Howard Schultz is back in charge of Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), and as expected lowered expectations for the current fiscal year. He took the opportunity with the mediocre December quarterly results to tamp down expectations and won't even issue guidance. A very smart and predictable move by the founder and visionary of Starbucks. This is a tough environment for Starbucks as well as many other retail concepts. Let's face it, theme concepts are competing for the consumers' shrinking wallet and need to stick to their core values and competitive advantages. Well, Howard, please read this and I think it may help your efforts.

Dear Howard,

I personally love Starbucks as a consumer of fine coffee and have bought its products from probably 250 different Starbucks stores around the world. To this day Howard, your Minnetonka, Minnesota, store should serve as your model for the other 11,000+ store. The manager of the Minnetonka store is Mario Macaruso and if enthusiasm and commitment could be bottled--Mario's is worth a billion.. His partners at the store are fabulous. Andrea Breen, a single mother of 3 growing and time-consuming kids, has an attitude that makes every customer feel special. Patty McGarrigle superbly handles every complicated drink order like a pro and always with a smile. When they are not busy with customers, they are looking for ways to make the store cleaner or more organized. They represent the type of partners every Starbucks store should strive for.

Then there is Amber. This past Sunday morning I went in to get my normal cup of coffee. Amber enthusiastically asked me if I wanted to buy a pound of coffee beans because she wants her store to win the contest and have you, Howard, visit them. Being Sunday morning, I was in a bit of a fog when I asked her, "what?" She said this week all Starbucks stores are going to promote packages of coffee beans to the customers and the store that sells the most pounds of beans versus the same week last year will be paid a visit by you, Howard.

Well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy a pound. So I did, as did the three customers in line behind me. Amber was terrific and excited as heck. She really wants you to visit the Minnetonka store!

Manager Mario Macaruso, as I said, has superb partners. The beauty Howard is this type of commitment and passion to the Starbucks concept cannot be faked or forced. Mario, Patty, Andrea and Amber should hear from you and more importantly, you should hear from them. They represent every thing that built Starbucks to be the most successful coffee chain in the world.

Howard, as you fine tune the concept by closing under performing stores, slowing down overall US store growth and trimming back the menu of non-coffee products, keep in mind these partners. Solicit their input because they get it done right and they get it done everyday. .After all, it comes down to daily execution.

Howard, you will take Starbucks to higher levels of excellence over the next two to three quarters. Wall Street is backing off and giving you the space and time you need to right the course of the ship. The ship came off course, but only by a little bit. In this quest for excellence, listen to your dedicated and committed partners like the four I mentioned. They are what makes Starbucks one of the greatest American success stories for the past decade and the next decade.

Georges Yared writes about finding great growth stocks today in GameOn Investing