What is Canvassing Karma?

People ask me all the time what exactly is Canvassing Karma, and I know when people ask me, that they are not systematic or routine canvassers, because if they were, they wouldn’t have to ask.

I get a canvassing karma experience at least once, if not twice a month. I remember I was waiting for a huge deal to get approved by Bethesda Wellness Center, which is the main hospital corporation or facility in Palm Beach County. The deal was going to be over 15,000 sq feet on a second floor of a retail shopping center in Boynton Beach, and I had been working on this deal for months, and months, and months. They were finally going to be presenting it to the board and I was waiting, and waiting, and waiting.

I literally stayed in the office for a few days after the meeting because I didn’t want to miss the call, which was a big mistake, but I didn’t know better back then. So finally, after three days of waiting, and my boss telling me that I couldn’t call them, I had to wait for them to call me, you know, some negotiating ploy, I went out canvassing. And wouldn’t you know it, when I got back to the office, and this is before cellphones, I had a voicemail from the Facilities Director saying, “Congratulations! The deal was approved, send us the leases.”

That was my first example of Canvassing Karma, I was so excited, and it’s happened a lot since. In fact, when there’s something I want to happen, I purposely leave the office, even if I wasn’t planning on canvassing, just because I know that if I go canvassing, the thing that I want to happen on a deal, will happen.

Canvassing Karma is this unscientific result of what happens when the universe rewards the person for taking extra effort to prospect; to leave their offices, to get off their butts and actually go and do something that’s hard and welcome rejection.

Pretty much no one in their right minds would not want to get out of their comfort zone and welcome rejection in their lives, so what the universe does is reward them for doing the work.

So what happens exactly?

Sometimes you plan, some times you just wing it, but regardless, you’re out of your office, speaking to people that you don’t know, giving them suggestions of properties that you could offer them for them to open additional locations.

When you get back to the office or even before that, you check your emails or your texts, and you find out that the person you’ve been waiting to call you back on that deal has called you, or emailed you, or texted you.

That’s Canvassing Karma, and the reason why it’s called canvassing karma is because, if you were to just hang out in your office and wait for that phone to ring or that email to come in and let you know about that letter of intent or lease, those calls or emails don’t come in.

Canvassing Karma is the karma you receive with the good news on the deal when you’re out in the field, playing the game of offense or doing something that is not comfortable versus sitting in your office waiting for the phone to ring.

I constantly get calls from people around the country, and emails and texts, that say, “I had a canvassing karma today!”, so I know it’s just not me, it’s probably something that’s in our industry and it makes me very excited to hear it.

How does one just go canvassing when they don’t feel like it?

The simple answer is, like Nike, you just do it.

There are two kinds of canvassing, there’s target canvassing and market canvassing. Market canvassing is when you go from shopping center to shopping center and you’re just canvassing in the market. Target canvassing is when you pick a use that you want in your shopping center, for example, a bike store, you find out that there are 23 bike stores in your county, and you try to hit all 23 bike stores in a span of a week or two. Certainly, when you’re out, if you find a bike store in a shopping center, you can canvass it, but you don’t then go to the shopping center next door to it, you continue where you left off and try to go to the other bike stores on the list.

The best way to do it is to time block. That’s what I do; my goal is to go out every Tuesday afternoon from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. I don’t always achieve that, but if I can achieve that at least twice a month, it’s good for me, considering I got a bunch of other things I’m doing now.

When I was a young leasing agent and canvassing was 80% of my job, I would go every day from about 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. I started at 10:00 am because that’s when the stores opened, and I wanted to get back to the office at around 4:00 pm so that I could follow up on anything that was happening in the office that I needed to follow up on.

So now that you know the power of canvassing karma and how to get it, create a system that works for you and GO OUT THERE AND CANVASS!

I’ll be hosting a canvassing breakfast in Las Vegas on May 19th at the Waldorf Astoria! Your ticket? Email me your canvassing and/or canvassing karma story at beth@azoradvisoryservices.com.

