Wichman’s BP Station LLC

Daughter Takes The Reigns; Fuels Up For Profits

About Wichman’s BP Station

Wichman’s BP Station, previously Flynn Oil and Beverage, is a convenience store and gas station that serves the Suring, Wisconsin area residents and commuters on County Highway M, Route 32. They have provided fast, friendly and convenient service and products for more than 30 years.

The Challenge

Owners Dan and Luann Flynn had run the business with care and consideration for the customers, as any hardworking, small-town business owner would do. However, over the years, the business really suffered. They had a $4 million business, but were operating without any managerial structure, giving away products, such as gas, lottery tickets, and coffee to friends and customers, ultimately resulting in a foreclosure.

Kelly Wichman, Dan and Luann’s daughter, decided to try to save the business. Taking the reigns, she called on the George S. May consulting team to quickly turn things around. After completing their initial analysis, it became clear that there were issues with the ability of the business to control its expenditures and measure performance. They had no cash controls, no employee manual or handbook, and no performance evaluation process. On top of everything, the register was consistently short.

The George S. May Solution

The George S. May consulting team quickly developed an organizational structure for the company.

Working with Kelly Wichman, who took over for the Flynns, George S. May put into place critical guidelines and strategies to address the operations and management, such as:

A formal business plan
Inventory control process, based on physical inventory
Pricing structures and revised menu pricing
Employee manual and handbook
Management training and executive coaching
Management reports
A revised budget and variance reports

The Benefits

Within six months, the business went from a negative $125,000 to a $6,000 profit, with the right tools and road map to profits
Recreated a functional budget
A successful profit margin of $30,000, within the first two month of 2009
Collateral for a $725,000 loan
An achievable goal to acquire the business back from the bank within 1 year

“George S. May has made a dramatic difference in my business. I thank them for all their help and guidance; I am making great progress.” –- Kelly Wichman, president of Wichman’s BP Station.