How do you evolve in the products and services you offer without compromising your company’s image? This is a question I was asking myself, and asking my mentors, as I felt the need for the shift to Yes! Energy. This week, Starbucks took the next step in its brand evolution – by adding beer and wine in select locations at night. They saw a clear problem. People drink far less coffee and tea at night. They want to wind down for the evening, not get amped up. (Although, I don’t know about you… but I can drink my lattes pretty much any time of day.) The majority of their customers, though, stopped coming in as much after 5 PM. Adding beer and wine wasn’t so much about maintaining their coffee business, as it was about selling what they really sell – an ambiance and an environment.
It was time for Yes! Energy. But just because we were changing our conversation didn’t mean we were changing our overall wealth message. You need energy to create wealth just like you need something in your hand to drink to enjoy the Internet and comfy seating at Starbucks. Peter Drucker, the CEO of Starbucks, is executing this important principle: The things that an organization stands for should remain firm and fixed, but how it does things should be adjusted constantly.
What Live Out Loud is, and will always be, remains firm and fixed – We educate you… the entrepreneurs of the world. The education that entrepreneurs need right now, as a complement to our other programs, is how to use the Yes! Energy formula to achieve extreme optimism and energy. You need to know how to use it so you can create results in your life NOW. By showing entrepreneurs how to say yes now and then figure out how, we open doors of opportunity for millions.
Starbucks has always been a pioneer and I honestly love their product. I’ll be watching this shift closely as they make it. What shifts are you making to stay in your brand but evolve your products and services?