The Book
It's Not the BRICKS,
It's the MORTAR
Optimize Your RETAIL BUSINESS
for LASTING SUCCESS
Retail is changing fast. Trends come and go. Technology evolves daily. And while flashy storefronts and strong products matter, they’re not what keep a business standing.
In It’s Not the Bricks, It’s the Mortar, author and award-winning retailer Mike Cosentino makes the case that true strength comes from the invisible elements — the mortar — that hold it all together: leadership, delegation, training, systems, service, and culture.
You’ll walk away with a practical framework to build a retail business that works even when you’re not there — and lasts even through the unexpected.
Inside the Pages
This book isn’t built on theory — it’s built on trenches-tested experience from someone who’s led one of the country’s top specialty retail operations for over 20 years. Mike shares how to:
- ⚙️ Embrace Uninvolved Optimization — a model that empowers your team to lead and act without your constant presence
- 🧱 Recognize the difference between what’s visible (bricks) and what’s foundational (mortar)
- 📡 Deliver A Defining Experience to every customer — without relying on individual heroics
- 💬 Apply the Investigation, Assessment, and Exchange framework to build better relationships with customers, vendors, and team members
- 📦 Improve procurement, reduce waste, and boost inventory ROI
No one confidently follows a leader who cannot be held accountable to herself. In a never-ending battle with uncertainty, we must be a leader who quietly tells ourselves — and truly believes — ‘This is on me.’
This Book is for You if…
You’re a business leader or aspiring to be one. You’ve either built something that demands your constant presence — or you’re preparing to launch and want to avoid that trap. You want a business that’s scalable, values-driven, and built to last.
This book is for:
- 🧑💼 Retail owners and operators
- 🏪 Store managers and aspiring leaders
- 🤝 Vendors, consultants, and service partners
- 🎓 Students of business and entrepreneurship
- 🧠 Anyone who wants to lead with purpose, not just hustle
There’s a difference between working for your business and your business working for you. Most of us build the first — few of us ever reach the second.
Praise For the Book
It’s Not the Bricks, It’s the Mortar is already earning recognition from respected leaders across the retail industry. From global brand executives to retail consultants, readers are calling it a must-read for anyone who wants to lead with purpose, build systems that last, and create organizations that thrive beyond the founder.
Buy Now
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