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Michael, Senior Vice President at Starbucks Corporation: Advize Career Interview
A career path from a summer job as a "garbage man" to Senior Vice President at Starbucks and beyond!
This professional's journey, fueled by an economics degree and unexpected law school detour, highlights the value of open-mindedness and mentorship.
Twenty years at Starbucks involved significant leadership roles, managing large budgets and teams across eight countries, before a shift to an individual contributor role focused on real estate.
The interview reveals the importance of strong interpersonal skills, active listening, and a "servant leader" approach, along with navigating the transition from a risk-averse legal background to a more entrepreneurial business role.
A key lesson? Remaining open to opportunities and embracing the people part of any role.
This insightful interview emphasizes the value of networking, internships, and a flexible career approach, inspiring students with social science backgrounds to build strong communication and analytical skills for success in corporate America.
The discussion underscores the importance of passion, problem-solving, and the often-overlooked benefit of proactively seeking mentors.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michael Fink
Senior Vice President
Starbucks Corporation
University of California Berkeley
Harvard Law School JD
Economics
Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Legal
International Student, Honors Student
Watch all of this Advizer's videos below
Career Path of a Senior Vice President at Starbucks
Michael's career journey, beginning with an economics degree and "garbage man" summer job, unexpectedly led to law school and corporate law, shifting to Starbucks' legal department shortly after its IPO. A pivotal moment in Amsterdam, where Michael "was involved in a lot of business," transitioned their focus from pure legal work to broader business leadership roles at Starbucks before ultimately retiring after 20 years, only to find fulfillment in a later role at the University of Washington.
Main Responsibilities Of A Senior Vice President At Starbucks
Michael's 20-year Starbucks career included significant leadership roles, "being a member of the senior legal leadership team" and "on the business leadership team," managing large budgets, strategic planning, and teams across eight countries. The current role is a shift to an "individual contributor role," focusing on real estate projects and advising, marking a change from extensive people management responsibilities.
A Day in the Life of a Senior Vice President at Starbucks Corporation
A Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel at Starbucks spends "a lot of meetings," averaging 10-11 hour workdays, with significant international travel for meetings and store visits. This role evolved from "negotiating things or drafting things" to a more strategic, oversight and decision-making position.
Most Important Skills For A Senior Vice President At Starbucks
Michael, a Starbucks Senior Vice President, emphasizes active listening as a crucial skill, learned by observing skilled listeners and consciously incorporating their techniques, stressing that beyond technical skills ("that was just a given"), strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal abilities—including managing, being managed, and influencing others—"become super critical" for career advancement in hierarchical settings.
Favorite Parts of Being a Senior Vice President at Starbucks
Michael, a Senior Vice President at Starbucks, found the most rewarding aspect of the role to be "the people part," cultivating strong relationships with colleagues and mentoring team members' career growth, viewing this as a key part of Starbucks' "servant leader culture." The experience taught Michael valuable management skills, emphasizing the importance of fostering a supportive environment while ensuring individuals "own their career."
Biggest Challenges Faced By A Senior Vice President At Starbucks
Michael's greatest challenges at Starbucks involved a transition from a risk-averse legal background to a more entrepreneurial business role, requiring "getting comfortable doing the uncomfortable." This included navigating multiple assignments where their lack of initial expertise forced them to learn how to add value to teams possessing significantly greater subject-matter knowledge than themselves.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The Retail And Higher Education Industries As A Senior Vice President
Michael, a Senior Vice President with experience at Starbucks and the University of Washington, enjoys the "energy level" of the retail coffee business and its positive atmosphere, contrasting it with the sometimes more cynical corporate world. The optimism and energy of University of Washington students, "very engaging, very smart," also provides a refreshing and hopeful perspective for Michael.
What Type Of Person Thrives In A Large Company According To A Senior Vice President At Starbucks
Michael, a Senior Vice President at Starbucks, highlights the importance of "passion" and a "hardworking and creative problem-solving" approach for success in corporate America, particularly noting a shift towards younger professionals being "passion driven around the mission of a company." For in-house lawyers, a blend of detail-orientation, strong analytical skills, and a broad understanding of business including "finance and accounting" are crucial for providing impactful advice, going beyond the purely legal aspects.
What a Senior Vice President at Starbucks Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Legal Industry
Michael, a Senior Vice President at Starbucks, found the question difficult to answer because of the extensive mentorship received throughout their career, primarily through proactively seeking advice and guidance from others. The most insightful piece of advice offered was the importance of actively pursuing mentorship opportunities, stating that "people don't do enough of [it]," and emphasizing the mentee's responsibility in driving a successful mentor-mentee relationship.
Significant Career Lesson From a Senior Vice President at Starbucks
Michael's most significant career lesson is to remain "open to opportunities," eschewing a rigid career plan in favor of evaluating opportunities based on interest and the people involved. This approach, rather than following a predetermined path, led to a diverse and fulfilling career, including unexpected moves into new fields and locations, demonstrating that a flexible approach can yield unforeseen and positive results.
College Experiences That Helped a Senior Vice President at Starbucks Succeed
Michael's undergraduate experience, unlike the current emphasis on internships, primarily involved a semester volunteering with a public defender in San Francisco, where "interviewing and talking to people" unexpectedly became a skill valued in Michael's later career. The study of economics provided a strong foundation for understanding "how the economy worked, how businesses worked," proving highly beneficial in Michael's transition to law school and ultimately, a successful business career.
How A Social Science Degree Influenced A Senior Vice President At Starbucks
Michael, a Senior Vice President at Starbucks, advises social science students lacking detail-orientation to proactively seek "summer internships or kind of networking," emphasizing the value of extracurricular activities and volunteer work in relevant fields to build experience and make their resumes stand out. The importance of developing strong "communication skills, written verbal, critical thinking skills, and analytic skills" is highlighted as crucial for long-term career success, regardless of initial job specifics.
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