In the fast-moving world of convenience stores, achieving c-store manager success goes beyond tracking sales or keeping shelves stocked. It’s about creating a store culture where employees feel motivated, customers feel valued, and every day brings opportunities for growth. This blog highlights how Michelle Cornwell has mastered this balance. From spotting future leaders and boosting …

New seasons bring new opportunities. Fall is no different. A c-store checklist for fall success helps us to find simple and important ways to keep our customers engaged.  Fall brings its own busy rhythm, back-to-school mornings, football weekends, cooler weather, and candy season. Customers expect quick service, warm food, and shelves stocked with their favorites. …

C-Store leadership is about more than keeping shelves stocked or managing schedules. It’s about creating an environment where people thrive, both the store team and the customers who walk through the doors. That’s exactly how Vince Hammock approaches his role at Homedale Market, a top-performing store and a place that feels like home to many. …

The C-Store Labor Maturity Model explains the operational effectiveness for operators in how well they manage the labor in their stores. Many convenience store operators are facing a growing performance gap relative to their labor-cost line item. Top c-store operators are shifting from simply managing c-store labor costs to optimizing profit drivers instead. That is, …

Nickie McNeal didn’t just grow up around convenience stores—she built her career inside them, learning firsthand what strong C-store leadership looks like. Today, she’s one of two district managers at Saneholtz-McKarns Inc., helping lead a team across all 16 Main Stop locations. But her journey started with a simple directive from her mom: “I need …

Chastity didn’t plan on a future in c-store leadership. She came from nursing, took a five-year break to fight cancer, and then decided to change her life completely. When her doctors cleared her to work, she set her sights on the c-store across the street from her house in Lakeview, Oregon. “I hounded the manager …

In a recent SG Voices panel discussion, Stephanie Galentine, Lassus Brothers, Darrell Meek, JD Streett, Mason Cowan, Tom Bandy, BandyWorks, and Jed Brewer, SG Voices, discussed how they maximize c-store leadership development ROI. Summary C-Store managers are essential to the success of convenience stores. The panel highlights that effective store management, particularly in leadership and …

C-Store Leadership Development – Coaching & Reprimands are essential skills for growing sales and controlling profits. It is critical for managers to provide honest, helpful, and clear feedback to keep their c-store operations team at top performance. It has been argued that positive feedback is essential to keep morale and teamwork strong. Experienced managers are …

Heidi Sabo shared her experience with c-store leadership keys: finding your place, building your people. She didn’t start out thinking she’d run a convenience store. In fact, she tried just about everything else before settling into what became the perfect fit. Her story is one of exploration, resilience, and returning—again and again—to the c-store world …

Rhonda Nichols lives the profession of life of practicing c-store leadership keys every day. She didn’t follow the traditional cashier-to-manager path that many convenience store leaders take. Her journey into the world of convenience began early and unconventionally. She has carved out a unique leadership style rooted in experience, expectation, and empowerment. Rhonda’s story starts …

The big take-away, from a three-year project to improve c-store operations at GoMart was a bit of common sense and leadership prioritization: there are substantial advantages to strategically targeted, incremental c-store operations enhancements supported by data analytics. By embracing a thoughtful, measured approach to change management, Go Mart continues to strengthen its competitive position and …

DD Bennett shared her experience with c-store leadership keys: Kitchen to Command. Her path to c-store manager was not smooth and was not without setbacks. She shares her story of living the full life of starting work, marriage, parenting, and ongoing career growth. Her success is an example of building a great career as a …