Entrepreneur Stories
Howard Schultz Founding Story
Born in the housing sector of Brooklyn, New York, Howard Schultz never dreamt of becoming the founder of one of the largest coffee chains in the world. Growing up, Schultz lived a life where people were used to being poor, with lack of money being a constant nagging issue! With three kids, the parents worked two jobs each to make ends meet, scraping their savings on a daily basis. This would have been Schultz’s life on a daily basis, if his father had not broken his foot. The day that happened was the day the family realized their income was reduced by half. With no savings in hand, Howard and his parents experienced poverty like never before.
The day he watched his father lie on the couch, with a cast and defeated completely, was the day Howard made the decision to change his life. At the age of 7, a young Schultz made the choice of taking his life into his hands. At school, he worked and played hard, a decision which helped him earn an athletic scholarship to Northern Michigan University. After graduation, his first job was working in the sales training program at Xerox, where he learned how to cold call ad pitch word processors. A few years down the line, he took a job at a housewares business owned by a Swedish company called Perstop! With the previous experience he had, Schultz grew quickly and became the Vice President of the company in a few months! Despite reaching success early in life, something seemed to be missing for Schultz.
A couple of months after being the Vice President, he realized the one thing lacking for him in this job was passion. Schultz first came across a Starbucks when he was walking around, looking for his dreams to come true. Back when Schultz came across the very first coffee shop, the franchise had only four stores in operation. When he met the then owners of Starbucks, Howard realized there was a lot of potential in these coffee shops. However, joining Starbucks meant moving across the country with a pay cut and for Howard that was a huge move to make. Schultz’s future and Starbuck’s future changed when the management sent him to Milan for an international housewares event.
When he saw the way espressos were served in Italy, Schutz realized the way the future of Starbucks could change was by serving coffee the Italian way! Balwin and Bowker, however, did not appreciate Schultz’s idea and said no to the proposal. Soon after, in the year 1985, Schultz opened his own coffee chain, II Giornale (Italian for daily.) Two years later, Schultz’s coffee chain did so well, they had enough money to take over Starbucks! In 1987, II Giornale went and did the impossible by buying over Starbucks. Schultz became the Chief Operating Officer and the rest, as they say, is history! With a valuation of over $ 80 million and 25,000 stores across 65 countries, Starbucks has definitely changed the way people drink coffee!
Apple has unveiled the new MacBook Air with M5 chip, starting at $999 for 13-inch and $1,299 for 15-inch models. The MacBook Air M5 boasts a 2nm M5 chip with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 50 TOPS Neural Engine for seamless AI tasks like real-time translation and 8K editing. Up to 22 hours of battery life, Thunderbolt 5, and Wi-Fi 7 make it the ultimate ultraportable, now 10% thinner at 0.44 inches with fanless cooling.
Key MacBook Air M5 features include Liquid Retina XDR display (500 nits, nano-texture option), 12MP Center Stage camera, and six-speaker Spatial Audio. Colors like new Sky Blue join Midnight and Starlight. Pre-orders are live today, with macOS Sequoia 15.4 enhancing Apple Intelligence and iPhone Continuity for students, pros, and remote workers.
Why buy MacBook Air M5 now? It outpaces Snapdragon X Elite rivals with ecosystem magic and future-proof performance, eyeing top 2026 laptop sales. CEO Tim Cook calls it “more capable than ever.” Visit apple.com for M5 MacBook deals and specs.
Delhi NCR-based gaming startup Zupee has acquired Mumbai-based microdrama platform Vertical TV in a deal valued under INR 40 Cr. This move strengthens Zupee Studio, its short-video arm launched in September 2025, by integrating Vertical TV’s expertise in bite-sized dramas like romance and thrillers.
Facing challenges from India’s 2025 real-money gaming ban, Zupee valued at $1 Bn after raising $120 Mn has pivoted to non-gaming content, including recent layoffs of 40% of its workforce. The acquisition builds on its November 2025 purchase of Australian AI firm Nucanon for interactive storytelling, targeting its 200 Mn+ users with engaging, mobile-first formats.
This deal underscores the rising microdrama trend in India, helping Zupee diversify amid regulatory pressures and compete in the short-video space dominated by quick, shareable content for on-the-go audiences.
T.N. Seshan’s name stands tall in India’s history as the man who transformed the nation’s electoral system with extraordinary courage and integrity. Born in 1932 in Kerala, Seshan grew up with values of discipline, education, and service to the nation — virtues that shaped his illustrious journey. From his early brilliance at Madras Christian College to his advanced studies in public administration at Harvard University, Seshan’s path reflected rare determination and intellect. Joining the Indian Administrative Service in 1955, he built a reputation as a no‑nonsense officer committed to efficiency and honesty, serving in key roles such as Secretary of Defense and overseeing vital national programs.
As the Chief Election Commissioner of India in 1990, T.N. Seshan sparked a new era of electoral integrity. In a system once marred by corruption, violence, and malpractice, Seshan brought order, fear, and respect through his groundbreaking reforms. He introduced voter ID cards, imposed strict spending limits on campaigns, and insisted on transparency at every level of the election process. Despite criticism from political circles that labeled him dictatorial, his relentless pursuit of fairness empowered every citizen to vote fearlessly. Under his leadership, the Election Commission became a symbol of strength and integrity in Indian democracy.
Seshan’s passing in November 2019 marked the end of an era, but his message continues to resonate across generations. Leaders from every corner of the country mourned the loss of the man who restored faith in free and fair elections. His enduring legacy reminds us that true leadership lies not in wielding power, but in serving people with honesty, courage, and conviction. T.N. Seshan’s life remains a timeless inspiration a reminder that democracy thrives only when its citizens are vigilant, responsible, and fearless.
Apple MacBook Air M5 Launched: M5 Chip, 22-Hour Battery in India
₹290 Crore Boost: Rozana’s Series B Funding Scales Rural Retail Network Nationwide
