MJB Consulting

What MJB Consulting does

MJB Consulting is a boutique retail planning and real estate consulting firm founded in 2002 by Michael J. Berne, operating from offices in New York City (85 Fourth Avenue, #6A) and Berkeley, California (2730 Forest Avenue Suite W). The firm provides analytically-rigorous consulting services to public, quasi-public, non-profit, and private-sector clients across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with engagements spanning market assessments, tenanting strategy development, implementation support, mixed-use project consulting, retailer expansion advisory, leasing collateral development, citywide retail typology work, and 'Retail 101' workshops for municipal stakeholders.

The firm's service portfolio is built around three proprietary methodologies: a 'Total Immersion Approach' in which consultants fully immerse themselves as locals in the study area; a psycho-graphics-based lifestyle-segmentation scheme that supplements conventional demographic analysis; and an extensive internal database of national and regional retailers, including smaller 'chain-lets' that typically pass under the radar of conventional leasing channels. These methodologies are applied across client work rather than packaged as standalone software products; the firm does not disclose any technology platform, API, or software offering.

MJB Consulting is structured as a sole proprietorship or individual operation (the website copyright reads 'Copyright 2018 Michael Berne'), with the Principal personally serving as project manager on all engagements. Revenue is generated through custom-quoted professional-services engagements; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customer segments span municipalities, Business Improvement Districts, downtown associations, Main Street organizations, educational institutions, private developers and landlords (including Alexandria Real Estate Equities, IKEA, and Forest City Enterprises), and retailers in expansion mode. Go-to-market is relationship-driven enterprise field sales, supported by thought-leadership channels including the Retail Contrarian blog, conference keynotes at IDA, ICSC, ULI, APA, IEDC, and earned media in Financial Times, TheStreet, and Washington Post.

Name

MJB Consulting

Legal name

MJB Consulting

Website

https://consultmjb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MJB Consulting is a boutique retail planning and real estate consulting firm founded in 2002 and led by Principal Michael J. Berne, serving municipalities, BIDs, developers, and retailers across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., with proprietary methodologies including a Total Immersion research approach, a lifestyle-segmentation scheme, and an internal retailer database.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Real Estate Consulting

NAICS

Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Management Consulting Services (54161), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Real Estate M&A / Joint Venture Advisory (Platform Deals, Partnerships) (BPAJANAF), Retailer-Vendor Collaboration, Joint Business Planning (JBP) & Trade Terms Services (CRAOAOAJ)

Keywords

• Retail planning consulting
• Real estate advisory
• Tenanting strategy services
• Downtown revitalization consulting
• Market assessment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: MJB Consulting generates revenue through consulting engagements with public, quasi-public, non-profit and private sector clients. Assignments include conducting market assessments, devising tenanting strategies, and providing implementation support. The firm operates as a boutique consultancy with the Principal directly managing all project work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MJB Consulting is a boutique retail planning and real estate consulting firm that delivers analytically-rigorous market assessments, tenanting strategies, and implementation support to public, quasi-public, non-profit, and private sector clients. Engagements cover mixed-use project feasibility, leasing collateral, citywide retail typologies, Retail 101 workshops, and keynote speaking, all built on proprietary methodologies including a Total Immersion research approach, a lifestyle-segmentation scheme, and an extensive retailer database.

Product overview

MJB Consulting is a boutique retail planning and real estate consultancy offering a unified portfolio of consulting services rather than a software product or platform. The firm provides market assessment, tenanting strategy development, and implementation support services, supplemented by proprietary methodologies including the 'Total Immersion Approach,' a lifestyle segmentation scheme, and a retailer database. These services are delivered by the firm's Principal directly to public, quasi-public, non-profit, and private sector clients across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Market Assessment Analytically-rigorous market assessments to determine realistic customer bases and retail tenants for specific districts or projects.
• Tenanting Strategy Development Coordinating with developers, landlords, brokers, and stakeholders to devise and secure buy-in for broader retail visions and tenanting strategies in districts with fragmented property ownership.
• Implementation Support Detailed blueprints and/or hands-on implementation support, including partnerships with local leasing professionals for recruitment of targeted retailers to challenging locations.
• Leasing Collateral Development Developing leasing collateral to sell prospective retailers on an overall district rather than individual spaces, including identification and pre-qualification of realistic recruitment targets from other markets.
• Mixed-Use Project Consulting

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• HR&A Advisors: Real estate and economic development advisory firm that works with cities, developers, and institutions on district strategy, mixed-use projects, and retail viability. Highly comparable to MJB on the municipal and developer-engagement side.
• Streetsense: Retail, hospitality, and place-focused consultancy serving developers, BIDs, and retailers on tenanting strategy and district planning. Streetsense is the closest direct peer to MJB given its overlapping focus on urban retail and experiential place-making.
• RCLCO: Real estate advisory firm providing market and feasibility studies, mixed-use strategy, and retail positioning to developers and public-sector clients. Comparable to MJB on developer-side retail and mixed-use advisory.
• Project for Public Spaces: Non-profit organization specializing in downtown and Main Street revitalization, placemaking, and district strategy consulting for municipalities and BIDs. Directly comparable to MJB's BID and downtown district engagements.
• BAE Urban Economics: Real estate and economic development consultancy providing market feasibility, retail strategy, and fiscal-impact analysis for cities, developers, and non-profits. Comparable to MJB on data-driven urban retail and mixed-use assignments.
• PlaceMakers: Urban economics and place strategy firm focused on downtown revitalization, retail strategy, and Main Street consulting for municipalities and BIDs. Closely comparable to MJB in client type and engagement scope.

Broad incumbents

• Cushman & Wakefield: Global commercial real estate services firm with a dedicated retail services practice covering tenanting, market analysis, and mixed-use advisory. Competes with MJB on the private-developer and landlord segments.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure and urban planning firm with economic development and retail district advisory practices serving cities, BIDs, and large developers. Competes with MJB on large municipal and district-scale mandates.
• CallisonRTKL: Global architecture and retail design consultancy advising retailers, mixed-use developers, and cities on retail mix, store planning, and district strategy. Overlaps with MJB on retail tenanting and mixed-use feasibility at much larger scale.
• JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle): Global CRE services platform with retail consulting, location strategy, and mixed-use advisory capabilities serving many of the same developer, investor, and municipal clients as MJB.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MJB Consulting