WASTE NOT, WANT NOT (ADJUSTING PRODUCTION)

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT (ADJUSTING PRODUCTION)

Author: C-Store Center March 28, 2026 Duration: 3:14

Show Notes (Thrive Version)

Episode Title: Waste Not, Want Not: Adjusting Production (Episode 89) 

Episode Description: You are wasting money by overproducing food that customers do not buy. In this episode of Thrive, Mike Hernandez explains how Store Managers must use the spoilage log to adjust daily food prep sheets and eliminate high food costs. 

What You Will Learn:

  • Data Analysis: How to read the daily waste logs to identify severe overproduction on your menu.
  • Changing the Prep Sheet: The exact method for talking to your staff and reducing prep quantities to match actual sales.
  • Timing the Grill: How to identify off-peak hours and stop employees from cooking food right before the rush ends.
  • Business Management: Mike shares his early experiences analyzing the graveyard shift trash to understand profitability. Resources & Links:
  • Download the Production Adjustment Worksheet: Text the code word YIELD to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.
  • Recommended Listen: Drive: Episode 80.

Running a convenience store is a unique kind of leadership challenge, one that blends fast-paced operations with the nuanced work of building a team. Thrive: Leadership Skills for C-Store Managers, from C-Store Center, speaks directly to that reality. It’s for managers who know their role extends far beyond inventory and schedules, focusing instead on the human systems that make a location successful. Episodes delve into practical aspects of accountability and communication, but also explore how to genuinely develop employees and foster a culture where people want to perform. You’ll hear concrete discussions about improving daily execution, managing performance constructively, and translating leadership principles into the specific context of a c-store environment. This podcast recognizes that maintaining standards and driving results starts with the manager's own skills, offering ideas and reflections to help turn a hectic store into a thriving one. It’s a resource for those ready to lead, not just manage.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 92

Thrive: Leadership Skills for C-Store Managers
Podcast Episodes
THE COLD WAR (THE COOLER) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:43
Episode Title: The Cold War: Mastering the Cooler (Episode 81)Episode Description: "I just filled the hole with something else."When a clerk tells you that, they think they helped. But a Store Manager knows the truth: th…
THE CASH REGISTER CAGE MATCH [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:45
Episode Title: The Cash Register Cage Match: Speed vs. Accuracy (Episode 80)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…
THE 10-SECOND AUDITION [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:53
Episode Title: The 10-Second Audition: Why Customers Drive By Your Store (Episode 79)Episode Description: Stop me if you’ve done this: You drive past a restaurant because the sign is flickering or the parking lot looks d…
The 5 Levels of C-Store Mastery: From Dive to Arrive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24
Episode Title: The 5 Levels of C-Store Mastery: From Dive to ArriveEpisode Description: Retail training is broken. It’s passive, boring, and frankly, it doesn’t stick. Today, we are pausing the standard playbook to intro…
Convenience Store Success: Program Recap and Future Outlook [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:57
Episode 77 Show Notes: Convenience Store Success - Program Recap and Future OutlookEpisode DescriptionIn this milestone final episode of the "Thrive" series from C-Store Center, host Mike Hernandez celebrates the journey…
Convenience Store Success: Financial Analysis and Profitability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:26
THRIVE Podcast - Episode 75 NotesEpisode Title: Convenience Store Success: Financial Analysis and ProfitabilityHost: Mike HernandezEpisode Description: In this essential episode of Thrive, host Mike Hernandez reveals how…
Convenience Store Success: Effective Promotions and Sales Techniques [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:20
THRIVE Podcast – Episode 74 NotesEpisode Title: Convenience Store Success: Effective Promotions and Sales TechniquesHost: Mike HernandezEpisode Description: In this profit-boosting episode of Thrive, host Mike Hernandez…
Convenience Store Success: Employee Training and Development [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:35
THRIVE Podcast - Episode 73 NotesEpisode Title: Convenience Store Success: Employee Training and DevelopmentHost: Mike HernandezEpisode Description: In this essential episode of Thrive, host Mike Hernandez explores how e…
Convenience Store Success: Managing Inventory and Supply Chain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:23
THRIVE Podcast - Episode 72 NotesEpisode Title: Convenience Store Success: Managing Inventory and Supply ChainHost: Mike HernandezEpisode Description: In this profit-boosting episode of Thrive, host Mike Hernandez reveal…