Thrive
This podcast is for assistant managers looking to get promoted to store managers and new store managers. Getting promoted is the easy part. Keeping the job and becoming good at it is where I can help. Good results, good work-life balance, and big bonuses are what I'm talking about!
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THE GLASS CAGE (SAFETY CULTURE & P&L)
<p>Show Notes (Thrive Version)</p><p>Episode Title: The Glass Cage: Safety Culture & P&L (Episode 83)</p><p>Episode Description: "If the lights are out, the liability is in."</p><p>For a Store Manager, safety isn't just about preventing a robbery; it's about protecting the business's bottom line. A store that feels unsafe bleeds customers and burns out employees.</p><p>In this episode of Thrive, Mike Hernandez breaks down CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) and gives a special shout-out to Kristin, our very first official member! We discuss how to audit your lighting, clear your sightlines...
THE P&L KILLER (PHANTOM INVENTORY)
<p>Show Notes (Thrive Version)</p><p>Episode Title: The P&L Killer: Phantom Inventory (Episode 82)</p><p>Episode Description: "Why did I miss budget?"</p><p>Often, the answer isn't the economy. It's Phantom Inventory. If your system thinks you have product when you don't, it stops ordering. Your Book Inventory stays high, but your Sales drop because customers can't buy what isn't there.</p><p>In this episode of Thrive, Mike Hernandez explains the Double Whammy of Ghosts: the impact on Gross Income (Shrink) and the long-term Opportunity Cost (Lost Sales). We discuss how to use Management by...
THE COLD WAR (THE COOLER)
<p>Episode Title: The Cold War: Mastering the Cooler (Episode 81)</p><p>Episode Description: "I just filled the hole with something else."</p><p>When a clerk tells you that, they think they helped. But a Store Manager knows the truth: they just broke the inventory data and hid a critical ordering mistake.</p><p>For a Store Manager, the Cooler is a battleground for Space Control. Vendors are constantly trying to sneak in unauthorized products, and clerks are "plugging" holes to hide out-of-stocks. The result? Your best-sellers are squeezed out, and your planogram becomes a suggestion rather than a...
THE CASH REGISTER CAGE MATCH
<p>Episode Title: The Cash Register Cage Match: Speed vs. Accuracy (Episode 80)</p><p>Episode Description: You see the line building up. You see your cashier panic. So, what do you do? You jump on the second register and kill the line yourself.</p><p>You just saved the moment, but you hurt your store.</p><p>For a Store Manager, the "Cash Register Cage Match" isn't about how fast you can ring; it's about how fast your team can ring when you aren't standing there. If you have to rescue your shift every day, you haven't trained them—you've en...
THE 10-SECOND AUDITION
<p>Episode Title: The 10-Second Audition: Why Customers Drive By Your Store (Episode 79)</p><p>Episode Description: Stop me if you’ve done this: You drive past a restaurant because the sign is flickering or the parking lot looks dark. You didn't taste the food, but you judged the business instantly.</p><p>Your customers are doing the same thing to your store every single night.</p><p>In this episode of C-Store Legends, Mike Hernandez breaks down the "Front Stage" concept. Most employees think their job starts when they clock in, but the sale is actually won or lost in...
The 5 Levels of C-Store Mastery: From Dive to Arrive
<p>Episode Title: The 5 Levels of C-Store Mastery: From Dive to Arrive</p><p>Episode Description: Retail training is broken. It’s passive, boring, and frankly, it doesn’t stick. Today, we are pausing the standard playbook to introduce the new reality of the industry: Sink or Swim.</p><p>In this episode, Mike Hernandez breaks down the "Old Way" of training versus the "New Era" of the Operator. We introduce the 5 stages of a convenience store career and the specific mindset shift required to master each one:</p>Dive (Sales Associate): How to stop drowning in the details.Survive (Assi...
Convenience Store Success: Program Recap and Future Outlook
<p>Episode 77 Show Notes: </p><p>Convenience Store Success - Program Recap and Future Outlook</p><p>Episode Description</p><p>In this milestone final episode of the "Thrive" series from C-Store Center, host Mike Hernandez celebrates the journey we've taken together and charts the exciting path forward for convenience store leaders.</p><p>Join us as we explore the remarkable success stories from managers like Sarah in Milwaukee who cut waste by 40%, and Marcus in Phoenix who transformed his team using our training techniques. This isn't just a conclusion - it's a bridge to your next level of growth, w...
Convenience Store Success: Crisis Management and Emergency Preparedness
<p>Episode 76 Show Notes: </p><p>Convenience Store Success - Crisis Management and Emergency Preparedness</p><p>Episode Description</p><p>In this vital episode of "Thrive from C-Store Center," host Mike Hernandez delivers essential guidance on crisis management and emergency preparedness - or as he calls it, "planning for the worst while hoping for the best."</p><p>Learn how proper emergency planning saved one store 80% of their perishable inventory during a 12-hour power outage, while unprepared competitors faced thousands in losses. Discover why convenience stores are essential community lifelines during emergencies and how you can fulfill this role w...
Convenience Store Success: Financial Analysis and Profitability
<p>THRIVE Podcast - Episode 75 Notes<br><br></p><p>Episode Title: Convenience Store Success: Financial Analysis and Profitability<br><br></p><p>Host: Mike Hernandez</p><p>Episode Description: In this essential episode of Thrive, host Mike Hernandez reveals how convenience store managers can transform overwhelming financial data into actionable insights that drive profits. Learn how one manager discovered a hidden pricing strategy that boosted profits by 20%—simply by analyzing which products had the highest margins. Transform your daily reports from confusing paperwork to a crystal-clear roadmap for success, without needing an accounting degree.</p><p>Key Topics Covered:<br...
Convenience Store Success: Effective Promotions and Sales Techniques
<p>THRIVE Podcast – Episode 74 Notes<br><br></p><p>Episode Title: Convenience Store Success: Effective Promotions and Sales Techniques<br><br></p><p>Host: Mike Hernandez</p><p>Episode Description: In this profit-boosting episode of Thrive, host Mike Hernandez reveals strategies for creating effective promotions and sales techniques that increase your convenience store's revenue without sacrificing margins. Learn how to move beyond simple discounting to develop promotions that create new buying habits, increase basket size, and drive customer loyalty—turning your promotions from margin-killers into sales machines.</p><p>Key Topics Covered:<br><br></p>Planning strategic promotions tailored for the...
