If I'm the boss, why is everyone bossing ME around? 👩‍💼

In my experience, the strangest part of being a retailer was the constant state of emotional turmoil. There’s a lot that goes into this feeling, but one of the biggies is the total disconnect between how you think you're supposed to feel — fabulous and empowered and like it's always (as Lizzo would say) "bad b*tch o'clock" — and reality.

Because, on the one side, you’re the boss. The owner. The founder. The creative mind behind the concept. The one in charge.

But at the exact same time, you’re always feeling bossed around by everyone and everything else pretty much all the time…

Perpetually at the mercy of your customers. Your staff. Your vendors. The weather. The HVAC system. The constant beating of payroll.

The disconnect between what others think your life is like and what it’s actually like can create real cognitive dissonance (on the better days) and some severe imposter syndrome and stress (on the harder days).

That’s why when you’re given the opportunity at the very start to lock down a key relationship in the life of your business, you should take it. And guess what, not much is more stable than legally binding and enforceable contracts — leases and loan terms.

Your lease is perhaps the only opportunity you’ll get to have stable control over a key relationship in your business lifetime. We’re always talking about how you, as a tenant, are legally obligated to the terms in your lease, but so is your landlord – even if the property is sold. The lease provides you the security and peace of mind that your landlord is bound to the terms and obligations in the lease as well, because it's a two-way street.

The entire point of putting up with the process and the paperwork on the front end is so neither party has to ever wonder where each stands over the course of the term. That’s basically the opposite of your relationship with fickle customers, transient staff, fluctuating prices…you get it. So long as you've secured these things in your lease, you won't be surprised with, "oh hey, next month your rent will double," or "it's your turn to pay for the parking lot repaving."

So even if you feel the temptation to hurry through the process, close your eyes and sign a lease, resist. Take your time to do it right – you’ll always be glad you did.