On this episode of the Ask Brien Show, our hosts Brien Johnson and Traci DeForge speak with James Renzas about his company, The RSH Group, which specializes in corporate restructuring. James started the company in 2002 with his first client being Lowe’s Home Improvement stores. Brien, Traci and James discuss the inner workings of retail expansion, relocations and restructures. James also shares helpful information about grants and incentives that other businesses can take advantage of.

 IN THIS EPISODE:

• [06:24] James is introduced and shares about RSH Group
• [07:51] How did RSH Group start?
• [10:35] What services did RSH provide for Lowes
• [14:03] “Kickback” retail agreements & negotiations
• [17:05] How retailers choose the best locations
• [20:00] Determining growth rates
• [23:30] Grants and incentives
• [26:55] Referrals program & marketing strategies
• [29:18] Challenges RSH group faced
• [31:28] How COVID affected RSH client base
• [33:50] Effectiveness of working from home

 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• When retailers, like Lowe’s, are choosing locations to expand to, it comes down to which communities provide the greatest incentives and return on investment for the company.
• Retail tax incentives are a huge way for communities to attract more retailers.
• When looking for the best location for a business, the first thing to look at is who and where are your customers.
• For the first time, California is offering money to businesses that are expanding or creating jobs through a grant program called, “California Competes.”
• Traditional advertising isn’t as useful for The RSH Group’s growth. Instead they rely on word of mouth and consistent networking and helpful conversations with business owners.

Links Mentioned:

http://www.thershgroup.com/

BIO:

James Renzasa is Principal and Founder of The RSH Group. He joined RSH with almost 30 years of experience in site selection, incentives negotiation, tax credit analysis, and compliance. Formerly Practice Leader for both KPMG and Arthur Anderson, Renzas is a nationally-known and respected expert in the area of corporate incentives and tax credits. He has experience in a broad range of industries, including financial services, manufacturing, distribution, food processing, bio-fuels, photovoltaic energy, and development. He has assisted over 250 clients select the optimal location for new corporate facilities and has participated in over 2,000 incentives negotiation projects in the last five years.