Dorian Cunion, ACC, MBA 🌅

Your Path Coaching and Consulting

Founder

Provide Executive Coaching to Middle Managers, Directors, and Executives within the Retail, Restaurant, and Marketing Industries.

I have guided dozens of leaders through my Path Finders program, designed to help you tell your story of professional success. I helped clients identify their strengths, passion, and purpose which enabled them to better understand their personal and professional goals and develop action plans to build more wealth, leadership skills, and self-determination. 

Participants of the program have gone on to gain promotions at work, left companies that undervalued them for better opportunities, and reported higher levels of satisfaction both in their work and personal relationships. 

I provide Consulting Services to business to consumer companies such as retailers, restaurants, therapists, and home service companies. My consulting work focuses on helping business owners develop strategies that allow them to identify and focus on the activities that provide the most value for their company. 

I do this by helping business owners identify how they create value for themselves and for their customers through assessment of their current customer journey, business model, positioning of products and services and operations.

With this information, I help business owners to develop processes, routines, and policies that support the development of employees, new products, services, increased revenue, improved cost efficiency, and most importantly bottom line income growth.  

The foundation of my consulting is the development of strategy maps, business scorecards, key performance indicators, implementation of leaders intent and the Plan, DO, Check, Act method of continuous improvement.

As a coach and consultant, I have developed training and participated in speaking engagements on Accountability, Networking, Executive Presence, Goal Setting, and Entrepreneurship.

Co-Founder

Your Path Counseling Center

Owner and CMO

7-Eleven

Maintained executive responsibility for corporate 7-Eleven, Sunoco, Laredo Taco Company, Roost, Parlor Pizza, Subway, Papa John’s, and Speedway locations on East Coast. Led efforts in enhancing customer experience of locations by driving improvement in people, culture, operational excellence, and return on capital. Assumed P&L responsibilities for 1,000-plus locations – including 150 restaurants – with net revenue of $2.8 billion. Supported talent selection and development for eight markets with 10,000-plus employees. Drove field-based cross-functional collaboration between real estate, fuel, merchandising, restaurant, human resource, training, asset protection, logistics, delivery, and rewards programs. 

Maintained direct responsibility for capital investments in zone, including store remodels, new store growth, equipment upgrades, and repair and maintenance. Launched Laredo Taco company in Connecticut, Florida, and New York. Integrated 500-plus Speedway store and 500 7-Eleven stores into one operating unit. Drove integration of Speedway into SEI business. Managed and operated 15 training store locations responsible for training of 200-plus franchisees and 400 corporate employees over two-year span.

•	Captured best practices from both brands while redefining future business model.
•	Launched delivery in 500 locations. Achieved best fill rate in corporate operations.
•	Led company in sales of Speedway Breakfast program rolled out to 400-plus 7-Eleven locations. Generated $2 million in incremental fresh food sale annually.
•	Converted 400 Sunoco stores into 7-Elevens and generated 3% improvement to sales.
•	Operated store evolution test stores and opened first 2.0 prototype store in U.S.
•	Divested 50 stores over two years to achieve $2.5 million in cost savings while enhancing overall zone performance.

Regional Vice President Of Operations and Restaurants

Assumed executive responsibility for all stores in the Mid Atlantic region. Oversaw and managed 700 stores divided into eight markets. Promoted and facilitated brand consistency across stores, nurtured health franchise relations, fostered co-prosperity between company and franchisees, and managed all corporate-related expenses. Drove and facilitated profitable growth of corporate stores, oversaw talent development, and supported franchising store locations.

Worked closely with logistics and merchandising departments on product assortment, vendor relations, new product development, and rollout. Partnered with various support functions to ensure franchisee satisfaction and profitable growth. Cultivated partnerships with several local charities, including Feeding America, Toys for Tots, and ASYMCA. Designed and developed three-year strategic growth strategy for zone, including capital improvement, new store growth, remodeling existing stores, demand chain planning, product development, and service expansion. Launched four franchise-operated chicken restaurants. Established veteran support group within zone. Participated in company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion task force. 

•	Created culture focused on quality, customer service, image, and community, with zone achieving best scorecard in company in 2020 and 2019.
•	Franchised 50-plus corporate stores, with 70% going to internal franchisees.
•	Led company in sales and margin growth in 2020 and 2019.
•	Ranked no. 1 or 2 in secret shopper program for three straight years.
•	Achieved highest percentage of “Emerald Stores” in company for 2020.
•	Opened 60 new stores in three years, with average revenue per location 20% higher than typical store in zone.
•	Championed and built first commercial fuel stores in U.S., with 30% higher net earnings than typical store in zone.
•	Planned and launched games of skill, generating $2 million in annual incremental profit.

Vice President of Operations

Supervised franchise sales team of four managers and 30 indirect reports, with staff converting qualified applicants into franchisees while helping current franchisees sell stores for Goodwill. Led programs and policies, relations, sales, marketing, and recruiting, with responsibilities for all domestic franchising (duties highlighted below). Supported a franchise-centric culture by educating departments on franchise business model, franchise issues, and concerns. Represented 7-Eleven as a member of Veteran Jobs Mission and the International Franchise Association and with board membership on DiversityFran. 

