In this episode of At Your Convenience, CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Danielle Gutierrez-Stone, senior director of retail operations at Pony Express. They spoke at CSP’s Outlook Leadership event in August about the challenges of running a small chain, being a female leader in the convenience-store industry, what it means to work for a "Native American"-owned company and more. 

Ho-Chunk Inc. is the parent company of Pony Express. It’s based on the Winnebago Indian Reservation in northeast Nebraska. Pony Express first opened for business in 1996 in Winnebago, Nebraska, according to its website.  

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie (right) talks with Jere Matthews (left), vice president of operations at Rutter’s, York, Pennsylvania, at the Outlook Leadership conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

On this podcast, Matthews talks about some of Rutter’s scores in CSP’s and Intouch Insight's Mystery Shop audit. Nouria was the 2025 winner, but Rutter's took first place in 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023.

Matthews discusses striving to provide world-class customer service, the importance of giving customers a pleasant parting remark, having well-stocked stores, why Rutter’s competes in Mystery Shop and more.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam talks with K.C. Crosthwaite, chairman and CEO of Juul Labs, Washington, at the Outlook Leadership conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

On this podcast, Crosthwaite talks about the Food and Drug Administration’s authorization of five Juul e-cigarette products. He talks about Juul’s latest innovation, challenges of the illicit market, youth nicotine use, age-gated technology and more.

In a recent episode of CSP's "At Your Convenience" podcast recorded live at the Outlook Leadership conference, Abbey Lewis, vice president of content strategy at CSP, and Max Clark, vice president of growth at PAR Retail, shared insights on the concept of "loyalty everywhere."

Clark emphasized that loyalty has evolved beyond traditional engagement points like mobile apps to encompass the entire customer journey. "It's the app, the forecourt, the pump, the associate checkout, self-checkout kiosks and connected cars," he said.

He stressed the importance of creating an integrated system where all touchpoints work together to deliver a frictionless experience. Clark also highlighted PAR's growing focus on developing direct relationships with CPG partners to create more streamlined value across the entire retail ecosystem.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with John Pszeniczny, director of operations at Nouria, Worcester, Massachusetts, at the Outlook Leadership conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

On this podcast, Pszeniczny talks about Nouria being a finalist in the 2025 CSP Intouch Insight Mystery Shop audit, before the convenience-store chain learned at the conference that it won top honors for the second straight year.

He talks about the importance of having well-stocked restrooms, courteous cashiers, why Nouria competes in Mystery Shop and more.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Eric Hildenbrand, chief strategy and administrative officer at Temple, Texas-based convenience-store distributor McLane Co., about the Food Safety Modernization Act, also known as FSMA 204. 

On this podcast, Hildenbrand  talks about the goal of the act, which is to make traceability much faster than it is today. He also discusses some of the foods that will be affected and what c-stores should be doing now to get ready.

InConvenience Inc. is doing things differently in the convenience-store industry. In this episode of At Your Convenience, CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond talks to InConvenience CEO Tiffany Fraley, who runs The Gas Spot and The Goods Spot c-store brand. 

The chain has 25 locations, picked up from shuttered Mountain Express and SQRL Service Station locations. Seventeen of those are currently up and running now in Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas. 

Fraley talks about what she’s learning about the c-store industry, the chain’s new mascot, having a nearly all-female c-suite team and more. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editors Diane Adam and Chuck Ulie discuss labor and hiring challenges that convenience stores are facing. They share examples of how c-stores are integrating artificial intelligence (AI), robots and other technology tools to perform duties formerly tasked by humans.

Look out for CSP's August cover story which delves into this topic. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam talks with Mike Maraldo, who leads the business unit of GetGo Cafe + Market as vice president of operations. 

Laval, Quebec-based Circle K owner Alimentation Couche-Tard acquired GetGo Cafe + Market in June. On this podcast, Maraldo explains why Couche-Tard a great fit for GetGo, what makes GetGo’s food and loyalty program so successful and more.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Jennifer Loper of C3 Brand Marketing, Overland Park, Kansas, who spoke at CSP’s C-Store Foodservice Forum June 18 in Schaumburg, Illinois. At the forum, she presented with Julia Foley, C3’s senior insights and strategy supervisor.

On this podcast, Loper talks about what kid-friendly convenience-store foodservice offerings look like, how to get started, the importance of communication with customers, knowing safety standards and more.