Business experts recommend seeking knowledge from other successful people, which is advice that San Diego-based CEO Jason Hughes takes to heart. The CEO and businessman is a big fan of motivational speakers and self-help books, and has even brought motivational speakers to work with his staff at their Hughes Marino office. Up to now, everyone got a lot out of these outstanding opportunities to meet notable inspirational figures, including Jason Hughes himself for business owners not only in San Diego but all California.
Another figure Jason Hughes had the opportunity to spend time with was Starbucks CEO Howard Schulz. In 2017, he found an online auction that offered an opportunity for a short meeting with the head of the Starbucks coffee company, Howard Schulz. San Diego-based businessman and CEO entrepreneur Jason Hughes figured this would be the best way to gain access, so he continued to bid until he won. Starbucks was eventually able to coordinate a date and location.
Jason Hughes from San Diego also received permission to bring his family to meet Schulz at a special premium coffee location in Seattle which sounded even better for him. Although the businessman and CEO of Hughes Marino was told ahead of time that Howard Schulz could only spare 30 minutes in his busy schedule, they ended up speaking for more than two hours. Jason Hughes said that Schulz even went behind the counter to make him a cup of coffee. The meet-and-greet also included the opportunity to taste different types of roasts, beans, and seasonal specials.
This could be a wonderful experience for either a coffee connoisseur or someone who wants to be one. But that wasn’t all that Jason Hughes was there for. He had read Schulz’s books several times, and referred to “Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul” as his bible when he needed tips on how to make a startup successful. At San Diego, he brought a big list of questions for Schulz, mostly focusing on business and management. They discussed Schulz’s and the company’s decision-making process and his view of teamwork.
What Howard Schulz told Jason Hughes is that, before making any choice, he asks himself if it will make his team proud. If so, it’s usually the right choice – and vice versa. As the most successful buyer representative states in later interviews, the Hughes family returned to their home with gift bags of Starbucks items. In addition, Jason Hughes also brought home in San Diego plenty of notes to share with his colleagues.