Ten years ago this month I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, and I brought along a copy of CStore Decisions magazine for some light reading at the summit. My cousin and I made the trip together up Africa’s tallest mountain, one of the Seven Summits (which is comprised of the highest mountain on each continent). We opted for a seven-day climb, where we hit the summit at sunrise on the morning of the sixth day.
To ensure success, we first put the right team in place, selecting guides who were experts on the climb. We did our due diligence, reading about the mountain, equipment needs, signs of altitude sickness and what to expect. Rushing up a mountain is the surest way to succumb to altitude sickness. Taking it “pole pole,” which is the mantra of the mountain guides and means “slowly,” is the surest way to success.
It turns out, climbing a mountain and building a successful convenience store chain have a few things in common, as is evident in this month’s Chains to Watch cover story that features Northdale Oil and Energy North. Growing a c-store chain requires due diligence, strategic preparation, and a willingness to take your time in laying the groundwork and building a strong team to avoid bumps in the road when it’s time to scale.
Chains To Watch
As Jeff Black prepared to take the helm as CEO of his family-owned company Energy North (EN) in 2022, he took the time to slow down and ensure he had a solid senior leadership team in place that could help take the company to the next level. He also assessed the company culture and worked to develop it in line with the growing chain the company had become. This spring EN debuted its new flagship Haffner’s convenience store design with a new foodservice offering. And now, EN is set for expansion, both internally through a new loyalty program and self-checkout initiative, as well as through new-to-industry stores, raze and rebuilds and potential acquisitions.
As Northdale Oil eyes expansion through acquisitions and prepares to launch a proprietary food program and in-app payment, among other initiatives, it’s also taking the time to consider how it’s helping its employees and community to grow with it.
“We talk a lot internally about opportunity for our team members, for our communities, and we really take that responsibility on,” said Alayna Brown, retail operations manager at Northdale, in this month’s Chains to Watch cover story. “How can we give these people an opportunity to find fulfillment, to provide for their families, to have more community opportunities? We really take that as our responsibility.”
Our Chains to Watch feature highlights how chains today are growing in multiple directions, from the foodservice counter to the forecourt to the teams and culture that help propel business forward.
As you take inspiration from these expanding family-owned and -operated companies and plot your own growth trajectory, remember to take the time necessary to assess the best path forward with strategic planning, due diligence and careful preparation, all of which will help you find sure footing on your climb to success.