Episode Title: The Cold War: Mastering the Cooler (Episode 72)

Episode Description: You are paying electricity to cool products that nobody buys.

For a District Manager, the Cooler is often a "Graveyard" for dead inventory. "SKU Creep" happens when Managers accept new products without removing the old failures, resulting in a cooler cramped with slow-movers while the high-volume best-sellers run out of space.

In this episode of Drive, Mike Hernandez focuses on SKU Rationalization. We treat the cooler as an investment portfolio. If a stock (or a soda) isn't performing, you sell it and reinvest in the winners. Learn how to perform the "Dust Audit" and how to force your Managers to focus on Inventory Turns rather than just "filling holes."

What You Will Learn:

• SKU Creep: How "new items" slowly choke out your best-sellers if you don't manage the mix.
• The Negative ROI of Cold Stock: Understanding that holding non-moving inventory in a refrigerated environment is a double loss (Cash Flow + Electricity).
• The Dust Audit: The fastest way to spot dead inventory during a store walk.
• Volume Strategy: Why giving more space to Core Items (Water/Energy) always beats having a "wide variety" of garbage.

The Quest: Clean the Graveyard.

• Solo Quest: Perform a "Dust Audit" in your worst-performing store. Find 5 SKUs with dust on them. Check the sales history. If they haven't sold in 30 days, mandate a clearance sale and remove the tag.
• Team Quest: The "Bottom 10 Challenge." Require every Store Manager to submit a list of their 10 worst-selling cooler items and a plan to exit those products to make room for high-volume SKUs.

Resources & Links:

• 📲 Unlock the Level 4 Rationalization Guide: Text the code word COLD to 956-897-9192.

Episode Title: The Cash Register Cage Match: Speed vs. Accuracy (Episode 71)

Episode Description: You pull the district report. Store 4 is hitting sales targets, but their "Void" percentage is red. Store 6 is accurate, but their average transaction time is dragging down the whole territory.

For a District Manager, the register isn't just a point of sale; it is a Truth Machine. High transaction times indicate a revenue ceiling (they literally cannot process enough customers to hit your target), and high error rates are a massive red flag for internal theft or training failure.

In this episode of Drive, Mike Hernandez shifts the focus from "Training" to "Auditing." We learn how to use the "Smooth Operator" standard to expose labor waste, identify the friction your Managers are ignoring, and tighten the screws on district consistency.

What You Will Learn:

• The Revenue Ceiling: How slow transaction times physically prevent your stores from hitting their sales goals.
• The "Truth Machine": Reading the Void & Error Correct report to distinguish between a training problem and a theft problem.
• Auditing Friction: What to look for during a store visit (hint: if the cashier is hunting for barcodes, your Manager is failing).
• District Consistency: How to use the "10-Item Dash" to create healthy competition between your locations.

The Quest: Audit the rhythm.

• Solo Quest: Pull the "Void & Error Correct Report" for your territory. Identify the outlier store with the highest error rate. Visit them today. Find the root cause (Theft or Incompetence?).
• Team Quest: Challenge your Store Managers. Demand to see their "10-Item Dash" times. creating a leaderboard across the district to see which store has the sharpest operations.

Resources & Links:

• 📲 Unlock the Level 3 Audit Checklist: Text the code word SPEED to 956-897-9192.
• 🏴‍☠️ Sponsor: Johnny Mecuerdo Chapter 2 is here. The ships La Muerte and La Sancha are waiting. Join the story at Johnny Mecuerdo on Facebook.
• Full Show Notes & Visuals: Visit C-Store Thrive

Episode Title: The 10-Second Audition: Why Customers Drive By Your Store (Episode 70)

Episode Description: Stop me if you’ve done this: You drive past a restaurant because the sign is flickering or the parking lot looks dark. You didn't taste the food, but you judged the business instantly.

Your customers are doing the same thing to your store every single night.

In this episode of C-Store Legends, Mike Hernandez breaks down the "Front Stage" concept. Most employees think their job starts when they clock in, but the sale is actually won or lost in the parking lot. We are moving beyond the basic "Trash Run" and teaching you the "Perimeter Sweep"—the 2-minute tactic that ensures you pass the customer's 10-second audition.

What You Will Learn:

• The Front Stage vs. Back Stage: Why the parking lot is the most critical sales floor in your building.
• The "Soccer Mom" Test: How to view your store through the eyes of your most safety-conscious customer.
• The Perimeter Sweep: A specific routine to replace lazy trash runs.
• Leadership Tactics: How to use the shift change to enforce exterior standards without being a nag.

The Quest: Pass the audition.

• Solo Quest: Walk to the curb. Find one piece of trash that isn't yours. Pick it up.
• Team Quest: Text a photo of your cleanest pump to the number below.

Resources & Links:

• 📲 Unlock the Level 2 Guide: Text the word CURB to 956-897-9192.
• 🏴‍☠️ Sponsor: Join the crew at Johnny Mecuerdo on Facebook for the upcoming launch of the industry's most legendary gear.
• Full Show Notes & Visuals: Visit C-Store Thrive