“As an industry, Retail is mostly admired and desired – – but also embattled and beleaguered. It is amid instability that is obvious. And the disruption is unrelenting.”

-Mike Cosentino, Big Peach Running Co., May 2025, Running Industry Association Summit

In 2002, what began as a small publishing project around my first book, Atlanta Running Guide, grew into my occupational calling. Today, Big Peach Running Co. consists of 14 brick-and-mortar stores, additional business units, multiple retail concepts and trademarks, an innovative mobile retail enterprise, and a robust e-commerce platform. On each day, we have nearly 300 incredibly talented Guest Advocates creatively and enjoyably serving athletes at every level.

And now, I’m coming full circle.

This month, my first book in more than 20 years—It’s Not the Bricks, It’s the Mortar: Optimize Your Retail Business for Lasting Success—will be released. Like the motivation with my first manuscript, I’ve learned too much to stash the lessons. And as I trade-in content on local running routines for content connected to the retail industry, it is accurate to say that some of the material worth sharing came through entrepreneurial observation and meaningful moments of progress… while more came from lessons learned the hard way and a few very miserable miscues!

Whether you are a current or aspirational retailer – or work with retail-related accounts or clients – I am confident this book will help you. For a sense of the soft and hard skills laid bare through this work, you will find an image of the Table of Contents below (and you can pre-order the book online HERE).

I’m also launching a new monthly blog on our website and on LinkedIn: The Monthly Mortar. Each post will highlight best practices in service, hospitality, and retail leadership—with practical takeaways you can share with your own team to strengthen your connections and your operation. I’d love for you to follow along, share your perspective, and join the conversation. The first installment drops on September 12th.

I’m deeply grateful for the inspiration, instruction, guidance, and support so many of you have provided on this journey…  This industry matters. Let’s build it strong, y’all!