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Purple Cow
What Does Howard Know
One thing about Starbucks is obvious – the coffee is really and
truly delicious. The reason is simple. Howard Schultz (the
company’s CEO) loves coffee. He refers to everyone who hasn’t
had their first cup of the day as “pre-caffeinated.” He spent
months in Italy, drinking and learning. He has a coffee otaku.
Where does remarkable come from Often, it comes
from passionate people who are making something for
themselves. The Burton snowboard, the Vanguard mutual
fund, the Apple iPod, and the Learjet all came from people
with an otaku. It’s interesting to note that the chocolate
at Starbucks isn’t as great as the coffee. Obviously, Howard
doesn’t know chocolate the way he knows coffee. Starbucks
isn’t obsessed with chocolate; they just serve it. Are you
obsessed or just making a living
The number-one question about the Purple Cow is,
“How do I know it’s remarkable” This question almost
always comes from the people who don’t have the otaku.
John Scharffenberger, founder of Scharffen Berger
Chocolate, has no trouble telling great chocolate from
ordinary chocolate. He gets it.
When I was building my first company (we created
books), I always asked potential employees how often they
went to the bookstore. People who don’t love shopping for
books obviously don’t have the book otaku, and they’re
going to have a harder time inventing books for people
who do.
Everyone who works at Patagonia is an outdoor nut.
When the surf is up, the offices empty out as people rush to
hit the waves. While this makes for a chaotic work environment,
it also makes it more likely that Patagonia staff will
know a remarkable outdoor product when they see one.
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