One of the best things about the convenience retail industry is its focus on its people—both customers and team members at every level of the business. Faces of the Industry is NACS Magazine’s new column that highlights the individuals who truly represent what our industry stands for.
This month, meet Aisha Jefferson, corporate communications manager at QuikTrip. Jefferson began her journey with QuikTrip as a part-time cashier and has held roles at almost every level of the business. This is her c-store story.
Why she loves working at QuikTrip:
I’ve always thought that QuikTrip always has my best interest at heart. My parents taught me that if I worked hard, I’d reap the benefits of that hard work, and QuikTrip really recognized and rewarded my hard work and invested in me. That’s how my career here evolved so organically. No job has ever felt as good as working here because it’s always felt like a family, and that’s been so fulfilling. It’s a no-judgement zone, people accept you for who you are and this company has always taken care of me. It’s been my safe space and I have a sense of belonging here. Plus I really can’t discount how much fun we have. I genuinely love all the people that I get to work with every day.
Her favorite role at QuikTrip:
Being a QuikTrip store manager was incredibly rewarding for me because it allowed me to use my experience to see employees grow. Watching them develop their skills and confidence under my guidance was fulfilling. I enjoyed mentoring them and witnessing their progress, knowing that I played a part in their professional growth. It also helped me improve my leadership skills and gave me a sense of accomplishment seeing the store thrive because of our collective efforts.
How her c-store experiences help her in her role today:
We like to say that our people make the place, and I really believe that. When I was a part-time clerk, I really felt like the most important person to the store because you’re setting the tone for customers and can make or break their experience. And then when I became a store manager, I saw how important it was to have your whole team supporting you. … If you take care of your people, they’ll take care of you. And that’s a really important thing I learned by starting at the bottom.
Continue reading about Jefferson’s career at QuikTrip in the September issue of NACS Magazine.
Does your company have a team member who is a great representative of the c-store industry? From frontline workers who are the face of the c-store to corporate executives, we’d love to share their story. Let us know by sending an email to news@convenience.org.