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Billboard Mastery Podcast

Welcome to the Billboard Mastery Podcast, where you will learn the correct way to identify, evaluate, negotiate, perform diligence on, select the construction type, build, rent the ad space and operate billboard signs. And now here is your host – the guy that built from scratch the largest privately-owned billboard company in Dallas/Ft. Worth – Frank Rolfe.

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Episode 26: Is There A Better Use of Your Time?

The average American works 40 hours a week. But there’s 168 hours in a week – so where does the rest of the time go? In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to discuss how you can get into the billboard business with a very small time commitment: if you work smart. You can build an impressive side hustle with time your formerly wasted.

Episode 25: The Exact Moment I Got Serious About My Future

We are all accountable for our destiny. But sometimes it all comes together at one time and you never forget it. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to talk about the exact moment that I had to choose between success and mediocrity, and how that impacted my billboard career. In the current economic chaos that has become America, you can still gain an edge when you understand how you really do control how your life turns out.

Episode 24: Harnessing The Power of Rural Roads

Americans are moving in a big way from urban centers to suburban and exurban alternatives, and that’s putting more cars than ever on rural roads. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to review the concept of rural roads and how to make profitable investments in advertising on them. There’s money in every seismic shift of the U.S. population, and this is definitely a time to re-explore billboards that are a little farther out.

Episode 23: Noticing Poles

Part of being a successful billboard investor is simply keeping your eyes open and being observant. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to discuss the concept of recognizing abandoned billboards and how to translate that into action steps. There can be big money in finding these opportunities but you have to know what to look for.

Episode 22: Albert Einstein Was Right

Albert Einstein once said “everything should be made as simple as possible – but not simpler”. In this same manner, it’s important to distill down all of the features of successfully building, buying and operating billboard signs to their most simple components. That’s the focus of this Billboard Mastery podcast. It took a lot of hard work to come up with these simple formulas.

Episode 21: Should You Ask For Forgiveness Or Permission?

There are two ways to approach any problem: to ask permission or to ask forgiveness. So which is the better choice? In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to discuss when to choose one over the other, and what the ramifications are of that selection.

Episode 20: Rules of Thumb When Buying An Existing Sign

There are two ways to get into the billboard business: 1) build a sign or 2) buy an existing sign. There are significant differences in these two options. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to discuss the key things to know about buying an existing sign and how to mitigate your risk when doing so.

Episode 19: Why Digital Is Not The Answer

LED “digital” billboards can serve a useful purpose – but most of the time not in the manner the buyer or builder hopes for. Sure anyone can strap an LED onto a billboard panel (assuming you can get the permit) but is that really the right decision? That’s the topic of this Billboard Mastery podcast and we’re going to review what makes LED work and what does not and how to make that decision.

Episode 18: Finding The Capital To Build Or Buy Billboards

Even though they’re relatively inexpensive compared to the other sectors of real estate investment, it still takes capital to build a billboard or buy an existing one. So how do you get the money to get your dreams off the ground? In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to review various ways to obtain the capital to start your billboard investing, including how these loans can be structured.

Episode 17: Permits, Permits, Permits

What makes billboards valuable is the limited supply allowed under the Highway Beautification Act of 1965. This Act disrupted the balance between supply and demand, which gives sign owners the upper hand in maintaining high occupancy and rents. It also means that you don’t have to worry about excessive competition ruining your sign’s value.

Episode 16: Tips On Sign Construction Materials

Steel monopole, steel I-beam or wooden telephone pole – which is the best for your billboard deal? In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to review some important tips on each of these materials and help you identify the correct construction materials based on your goals and budget. As you’ll learn, all billboard structures are not created equal – and that’s a good thing so that you can meet your goals.

Episode 15: The Beauty of Not Providing Content

Billboard signs are pretty much the only form of advertising that does not have to provide content. So why is that a big deal? In this episode we discuss why having a captive audience is much more attractive than having to capture their attention. And much more profitable.

Episode 14: Anything Is Possible With Scale

Throughout history, amazing things have happened from small acts that are repeated over the over. Giant buildings have been built one brick at a time, and the giant oak tree starts from just an acorn. In this same way, fortunes have been made from simple billboard signs.

