Drive

Episode Title: The 10-Second Audition: Why Customers Drive By Your Store (Episode 70)
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.
Your customers are doing the same thing to your store every single night.
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 parking lot. We are moving beyond the basic "Trash Run" and teaching you the "Perimeter Sweep"—the 2-minute tactic that ensures you pass the customer's 10-second audition.
What You Will Learn:
  • The Front Stage vs. Back Stage: Why the parking lot is the most critical sales floor in your building.
  • The "Soccer Mom" Test: How to view your store through the eyes of your most safety-conscious customer.
  • The Perimeter Sweep: A specific routine to replace lazy trash runs.
  • Leadership Tactics: How to use the shift change to enforce exterior standards without being a nag.
The Quest: Pass the audition.
  • Solo Quest: Walk to the curb. Find one piece of trash that isn't yours. Pick it up.
  • Team Quest: Text a photo of your cleanest pump to the number below.
Resources & Links:
  • 📲 Unlock the Level 2 Guide: Text the word CURB to 956-897-9192.
  • 🏴‍☠️ Sponsor: Join the crew at Johnny Mecuerdo on Facebook for the upcoming launch of the industry's most legendary gear.
  • Full Show Notes & Visuals: Visit C-Store Thrive
 

What is Drive?

This podcast is for multi-unit managers, new and tenured. You're always on the road between stores and cities. Why not put your critical thinking and creativity to work during this time? Let's drive down this road together.

THE 10-SECOND AUDITION
What got you here won't get you there. You used to win by running one store perfectly, but now you have to win through other people. If you find yourself driving to a store just to fix a problem you thought you already solved, you are in the Drive phase. The enemy now is Inconsistency. We are shifting your mindset from operating a unit to leading a territory. It’s time to stop putting out fires and start driving performance across the map. Welcome to the fast lane—and welcome to C-Store Legends.
Stop me if you’ve done this. You’re driving down the road, hungry. You see a restaurant. You slow down, look at the front door... and you keep driving. Why? You didn’t see the food. You didn’t talk to the waiter. You judged the entire business based on a overflowing trash can and a flickering light bulb. You just failed them on their "Audition."
Welcome to Episode 2 of C-Store Legends. I’m Mike Hernandez. Today, we are talking about the Front Stage. Most employees think their job starts when they clock in behind the counter. But the customer decides whether or not to give you their money before they even open your door. If the parking lot looks unsafe, dirty, or abandoned... they don’t come in. And if they don’t come in, we don’t get paid.
Before we get to the tactics, a quick heads-up for the industry leaders listening. We are building a tribe of Operators who actually give a damn. If you have a product or service that helps stores win, and you want to get it in front of the future leaders of this industry... we have a spot for you right here. Reach out to me at C-Store Thrive dot com. Let’s talk.
Speaking of legends... let’s talk about a brand that knows exactly who they are.
You think a pirate captain buys his gear at a discount store? No, señor. A legend builds things to last. Johnny Mecuerdo is coming. We are forging heavy-duty, laser-engraved bottle openers and slate coasters worthy of the captain's table. The shop at JohnnyMecuerdo.com is almost ready to launch. But you can’t join the crew if you miss the boat. Right now, we are gathering the first wave of legends on Facebook. Search for Johnny Mecuerdo on Facebook and follow the page today. You’ll be the first to know when the gear drops and the cerveza is tapped. Don't get left on the dock. Follow Johnny Mecuerdo on Facebook. Recuerda el legado. (Remember the legacy)."
Alright, back to the pavement. Here is the reality: Your store has a "Front Stage" and a "Back Stage." The Back Stage is the stockroom, the cooler, the office. That’s for us. The Front Stage is the parking lot, the pumps, and the entryway. That is for them. And right now, a lot of you are treating the Front Stage like a trash can.
So, how do we fix it? We stop doing "Trash Runs" and we start doing "The Perimeter Sweep." I don’t want you to just change the bag. I want you to look at your store through the eyes of a soccer mom at 9:00 PM. Is it bright? Is it clean? Does it look like a place where she feels safe getting out of her car?
Here is your Solo Quest for this week. It takes 2 minutes. Walk out the front door. Walk all the way to the street—to the furthest pump or the curb. Turn around and look at your store. Does it look like a place you would want to visit? Find ONE piece of trash that isn't yours, and pick it up. That’s the difference between an employee and an owner.
Now, for the Gamification. Open your phone. If you want credit for completing the Perimeter Sweep, text the code word CURB (C-U-R-B) to 956-897-9192. Let me know you’re keeping the Front Stage ready for showtime.
And finally, here is your Team Quest—because Legends don't win alone. Next time you do a shift change, I want you to walk the perimeter with the person you are relieving. Don’t just talk about the register inside. Point out one thing outside that looks good, and one thing that needs work. Take a picture of the cleanest pump on your lot and text it to that same number. Show me what "clean" looks like in your town.
That’s the move for this week.
Whether you're just starting out or running the whole show, execution is the only thing that counts.
For the visual guides and full breakdown of today's session, head over to C-Store Thrive dot com.
I’m Mike Hernandez.
Stop surviving. Start thriving.
I’ll see you on the sales floor.
C-Store Legends is a Sink or Swim Production.