Caffeine, Culture and Commerce

Meet Michael Gill a man who had it all, lost it all, and finally found true happiness after donning the green Starbucks apron. Well get his amazing story. Then - What was once the hippest joint for java is now fighting to get back to basics. Dave examines the past, present and fiscal future of Starbucks, whose recent missteps have allowed McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts to become serious competition. Plus working in the Public sector versus working in Private sector: Whos doing better and why? And is it time to end the monopoly of the US Postal Service?

Episode Segments:

The Public Sector versus The Private Sector Are you better off working in the private sector, or the public sector? The answer could surprise you. Ken McDonnell, Program Director of the Employee Benefit Research Institute explains why the pay, the benefits and the security are better in the public sector.
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Privatizing the Post Office Robby Schrum is a research fellow at the Lexington Institute, a think tank that promotes limiting the role of the federal government. And when it comes to the Post Office, they think its time expand the competition, and give consumers a choice.
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Competition for the USPS Dave and Robby discuss the best course of action in privatizing the post office, how Europe could provide some ideas of how to do it, and why the government may not be too keen on this ever happening.
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How Starbucks Saved My Life Michael Gill lost everything his high paying, high powered job, his wife, and even his health. But he was finally able to find true happiness working behind the counter of Starbucks. His life is the subject of his autobiography How Starbucks Saved My Life, (and an upcoming movie with Tom Hanks) and he shares his uplifting story with Dave.
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Starbucked Dave welcomes Taylor Clark, author of Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture. Taylor discusses how Starbucks has lost their focus- by moving away from coffee, theyve moved away from what made them unique, and thats hurting the bottom line.
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A Brief History of Starbucks Taylor shares how Starbucks became Starbucks; how Howard Schultzs completive streak and quest for coffee-drinking greatness allowed them to fill a major void in the marketplace, and made Starbucks what it is today.
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Links to Related Websites:

How Starbucks Saved My Life The riches-to-rags true story of an advertising executive who had it all, then lost it all - and was finally redeemed by his new job, and his twenty-eight-year-old boss, at Starbucks.

Starbucked STARBUCKED is the first book to explore the incredible rise of the Starbucks Corporation and the caffeine-crazy culture that fueled its success. Part Fast Food Nation, part Bobos in Paradise, STARBUCKED combines investigative heft with witty cultural observation in telling the story of how the coffeehouse movement changed our everyday lives, from our evolving neighborhoods and workplaces to the ways we shop, socialize, and self-medicate.

Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Taylor Clark Taylor Clark is a graduate of Dartmouth College and a Pacific Northwest native. He is a contributing writer and former staff writer for Portland, Oregon's acclaimed alternative weekly Willamette Week.

Michael Gill The son of New Yorker writer Brendan Gill, Michael Gates Gill was a creative director at J. Walter Thompson Advertising, where he was employed for over twenty-five years. He lives in New York within walking distance of the Starbucks store where he works, and has no plans to retire from what he calls the best job he’s ever had.

Ken McDonnell Ken McDonnell joined EBRI in June 1991 as a research assistant. Since then, his job functions have changed with the changing needs of EBRI's membership. Ken's current title is Information and Member Relations Associate. The duties that come with the position are: primary contact for information inquiries from member firms, academics, nonprofits, and state government officials; writing the monthly EBRI Fact Sheet; and lead author on EBRI's Databook on Employee Benefits. In addition, Ken has authored several Notes articles, chapters in the 5th edition of EBRI's Fundamentals of Employee Benefits Programs, and two Issue Briefs. Prior to joining EBRI Ken worked as a staff assistant at the National Council of State Housing Agencies. Ken has a B.A. in International Relations and Russian History and M.A. in German History from Northern Illinois University. Click Here to Visit His Website