You can fix your marketing. You can overhaul your systems. You can even turn around a struggling team.

But if your location sucks? You’re fighting an uphill battle every single day.

I was approached by a landlord early on. There may not be such a thing as a “FREE LUNCH” but I did get a great lesson early on in my career. The building owner that approached me had a spot open beside Walmart. This was in a town that was moving away from the “Downtown Square” to a new boulevard. I was in the dying part of town, but my rent was minimal. His rent “Up-Town” was 7X what I was paying. I was scared to sign a big lease and move, but I ran the math and decided I would give it a shot. You can watch this reel here where I talk about this exact story. That move turned out to be the best I ever made… but even bigger was that I realized at store number (3) the power of location. Read that slowly, and think about the impact. NOW, READ that again.

The right location will outrun the rent payment; a bad location will get run over by the competition.

HERE’S THE TRUTH:

You can outwork lots of things in business… except a bad location.

Foot traffic is free advertising.

I bought a failing UPS Store about 10 years ago. The day I signed the paperwork I executed a lease to move across the street to an out parcel of Wal-Mart with a landlord that I already had a relationship with from a different business in a different town.

(“But that’s another story… remember: stop conducting transactions and start creating relationships”)

Anyway, when the seller found out that not only was I moving the business, but I was also paying to build out a new “The UPS Store” spot, he thought I was crazy. Well, I doubled the revenue from that store in less than 6 months and since that time 10 years ago, I have almost 10X’d that location’s revenue. Location is no small matter. Sometimes, all you need to do is move across the street.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN CHOOSING LOCATION

Visibility from the street: Can people driving by easily see and get to your store?

Parking: Is it easy for new or returning customers to pull up and pop in?

Neighboring businesses: Are there anchor tenants (like grocery stores, gyms, or big-box retailers) that naturally attract your ideal customers? Being near the right neighbors can drive steady foot traffic your way.

Signage opportunities: Can you put up clear, bold signage that’s visible from the main road, not just above your door? The right sign can do a lot of heavy lifting.

Safety and lighting: Is the area well-lit and safe, especially if you’re open after dark? Customers need to feel comfortable parking and walking in.

Local demographics: Does the neighborhood match your target customer profile? Look at who lives, works, and shops nearby.

THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE

Take a hard look at your location.

🔵 Are you making it easy for people to find you?

🔵 Is your business in their path, or are you asking them to go out of their way?

🔵 If you’re scouting a new spot, don’t just look at the rent—look at the foot traffic, the neighbors, the parking.

And remember what real estate agents say: “Location, Location, Location!”

LET'S STAY CONNECTED

Want more no-fluff, straight-to-the-point strategies for scaling your brick-and-mortar business?

Here's how to stay plugged in:

Instagram – Daily tips, behind-the-scenes insights, and real talk on running a business.

X – Quickfire strategies, business gems, and the occasional hot take.

Facebook – Let's connect and talk shop with other business owners like you.

Join our Community - Connect with other like minded business owners.

To your success—one brick at a time,

PS: The businesses that win aren’t always the ones with the biggest marketing budget—they’re the ones who put themselves right in the path of their customers. Don’t let a bad location force you to work twice as hard for half the reward.

PPS: Got a story about how your location made (or broke) your business? Hit reply and share it with me. Let’s build something f***ing awesome together. 🚀