Hello!

Welcome to the 8th edition of this newsletter, where on a weekly basis I’m helping you navigate the demands of being convenient in today’s complex digital world.

Last week I attended the CStore Momentum event in Forth Worth, Texas, hosted at the Texas Motor Speedway. It was an intimate gathering of young professionals from across the country, hailing from chains both big and small.

The event combined keynotes, panel discussions, store tours, and its trademark “burning issues” sessions where attendees got to tackle complicated topics together in an open forum discussion format. For more on the event, see Emily Boes’ write-up about the kickoff and Kevin McIntyre’s recap after everything wrapped up.

What struck me about the discussions is that everyone was talking about technology. From a four-store operator to the 400-store chain, digital was part of the lexicon.

You could argue digital was a hot topic because this was an event for up-and-coming pros, who have essentially spent their lives growing up with digital, but this was bigger than the age demographic. Digital today is transcending generational behaviors.

No matter the retailer’s size or the scope of the individual’s job, digital was a primary component of the conversation. It was talked about from the customer perspective, as well as from the point of view of workers who are grappling with technology’s use in the workplace – both at corporate offices and in the stores.

Seeing this group come together to connect, collaborate, and co-develop ideas and strategies to support each other was an awesome experience. It’s also one of the many reasons why I love this industry. Our willingness to share and help grow the broader dialogue in convenience retail really is unlike anything else I’ve seen.

I’m already looking forward to next year, which will be hosted by Weigel’s in Powell, TN. If you’re curious to know more about my experience, just hit reply on this email and I’d be happy to chat.

Conveniently,
Mike

P.S. I’d still love to have you take this one-question survey to help me shape the future of this newsletter.

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Conquering complexity

We all live in a complicated digital world. And it is moving faster every day, whether we like it or not.

On average, in 2023, people are checking their phones 144 times a day. Last Monday I hit 180 pickups. You can check your ‘Screen Time’ on Apple’s iPhone in ‘Settings’.

Beyond our devices and the personal tendencies we have, it’s the way we are interacting with the world around us that is adding complexity – and especially so for our businesses.

Just this week I was talking to a retailer who summed up what we’re all likely thinking: “This is all very new to us. What are the proper steps [to take]? Are we on the right track?”

Even in a brick-and-mortar-based business like convenience retail, consumers are turning to technology and tools like never before.

There is an app for anything a consumer needs.

I can get what I want, whenever I want it, delivered to my door.

A consumer can be recognized and rewarded for shopping at their favorite store, all without ever interacting with a store employee (if they so choose).

When your business is not native to an environment, it’s harder to navigate. It may feel like setting up shop in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language.

But just like learning a foreign language, digital is not impossible to learn. There’s even an app for that (learning a language, that is).

The first step in conquering the complexity of a digitized world is addressing your mindset. When you can rally being a strong point of view, and frame your actions based on that, everything can become easier to filter for your business.

The mindset I’ve formed over the years is simple and succinct: digital should complement your business, not complicate it.

Think about digital through the lens of your business, not the other way around.

If you get caught up in the technology, the features, and everything it seems like you are missing, you’ll miss the point of what it can do for you.

Focus instead on how technology will fit within your operations, how you’ll integrate it into your existing processes, and the ways it will augment what you do.

When technology becomes a tool you leverage, not the goal itself, that’s how you conquer the complexity it can bring.

Are you making digital too complicated in your business? Or has it become a complement to what you do?