Working at Starbucks saved my life

In 2018, I moved to Austin from the Dallas area to start working at a church in the city. I had just graduated from seminary, and this was going to be my first full-time job as a youth minister. I was so excited. I had been studying and working towards this for a long time. 

However, I had been struggling with my mental health for the past few years while in grad school, and neglecting my health was starting to catch up with me. I couldn’t focus for very long, I had long episodes of depression, and I wasn’t feeling fulfilled in my life. The combination eventually led to me being let go from my job. It’s hard to perform well at work and take care of others when you aren’t taking care of yourself. 

So, there I was in Austin, hundreds of miles away from my family and friends, without a job, and no real idea what I would do next. I knew that I needed to go to the doctor and get some help. I knew I needed health insurance and benefits, and I knew that Starbucks offers benefits to its part-time employees. So, I applied to Starbucks (I had been a barista at a local coffee shop when I was in grad school) and got a position as a shift supervisor in downtown Austin.I started working in May 2019, and I was immediately able to see the doctors and therapists and professionals I needed to get help using my Starbucks benefits.  Suddenly, I found this part-time job that I got to help me in between careers was giving me more than what I could have ever hoped for. I felt called to show up for customers, for my fellow partners, and for myself. I found opportunities to grow as a leader and as a professional. Seven years later, I am a coffeehouse leader, able to help people who, like me seven years ago, need the opportunity to grow in their life and their career. 

My favorite part of the First Sip is the coffee tasting you begin with. . It gives me a chance to tell them my Starbucks Story and gives me the opportunity to learn more about them. I share the highlights of f this story. Of how I came to Starbucks  for the benefits, and how I   quickly fell in love with the company and decided to pursue a career here.  I share that story upfront so that my partners know that I’m I’m a a person and a partner here, too. I’m not solely focused on the business operations – I’m here to care about them.n Howard Shultz said it best at Leadership Experience 2025. “Take care of your people, and they will take care of you.” It’s the message I’ve lived since I started in leadership. 

I really believe that working at Starbucks saved my life. I think I would have slowly gotten worse and worse both mentally and physically. If it weren’t for the benefits I was able to access as a Starbucks Partner, I would not have been able to get the help I needed to turn my life around. I am never going to forget how much Starbucks meant to me when I needed it the most.