Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

OK ... so I`m sure millions of people try to sell something to Starbucks every year.

So ... how does someone get one of these meetings?

I have an idea on how to improve something having to do with their methodology for one of their types of cold drinks. I could ..

1) Email whoever answers their emails and tell them how to do it with some products already available on the market ..
or
2) Make something better (I already have a prototype in my head) and figure out how to get a meeting with someone that actually matters so I can sell them the method and the product.

So, I`m exploring #2 ... any ideas??

I could have some fun with this....

...okay...I will..... :D

Personally, I prefer option number two...but I`ll get to that in a minute...

Option number one is (you DO like Starbucks, don`t you?) to find a local outlet and become friends with the manager. Not easy, but possible. Make your pitch to him or her and WHY it`s a good idea. If the manager "buys" your idea, he or she will have a much better chance of knowing the REAL "right" person to contact within the halls of Starbuck`s. More importantly, anyone can pick up the phone, write an email, send smoke signals at the STARBUCK`S logo.... How many of those people out of a hundred are going to have TWO people sending the message-- let alone one of those two people being within the company?

Option Number Two: If your idea is as good as you say it is: PATENT it. No-- don`t get one of those "patent in a box" deals. Seek out professional help. Without knowing what your idea is, you may walk away feeling that you wasted your money because someone else has already thought of your idea. A good professional will tell you that before charging you more than a consultation fee. Then again...you could be on the road to doing something REALLY great (and making a lot of money in the process).

After you have your patent (or if you can`t patent it for whatever reason), start with a smaller coffee house chain....or better yet, a "startup" coffee bar. I say this because any company smaller than Starbuck`s is going to be MUCH more open to new ideas and have a LOT less red tape to go through to get a new project started.

Example: Starbucks will hold a meeting after several other meetings to discuss which outlet will "flagship" your idea. Then there will be another meeting to discuss the tax implications of starting your idea (if they haven`t had that meeting already).... Then there will be another meeting to talk about the risk to the Starbucks brand name based on the merit of your idea..... On and on and on they will TALK about starting your idea.....

A "small potatoes" coffee shop in the genre of Starbuck`s will just make a decision and DO IT. And as they begin to flourish, they will love you for it :)

Just some thoughts :)

Peter

This actually pertains specifically to a line of drinks that Starbucks makes ... not at another coffee house.

I have no desire to patent or make this my company ... I just want to license and run.

This could work for them 2 ways ... 1) They make better drinks with this device/method ... and 2) They could sell them along beside their coffee presses and barrista machines to make money. An independent coffee house wouldn`t be into manufacturing their own thing.

I`m a web developer, man ... I just drink a lot of tea.
I don`t want to be a manufacturer!

Nhgnikole your idea wouldn`t be just a normal cup of coffee would it? Because that`s something Startbucks just can`t get right!

-------------------------

He who gets greedy like a pig, gets slaughtered like a hog!

I`m here in Seattle right now.  Nikole, if you want me to go down to their corporate headquarters and bang on Shultz`s door until he agrees to give you a meeting, let me know.  I`d be happy to help.

By the way, it seems like 4 out of 5 coffee shops in downtown Seattle are a Starbucks.  I dropped into the first one to take a look.  Nothing exceptional except the cool thing is that specific store still uses the original logo with the bare-breasted, two-tailed mermaid in brown rather than green.  Gee, how come they got rid of the nipples when they went national?  :)

That`s the kind of collaborative attitude that makes this place great!

Steve, you go do that!! Tell them I`ll be up there and they BETTER BE READY!

It`s not a recipe.
It`s using their recipe for a certain line of drinks .. only changing their methods and using different equipment so they stop ruining it every time. (Why do I go there again? Oh, right, it`s in Safeway and I`m lazy.)

I got the store manager`s contact info for the real store down the street from me ... maybe I`ll try fishing my way up. (Or phishing my way up?)