Bill Gates Sr. Helped Howard Schultz Buy Starbucks In 1987 By Towering Over A Rival Investor: 'This Kid Is Going To Realize His Dream'

Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ:SBUX) might never have grown beyond six Seattle coffee shops if not for Bill Gates Sr., the towering attorney, who stepped in when Howard Schultz lacked the cash and the clout to buy the company in 1987. What Happened: Schultz, then 33, had 60 days to raise $3.8 million…