Remote Manage: Another Look

After years of running my game store, I now manage it remotely. Here’s what that actually requires—and what I’ve learned along the way.

Process Improvement

For years, I met weekly with my manager to tackle problems big and small—special orders, maintenance issues, even a broken bathroom door. A consistent agenda meant no blind spots.

That discipline built a culture of excellence. We don’t tolerate broken things or process loopholes. While the "broken window theory" may be discredited, I believe problems attract more problems. Apathy grows in environments with broken systems. Small issues signal a bigger decline—something we actively fight. We have a premium store mindset and we better live up to that.

Excellent Management and Staff

My best managers have come from within. That’s because our staff are taught our values from day one. Outside hires? It’s a coin toss—about 50/50. And when those hires fail, it’s often due to value misalignment, not skill.

Good managers are worth more when you’re remote. I compensate mine better than if I were present every day. Why? Because turnover is disruptive, especially when you want the freedom to travel. It’s vastly cheaper to retain great people than to replace them.

IT Infrastructure

I’ve built my system for remote work:

• Fast internet at home and at the store and when I'm remote (with failover backup).

• A robust POS system (Lightspeed) optimized for physical retail, not online sales like Shopify.

• MacBook Pro for longevity—mine last 5–8 years.

• Automated payroll, 401K, workers comp, and utility payments.

• Bills paperless or forwarded to my home. E-banking emphasis, which is a given nowadays.

• When I lived in Mexico for four months, staff scanned and emailed physical mail, usually just a few items a month. Meanwhile, I moved every account possible online.

Distributors are only just now catching up with uploadable orders—something promised back in 2004. But I can do nearly everything from anywhere.

Simplified Processes

There’s always a tension between customer service and process exceptions. Card singles, for example, demand airtight oversight: theft control, inventory limits, strict buying guidelines. We’re not doing singles right now. We will again, but only with strong systems in place.

Same with online shipping. It's an obvious revenue stream, but requires robust oversight. Right now, we’re not ready. Those are low-hanging fruit for our next expansion.

Staying Informed

If you manage remotely, go to at least one trade show a year. I don’t, but I compensate by being plugged into the social media hive mind. I’m constantly watching what other stores are doing. Most of it isn’t relevant. Some of it is gold.

I don’t speak to sales reps anymore. Allocations are the name of the game: Pokémon, Games Workshop, Magic—all allocated. Final Fantasy Magic was an exception, a rare opportunity where my nerve was the only limitation. My store is big enough that allocations are annoying but manageable. Bigger stores feel the pinch significantly more.

Innovation Will Slow

If you want real innovation, you’ll have to show up and do it yourself. That’s the remote owner's dilemma. There’s only so much innovation you can expect others to initiate. That’s why I still have “low-hanging fruit” waiting to be plucked.

You must accept some inefficiency. Your staff won’t have your OCD. Nobody will care as much as you. You have to be okay with that. "This is fine."

Growth Trade-Off

Stores with on-site owners will likely grow twice as fast as mine. Remote ownership means something else matters more to you: family, travel, gaming, your time. That’s fine. But it comes at a cost. You have to be willing to accept that.

Many owners eventually burn out and close shop. Remote management is a solution only if your store is worth the effort. Most stores aren’t.

Stop Trying to Make It Happen

Here’s a piece of advice I recently got: If you’ve tried everything, turned an issue every which way, and still can’t make it work, let it go.

That doesn’t mean you’ll never do it. It just means it’s not time. Don’t force it. Choose what’s working, and move on. Not being able to wrap your head around a problem so you can change it is the answer. The answer is no.

Final Thought

Remote store management is entirely possible, but it requires structure, support, and a willingness to let go. Growth will slow. Some things won’t get done. You will not be the best at anything, at least not for long, and you'll need to be very conscious of when your Unique Value Proposition becomes simply Useful, and your Useful Value Proposition becomes obsolete. For me, the trade-offs are worth it.