Market Rent Isn’t What You Think

Forget what your rent roll says. Forget what CoStar or the appraiser says. If you really want to know what the market rent is—get in your car, drive your market, and talk to other leasing agents. When I buy a shopping center, I don’t guess rents. I do the homework:• I identify my competition.• I walk their centers.• I peek inside the vacancies.• I evaluate visibility, parking, signage, frontage, and foot traffic.• I stalk their websites for quoted rents and CAMs.• Then—I talk to the agents. I ask what’s leased, what’s not, and what’s real. Visibility alone can justify a $10 PSF bump! A 1,200 SF endcap on Main Street with 65,000 cars/day? That’s a different animal than a deep-in-the-back space in an 800,000 SF center. Want higher rents? Build the case. Understand the vacancy rates, the comps, the demand, and the foot traffic. Then test the market. Start quoting $26 instead of $22 and see who bites. Own a multimillion-dollar property? Act like it. Be the most informed landlord in your market. And remember—if your tenants are crushing sales and paying 2% in occupancy cost, they can likely afford more rent.

February 23, 2026

Don’t Be the Landlord Who Creates Their Own Vacancy!

Vacancy is expensive—and more often than not, we landlords are the ones causing it. How? By letting tenants pay late… again and again, until suddenly they’re three months behind and it’s easier for them to move out than catch up. That’s not good for them or for us. When I acquire a property, I give tenants a 90-day “habit reset.” I meet them, review their lease terms, and tell them we’re enforcing the rent due date—no more cozy grace periods. We charge late fees. We don’t waive them. Period. And yes, I track delinquencies on the 5th, 10th, and 20th every month. Here’s the Rockstar move: Get your tenants on ACH. The more automatic, the better. And if your tenants are local, pop in! A quick “Hey, haven’t seen the rent yet!” goes a long way. We’re in this business for two things: rent paid and doors open. So be diligent, be firm, and don’t be the landlord who contributes to their own vacancy problem.

February 16, 2026

Stop Giving Away Options!

Let’s get one thing straight: lease options benefit tenants – not landlords. Yet, so many landlords hand them out like candy, locking in below-market rents for years. Right now in South Florida, I have tenants paying $34/SF whose leases are set to roll in 18 months… and guess what? The market rate is nearly $70/SF! But with three five-year options at a measly 3% annual increase? That’s money left on the table—and a serious hit to your property value. If you must give options, here’s the Rockstar way to do it: Be fair, but don’t be foolish. You’re managing a multi-million dollar asset. Start negotiating like it.

February 9, 2026

TI Is Not a Gift – It’s a Deal-Making Tool

Let’s talk about TI — Tenant Improvement dollars. I’m allergic to it. Sure, I’ve given it. But only when it makes strategic sense. Why? Because when a tenant asks for TI, my first question back is: “How much is it going to cost YOU to open?” If a tenant’s total project is $100K and they only have $30K to their name? 🚩 TI is not a gift card. It’s an investment — and I’m not putting in more than you are. If you’re spending $50K and asking me for $50K, we might talk. But if you expect me to turnkey your entire buildout? I’m not your landlord. If I do give TI, I wait until you’ve opened, I’ve got your certificate of occupancy, and you’ve paid your first rent check. No mid-construction draws — I’m not your bank. And if you’re getting TI, you better be giving a strong guarantee. Why? Because if you flake mid-demo and I’m left with a torn-up space, I want recourse. One more thing — I don’t do full free rent. Half base + full CAM at most. Why? Because teaching tenants not to pay rent for months? That’s a habit I’m not in the

February 2, 2026

Beth's Resources

Beth has established a reputation for “giving back” and creating a legacy of helping others. To support this mission, she offers a wealth of FREE resources for individuals in the retail leasing industry, whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned professional. Her collection includes case studies from her nearly 40 years of experience, providing practical insights and guidance. With Beth’s resources, you’ll gain valuable tools to navigate the complexities of retail leasing and achieve your professional goals.

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