Episode 13: When An Advertisement Becomes A Liability

As a billboard owner, you are the official gatekeeper of the content on your sign. But sometimes your choice of content can cause extreme problems – possibly even start in motion the eventual loss of your billboard location. In this Billboard Master podcast we’re going to review how an advertisement can potentially get you in a lot of trouble and how to avoid this situation. In a politically correct America, this topic is more important than ever before.

Episode 12: Natural Advertisers

There are many potential advertisers for any billboard – but there is one that is the most natural fit. When you find the perfect advertiser you can attain a continual renewal rate, and you may not have to rent that sign again for years. In addition, the natural advertiser will be successful with it and always pay promptly, not wanting to lose the sign. In this Billboard Mastery podcase we’re going to review what makes for a natural advertiser and how to find them and rent them your sign.

Episode 11: Ground Leases

The document that gives you the right to build and operate a billboard on a piece of property is called the “ground lease” – and what it contains can make the difference between success and trouble. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to discuss what the key items of a proper ground lease include and why they are so important. Since your entire investment hangs in the balance, it’s essential that you know how a ground lease should be structured.

Episode 10: Understanding Visibility

Billboards are all about being seen – that’s one of their most important traits. Yet most people don’t understand the science behind the visibility of a sign, and how to approach deciding whether it has enough of it to be viable. In this Billboard Mastery podcase, we’re going to review the science of visibility and how you can be an active participant in making it better.

Episode 9: Drilling And Hitting Things That Are Not Oil (But Sometimes Are)

A part of the billboard construction process – whether the sign has wooden poles or metal ones – is to dig a hole in the earth that meets the required engineering standards to hold the sign up. And digging a hole often 15’ deep in an area that rarely has seen excavation can often yield unusual results, such as hitting water and giant rocks.

Episode 8: Hiring Yourself and Keeping From Getting Fired

It takes discipline to find new billboard locations to build or buy. And it takes effort to rent advertising space. But all of these things are pretty simple to master. What’s at issue is whether or not you will make a good “employee” to your dreams and aspirations. Every entrepreneur knows their most important hire is themselves. So how do you make sure that you take the necessary steps to keep you commitment to yourself? In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to discuss how to hire yourself, manage yourself, and not have to fire yourself. There’s no job loss more embarrassing than when you have to give yourself your own pink slip.

Episode 7: Permanent Easements From A to Z

All billboards are built on leased land. Or land owned by the sign company. Well, not quite. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we going to talk about that third option in which the billboard company owns the right to have the sign on someone else’s land and to service it there. This concept has merit in many markets but also has a fair amount of risk both for landowners as well as billboard companies. We’re going to discuss the concept, how it works, when it wins, and how to mitigate the risks.

Episode 6: Looking Big When You’re Small

One of the biggest self-confidence busters when you’re starting out with trying to build, buy or rent billboards is the concern that you look “small” and therefore can’t compete with “big” companies. Even though many property owners and advertisers prefer working with the “underdog” there’s no question that there are certain traits of big companies that you want to copy to give greater confidence to the customer. So how can you look “big” when you’re “small”. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to review the many tricks you can adopt to give the appearance of being much larger than you are in real life.

Episode 5: David And Goliath

Can an individual take on a huge billboard company and beat them at their own game? Yes, it’s been done a thousand times. So how can the small guy beat the big guy? In this episode of the Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to harness the strategies that allow you to use the weak points of big companies against them and give you a continual edge.

Episode 4: Billboard Frankenstein

One of the most profitable methods to make money with billboards is to find old abandoned ones and bring them back to life. But this “Frankenstein” strategy also requires careful planning and attention to detail. In this week’s Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to review with granular detail the necessary steps to successfully make old abandoned signs income-producing again.

Episode 3: How Billboard Economics Works

Most people have no idea how billboard investing works, and that’s a shame as it’s a very simple business model. In this episode we’re going to review in-depth the standard profit and loss statement of a billboard sign and focus on how to calculate the net income of any sign. If you want to know what profit a billboard can generate – which you should – then this will give you that knowledge.

Episode 2: The Billboard Menu

There are many basic types of billboards – six to be exact. In this episode we’re going to review each of the types of billboard signs as well as the basic cost and reasons for investing in that particular style of unit. As you’ll see, there’s more than just one type of billboard, and one of the essential parts to successful investing is knowing which variety to select. This discussion helps make that possible.