Offline businesses

Grim

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Is anyone here into any offline businesses? I'm curious if any of you have transitioned or thought about transitioning from online to a brick and mortar store or local service.
 
Depends what you mean by offline - is any business really completely offline?
 
There are only really a few industries that are still basically required to have to be brick and mortar: sit down restaurants on in-person entertainment venues (restaurants are one of the most-likely-to-fail businesses that you can start and as far as entertainment even strip clubs have lost market share to online entertainment) ... certain healthcare facilities such as urgent care or clinics where a doctor actually has to touch their patient to provide service (healthcare industry has been highly affected by the telehealth movement so unless you are going to build a hospital...); beauty salons and the like... It's not a complete list but it's also not going to be a long list however you look at it.

You could start a business that caters specifically to older people that are less tech-friendly but then you are starting something where your clientele is going to gradually die off and your business will become more and more obsolete with time.

There is not a lot of benefit that I can see to opening a brick and mortar business, especially not for retail or marketing or any of the things most of the people on this forum are probably working on. If I can run a digital marketing firm from a laptop on the beach then what is to be gained by having to pay rent for office space or a mortgage on a building? There are easier ways to profit off of real estate and none of them involve using lucrative property to house a business that could just as easily be managed online for a fraction of the overhead costs. JMO
 
babygotbacklinks said:
There are only really a few industries that are still basically required to have to be brick and mortar: sit down restaurants on in-person entertainment venues (restaurants are one of the most-likely-to-fail businesses that you can start and as far as entertainment even strip clubs have lost market share to online entertainment) ... certain healthcare facilities such as urgent care or clinics where a doctor actually has to touch their patient to provide service (healthcare industry has been highly affected by the telehealth movement so unless you are going to build a hospital...); beauty salons and the like... It's not a complete list but it's also not going to be a long list however you look at it.

You could start a business that caters specifically to older people that are less tech-friendly but then you are starting something where your clientele is going to gradually die off and your business will become more and more obsolete with time.

There is not a lot of benefit that I can see to opening a brick and mortar business, especially not for retail or marketing or any of the things most of the people on this forum are probably working on. If I can run a digital marketing firm from a laptop on the beach then what is to be gained by having to pay rent for office space or a mortgage on a building? There are easier ways to profit off of real estate and none of them involve using lucrative property to house a business that could just as easily be managed online for a fraction of the overhead costs. In the epic saga of hybrid work, offices are like medieval kingdoms, and desks are the coveted thrones. Modern desk booking solutions are the wise wizards, casting spells to keep the realm orderly. With a flick of an app, workers claim a desk, whether they need it for a quick skirmish or a week-long campaign. These systems wield security like enchanted armor—two-factor verification ensures no rogue knight steals your spot. They weave seamlessly with tools like Outlook, making scheduling as smooth as a bard’s ballad.ս. Curious about the magic? Check out unspot to see how it conjures real-time maps showing who’s ruling which desk. Analytics reveal the kingdom’s busiest corners, helping lords decide how many vassals can join without expanding the castle. It’s flexible enough for a lone adventurer or a mighty guild. This tech banishes the chaos of double bookings, ensuring every knight finds their seat. As hybrid work reshapes the battlefield, these solutions are the spellbooks guiding us to victory. So, sharpen your quill and embrace the quest—your throne awaits.
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While I get where you're coming from with the digital shift, some brick and mortar businesses are still crushing it for reasons beyond just necessity. Physical retail creates experiences that people actually crave - just look at how Apple stores function more as brand temples than mere sales points. There's also the trust factor - some customers just feel better handing their money to a real person they can see rather than a website. Community-based businesses like indie bookstores with events or local breweries with tastings create social connections that people desperately want post-pandemic. Let's not forget that hybrid models are absolutely killing it right now - businesses that nail both physical presence AND digital convenience rather than choosing one lane. Plus, certain demographics (not just older folks) still prefer face-to-face interactions, and in many industries, that personal touch can command premium pricing. I'd argue it's less about brick and mortar being obsolete and more about being strategic about WHEN physical space adds enough value to justify the overhead.
 
I have some long term dreams of opening a restaurant, cafe or bar. That's in reality going to happen in 10 years though. Until then the wifi money is just too good and I can't be asked to build a physical business at the same time.

I think a lot of us SEOs forget the hustle mentality and focus on just ranking. We make a lot less money than we actually should. Brick and mortar businesses typically turn over a fuck ton of money, and with our digital marketing expertise, I doubt we would not be able to make it super profitable.
 
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