•	Grew franchise applicants by 66%. Expanded revenue from $65 million to $85 million in four years in department.
•	Established and implemented diversity marketing programs to foster 25% improvement in new diverse franchisees (i.e., female, military, Hispanic, and African American).

Director of Franchise Sales, Marketing, Recruiting, and Relations

Supervised four direct reports, eight indirect reports and managed three external marketing agencies. Led team responsible for national business leaders council, handled franchisee disputes, franchise programs and policy, crafted 2019 franchise agreement, acted as project manager for franchise satisfaction survey, hosted national and quarterly franchisee conferences and events, and crafted corporate communications around franchisee issues. Drove cross-functional work on modernizing accounting systems, franchising agreement, and franchisee pipeline as well as developing young professionals and developing female leaders. 

Co-founded young professionals group. Redesigned franchise candidate selection process as well as multiple franchisee approval processes. Conducted annual franchise satisfaction surveys. Hosted annual franchise conference in Vegas (with 10,000 attendees). Co-wrote speeches for CEO and other Senior Executives. Led development of quarterly state of franchising books for executive team as well as business updates for board of directors. Drove development of three-year business strategy for franchise sales. Planned and managed regional franchise sales events.

•	Planned and launched “Brand Excellence” program, rewarding franchisees for improving cleanliness, enhancing customer service, and driving private brand, rewards, and fresh food sales. 
•	Launched zero-fee franchise initiative, resulting in national media coverage, 40% lift in franchise application, record-setting 600 changeovers, and $10 million net earnings lift.
•	Improved efficiency of recruiting team by 25% by developing standard operating procedures, implementing new CRM platform, launching webinars, and implementing 4 Disciplines of Execution approach.

Director of Franchise Programs, Policies, Relations, Marketing, and Recruiting

Oversaw team of seven recruiters, one marketer, and two agencies, with team responsible for delivering 400-500 changeovers and $65 million to $85 million in franchise sales revenue annually. Recruited and screened out 10,000-plus candidates annually to determine best fit for franchising with company. Guided rebranding effort for franchise branding, updated marketing collateral,  launched new website and new CRM platform. Launched franchising Facebook page, expanded digital market, and led content development for 7-Eleven’s LinkedIn page.

•	Launched more attractive veteran’s franchising program, developed store manager franchise program, and increased accessibility of franchising to lower-net-worth individuals.
•	Expanded event marketing approach via development of events calendar and wine and dine events, digital marketing, direct mailers among other tactics.

Manager of Franchise Marketing and Recruiting

Supervised 12 Field Consultants, 30 corporate locations, and 80 franchise locations in the Baltimore area. Duties included P&L, people management, people development, community relations, and new store growth responsibilities. Worked hand and hand with Franchisees to grow store profitability through the expansion of Fresh Food, improved store cleanliness, friendly customer service, dependable in-stock levels, and product assortment customized to meet the needs of the local community. 

•	2014 lead company in Fresh Food growth.
•	Developed Market Leader training program.
•	Created new Field Consultant skill-building program.

Market Manager

Supervised eight to 15 corporate and franchise locations. Responsible for auditing store conditions, developing improvement plans with operators, driving profitable growth, reducing expenses, and providing a consistent customer experience. During 11 years in role, ran stores in rural, suburban, and dense urban areas and both fuel and non-fuel locations and developed the ability to connect well with people of different nationalities, demographics, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Over the course of career, developed a reputation for being a turnaround expert who consistently took over stores that were struggling with store conditions and profitability and developed them into profitable locations. 

•	Operated six different subgroups and over 80 locations.
•	Assisted 10 franchisees in growth into multiple franchisees.
•	Built relationships with the city of Baltimore to solve staffing issues.

Field Consultant

I am an executive coach with Your Path Coaching and Consulting, a subsidiary of Your Path Counseling Center, which offers mental health, professional development, and small business consulting services. Our company is based in Ashland, Virginia, and provides services to mental health clients in the state of Virginia, as well as coaching and consulting clients worldwide.

As an executive coach, I specialize in helping business owners, business professionals, and organizations develop the strategy and mindset they need to be successful. With over 20 years of experience in operations, marketing, and sales, I leverage my skills to help business owners and professionals build better strategies, run better organizations, and drive professional growth.

I have an undergraduate degree in Business and Economics from Randolph-Macon College, which laid the foundation for the accounting and financial support that I provide business owners within my consulting work. I also have a Master's Degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus, which deepened my understanding of what it takes to form, build, and grow prosperous organizations. I leverage this scholarly experience to inform my coaching around vision setting, strategy, and influence.

In 2023, I completed my Co-Active Training and was certified by the International Coaching Federation as a coach. The process of becoming a certified coach enhanced my skills in asking thought-provoking questions, giving people space for self-discovery, and leading people to find solutions to their problems.

I provide one-on-one and group coaching, business consultation, business advising, workshops, and speaking engagements to support clients in gaining the knowledge, skills, and mindset they need to succeed. If you are looking to take your personal or professional life to the next level, Your Path Coaching and Consulting can provide the resources and support you need to achieve your goals.

Taplio

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