Stacker_Stocks

In 2008, Starbucks was on the verge of collapse. More than 600 stores were closed down.
Everyone thought they would go bankrupt.

Now they earn over 36 billion a year.

Here's the genius move that saved Starbucks:

![](https://m.stacker.news/81469)


After the financial crisis of 2007/08, Starbucks was in trouble.

Sales were down and the brand needed to reconnect with customers.

They knew they needed to prove their commitment to quality and consistency.

So they turned to technology.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81470)

On December 26, 2009, Starbucks launched something that would change everything : o Starbucks Rewards app.

It wasn't about points. They were building a community and making loyalty fun.

For every dollar spent, customers earned "Stars."

![](https://m.stacker.news/81471)


But the app brought more than just points.

It introduced tiered rewards so customers could move up the ranks.

Here's how it worked:

Green Level: Free in-store refills and birthday treats

Gold Status: Exclusive rewards, monthly gifts.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81472)


It was like a game. Collect stars, unlock rewards, and keep coming back for more.

But Starbucks didn't stop there. They made the app practical.

With features like:

– Ask in advance to skip the line

![](https://m.stacker.news/81473)


– Seamless payments so you can grab your coffee and go

– Personalized offers, birthday treats and exclusive discounts tailored just for you

It was a loyalty program... but with a twist.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81474)


They even launched frequent challenges and limited-time offers that kept users hooked.

This simple strategy turned shopping into a mini-game

Suddenly, millions of people were excited about going to the coffee shop every day.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81475)


As of 2021, Starbucks has the largest mobile payments user base in the US, with a whopping 31 million active users.

These loyal customers accounted for 60% of Starbucks' revenue. More than half of its sales.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81476)


Starbucks now has over 38,000 stores in over 80 countries. And they serve over 100 million customers every week worldwide.

Their rewards program? Widely considered one of the most successful in the retail industry.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81477)


What made Starbucks' turnaround decisive?

They stopped selling coffee and started offering an experience that made people feel part of something bigger.

This success story shows how technology and adapting to consumer preferences..

![](https://m.stacker.news/81478)

In 2008, Starbucks was on the verge of collapse.

So Facebook copied your product EXACTLY.

Most founders would be devastated — but the way he responded changed social media forever.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81333)

"When things are copied, it doesn't hurt innovation."

That was the surprising response from Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel when asked about Instagram stealing Stories.

But instead of insisting on the theft...

![](https://m.stacker.news/81334)

Spiegel focused on the opportunity to lead technology in a completely different direction.

This isn't the first time someone has tried to copy Snapchat's features — but previous attempts have failed miserably.

Remember Facebook's "Poke" app?

![](https://m.stacker.news/81335)


It was a direct clone of Snapchat's disappearing messages in 2012.

And it failed completely.

But Instagram's approach was different...

"Kevin [Systrom] was very smart," Spiegel explained.

See what Systrom did:

![](https://m.stacker.news/81336)


"He simply said he would copy it exactly — not try to make it different or better."

This taught Spiegel a crucial lesson:

To survive, Snapchat needed to build things that were impossible to copy.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81337)

Snapchat focused on building an entirely new computing paradigm.

That's why Snapchat launched Spectacles in 2016, 8 years ago.

While everyone was fighting over cell phone screens, Spiegel had bigger plans...

![](https://m.stacker.news/81338)


"People are really frustrated because their phones are getting in the way of their everyday lives," he explained.

"But the solution is not to not use technology.

We need to change the way technology works so that it keeps people connected to the real world."

This explains

![](https://m.stacker.news/81339)


Snapchat has always been open to the camera, not a content feed.

Meanwhile, Instagram and TikTok are open to feeds that show other people's content first.

This doesn’t happen by accident — it’s a fundamental design philosophy that shapes everything:

![](https://m.stacker.news/81340)


"When you open a feed, you're constantly thinking about yourself in comparison to other content."
"When that feed is ranked by popularity, it can actually stifle creativity rather than inspire it."
And that explains Snapchat's next big bet

![](https://m.stacker.news/81341)

Spiegel believes that by the end of this decade, augmented reality glasses will be popular.
While Meta and Apple battle over virtual reality headsets that isolate users, Snapchat is developing technology that enhances real-world connections.
The vision is:

![](https://m.stacker.news/81342)


"I want to sit at home, look out the window, see our four kids running around outside, look at my wife and think, 'They're not getting off the computer!'"

What did he mean?


The next generation of computers must support outdoor activities, physical play, and real human connection.

Not hunched over screens, isolated.

After years of being copied, Snapchat has reached a fascinating turning point:


While competitors focused on copying features, Snapchat was busy building an entirely new technological future.

A future where authenticity trumps perfection.

Even as a creator on Snapchat, you feel this difference:

![](https://m.stacker.news/81343)


Snapchat ads convert better. Their users are more engaged. Their community feels more genuine.

