originals.

Quirky Quartet: The Madhatter Project has been together for slightly over a year and get their inspiration from many everyday experiences. PHOTO BY: WONG ZHI XUAN ALEX / PHOTO IG

From a song about a cat sitting on the window, looking out at a rocket ship flying past called ‘Rocketship’ to one filled with Harry Potter references called ‘Horcrux’, this band of 4 is unique for its set-up of multiple keyboards. They get their inspiration for their songs everywhere or if not, they research their songs. “Nobody screamed that loudly for us before,” Mark laughed as they ended their first song.

When asked to describe their band’s personality, phrases and words like “unconventionally conventional”, “quirky” and “a band of many personalities” were thrown out. The bands wants to push their audiences and people who listen to their stuff to ask questions through their songs.

This band believes that even though their sound may be unique compared to other bands in the scene, they should just “keep going at it, because there will always be an audience somewhere.”

All these fringe events lead up to the main festival happening at Republic Polytechnic on 21st and 22nd August.