Nelson Fernandes

Store Manager · Leadership Practitioner · Founder of Best of Motivation®

“Give people the tools and they’ll find the answers themselves.”

Who I Am

I’m a Store Manager in the Channel Islands, leading a 25-person team across food retail and fuel operations. Before this, I served as Deputy Manager of a 140-employee store for three years — responsible for daily operations, team development, and performance across one of the busiest sites in the business.

My career didn’t start in management. It started with a mop and a set of keys. I spent 10 years in facilities management and cleaning, working my way into supervisory roles. I then moved into food retail over 12 years ago and progressed from Sales Assistant through to Store Manager — learning leadership the hard way, on shop floors, in stockrooms, and in difficult conversations.

Outside of my day job, I’ve been blogging and creating online content for over 20 years. Best of Motivation® is the latest — and most focused — expression of everything I’ve learned about leadership, personal growth, and building clarity in a noisy world. Since 2019, I’ve published over 500 articles and built a suite of interactive tools, quizzes, and digital products used by thousands of professionals.

I’m originally from Madeira, Portugal, now based in Jersey, Channel Islands. I’ve read over 250 books on leadership, psychology, and personal development — from Marcus Aurelius to Jim Rohn to Stephen Covey. These aren’t just references. They’re the foundation of how I lead my team and how I build content for BOM.

22+ Years Experience

500+ Articles Published

250+ Books Read

25 Team Members Led

Career Timeline

Current

Store Manager — Food Retail & Fuel Operations

Leading a 25-person team across retail and petrol station operations in the Channel Islands. Responsible for performance, people development, and day-to-day leadership.

3 Years Prior

Deputy Manager — 140-Employee Store

Supported the General Manager across all operational areas. Introduced Lean methodology with full team training. Managed rotas, KPIs, and staff development for one of the largest stores in the business.

Earlier Retail Career

Sales Assistant → Team Leader → Supervisor

Progressed through every level of food retail. Built hands-on experience in customer service, stock management, compliance, and frontline leadership.

10 Years Prior

Facilities Management & Supervision

Worked in cleaning and facilities management, progressing into supervisory roles overseeing teams and service delivery. Built the work ethic and operational discipline that shaped the rest of my career.

2005 – Present

Blogger & Content Creator — 20+ Years

Two decades of writing online about personal growth, career development, and leadership. Best of Motivation (est. 2019) is the culmination of this journey — a UK-trademarked brand with 500+ articles, interactive quizzes, AI-powered tools, and digital products.

Credentials & Qualifications

Leadership

CMI Level 5 — Leadership & Management

Management

CMI Level 3 — Diploma in Management

Process Improvement

Six Sigma Green Belt

Lean Thinking

Lean Methodology — Lean Enterprise Academy Member

Brand

Best of Motivation® — UK Trademark Registered

Continuous Learning

LinkedIn Certifications in AI, Leadership, Project Management & Communication

“Give people the tools and they’ll find the answers themselves. That’s leadership — and that’s what Best of Motivation is built on.”

— Nelson Fernandes

What I Write About

Everything on Best of Motivation comes from practice, not theory. I write about leadership because I lead a team every day. I write about career growth because I’ve lived the progression — from cleaning floors to managing stores. I write about AI because I use it daily, both at work and in building BOM.

Core Topics

Leadership & Team Management — practical frameworks for new and experienced managers, built from real scenarios I’ve faced with my own team. Including the 5R Leadership Framework I developed from hands-on experience.

Personality & Self-Awareness — the Color Personality Quiz, based on Thomas Erikson’s four-color framework, is BOM’s most popular tool. I use personality insights to build better teams at work and help readers understand how they communicate and lead.

AI for Non-Technical Professionals — over the past two years, I’ve used ChatGPT and Claude extensively to create content, build interactive tools, and develop digital products for BOM. I write about AI from daily practice — practical application for professionals who want real results without a technical background.

Career Growth & Personal Development — goal-setting, habit systems, mindset shifts, and financial wellbeing. Grounded in books, experience, and the principle that clarity beats motivation every time.