Consumer Code Real Estate Strategy and the Story of Tango Analytics (ft. Jack Thompson)
Jun 30, 2025
Jack Thompson, former CEO of Tango Analytics and strategist for major brands like McDonald's and Taco Bell, shares his fascinating journey from real estate developer to retail analytics leader. He reveals innovative methods like an 18-point survey for site selection, emphasizing the need for collaboration between operations and real estate. Jack also discusses the challenge of aligning marketing with site selection and the significance of consumer behavior insights in strategic decision-making, offering invaluable advice for today's retail leaders.
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Early Real Estate Roots
- Growing up in a family real estate business gave Jack a deep, intuitive understanding of shopping centers and their consumer ecosystems.
- He experienced all facets: building centers, managing properties, and selling houses, which grounded his future retail insights.
The 18-Point Site Survey
- Jack developed an 18-question qualitative survey to score site locations by involving operations and real estate teams together.
- This method drastically improved model accuracy and eased conflicts between teams by training them to think like consumers.
Triangular Model Boosts Accuracy
- Combining predictive models, expert site scoring, and demographic analogs creates more valid sales forecasts.
- This integrated approach reduces organizational friction and accelerates decision making in retail real estate.
