Straight answers.
22 questions, grouped. If yours is not here, ask it on the call. We would rather answer an awkward question early than have it surface after you have paid us.
Ownership & the honest limits
Can I own a US or UK store from India?
You can own it. You cannot run it. A shop needs a manager physically present during trading hours and shift staff to cover the rota, and that payroll is fixed from month one. What genuinely runs from a desk is buying, range, promotions, online listings, shrinkage analysis, compliance and reporting.
Is this passive income?
No. Of the four ventures we operate this is the least passive and we would rather lose the enquiry than pretend otherwise. If low-touch ownership is what you want, our short-stay rental venture fits far better and we will tell you so on the call.
Does owning the business give me a visa?
No. Ownership confers no immigration status of any kind in either country. In retail it bites harder than elsewhere: you cannot stand behind your own till, cover a shift, or act as the named alcohol licence holder in most jurisdictions.
Will my name be public?
In the UK, yes. Beneficial ownership appears on the public register, and a premises licence application is advertised publicly. In the US the position varies by state, with federal beneficial ownership reporting applying.
Formats & the business
Why do you recommend a specialist grocery?
Because it is the only one of the three formats where you are not competing on identical products against operators with far better buying power. A specialist range carries better margin, draws customers from a wider radius, and produces a larger basket because people are doing a shop rather than topping up. If your own sourcing network reaches South Asia, it is also the only format where that is worth something.
Should I take a franchise or symbol group instead?
For a first store in a market you do not know, it is a reasonable choice. You inherit buying terms, a proven range, working systems and a recognised fascia. The trade is ongoing fees, minimum purchase obligations and restrictions on what you may stock. Read the agreement with a solicitor, paying attention to term, renewal, minimum purchase, resale approval and whether the group may open another store nearby.
How thin are the margins really?
Thin, and the mix decides everything. Tobacco and lottery are high-turnover and very low margin. Chilled, fresh, food-to-go and specialist lines carry far more. A store with a large headline turnover built on the wrong categories can be barely profitable, which is why we model mix rather than turnover.
What about online grocery delivery?
It is a real second revenue line and most independents run it badly or not at all. Platform commission applies and the basket is different from walk-in, but it reaches customers outside your walking catchment. Our desk maintains the catalogue, pricing, availability and promotions, which is exactly the work a store manager has no time for.
Can I buy an existing store instead of starting one?
Often the best option. Fit-out is in place, the licence is frequently transferable and customers already walk in. It can also be a way of buying somebody else's problem. We audit accounts, EPOS history, supplier statements and the licence record before you look at the shelves.
Licensing & compliance
Do I need an alcohol licence?
Not necessarily, but alcohol is often a significant share of convenience revenue, so the decision materially changes the model. In the US the position is set state by state and some regimes are very restrictive. In the UK you need a premises licence and a designated premises supervisor holding a personal licence.
Can you guarantee we get the licence?
No, and nobody honestly can. Licences are granted at the authority's discretion, sometimes after a public hearing, and can be constrained by saturation or cumulative impact policy. What we can do is assess the prospects at a specific address before you sign a lease, and prepare an application properly.
Who holds the licence if I am overseas?
The company you own holds the premises licence. The designated premises supervisor is an individual with a personal qualification who is genuinely involved in running the shop — in practice your store manager. We will not arrange a nominee who is paid to appear on a licence without being involved. That is a risk to you and a professional one to us.
What happens if the licence is refused?
The revenue model changes materially, which is why we assess prospects before you commit rather than after. Depending on the format, a specialist grocery can trade well without alcohol where a general convenience store often cannot.
Running it
What if the manager leaves?
It is the largest operational risk in this venture, and in the UK it can also be a licensing problem if they hold the designated supervisor role. Mitigations are a deputy trained early, a second person holding a personal licence, documented procedures so the store does not depend on one person's habits, and a relationship with a local agency before you need it.
How do you control theft from a desk?
We identify it rather than stop it. Shrinkage patterns show in the data by category, shift and time of day, and till exception reporting catches voids, refunds and no-sales that cluster around a person or a shift. Acting on it — supervision, layout, process, occasionally a personnel decision — happens on the floor.
Who decides what the store stocks?
We recommend, from sales and margin data, within a range framework you approve. Delisting a slow line sits with us; exiting a whole category or adding new fixtures is reserved to you. The authority schedule in the management agreement sets the exact limits.
How often will I see numbers?
A monthly pack covering sales, margin by category, waste, shrinkage, labour percentage and cash, plus a quarterly review call with a written record. Weekly sales and margin summaries are available where you want them.
Working with Akontec
What exactly do you charge?
Three components: a setup fee as a percentage of establishment cost with a stated minimum, a flat monthly management fee for the back-office desk, and a share of net operating profit above an agreed threshold. Fit-out, equipment and opening stock are excluded from the setup fee base.
Do you take equity?
No. The profit share is a contractual right under a management agreement. We take no interest in your company, your lease or your stock, and we have no claim on a sale.
Do you take rebates from wholesalers?
No. Supplier rebates and referral fees are common in this sector and they belong to you. If one is offered to us we tell you and credit it against your fee. That is written into the agreement.
What if I want to end the relationship?
You keep the company, the lease, the licences, the fit-out, the stock, the supplier accounts, the EPOS product file and every document. The product file matters most: it is the accumulated record of what sells and at what margin in your store, and it transfers to you.
What happens on the first call?
Forty-five minutes covering your capital range, the area and format you have in mind, the licensing position, and what a manager will cost you. If we think it will not work for you, we say so on that call.
Still have a question?
Ask it directly. We answer awkward questions the same way we answer easy ones.