Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz taking page out of Trump’s policies: branding expert

Starbucks Executive Chairman Howard Schultz’s departure from the company has sparked rumors of a potential 2020 presidential bid. Branding expert Bruce Turkel told FOX Business he has a big enough personal brand to run for president.

“Not only does he have a large enough personal brand for this job,” he told Dagen McDowell on “Mornings with Maria,” “but he is positioning himself perfectly.”

Schultz, announced on Monday the will be stepping down as Starbucks’ executive chairman on June 26.

He founded the Seattle coffeehouse chain more than 30 years ago and transformed it into a global powerhouse. Under his leadership, the chain grew from 11 stores to more than 28,000 stores in 77 countries. The company’s stock rose more than 21,000% since its initial public offering in 1992, Starbucks said.

Though Schultz has been critical of some of Trump’s policies, Turkel likened his style to that of the president.

“He’s taking the page right out of the Trump success story. We’ve already shown that Americans are willing to vote for a successful businessman,” Turkel said. “He is talking to a disaffected audience and showing them what his presidential bid would be like.”

Schultz had previously denied rumored political aspirations, but told FOX Business in February that he’s “doing everything I possibly can as a private citizen to advance the cause of the country.”