How Stuckey’s Chair Rebuilt an American Snack Empire (Full Q&A)

A rebrand happens with passion and prowess … and pecans?

“The pistachio has had the limelight long enough,” says Stephanie Stuckey, chair of Stuckey’s Corporation and author of UnStuck: Rebirth of an American Icon. “It just had a Super Bowl ad. It’s time for the pecan to be front and center!”

She has an equally clear vision for the company that her grandfather founded in 1935 as a roadside stop in Georgia. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, it grew into a convenience store chain synonymous with family road trips (and its own famous pecan log rolls). By the 2000s, however, the brand and its roadside locations felt dated and rundown. Stephanie took over in 2019 and shifted the business model to retail distribution.

She spoke with b. about the successful pivot and overcoming imposter syndrome. 

b.: When you started revitalizing the brand, you shared grassroots social media campaigns showing yourself on different road trips. What tips do you have for social media marketing? 

Stuckey: Be authentic, be interesting, and be relevant. Since people like acronyms, that stands for “AIR”: authentic, interesting and relevant.

I asked myself every time I did a post, “Is this real?” It doesn’t have to be 100% real — because you’re telling a story — but there’s got to be truth to what you’re saying, or people aren’t going to believe it. Is it authentic? 

A lot of the stuff people post isn’t interesting.

And then the third one is that it’s got to be relevant. You can’t be all things to all people. So you have to figure out who you are targeting. 

I think it’s really important to think of social media as a conversation, not just a post. You want people to comment and then you comment back. Then you’re having a dialogue and building rapport and you make a connection. For me, a successful post is not one that has 2,000 likes; it’s one that has 20 thoughtful, engaging comments from people who are in my space. 

b.: What’s the process of transforming Stuckey’s into retail distribution at big stores like Hobby Lobby? 

Stuckey: It’s actually easier than you would think, once you process it. For a brand to really get traction, it’s got to tap into an emotion. … A great quality product is your starting point. But to get that emotional connection, the brand has to stand for something more than just attractive packaging. 

We’re so fortunate that our brand is affiliated with the road trip. … It’s freedom. It’s fun. It’s exploration. You let your cares go out the window. … Our sweet spot is to be in convenience stores on the interstate. But it’s really about that sense of fun and excitement. 

b.: In the book, you advise, “Be real until you make it.” Can you expand on that?

Stuckey: The genesis of that was all the talk about imposter syndrome, especially among women. You don’t see men wringing their hands and agonizing over imposter syndrome. But women do. I believe in turning that narrative around.

Embrace imposter syndrome as a positive because [it] means you are very self-aware. You are analyzing what your strengths and weaknesses are, and trying to address them. The best thing you can say is, “I don’t know. I need help.” That empowers your team and that empowers you. It opens you up to learning more. You just have to be real and you’ll make it. If you’re faking it, you’re never going to make it. 

b.: One of the things that stood out in the book was how you found the right people to help you relaunch. Can you comment on that? 

Stuckey: The key is not just finding them, but empowering them and giving them the tools they need to succeed. As I was writing the book, I changed roles from CEO to chair. I recognized that my business partner has what it takes to be the CEO. 

In business, we all have things we’re not passionate about. There’s some drudgery that goes along with running a business. But the more you find those points that you love, you’re good at, and you can make money at, that’s the good stuff. … As much as I can in my daily life, I focus on the things I do best. My role, in reality, is … the spokesperson, the voice, and the brand ambassador for Stuckey’s. Then I hand off to my business partner what he does best, and I let him do that. 

b.: Do you feel you faced any unusual challenges as a woman CEO? 

Stuckey: Stuckey’s is a 70-year-old startup. Being an entrepreneur, in general, is really hard regardless of your gender. If you’re a minority or a female and you layer that in, less than 3% of venture capital goes toward supporting minority- or female-owned businesses. The access-to-capital challenge is real.

But I also think as a female CEO, you bring some real advantages to the table. We are more collaborative and consensus-building by nature. I think that really helps with team building. 

b.: For someone taking over a family-owned business, what tips do you have? 

Stuckey: Make your own mark on the brand. I think it’s really important that the third generation — [or] the fourth generation — of family business owners feel like they can bring their own personality to the table.

I like to say I’m respecting Stuckey’s past, but I’m not living it. You can be respectful, but at the same time, you’re the one in charge. Now you’re the one alive, running the company. Don’t be afraid to step up and be the boss.

We all have the power to change our story. When I had an unexpected opportunity to buy Stuckey’s, I googled “Stuckey’s” and the top hits were, “Whatever happened to Stuckey’s?” And I thought, “I have the power to change that.”

How often does a fan lose their brand, and you get the chance to get it back? So, even though that aspect of our story is unique, what’s not unique is that everyone has a phase in their lives where they have to make a pivot. That’s where I think I can connect with other people who read this book. You have the power to change your story. It’s not going to be easy. You’re going to make a lot of sacrifices, but you can rewrite your story. That’s what Unstuck is all about. 

b.: Where do you see the company five or 10 years down the line?

Stuckey: Our goal is to get to $100 million in sales. … We want to be like Planters is to peanuts or Blue Diamond is to almonds. When people ask me how to pronounce pecan, I say, “It’s Stuckey’s.”

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