This is why creators on Snapchat report stronger business results despite having smaller follower numbers.

The numbers prove it:

![](https://m.stacker.news/81344)


According to e-marketing research, social shoppers are more likely to purchase on Snapchat compared to TikTok or Instagram.

Why? Because authentic connection drives real action.

Genuine human connection becomes the ultimate currency.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81345)


Spiegel's approach reveals something profound about success in today's digital landscape:

Authenticity isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a competitive advantage.

When you share your genuine perspective, you create trust that algorithms


In a world of AI-generated content and corporate speak, the human touch becomes your competitive advantage.

People are increasingly buying from people — not faceless companies.

This is why the term "personal brand" has become so important...

![](https://m.stacker.news/81346)

This guy turned down $3 billion from Facebook.

BooksAndArticles

They studied this religiously, and it inspired their most famous frameworks on wealth creation.

Here are six lessons from the Innovator's Dilemma that helped turn Apple and Amazon into trillion-dollar empires:

![](https://m.stacker.news/81294)


The Innovator's Dilemma was released in 1997.

It changed the way two of the world's biggest technology leaders think about innovation.

Steve Jobs said this explained why Apple needed to keep reinventing itself.

Jeff Bezos made his top executives study

![](https://m.stacker.news/81295)


Lesson 1: Disruption starts at the grassroots
Most people think that leaders lose because a stronger competitor beats them.
But in reality, disruptors start with a worse product.
Great players ignore them. By the time they realize it, it's too late.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81296)

In the early 2000s, Blockbuster dominated the movie rental market.

Netflix sent DVDs through the mail — slow, inconvenient, and niche.

Blockbuster dropped them.

Then Netflix got better: streaming, original content, AI-based recommendations.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81297)


Lesson 2: Listening to customers can be deadly

Great companies focus on their best customers.

This is often smart, but in disruptive markets, it is a trap.

If you only focus on what your current customers want, you will miss out on the future.


Kodak proved it.

They invented the first digital camera in 1975.

But its customers loved film, so Kodak buried the technology.

Meanwhile, digital cameras continued to improve.

When Kodak adopted the new technology, they were already behind.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81298)


Lesson 3: The best ideas seem stupid at first

If an idea is obviously good, the giants will invest in it.

Disruptors win by betting on ideas that seem ridiculous.

They start with inferior products that seem like a joke, but then they get better.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81299)


Tesla's first car, the Roadster, was a disaster.

It was expensive. The battery overheated. It had limited range.

Detroit automakers have dismissed electric vehicles as a niche market for environmentalists.

Now? They forced the auto industry:

![](https://m.stacker.news/81300)


Lesson 4: Success breeds complacency

The bigger a company gets, the harder it is to change.

They reinforce what worked yesterday and ignore tomorrow.

Nokia learned this the hard way.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81301)


At their peak, they held 50% of the telephone market.

Then Apple launched smartphones. Nokia scrapped them.

In 2013, they sold their phone division to Microsoft for next to nothing.

Six years. That's all it took to go from king to irrelevant.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81302)


Lesson 5: Small markets can become giants

Disruptors don’t start by conquering the entire industry.

They start in weird niche markets that seem too small to make a difference.

Then these markets explode.

Just look at the streaming market...

![](https://m.stacker.news/81303)


Airbnb is a great example. At first, people made fun of them.

Who would pay to sleep in a stranger's guest room?

The hotels ignored them.

Airbnb is now worth more than $100 billion — more than Hilton and Marriott combined.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81304)


Lesson 6: If you don't mess up, someone else will.

Most companies see disruption coming.

But they don't act. Too risky. Too inconvenient.

The best companies change before they are forced to.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81305)


Apple could have exploited the iPod.
Instead, they eliminated it to prioritize the iPhone.
Jeff Bezos created AWS despite Amazon being an e-commerce company.
Netflix has abandoned DVDs and gone all-in on streaming.
They burned the old one to build something

![](https://m.stacker.news/81306)


Great companies don't fail because they are bad.

They fail because they cling to the past instead of adapting.

You can:

Play defense and disappear.
Or think like a disruptor and stay ahead.

This is Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos' favorite book.

Before Apple, Steve Jobs was just a normal kid from California.

Until one day he called the CEO of HP.

That call gave Jobs the foundation that would later turn Apple into a $1 trillion empire.

Here is the untold story of one of the campaigns

![](https://m.stacker.news/81149)

1968: Steve Jobs was a kid obsessed with electronics.

Most 12-year-olds spend their summer playing outdoors.

Jobs? He wanted to build a frequency counter.

But it lacked the necessary components to make it work.

He took the direct path


He decided to contact Bill Hewlett.

The thing is, Hewlett wasn't just any guy.

