Onward.

"On February 26, 2010, customers at 7,100 Starbucks stores in the US were asked to leave. For the next three hours every barista in every Starbucks was retrained in the art of making the perfect espresso.

A note posted on 7,100 locked doors explained the reason:

'We're taking time to perfect our espresso.

Great espresso requires practice.

That's why we're dedicating ourselves to honoring our craft.'"

- Howard Schultz and Joanne Gordon, from "Onward"
How Starbucks Fought for Its Life
without Losing Its Soul

This past week I stepped in at RevEx, formerly Revelation Fitness as ceo. As many of you know, I had been functioning primarily as owner of what has become a massive, rapidly expanding company.

When clocks struck 5 p.m. on Monday, we gently asked our clients to leave HQ in Austin, TX and the doors were locked behind them. We then began a massive restructuring and re-delegation of responsibilities both in and outside our company.

The main focus? "How might we provide for best in class customer service experience in Austin?" Along-side what already has become best-in-class results.

..

People before profits. The love affair with our customers that started this whole thing back in its humble days on the gym floors of Washington, DC.

While RevEx will be back on schedule this coming week, we have a long way to go.

..

Making sure we deliver on all our promises, earning the trust so required to guide our clients through their Physique and/or Performance Transformation.

The road ahead is long, and we are reared for battle.

"Ultimately, closing our doors was most powerful in its symbolism. It was a galvanizing event for Starbucks' partners - the term we use for our employees - a stake in the ground that helped reestablish some of the emotional attachment and trust we had squandered during our years of focusing on hypergrowth. A bold move that I stand by today, it sent a message that decisiveness was back at Starbucks. No doubt, after that Tuesday, thousands of of Starbucks espresso shots were poured like honey." - Howard Schultz

Our Community has demonstrated unbelievable support in our recommitment: the city's top CEO's, consultants, financeers and business people have stepped up along-side us to provide guidance and services in our recommited path. Our feircest competitors here in Austin, most notably David King and Monica Brant stepped in to cover classes and sessions as needed to ensure that our clients were serviced.

More importantly, you our clients have trusted us. I expected attrition with the move. Yet only ONE among you - ONE - has asked to be released from his contract.

I have to tell you that part downright shocked me.

This means you trust me, and that you trust that what I did was for the best for our goals, our Mission, and our Community. For that, you have devotion and gratitude.

I write this blog to you, our clients, to re-commit to you that I will be there every step of the way along side you in your journey to make sure that your results, your experience - your Revelation Experience, or RevExperience as we are now calling it - is guarded with every fiber of my being. You will see this resonate down through the staff and trainers in the massive re-education initiative we are about to embark on.

"There are moments in life when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust. But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and best thing to do. We refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead."

I would like you all to know how much I have enjoyed being in the field this week, hearing your stories and experiences - the good as well as the bad. I have taken note of every good peice of feedback you've given. It's reinvigorated me as an entrepreneur.

"Pouring espresso is an art, one that requires the barista to care about the quality of the beverage. If the barista only goes through the motions, if he or she does not care and produces an inferior espresso that is too weak or too bitter, then Starbucks has lost the essence of what we set out to do 40 years ago, inspire the human spirit. I realize this is a lofty mission for a cup of coffee, but this is what merchants do. We take the ordinary - a shoe, a knife - and give it new life, beliving what we create has the potential to touch others' lives because it touched ours."

I have also taken note of the bad, and for this I offer my devotion. We have engaged people in this town who brought to life the likes of Whole Foods to make sure that this is a season to focus on cutomer experience, client voice, building trust - and making sure you are heard.

Building Community, Living Transformed. That is what RevEx is about - and I will be right there along=side the team in our commitment to this misison.

Onward.

Mariah MacDonald
founder, sole managing partner, and once again ceo of RevEx