Convenience Matters

Convenience Matters

Whether it’s for food, fuel, drinks or snacks — about half of the U.S. population is at a convenience store every day. We sell 80% of the country’s fuel and we are 4% of the total U.S. economy. We’ll talk about what we see at stores — and what the future may hold — as long as it’s convenient.

Episodes

April 29, 2024 33 mins

Brand positioning is a significant part of business because it’s ultimately about how you communicate your offer to customers—and if it resonates. We'll share common pitfalls that businesses fall into and how to fix them.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Kathy Guzmán Galloway, Head Wizard, The Clarity Wizard

With 20 years of CPG experience, Kathy has helped hundreds of organizations increase revenue and decrease risk by clar...

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EV sales were down year over year Q1 of 2024, slowing a steep increase in sales over the past few years. We're discussing what drove this change and what it means for convenience retailers.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

John Eichberger, Executive Director, Transportation Energy Institute

John has more than 20 years of experience in the fuels industry, including more than a decade leading the Transportation Energy Institut...

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Culture is the cumulative effect of what people see, hear, experience and believe. In this episode we're breaking down how industry leaders can build a high-performance culture.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Mark Miller, Author and Co-Founder, Lead Every Day

Mark is a seasoned business leader, a Wall Street Journal and international best-selling author, and a dynamic communicator. He worked for one o...

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Consumers are in a better—but not great—mood than a year ago. NACS surveyed consumers to capture their perceptions of convenience stores related to gas prices, crime and jobs.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Adam Rosenblatt, Founding Partner, Bold Decision

Adam Rosenblatt is one of the nation’s leading political consultants sought after for his ability to help clients achieve victory through effective research-based strateg...

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Are they convenience stores/gas stations that serve food, or restaurants that happen to have gas? A new book visually explores these community destinations.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Kate Medley, Photojournalist and Author of “Thank You Please Come Again”

Kate Medley is a North Carolina-based visual journalist and filmmaker documenting the American South. Her latest book is “Thank You Please Come Again: How Gas Statio...

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The convenience industry's foodservice future is bright thanks to its commitment to innovate. Hear how a regional distributor is working with a celebrity chef to elevate its offer.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guests:

Andrew Zimmern, Celebrity Chef

Chef Andrew Zimmern is an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning chef, TV personality, writer and social justice advocate. A star of cooking shows on Travel Channel, Th...

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Convenience stores are integral to the communities they serve—for the products they sell and how they give back. Hear how one relationship ties mobility with a local need.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guests:

Renée Power, CMO/GM Mobility Marketing North America, Shell

Renée is a natural collaborator with a track record of strong vision articulation, developing high-performing teams, and trusted partnerships. She has worked for ...

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The April 8 solar eclipse is more than a once-in-a-lifetime event for tens of millions of Americans. It’s also an opportunity for convenience stores that are in or near the path of totality.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guests:

Leah Ash, Editor/Writer, NACS

Leah joined NACS in 2023. She served in several editorial-related roles before joining NACS. Leah earned a B.A. in English from St. Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan...

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If there is one thing Americans can unite on, it’s complaining about gasoline prices. NACS resources can help educate consumers about the industry and correct misperceptions.

Hosted by:

Chrissy Blasinsky and Jeff Lenard

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What are your stores famous for? For HOP Shops, it’s their disco bathrooms. The concept is so popular that a couple recently...

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There are upwards of 200 billion coupons issued in the United States every year, mostly paper. Digital coupons, called 8112s, are reshaping the coupon landscape. How can convenience retailers jump on the emerging opportunities?

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Sam Jonas, CEO & Co-Founder, nData Services

Sam is a 25-year entrepreneur with a focus in the payments industry. Today he is focused on how digital coupons will revolu...

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With increased costs and prices over the past few years, it’s important for convenience retailers to communicate their offer and deliver value.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Leroy Kelsey, NACS Director, Research

As director of NACS Research, Leroy is responsible for disseminating key industry metrics that empower convenience retailer and supplier members with the ability to understand performance opp...

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Pick a big moment in the convenience store industry’s history and John Roscoe was there. He popularized many of the huge advances we see today in our industry and shares what he thinks is the path forward.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

John Roscoe, Convenience Industry Icon

John Roscoe was named one of the 50 most influential people in the convenience store industry by Convenience Store News for good reason: He was in the...

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The Big Game is the most watched event of the year and is a great forum for brands to showcase their latest offers. It’s also a great forum to elevate important societal issues, like the fight against human trafficking.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Cheryl Csiky, Executive Director, IN OUR BACKYARD

Cheryl is the executive director of IN OUR BACKYARD, a national anti-trafficking nonprofit that links arms across America in ...

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The modern nicotine user is much different than a few years ago. With more options available, hear how consumer behaviors and expectations have changed.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Melissa Vonder Haar, Writer/Consultant, MelissaV Inc.

Melissa has written about the convenience retailing industry for nearly two decades and has written numerous feature articles for NACS Magazine. In addition to her work at MelissaV Inc., s...

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The early forecasts of the convenience retailing industry’s 2023 performance are positive. Which trends stood out and what do preliminary numbers tell us about where the industry is heading in 2024?

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Chris Rapanick, Managing Director, NACS Research

Chris oversees the day-to-day operations of NACS Research, manages and directs departmental financial and operational perform...

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Electric vehicles may be the future, but that doesn’t mean they don't have challenges today. Hear how Plaid Pantry is redefining EV charging at convenience stores.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

Jonathan Polonsky, CEO, Plaid Pantry

As the CEO of Plaid Pantry, a chain of convenience stores in the Pacific Northwest, Jonathan leads a team of over 700 employees across 106 locations, serving more than 50,000 customers daily.

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Over the past year, we visited more than 100 convenience stores. We’ll share what we saw at c-stores and what it might mean to your business in 2024.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

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Our top-downloaded episode of 2023: Store managers have a significant impact on hiring and retaining great people. Hear how one retailer is coaching her team so they can be at their best.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky

About our Guest:

Annie Gauthier, CFO & Co-CEO, St. Romain Oil Company (dba Y-Not Stop)

Annie is CFO/Co-CEO of St. Romain Oil Company (dba Y-Not Stop), based in Mansura, Louisiana. A third-generation co-...

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What's fact or fiction related to how quickly electric vehicles will grow sales? How today's market evolves is dependent upon economics and politics, and both are highly unpredictable.

Hosted by:

Jeff Lenard

About our Guest:

John Eichberger, Executive Director, Transportation Energy Institute

John has more than 20 years of experience in the fuels industry, including more than a decade leading the Transportation Energy Institute (fo...

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