Act Local, Drive Sales - Episode 445

A look at the top 50 fuels retailers by efficiency—including sales at the pump and inside the store—and what you can learn from them. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guests: Brian Norris, Executive Director of Retail Fuels, OPIS Brian has been with OPIS for nearly 20 years. Over the last 13 years, Brian's focus has been ensuring the accuracy and integrity of OPIS retail pricing, margin, market share and volume data—plus helping develop the suite of OPIS retail analytics products. Keith Reid, Editorial Director, Fuels Market News Keith has covered the fuels retailing industry for more than 20 years. In 2013, he helped found FMN Media LLC, a multifaceted digital and print media company that focuses on the needs of petroleum marketers, retailers and commercial fuel buyers. The company was acquired by NACS in 2020.

When you talk to shoppers who seek out businesses, one unique advantage rises to the top — they want to shop at places that have a true understanding of the communities they serve. In other words, they act local. How can your business be seen as a community champion? Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Erin Wroge, Senior Director of Energy Marketing at CHS Inc. (Cenex®) Erin is responsible for Cenex® brand marketing, including support of more than 1,400 convenience store locations across 19 states. Erin has over 11 years of experience at CHS in the energy industry. During this time, she has held roles collaborating with various marketing teams across energy businesses. Additionally, she has led initiatives to develop impactful programs designed to educate customers about technical advantages, key considerations and innovative trends within both the convenience retail and energy product industries, including refined fuels, lubricants and propane. Erin leverages her expertise to provide customers with critical insights into how the Cenex® brand may provide growth opportunities for their operations, while enhancing customer experience and equipment performance.

On June 10, 1964, a convenience store outside Denver sold 124 gallons of gas and ushered in the modern era of self-serve fueling. Today, c-stores sell that much gas every 0.02 seconds. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: John Roscoe, convenience industry icon John was named one of the “50 most influential people in convenience store industry” by Convenience Store News for good reason: He was in the room during many of the industry’s critical junctures, including the launch of self-serve fueling in June 1964.

Every July 24, roughly 1 in 5 convenience stores—and a growing list of supplier partners—celebrate the heroes in their communities. The event, 24/7 Day, draws enormous media coverage and brand awareness for participating companies. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Stephanie Sikorski, NACS VP Marketing, and Executive Director, NACS Foundation Stephanie leads the development of integrated marketing campaigns and executes strategies to effectively grow NACS global brand and advance convenience and fuel retailing. She also oversees the NACS Foundation, which created 24/7 Day.

Data shows that 9 in 10 people who work in local shops have experienced verbal abuse over the last year. The ASC's ShopKind program unites retailers to address these behaviors. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guests: James Lowman, Chief Executive, Association of Convenience Stores (U.K.) James was appointed ACS chief executive in 2006. He has led ACS on political and policy representation, driven a unique research program that informs ACS’ policy work, launched an industry-leading assured advice scheme in partnership with Surrey County Council and created a new and unique events program. He is a member of ministerial advisory groups including the National Retail Crime Steering Group and the Retail Sector Council. Ed Woodall, Government Relations Director, Association of Convenience Stores (U.K.) As government relations director since 2009, Ed consults with ACS members through ACS’ Policy Committee and Expert Policy Groups to develop policy positions and the organization's public affairs strategy.

The 2024 NACS State of the Industry Summit delivered insights on c-store industry performance metrics. Hear how this year is shaping up and the tools you need to make data-driven decisions. 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 performance, and drives strategic development of NACS long-term research capabilities and offerings for the convenience industry.

With 85% of the population saying they have low self confidence, odds are that at times, you may be one of them. Find out how you can break the cycle. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard and Chrissy Blasinsky About our Guest: Juan Bendaña, keynote speaker Juan is an internationally recognized speaker who helps leaders navigate uncertainty and exponential change by developing the unwavering confidence to thrive in any environment. Drawing from his science-based framework, the Confidence Cycle, he has inspired over 250,000 leaders, at companies including Disney, Sotheby's International, and Sony Pictures.

Foodservice is growing at convenience stores and represents 30% of inside sales. Chef Joe Arvin shares how you can keep elevating your food offer. Hosted by: Jeff Lenard About our Guest: Joe Arvin, Celebrity Chef Chef Joe Arvin is a two-time Culinary Federation gold medalist, three-time Chicago Fight Club champion, and finished 6th and 23rd place at The World Food Championships. He has also gained widespread recognition through appearances on the TV shows Big Brother, Cutthroat Kitchen, The Taste with Anthony Bourdain and South of MadLove, the cooking show that he created and hosts.

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 clarifying their brand positioning. She’s worked with brands like Nature Made, Lay’s, and Chiki Chiki Boom Boom, among others, to turn strategy and data into action.  

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 Institute (formerly known as the Fuels Institute). Prior to that, he served for 15 years as vice president of government relations at NACS, with a focus on fuels- and energy-related issues.