Managing C-Store Change & Accountability

Managing C-Store Change & Accountability involves people skills, experience and objective data. Managers achieve the best results when the apply the right tools to the right problems. As such, the best supervisors balance the needs of the staff, customers and the owners. They understand the situation with objective analysis. That means, they recognize great work and use mistakes to coach and correct.

To avoid the fear of making a mistake, coaching emphasizes learning. In addition, it is much easier to keep learning on track by using the factual analysis from good data to avoid subjective or judgmental reviews. Of course, a spirit of helping and the acceptance is needed. It means that learning often requires doing some things wrong initially. Good managers are able to smooth over the inevitable mistakes and the fear to try new things. Accountability and change can be an interesting, rewarding and even fun. When done correctly, it is a great way to build morale, improve customer service and make team work stronger.

The results of managing c-store change & accountability are significant.  The results include improved staff retention, higher sales, loyal customers and loss prevention. Of course, using change and accountability saves time from wasteful or unproductive work.

Image of Hedi Sabo at her West Bryan Main Stop store. 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 until it finally stuck.

C-Store Leadership Keys: Finding Your Place, Building Your People

C-Store Operations Best Practices | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development | Uncategorized
June 15, 2025 — 

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 in her teenage years, where she worked in a beauty school and eventually owned her own shop. “I was about 18, just out of school, I ran my own business, then moved into retail management, and eventually stumbled into convenience stores.” But this wasn’t her first brush with the industry. Her mother owned a store when Rhonda was younger, and that experience stuck with her. “I absolutely loved it. I liked the quick pace.”

C-Store Leadership Keys: Trusting the Process with High Standards

C-Store Operations Best Practices | Focus - Accountability Principles | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Uncategorized
May 29, 2025 — 

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 …

Crossroads Pantry Markle. 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 cj-store manager.  Her journey began in her hometown. About 40 minutes south of Fort Wayne, in the small town of Markle, Indiana, you’ll find Crossroads Pantry Markle— One of three convenience stores under the crossroads banne

C-Store Leadership Keys: Kitchen to Command

C-Store Growth | C-Store Tips | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development
May 1, 2025 — 

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 …

Don Broadwaterlisted the three qualifications for c-store managers if you want to have a successful career in the convenience industry.. His store is located in Napolean, ohio. Image of bridge and courthouse in Napoleon, Ohio courtesy of city of Napolean

Three Qualifications for C-Store Managers

C-Store Operations Best Practices | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development
March 24, 2025 — 

Don Broadwater listed the three qualifications for c-store managers if you want to have a successful career in the convenience industry. These traits were explained as he shared his transition from his initial job in a family- run grocery store to his current position as the manager of an up-and-coming, newly-renovated store in Napoleon, Ohio. His …

image of barrista. While Simon Sinec's protrayal of being a great boss is emotionally rewarding, it begs the question as the ROI of becoming Noah's boss for c-store operations.

ROI of Becoming Noah’s Boss for C-Store Operations

C-Store Operations Best Practices | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development | Uncategorized
February 5, 2025 — 

While Simon Sinek’s portrayal of being a great boss is emotionally rewarding, it begs the question as the ROI of becoming Noah’s boss for c-store operations. Naturally, everyone wants to be supportive, positive, and receive accolades for creating a great place to work. However, how much does it really benefit the owners and shareholders? Is …

Jim Neaton, Stephanie Gallentine, and Greg Garrison participate in the BandyWorks 2024 Year-in-Review panel,  on December 10, 2024, and share these c-store operations 2024 key take-aways. The active session was attended by owners, operations leaders and store managers. The participating panelist operate dozens of stores each. They incluede the owner and leaders of Sunrise Store, Lassus, and Garrison Food Mart.

C-Store Operations 2024 Key Take-Aways

C-Store Operations Best Practices | C-Store Tips | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development
December 24, 2024 — 

Jim Neaton, Stephanie Galentine, and Greg Garrison participated in the BandyWorks Year-in-Review panel on December 10 and shared these c-store operations 2024 key take-aways. The active session was attended by owners, operations leaders and store managers. The participating panelist operate dozens of stores each. They include the owner and leaders of Sunrise Stores, Lassus, and …

Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Avoiding Burnout in Retail Operations

C-Store Operations Best Practices | C-Store Tips | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development
December 22, 2024 — 

Watching Jacinta create her hand-decorated Christmas cookies for her child’s elementary school party, I thought I may have the perfect expert to help explain her secrets for avoiding burnout in retail operations. So, I asked her about the secret to balancing work and family life. She responded quickly, “Admittedly, I was a people pleaser in …

image of a group of people forming a team. The way to c-store growth is the way to building strong teams.

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to C-Store Growth

C-Store Growth | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability
July 19, 2024 — 

While working to help c-store manager, we found  a funny thing happened on the way to c-store growth. In order to work on growth, store managers needed to focus on a lot of different parts of their operations: Growth, Profits, Value, Satisfaction, Simplicity, Improvement, Self-Motivation, Efficiency, Helpfulness, Caring, Development, Usefulness, Happiness – who doesn’t want all …

C-Store Managers Start with a Daily Plan

C-Store Managers Start with a Daily Plan

C-Store Analytics & Scorecards | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Shrink & Loss Prevention | Store Manager Development | Verification – Age-based Selling
November 26, 2023 — 

Top C-Store Managers start with a daily plan. “What would you rather me do? Take 5 minutes to know my store or just start to work?” This was the answer given by a successful c-store manager to the question – “Do you have time to plan your day?” C-Store Management Made Simple Using time well …

Image of new manager enjoying the training process for store opening responsiblities. C-Store onboarding impact every aspect of success.

The Impact of C-Store Onboarding Debt

C-Store Growth | Focus - Accountability Principles | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development
August 10, 2023 — 

Given the challenges with c-store staffing, c-store operators benefit by addressing the impact of c-store onboarding debt. All business are impacted by their ability to hire, train, manage and develop their staff. The recent challenges, such as Covid, created many changes to the working environment and significantly changed the labor costs and work expectations. Just …

C-Store managers unspoken fears impact their decision making. Of course, many things are just areas that need a bit of skill development and practice. Other areas may be a more significant area of weakness that may impact overall leadership effectiveness. Identifying fears (or perhaps weaknesses) addresses store manager uncertainty changes the way that a person responds

C-Store Managers Unspoken Fears

Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development
June 23, 2023 — 

C-Store managers unspoken fears impact their decision making. Of course, fears are personal concerns. They can come from one’s history, experience level, work environment, or personal characteristics. Identifying fears (or perhaps weaknesses) addresses store manager uncertainty and thus changes their responses. Having both awareness and a desire to change will typically provide all that is …

Image of Don Longo of CSNews at the Food Service Exchange.

Ten Things I Learned at the CSNews Convenience Food Service Exchange

C-Store Growth | C-Store Operations Best Practices | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability
May 8, 2023 — 

The presenters at a recent food-service-focused-c-store conference provided a unique perspective on their successes. C-Store operations have already or may soon become primarily focused on food service. The presenters included a single store operator, several top 10 chains, investment bankers, leading vendors and leading consultants in the convenience space. Here are the ten things I …