Aisha Jefferson stopped at an Atlanta QuikTrip for gas on her way to college two decades ago. Knowing she would need a part-time job while in school (and wanting to prove to her parents that she could support herself), she filled out an application on the spot after she was “blown away by the customer service” when she went inside the store. “Everyone was so happy to be there and made work look fun. I was immediately like, ‘I want some of that,’” she said.
Today, she’s QuikTrip’s corporate communications manager. She’s held roles at almost every level of the business, from a part-time clerk to a district manager overseeing 18 stores. Now, she has four years working in the retailer’s corporate headquarters under her belt.
Jefferson shared her c-store story with NACS Magazine.
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.
Today, I speak on behalf of the 31,000 people that work for QuikTrip. I think about that every time I conduct an interview or draft a statement—my audience isn’t just the media. My audience is my employees and their family members. It’s our customers. And I’ve been all those things at some point.
Why she thinks the convenience retail industry is a great place to work
Working in the c-store business is really more than what people make it out to be. I think people don’t think of the convenience industry as a great job opportunity because they don’t know the ins and outs. They don’t understand that just like any other industry, we have frontline workers, different departments, distribution centers and sister companies, and all kinds of opportunities to have a fulfilling career.