One Woman’s Journey From Barista to Boardroom

The story of Starbucks Coffee began on March 30, 1971, in Seattle, Washington. Nestled along the cobblestone streets of Seattle's historic Pike Place Market was Starbucks’ first store, offering a global assortment of fresh-roasted coffee beans, tea, and spices for customers to take home. This first locale ignited a legendary run that fueled Starbucks’ meteoric rise to the iconic coffee brand it is today. 

Now in a book that’s part autobiography and part business memoir, former Starbucks vice president Christine McHugh shares how she went from serving single shots to creating programs adopted by stores worldwide. “From Barista to Boardroom: Lessons about Life and Leadership from a Career in Coffee,” is Christine’s moving, direct account of her 27-year career journey at Starbucks. 

During her early formative years, Christine dreamed of a bigger life outside of her hometown of Fairbanks, Alaska. Inspired by family members and the thought of becoming a businesswoman, she enrolled in a community college in Seattle. To support herself, she took a job as a barista slinging espresso at Starbucks, then a modest thirty-seven store operation. Over time, she was offered the opportunity to move into management, which led her to promptly quit school and leap into a career that would eventually span twenty-seven years. 

In her book, McHugh offers a personal look at the inner recesses of her nontraditional path up the corporate ladder, offering perspectives from her mid-career decision to backpack for a year around the world, navigate motherhood while in the executive suite, and return to school at age forty. She talks candidly about the highs and lows of her career/life trajectory. The result is an inspiring tale for others seeking to follow their own aspirations and write a legacy story. 

McHugh immediately captures the reader of her book in the prologue where she writes: 

“As I stood outside the Starbucks Support Center, looking up at the clock tower, I saw the green-and-white siren perched atop, smiling at me. It hit me—I would never again enter the doors as a Starbucks “partner.” I shook with sadness, and my stomach was in knots over how my last few hours of employment had unfurled. There hadn’t been time to process it all yet, but I was ready for whatever came next. My departure was quiet. I slipped out of the building unnoticed and loaded the last box into the trunk of my car. 

In just half an hour, I’d be having a celebratory glass of champagne with my husband, Tate, at a restaurant in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. I was incredibly proud of my twenty-seven-year career at Starbucks, where I started as a barista and rose to the level of vice president. I had spent over half my life there. Pulling out of the garage, I peeked over my shoulder and took one last look at the siren, nodding a silent thank-you as I drove away. It was the end of one era but the start of a new one. I was now officially a customer on the other side of the counter.” 

Great Books, Great Minds recently had the opportunity to interview Christine McHugh and capture a more in-depth look at her life path and the lessons she hopes to impart in the book

What was the major catalyst behind your decision to write this book? 

I was on a run with a friend and was sharing my career story and he suggested I write a book. He thought women, especially those in careers, might find my journey inspiring and helpful. He even proposed a title for the to-be-written book, From Barista to Boardroom. So I thought about it for a couple of years and then decided to give it a try as a skill building project. Because I had never considered myself a writer or possessing any artistic traits, learning how to write a narrative (my strength was in corporate powerpoints and emails) seemed like such a daunting task. After doing some trial articles on LinkedIn for a year, I discovered how much I really enjoyed writing.  

What do you most want to convey to readers through your book? 

My hope is that they come away with the idea that anything is possible when you set your mind on it. I also hope that they internalize the idea that we choose our own path as opposed to getting caught up in the "shoulds" of life or the pressures that society and family put on us. Lastly, I'd like readers to fully embrace their values and use them as a decision making framework as it relates to work and life.

Your thoughts on the emerging (economic) market crisis and its looming impact on the corporate business climate. And what did your leadership experiences at Starbucks taught you about strategically managing the ebbs and flows of economic swings?

In a big company, because it can be hard at times to pivot quickly. so you have to build in agility. You also need to key into what your customers and frontline team are saying and doing and be in close contact with them. And it’s important to stay focused on your mission and values as your guiding principles. Because it’s so easy to get caught up in the data and spreadsheets while forgetting to keep your listening ears wide open. 

Who has had the greatest impact on your career trajectory over the course of your Starbucks tenure? 

That's a tough question because I've learned so much from the people I've worked with not to mention the unwavering support of my husband and his belief in me. The company changed so much while I was there and there were many different iterations of it. At times it felt like I was at 3-4 distinct organizations during my tenure with each of these organizations requiring different sets of leadership. So if I had to narrow it down to two leaders, I'd say Tom Haro and Sara Trilling, both of whom I talk about in my book.  

Are there any books or authors that have a major influence on your thinking? 

The short answer to that is anything servant leadership related has a special place on my bookshelf.

Where do you believe corporate America is in terms of the advancement of women into the corporate suite? 

While we've come a long way, we've got a looonggg way to go. Just look at the number of women in an organization and how the percent of representation decreases as you get further to the top. For women aspiring to these leadership levels, I believe they need to be comfortable with who they are while finding mentors and advocates, and sponsors. This as I see it is the key. 

What is your greatest hope in terms of what readers of your book walk away with? 

You can do anything you put your mind to — you just need to take the first step.  And, be yourself, because in the end everyone else is taken.