When the Storm Hits: A Lesson in Resilience from an Unlikely Place

Friends,

This week, you may have seen headlines about Starbucks baristas walking out on “Red Cup Day,” one of the coffee giant’s busiest days of the year. On the surface, it looks like a crisis—a perfect storm of labor disputes and holiday demand designed to bring operations to a halt.

It’s the kind of challenge that would cripple many organizations. Yet, something remarkable happened. By mid-day, Starbucks reported that it was on track to surpass its sales expectations. Despite the external pressure and internal turmoil, the core of the business kept running.

This isn’t a commentary on the dispute itself, but a powerful lesson on organizational resilience. It reveals a deeper truth for every leader, entrepreneur, and professional navigating their own challenges:

True strength isn’t the absence of problems; it’s the ability to perform in spite of them.

Life, like business, will always have its storms. We’ll face market downturns, unexpected setbacks, and moments where it feels like everything is working against us. I know this intimately from my own journey, having had to rebuild from scratch after the 2008 financial crisis.

In those moments, what saves you isn’t hoping the storm will pass. It’s the internal strength of the systems you’ve built, the foundation you’ve laid, and the resilience of your spirit.

Starbucks’ ability to weather this disruption wasn’t an accident. It was the result of a deeply embedded operational structure, a loyal customer base, and a brand so powerful that it could withstand a significant challenge. The lesson for us is clear:

•For the entrepreneur: Is your business built on a foundation so solid that it can survive a key team member leaving or a market shift?

•For the professional: Have you cultivated skills and a reputation so strong that you remain valuable even when your industry is in flux?

•For every one of us: Is our faith and character the unshakable core that keeps us standing when faced with personal trials?

As Proverbs 24:10 reminds us, “If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!”

This is our call to action: to not just build for the sunny days, but to engineer our lives, careers, and businesses with the resilience to withstand the inevitable storms. Build your foundation on solid rock, so that when the winds and waves come, you are not only able to stand—you are able to thrive.

Stay strong,

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About the Author

Winston Cole isn't a 20-year-old guru promising overnight wins.

He's a 50+ educator-engineer who taught by day, studied funnels by night, and rebuilt after losing it all. Immigrated from Sierra Leone 35 years ago with a travel bag and a few dollars. Married 37 years. Faith-first and family-focused.

Winston helps midlife professionals and educators reinvent with integrity, community, and practical systems.

If he found freedom in midlife, you can too.

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