(Note: I first published this on LinkedIn. I thought fellow ファン might enjoy it). Did あなた ever see a movie that あなた felt was speaking to あなた - one in which the character experienced something that あなた could relate to in your gut? または maybe あなた heard the lyrics to a song that captured your personal heartbreak? または maybe あなた saw a commercial for something あなた just had to have – as if someone had developed the solution to your very personal problem?

I have worked with companies on various aspects of innovation and growth for (gulp) decades. We often ask clients to describe a brand または a company that they felt was "speaking to them" - one in which the message または insight was meaningful and motivating to them. This helps clients understand what it means to connect with their customers, consumers, end users - whoever is buying what they are selling. As あなた might imagine, many people mention the brands that many of us can no longer imagine life without - Apple, アマゾン (especially アマゾン Prime), Shake Shack, Coke, Disney, Tesla, Taylor Swift, one Kardashian または another - fill in your own.

For me, the brand that speaks to me is Starbucks. What もっと見る could they do, あなた might ask? I have made no secret that スターバックス consistently delivers my now daily (used to be monthly and weekly) extra hot, venti, decaf, skinny, mocha latte? Drumroll, please!!! Introducing スターバックス Mobile Order and Pay. From the comfort of my own home, または meeting, または car, または from any activity whatsoever, I just send my order to the nearest スターバックス - and get this - I don't wait in line. I don't even cut the line. I have my own special "Mobile Order and Pay" pick-up line where my drink is waiting with a printed label with my name and order. I have made もっと見る than one enemy as I laugh with delight as I skip to the front to get my drink - so relaxed (and with extra time) that I can saunter back to my car, steaming coffee in hand.

Now granted, the idea of immediate gratification is not new. We order items online that get delivered practically before we hit send. We order cars that 表示する up in minutes. We watch whatever 表示する we want whenever we want wherever we want. But this is a whole new high. What a great time to be alive.

And granted, スターバックス isn't perfect. Like the outlets in Target and Barnes & Noble near me don't have all of the flavors. Some of the locations aren't as clean または as appealing as they used be. Not all of them have my sugar-free skinny mocha syrup, and try to pass off the regular mocha syrup with skim ミルク as a skinny latte. Not every barista communicates that it is his/her absolute pleasure to make an overpriced drink for an impatient commuter, student, mother, professor, butcher, baker または candlestick maker.

But still, hats off to you, Starbucks. I will continue to endure the scorn of my family as I sometimes take them on a wild ガチョウ chase looking for a スターバックス wherever we are (even if we don't have time to stop). And of course, there are the seemingly and the endless charges on my credit card for the dastardly automatic reload for me and my スターバックス partner in crime (you know who あなた are). But I will muscle on, because Starbucks, あなた (and Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire) complete me - ALMOST. The "ALMOST" is because I don't want あなた to stop trying.