2026 Star Women in Convenience winner: Sofija Isshak
Sofija Isshak
Territory manager
Imperial Tobacco | BAT
What are you most proud of during the last 12–18 months?
How I’ve been able to grow engagement and execution within my territory. Whether it’s improving in-store visibility, successfully implementing new initiatives like Ready Scan/Ready Code, or building stronger relationships with my retail partners, I’ve been able to consistently drive positive results and stay ahead of targets.
Biggest career challenge?
One of the biggest challenges has been managing change—especially when new government regulations were introduced and needed to be executed quickly in-store.
What’s the best career advice you’ve received?
In sales, not everything goes your way, but focusing on effort, consistency and attitude always leads to better results over time.
Career highlight?
A key highlight has been consistently delivering strong execution in my territory while also contributing to team initiatives like sharing best practices and staying highly engaged in team challenges. Being recognized among peers for both performance and engagement has been really rewarding.
What excites you most about the future of this channel?
How the channel continues to evolve, especially with new products, technology and ways of engaging both retailers and consumers. There’s a lot of opportunity to be innovative, adapt quickly and really influence growth at the store level.
Nomination highlights
For more than 20 years, Sofija Isshak has been a trusted partner to convenience retailers throughout the Windsor region, building strong customer relationships while consistently driving business growth and operational success. Known for her customer-first mindset and positive, solutions-oriented approach, she has earned a reputation as one of the industry’s top-performing sales professionals. A multiple-time circle of excellence winner and recipient of numerous leadership recognitions, she continually helps customers identify new opportunities and achieve their business ambitions. Beyond her sales success, she plays an important leadership role within a veteran sales team, supporting the onboarding and development of new regional hires while sharing best practices and mentoring peers. As a female force lead, she is also a strong advocate for women in the industry, helping foster collaboration, confidence and professional growth. Known for her can-do attitude, professionalism and genuine commitment to customers, she continues to make a meaningful impact on the convenience industry across Windsor and beyond.
Click here for a full list of the 2026 Star Women in Convenience winners
Be there when the industry comes together in-person to celebrate at the Star Women in Convenience Awards Event.