The Power of Local Partnerships: The Strategy Big Investors Ignore with Andy Weiner

In every industry, there are strategies that quietly outperform the conventional wisdom. In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, Anthony Taylor speaks with Andy Weiner, Founder and President of RockStep Capital, one of the most innovative retail real estate investment firms in the United States.

Andy’s career spans more than 40 years across retail operations, commercial real estate, and shopping center redevelopment. Before launching RockStep Capital, he served as Vice President of Operations for Weiner’s Stores, a regional chain that grew to 159 locations across Texas and Louisiana. Today, RockStep Capital owns and operates nearly 10 million square feet of shopping centers across 11 states, specializing in the revitalization of enclosed malls and open air retail in secondary and tertiary markets.

In this conversation, Andy explains why RockStep invests in “hometowns” under a million people, how local partnerships reduce risk and unlock value, and why big institutional players routinely overlook the most resilient markets. He shares the strategic pillars behind RockStep’s long term success, including his 25 RockSteps culture system, a set of behavioral principles used by all 100 employees to build trust, accountability, and high performance. Andy also outlines how retail has evolved in the age of Amazon, why strong operators continue to grow, and why the best opportunities exist where most investors never think to look.

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In this episode, you will learn:

☑️ Why local partnerships give investors and leaders a strategic advantage

☑️ How secondary and tertiary markets outperform expectations

☑️ Why retail is far from dead, despite the Amazon narrative

☑️ How the 25 RockSteps culture system builds high performing teams

☑️ Why most deals fail and what separates elite operators

☑️ How community based strategy reduces risk and increases long term value

This episode is for:

▶️ CEOs and executives leading growth and transformation

▶️ Investors and operators seeking overlooked opportunities

▶️ Leaders building culture, accountability, and alignment

▶️ Teams navigating disruption in retail, real estate, and local markets

About the Guest

Andy Weiner is the Founder and President of RockStep Capital, a national retail real estate investment company specializing in acquiring and revitalizing shopping centers in high potential secondary and tertiary markets. With more than four decades of experience across retail operations and real estate, he is recognized for pioneering a community based investment model driven by strong local partnerships. Andy is the creator of the 25 RockSteps, a behavioral culture framework used across RockStep’s 100 employee team to build trust, resolve conflict, and create a high performance environment.

Learn more: rockstep.com

Connect with Andy: linkedin.com/in/andy-weiner

About the Host

Anthony Taylor is the CEO, Founder, and Senior Facilitator at SME Strategy. With more than 14 years of experience, he helps leadership teams create alignment, implement strategy, and achieve measurable results.

Connect with Anthony: linkedin.com/in/anthonyctaylor604

About SME Strategy

SME Strategy is a management consulting firm specializing in strategic planning and implementation. We help organizations align their teams around a shared vision so they can focus on what truly drives results.

Learn more: smestrategy.net

Podcast produced by: www.rednyne.com