# About Steve > Meet Steve Black, the grocery and retail leader behind The 5 Rules, and the team behind A Brighter Day.Life business and leadership coaching. - Address: https://abrighterday.life/about/ - Updated: 2026-10-27 About A Brighter Day.Life # Fostering success in _teams_ and individuals. Leadership and business coaching from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado — helping people and companies grow through simple, rock-solid principles. Meet Steve ![Steveblackpic](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/steveblackpic-938x1024.png) ![Maxwell Leadership Certified seal](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-maxwell-seal.webp) _Executive Program Leader_Maxwell Leadership Certified Team ![Kentucky Center for Leadership — Keynote at WKU](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-stage-wku-brand.webp) 50+ years leading teams across America’s grocery industry Who we are ## Leadership that starts with _how we treat people._ We help leaders strengthen interactions with others through careful practice and meaningful understanding — improving themselves and the lives of those around them. - **Simple principles.** The 5 Rules give every team a common language of expected behaviors. - **Real experience.** Built on decades of running stores, regions and companies. - **Work and home.** The same rules strengthen families and personal growth. ![Steve Black, founder of A Brighter Day.Life](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-steve-black-colorado-portrait.webp) Founder & CEO ## Meet _Steve Black._ Steve is the CEO and Founder of A Brighter Day.Life. With nearly five decades in retail grocery — including President & COO roles at two grocery chains — he has helped shape some of the industry’s most innovative brands. A certified Executive Speaker & Coach with the Maxwell Leadership Team, an NGA-endorsed leadership coach and a featured contributor to _The Shelby Report_, Steve guides businesses and individuals toward growth and excellence. Away from work, Steve and his wife Melanie enjoy the Colorado outdoors with their daughter Taylor — four-wheeling, trout fishing and photography — and travel often to see their two sons, daughters-in-law and six grandchildren. Brands Steve helped shape Sunflower Farmers Markets Sprouts Farmers Markets United Supermarkets of Oklahoma Rouses Markets A Brighter Day Coach, author & speaker ![Maxwell Leadership Certified seal](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-maxwell-seal.webp) ### Maxwell Leadership Executive Program Leader on the Certified Team: coach, teacher, trainer and speaker. ![National Grocers Association logo](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-client-national-grocers-association.webp) ### NGA-endorsed Leadership coach endorsed by the National Grocers Association. ![Shelby Report logo](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-client-shelby-report.webp) ### The Shelby Report Featured contributor on leadership and culture. ![RSA America logo](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-client-rsa-america.webp) ### RSA America Member of the RSA America advisory board. What guides us ## Built on _five_ simple behaviors. Simple to understand. Challenging to live out. Transformative when a whole team commits to them. [1 ### Do your job Own your work and show up for the people who rely on you.](https://abrighterday.life/5-rules/#rules) [2 ### Be kind Kindness is how trust is earned and teams stay together.](https://abrighterday.life/5-rules/#rules) [3 ### No surprises Communicate early so problems get solved faster.](https://abrighterday.life/5-rules/#rules) [4 ### No drama Stick to the facts and keep emotions in proportion.](https://abrighterday.life/5-rules/#rules) [5 ### Protect the brand In everything you do, you represent the brand.](https://abrighterday.life/5-rules/#rules) [→ ### Read the book See how each rule plays out at work and at home.](https://abrighterday.life/5-rules/) 2nd & 3rd generation authors ## The rules, _lived out_ by the next generation. Steve’s sons apply The 5 Rules in their own careers and write their own leadership lessons — and his grandson Dax is the third generation living them. ![The Black family](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-family-black-family-trio.webp) Three generations · one set of rules Jared, Travis & Dax Black ![Jared Black and family](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-family-jared.webp) 2nd generation Enterprise Sales Executive · ECRS ### Jared Stephen Black Raised in the grocery business in western Oklahoma, Jared started at 15 sacking groceries and has built his career in grocery retail technology — today as an Enterprise Sales Executive with ECRS. Read Jared’s story ![Travis Black and family](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-family-travis.webp) 2nd generation General Manager · Automobile Executive ### Travis Douglas Black Sixteen-plus years in the car business across Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa — growing every business he has been part of and leaving a positive wake with everyone he has worked with. Read Travis’s story ![Dax Black and family](https://abrighterday.life/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/abd-family-dax.webp) 3rd generation Diesel mechanic · Western Equipment ### Dax Graham Black A hard-working young man raised in west Texas, now a full-time diesel mechanic at Western Equipment in Altus, Oklahoma — the third generation living The 5 Rules. Read Dax’s story [2nd generation · Jared’s lesson Be a Buffalo Read the lesson](https://abrighterday.life/leaderships-lessons/be-a-buffalo/) [2nd generation · Travis’s lesson Hope for Gain vs Fear of Loss Read the lesson](https://abrighterday.life/leaderships-lessons/hope-for-gain-vs-fear-of-loss/) [3rd generation · Dax’s lesson What Is Your Rain Read the lesson](https://abrighterday.life/leaderships-lessons/what-is-your-rain/) Let's talk ## Ready to make it a brighter day for your team? Book a no-pressure call with Steve to talk through your goals — coaching, a workshop, a keynote or bulk copies of the book. [Schedule a call](https://abrighterday.life/contact/) [Explore The 5 Rules](https://abrighterday.life/5-rules/)