2023 Star Women in Convenience winner: Binal Patel

Owner

Ding Mart Convenience Store

How did you get into this industry?

Owning a convenience store was always a dream of mine. I used to work in an auto parts company, but it closed so owning a small business was the right choice for us. After a lot of planning and discussions, we bought this store. My husband worked at a convenience store in New York, which helped me in the training process.

What do you like most about your job?

My customers! I love meeting and serving them every day. I like working for myself and being my own boss. I love that I can motivate other women to also do what they like and open their own small businesses.

What was the biggest challenge of your career?

Taking care of both my personal life and business at the same time was the most difficult part about my job. Sometimes, my husband and I had to miss important events to run our store. Also, the long work hours and not getting days off for holidays is a big challenge.  

What's the best advice you ever received? 

“Don’t ever stop learning and growing as a person.” I believe the more you grow and learn, the better your life will be. There’s no age limit to learn new things, both in your personal and professional life. I’ve started focusing more on my leadership skills, creativity, problem-solving skills, attitude and ability to handle difficult situations, which play a significant role in my life, both as a business owner and a woman.

What's your career highlight/proudest achievement? 

Getting this Star Women in Convenience Award. It’s proven to me that hard work and dedication leads to success and recognition.

What work-related accomplishment are you most proud of during the last year?

Last year, I launched a bitcoin machine to increase my revenue by engaging in more trend-related sales.