If she weren’t so busy reinvigorating her family’s once-ubiquitous chain of highway-roadside convenience stores, I think Stephanie Stuckey would be a great addition to the KP Consulting Group team. Because when it comes to being a brand evangelizer, she speaks our language.
For those of a certain age, the name Stuckey’s immediately calls to mind the small shops with distinctive teal-blue roofs, often combined with Texaco gas stations, that dotted interstate highway exits primarily across the central and southern United States. From its specialty candies and pecan log rolls to kitschy novelty items and clean restrooms, Stuckey’s was an oasis for traveling families in the 1960s and 1970s.
And thanks to Stephanie Stuckey, granddaughter of the chain’s founder W.S. Stuckey Sr., the brand is waking from decades of decline and beginning an intriguing turnaround. Ms. Stuckey was named CEO of Stuckey’s in 2019 after a distinguished career as an attorney and Georgia state representative. She also served in the unique role of Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Atlanta.
Indeed, Stephanie Stuckey seems to be all about resilience. She’s an opinion leader who posts frequently on the business networking website LinkedIn, and Catholic evangelizers should be paying attention.
Recently, Stuckey commented on that platform about the importance of “telling a story.” Her advice sounds remarkably similar to the primary recommendation KP Consulting offers the parishes, schools and other Catholic institutions with whom we consult.
She wrote that after she became the CEO of Stuckey’s, she oversaw “promotions, deals, etc. to push our pecan log rolls. Results were lackluster.” Stuckey then went on road trips to Stuckey’s locations, talking to customers about the Stuckey’s brand. “And I realized,” she wrote, “that what really mattered was not ‘sell, sell, sell,’ but connecting with people on an emotional level about a shared passion.”
That passion, she discovered, “is the road trip… exploring the fun places along America’s highways that make our country special.” Now, she noted, despite Stuckey’s not being “salesy,” the brand’s prospects are improving and “new accounts are coming in at levels we haven’t seen in years.”
Stephanie Stuckey’s take on storytelling happens to be KPC’s mantra: “If you tell the story, they will come.”
What’s the unique story of your parish, school, organization or ministry? Through our thorough and structured process, KPC can help you clearly and concisely articulate your distinctive story and your community’s shared passion. Then, we can collaborate with you on action plans designed to share that story with internal and external audiences in a way that inspires, motivates, and – as the Gospel calls us – evangelizes.
There’s no doubt about it: Stuckey’s is a “good news” story. Let KP Consulting help you and your Catholic community be impactful storytellers, too. Of the Good News.