How Starbucks Saved My Life Thesis

How Starbucks Saved My Life Group Cause and Effect Essay

Michael Gates Gill was at the top of the advertising world. In his memoir, How Starbucks Saved My Life, Gill found his life renewed through a job at Starbucks. As director of advertising at J. Walter Thompson, Gill’s quality of life was neglected. After 26 years of servitude to J. Walter Thompson, Gill was fired; as a result he saved his life with the benefits of being an honorary Partner, a strong work ethic, and true respect. In his newfound career, Gill progressively changes from a self-entitled narcissist to a compatriot of the working class.

Starbucks Corporation provides their Partners, or employees, with benefits such as health insurance, adoption assistance, a retirement plan,

tuition reimbursement, even free coffee; these incentives ultimately save Gill’s physical life (“Working at Starbucks”). Gill explains he no longer has health insurance because it is too expensive. A week before Gill meets Crystal, manager of Starbucks at 93rd and Broadway, he was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma brain tumor which demands surgery (Gill 21). The provided Starbucks health insurance literally saved and prolonged Gill’s life.
As an unemployed father of five, providing for his children became increasingly difficult for Gill. After Crystal explains the health insurance can extend to family members, the patriarchal side of Gill feels comfort. Gill explains, “What a relief. My youngest child, Jonathan, was the main reason I was so eager for work” (Gill 23). Gill’s Starbucks career allows him to provide for himself and his children which unquestionably improves his livelihood.
At Starbucks, Gill trades his ‘white collar’ for a ‘blue collar’ meaning he began a new life as a barista resulting in the cultivation of a strong work ethic. Gill describes “the essential truth” that dignity and purpose can be extracted from work (Gill 73). Gill’s daughter Elizabeth, Bis for short, provides him with motivation for this truth. At age 12, Bis was offered a once in a lifetime job opportunity with a professional tennis team, Gill mistakenly denied her the opportunity ---. Bis cried and protested that she likes to work. At her early age, Bis mastered the philosophy of F. Scott Fitzgerald that “work is dignity”, an idea that took Gill 63 years to comprehend ---.
Beginning at Starbucks, Gill’s task was to clean the store, from this he practices the dignity of labor.

Gill explains how sanitation became “like therapy” for him, it provided a mental distraction from his crumbling life (Gill 259). Gill explains how grateful he is for the work ethic derived from his job, “… serving people in even the simplest ways can be such a fulfilling experience” (Parker). Additionally, Gill describes, “I might have a part-time job, but I have a full-time life” (Ogunnaike). Gill truly enjoys his new Starbucks job, retorting “Just because you are wearing a green apron rather than a Brooks Brothers suit doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it!” (Gill 72). At J. Walter Thompson, Gill lacked moral purpose. Learned values at Starbucks developed Gill’s life providing the fulfillment he never previously

enjoyed.
For Gill, Starbucks forced him to replace his narcissism with respect for himself and, most importantly, other people. Crystal made respect the “the first uncompromising principle” at the Starbucks she manages (Gill 81). In his new career as a Partner, Gill truly learns the concept of respect. According to Oxford Dictionaries the word “respect” is one of the top 1,000 most frequently used words in the English language, but it is often misunderstood (“Definition of Respect in English”). Crystal’s principle of respect is to “create a great work environment and treat each other with respect and dignity” (Gill 82). Furthermore, respect in Crystal’s store extends to all people regardless of race or income, everyone at Starbucks is a ‘Guest’ and deserves to be treated like one (Gill 79). Additionally, coworkers may not use “street talk” on the job; under Crystal’s management this is not respectful (Gill 82).
Mike similarly realizes respect in different aspects of life.

At his former advertising job people did not ask each other for help, it was demanded (Gill 83). At Starbucks, Gill notices Partners ask their coworkers kindly for help. In example Crystal would ask, “Mike, could you do me a favor?” ---. John Moore, of Brand Autopsy, explains Gill’s manager, Crystal, “played a huge role in restoring Michael’s belief system by embodying the best qualities of Starbucks corporate culture” (Moore). Gill relates his newfound respect to his late friend Gordon. Gill explains how Gordon was so positive and loved life (Gill 85). In honor and respect to Gordon, Gill starts to reason, “Maybe, I thought, I had better spend more time singing and laughing, and less time crying about the past” (Gill 86). The respect found and practiced at Starbucks provides Gill with a new outlook on life, resulting in further

self-fulfillment.
From tangible riches and moral poverty to nothing at all, Gill found his life renewed through Starbucks. As a Partner, Gill is provided with the tools to save his physical life and insure his children’s future health. At Starbucks, labor provides Gill with a focal point for his purpose in life. Finally, Gill’s formally egotistical disposition is replaced with unilateral respect. Gill’s new life as a Partner of Starbucks offers him physical assurance, the moral benefits of work, and clear respect.