Beth’s Blog

When I canvass with agents, almost every single one walks into a store and asks the person at the register, “Is the owner here?” It feels natural, but it’s actually the worst question you can ask. Think about who’s on the other side of that question. If they are the owner, you just told them they don’t look like it. If they’re not, you just told them they’re not important enough to talk to. Either way, you’ve disrespected the person standing in front of you before you’ve said anything useful. Skip the gatekeeper question entirely. Walk in, greet whoever you meet, and get straight to your purpose. “Hey, I have a shopping center a few miles away. What are your expansion plans?” That one line respects their time, treats them like they matter, and opens a real conversation, whether they’re the owner, the manager, or the person working the register today who might own the place tomorrow. Rockstar Tip: Cut “Is the owner here?” from your canvassing script completely. Lead with your purpose instead, and you’ll walk out with a name and contact info far more often.

Most of us are silently saying no to prospects before we’ve asked them a single question. “They won’t be interested.” “They’re too small.” “They can’t afford our rates.” These thoughts show up automatically, and we listen to them without even realizing it. I think this comes from how we’re raised. As kids we hear no constantly, and we’re taught to just accept it. So as adults, we do everything we can to avoid hearing it again. One way we do that is by saying no on someone’s behalf before we ever give them the chance to answer for themselves. The flip side is just as damaging. When we do hear no from a prospect, some of us swing the other way and refuse to accept it, pushing and pressuring until it feels like a hard sell. Neither reaction serves you. Both come from the same place, an old discomfort with the word no that has nothing to do with your business today. The fix is simple, even if it takes practice. Ask the question you’re avoiding. Let the prospect answer for themselves. If they say no, thank them and move on. If they say yes, you just found a deal

Early in my career, a man called about my vacant 6,000 square foot end cap in Lake Worth. He said he wanted to open a video store as a prototype before franchising it. I laughed, told him the space was built for a restaurant, and filed his info a year out. I even wrote “Video Store, Ha!” on the sheet. That man was Wayne Huizenga. One year later his video store had 40 locations. It became Blockbuster. I didn’t lose that deal because of the space. I lost it because I never asked one simple question. From now on, ask every prospect these two questions before you do anything else. What do you do now? What made you call on my center today? These two questions tell you in thirty seconds whether you’re talking to a time waster or your next anchor tenant. Don’t skip them just because a prospect sounds unusual or too small to matter. Rockstar Tip: Never assume you already know how a call is going to go. Ask, then listen.

My first day in commercial real estate, my boss left me alone in the office with a pile of onboarding papers and zero training. I didn’t know a rent roll from a hole in the ground. I just knew I was supposed to prospect. So I called the only company I could think of with more than one location, a print shop I’d passed on my drive in that morning. I asked if they were looking to expand. They said yes. We signed them for their new corporate headquarters, and I went from rookie to Leasing Agent within weeks. I got that deal because I asked the question and stayed quiet long enough to hear the answer. I didn’t decide for that prospect that they weren’t interested. Most agents lose deals before they ever pick up the phone. They see an established business and assume the owner is happy. They see a struggling business and assume it can’t afford to expand. They see a national brand and assume it already has a broker. Every time, they’ve said no for a prospect who never got asked. Your job is to ask, not predict. Every business on your route is a lead

If you bought a shopping center with a short-term loan—bridge, mezzanine, or hard money—you probably have one mission: increase NOI fast so you can refinance. When that clock is ticking, your leasing strategy needs to change. The first mistake I see owners make is misreading the market. If the market rent is $15 but you’re holding out for $20 because an online report told you that number, you’re wasting precious months. When you have a deadline, you must know the real market—by walking properties, talking to leasing agents, and confirming vacancy levels yourself. If the market is soft or vacancy is high, sometimes the smartest move is to get aggressive early. For example, you might offer a discounted first-year rate that steps up over time—$8 in year one, $12 in year two, and market rent by year three. This helps you fill space quickly and grow NOI, which is what your lender cares about. You can also create urgency with your leasing team. Instead of the standard commission, offer short-term “bounty” bonuses for specific spaces that must be leased by a certain date. Large REITs use this tactic all the time to move stubborn vacancies. Finally, remember that timing matters.

Renovating a shopping center can increase value, improve visibility, and boost tenant sales – but if you’re not careful, it can also disrupt the very businesses that pay your rent. When I started a major renovation on one of my centers, one of the first things I focused on was who would actually be running the job day-to-day. Not just the general contractor – but the superintendent on site every day. This person will interact with your tenants constantly, so customer service matters just as much as construction experience. Remember: you’re renovating an operating business environment. Your tenants are open, serving customers, and trying to make money. The last thing they need is chaos. Here are a few Rockstar strategies I use during renovations: Renovations are also a great opportunity to renegotiate lease terms. If you’re helping tenants upgrade signage or improving the property, you may be able to trade for things like removing outdated options or improving lease terms. Rockstar Tip: A renovation should increase value for both you and your tenants. Plan every step around one goal: improve the property without hurting tenant business.

If you have vacant space heading into the holidays and you know it won’t lease before January, don’t let it sit empty. Use that time to test seasonal pop-ups. I’ve done this many times in my centers. The idea is simple: offer a retailer a short-term opportunity – typically November through December (sometimes longer) to test the market. I’ll often offer the space free for a few months, as long as the tenant covers utilities, provides a security deposit, and takes the space as-is. They bring their merchandise and staff, and we both see what happens. The best candidates for holiday pop-ups are destination retailers with merchandise: toy stores, sneaker shops, sports apparel, tennis gear, hobby stores, or seasonal concepts. These businesses can generate strong holiday sales and benefit from a temporary location with built-in traffic. Pop-ups aren’t just about filling empty space – they’re about testing future tenants. Two of my long-term tenants actually started as pop-ups. One expanded multiple times and now occupies thousands of square feet in my center. Even if the pop-up doesn’t become a permanent tenant, you still win. The space is activated, new customers are introduced to the center, and your property feels vibrant

If you own a shopping center but don’t live in that city, you still need to be deeply involved in the local community. Leasing isn’t just about brokers and listing platforms – it’s about relationships. When you own one, two, or even a handful of centers, I strongly recommend visiting them regularly. Ideally, monthly. Walk the property, drive the surrounding market, and make sure you’re visible in the community. If you truly can’t do that yourself, assign someone who can – your leasing agent, property manager, or a trusted local representative. One of the best things you can do is join the local Chamber of Commerce and get to know the economic development director in that city. These relationships can generate leads and help solve problems. I’ve had deals come directly from chamber meetings, and I’ve had permitting issues resolved quickly simply because I knew the right person to call. When you attend chamber events, don’t just say you have vacancies. Be specific. Instead of saying, “I have space available,” say, “I have a former hair salon space that would be perfect for a barber,” or “I’m looking for a small insurance or real estate office.” Specific requests stick in