He co-founded HP, one of the largest technology companies in the world.

Most people would hesitate.

Jobs doesn't…

![](https://m.stacker.news/81150)


He picked up the phone book, found Hewlett's number, and dialed.

To his surprise, Hewlett actually answered.

For 20 minutes, Jobs asked countless questions about electronics.

Hewlett's reaction?

![](https://m.stacker.news/81151)


Instead of being angry, he was impressed.

At the end of the call, he didn't just promise to send Jobs the components he needed.

He offered Jobs a summer job at HP.

And with that, Jobs got his first real job…

![](https://m.stacker.news/81152)


It wasn't a glamorous internship. Jobs wasn't designing cutting-edge technology.

He was just setting up frequency counters.

Or, as he put it, “putting screws in.”

But for him, it was a front row seat to the world of technology…

![](https://m.stacker.news/81153)


That summer changed everything.

He got to see how real engineers worked, how they solved problems, how they built products.

She shaped the way he thought about technology. About business. About Apple.

But the biggest lesson?

![](https://m.stacker.news/81155)


Decades later, in a 1994 interview, Jobs said:

“I have never met anyone who didn’t want to help me when I asked.”

This mindset built Apple...


Jobs had no problem making cold calls to suppliers, investors, and partners.

He convinced the best engineers to join his team.

He secured deals that seemed impossible.

Because he understood one thing:

![](https://m.stacker.news/81156)


The worst they could say was "no."

Most people settle for ideas. Few take action.

But sometimes, a phone call changes everything.

And the future belongs to those who ask for opportunities.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81157)

Before Apple, Steve Jobs was just a normal kid from California.

Saylor advises trump government to acquire up to 25% of the bitcoin network.

This would give a total of 5.25 million coins, which would be worth approximately $451 billion at the current price.

What do you think about this?

![](https://m.stacker.news/81079)

Trump America will follow the rule every bitcoiner knows never sell your Bitcoin

Murphy taught Buffett the Berkshire business philosophy: hire great people and enforce strict cost-cutting controls.

How Murphy ran a $19 billion company

![](https://m.stacker.news/81038)

![](https://m.stacker.news/81039)


"Most of what I learned about management, I learned from Murphy. I blame myself because I should have applied it much earlier."

–– Warren Buffett

![](https://m.stacker.news/81040)


When Tom Murphy joined Capital Cities, it was a failing TV station. Before selling it to Disney (30 years later):

• Turned it into a $19 billion empire
• He ended up becoming the owner of the ABC network
• Increased profit margins to 50%

![](https://m.stacker.news/81041)

Murphy was 29 when he joined Capital Cities, a struggling TV station.

He had NO broadcasting experience and NO management experience.

But he realized that the station's problem was not scheduling but cost efficiency.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81042)


To attract advertisers, Murphy asked to paint only the sides of the TV station that faced the street.

He made executives share hotel rooms, refused to build a fancy office and cut expenses wherever possible.


Before hiring someone, Murphy calculated the real cost: salary, benefits, raises, and even “extra toilet paper” needed over a lifetime.

A $20,000 hire wasn't a $20,000 decision. It was a $3 million lifetime commitment to Murphy.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81043)


Most CEOs demand more control as they grow. Murphy did the opposite.

His instructions to managers were simple: Run your station however you want. Just send the profits back to headquarters.

This is what Level 5 delegation looks like.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81044)


You'll see the same thing with Berkshire Hathaway.

Buffett spoke of "Delegation almost to the point of abdication" in his 1999 letter to shareholders.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81045)


By 1966, CBS was 16 times the size of Capital Cities and began acquiring everything from the Yankees to toy companies.

But Murphy only bought businesses he understood: TV stations, newspapers and publishing houses.

In 1995, Capital Cities was worth 3 times more than CBS.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81046)


While others diversified wildly, Murphy remained focused.

Each acquisition followed the same manual:

• Cut the corporate bloat
• Give autonomy to managers
• And watch the costs obsessively


Murphy has perfected a brutal but effective system: buy assets with debt, dramatically improve operations, pay down the debt, and then repeat.

His stations generated so much money that in the 1970s he bought back nearly 50 percent of his company's shares at bargain prices.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81047)


By 1985, Murphy had proven that his system worked at scale. Capital Cities bought ABC for $3.5 billion.

He cut 1,500 jobs, sold his Manhattan headquarters for $175 million and transformed a bloated network into a lean machine.

![](https://m.stacker.news/81048)


The lesson is clear: as companies grow, most founders add layers of control.

But the real secret is to do what Murphy did: hire exceptional people, give them real control, and then get out of their way.

How Murphy Ran a $19 Billion Company

econ

Trump confirms white house crypto summit on friday

Binance will be delisting 9 stablecoins from their platform in europe to comply with mica regulations

![](https://m.stacker.news/80427)