I don’t dread Mondays
Blythe P., District Manager
People love to joke about dreading Mondays. There are memes about needing more weekends or wishing vacation would last just a little longer.
Then there’s me. I love Mondays.
At Starbucks, Monday is where the story picks back up. It is the day I get to sit with my leaders, review our results, celebrate our teams and coach what comes next. I get to look at our coffeehouses not just as businesses, but as places where people gather, connect and grow.
Today, I hosted a community workshop and met with all of my leaders. I couldn’t wait for those conversations – the he energy in the room, the ideas being shared, the commitment to our partners and our customers filled me up.
If I’m being honest, I am probably overdue for a vacation. But I love what I do so much that I only want to go somewhere if there is a beautiful Starbucks waiting for me there. I will also admit, I do nothing without my emotional-support coffee in hand.
Every day at Starbucks is centered around people, coffee, quality and connection. I find that exhilarating and deeply enriching.
When I started nearly 30 years ago, I was already a coffee enthusiast. Back then I had to defend my choice to work for a corporate coffee company. But I believed in what we were doing. I still do. I believe in our brand and what we do with every ounce of my being.
I have grown up with Starbucks. Starbucks went from a place of work to a true place where I belong, and it has helped shape me.
It showed me what it feels like when people have pride in winning. It taught me what true quality obsession looks like. It proved to me that when good is used for scale, it can change the world. That is why I stayed.
Over the years, I went from scooping beans and making lattes to developing leaders and helping shape the culture inside our coffeehouses. My partners started calling me a culture keeper, and that means everything to me.
I see my role as taking care of the feeling in our coffeehouses. The standard. The warmth. The connection. Making sure every partner feels seen and every customer feels welcomed.
In March of 2020, I traveled to Costa Rica through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan. At a time when the world felt uncertain, I stood at Hacienda Alsalcia and saw the full story come to life. From the soil, to the bean, to the cup, to the customer.
It reminded me that Starbucks is not just a company. It is a community. There have been challenges and there will be more. We are built to last. I was built to help keep the culture strong. People ask me if I still love what I do after all these years.
My answer is simple: I go to bed excited to wake up the next day. Because I get to share coffee with incredible people and be part of something meaningful.
And maybe that is what the Siren represents to me. Not just a symbol, but a calling. A reminder to keep showing up, to keep drawing people in and to protect what makes this place special.
One cup at a time.
One partner at a time.
One coffeehouse at a time.
