Humble Pie Is the Worst Tasting Pie Ever: My Journey to Semi-Competent Leadership (Still a Work in Progress)

Take a deep breath. This might sting a little, like getting a paper cut from a mat bevel. But someone needs to say it, so here goes...

I see the posts online, I hear the whispers at trade shows: Business owners are tearing their hair out, lamenting the challenge of finding "good help." "People just don't want to work anymore!" they wail into the digital void.

And my immediate, perhaps slightly spicy, internal response?

"Seriously? How fun do you think you are to work for?” Look in the mirror: Are you Michael Scott from The Office? Or worse, Dwight Schrute?

Yeah. I said it. Fight me. It’s time, fellow business owners to have a “come to Jesus” talk and get a hefty dose of reality, because many of us, me included, need to do better.

Be honest. Are you offering a positive work environment? A living wage? Do employees actually enjoy showing up to your shop every day? Because if you're constantly cycling through staff, or worse, can't even get applicants, maybe… just maybe…the problem isn't the mythical lazy workforce. Maybe it's... well…you.

Now, hold on! Don't close the tab or exit this blog just yet! I'm not trying to dunk on anyone, or make you feel like the villain in this framing drama. I have massive compassion and empathy for managers and owners. Trust me, I've been navigating the choppy waters of leadership since before fax machines were invented, (yeah, Ronald Reagan was president).

Being the boss is HARD. It's not just about picking the perfect mat color or wrestling a giant canvas. We're juggling reports, vendors, demanding customers, confusing statements, endless ordering, marketing magic, and…oh yeah… paying all the bills and making sure the lights stay on. And on top of all that, we have actual, living, breathing human beings on our team who depend on us. They need us to make good decisions so they can pay their bills, feed their families, and maybe even, you know, have a life outside of mounting art perfectly.

Our teams aren't just expecting a paycheck; they're looking for a leader. Someone to cultivate a healthy, positive vibe, inspire good work, encourage personal growth, and ultimately, elevate the entire business. So, how do we bridge that gap from being merely "the boss" to being the kind of leader people actually want to follow (and work for)?

Sometimes, looking in the entrepreneurial mirror can be scary

My Framing Epiphany: From Micro-Manager to… Slightly Less Annoying Boss?

Sometimes, you have to take an honest, brutal, ugly-fluorescent-lighting-on-a-bad-hair-day kind of look in the entrepreneurial mirror. It ain't pretty, but it's necessary.

When I opened my second gallery/frame shop, I strutted in thinking I had all my little framing ducks perfectly in a row. This wasn't my first rodeo; I had three decades of owning businesses under my belt! I had a savvy business plan that looked great on paper, a beautiful shop that smelled faintly of fresh wood and possibility, and customers were starting to find us (though admittedly, not with the stampede-like urgency I'd initially envisioned).

My team? Talented, dedicated, embracing the intricate craftsmanship like pros. The work we were putting out was top-tier, museum-quality stuff. So why, for the love of perfectly cut corners, was I barely breaking even? Why did I feel like a failure wrapped in brown paper and sealed with framer's tape?

The answer didn't come from staring harder at spreadsheets or rearranging the mat samples again. It took a trip to a trade show and some spectacularly frank advice from a bona fide titan in the framing industry. He was my personal framing Yoda, dispensing wisdom with the quiet gravitas of someone who had seen a lot of questionable framing choices in his time.

He looked me dead in the eye and delivered the line that sucker-punched me right in my entrepreneurial gut: "Until you take off your apron, get out of your backroom, and start acting like a boss, you will never be as successful as I know you can be."

Boom. That was it. My epiphany, neatly matted and framed. I was the problem. I was standing in my own way.

I was so caught up in the making and the doing – the cutting, the joining, the fiddly bits – that I was micro-managing my incredibly capable employees. I wasn't focusing on the big picture, the "boss stuff": strategy, sales, marketing, leading.

And what made it more humiliating was that I KNEW BETTER. I'd taken business classes, devoured management books, and even had mentorship from some seriously brilliant entrepreneurs. Yet, I lacked the one thing they couldn't teach in a classroom: self-awareness. I was so deep in the weeds of the workshop, I couldn't see the forest (or the struggling balance sheet). I got swept up in the processes and prioritized them over my most important asset: the people who worked for me. I had become the jerky, micro-managing awful boss I had never wanted to be. It was a low point in my career.

Returning home felt like returning from exile. I called a team meeting, and it wasn't a pep rally. First, I did the hardest thing: I apologized. I wasn't acting as an inspirational teacher or

a supportive leader; I was being a controlling menace who was actively hindering their growth and autonomy. It was a giant, unasked-for slice of humble pie, and let me tell you, humble pie is the worst flavor. Not delicious.  Zero stars. Do not recommend.

After choking down that bitter bite, I made a deal with my employees. I dedicated two days a week to being strictly the "boss." On those days, I was not allowed in the workshop. My responsibilities on those days were to analyze the numbers, negotiate with vendors, inventory control, pay bills, and focus on marketing strategies. My team got a break from…well...my hovering. Unless, like a little framing vampire needing an invitation, I was specifically summoned, I was banned from my own shop. If I crossed the threshold uninvited? I had to buy lunch for the entire team.

Guess what? My newfound plan, born of humiliation and terrible pie, worked. The very next month, I saw my profits start to climb. The team, given space and trust, thrived. Of course, old habits die hard, and I slipped up a few times, and my team enjoyed a couple free lunches on my dime. Nobody is perfect.

Beyond the Basics: What Makes a Leader, Anyway?

My embarrassing (and delicious, for my team) experiment underscored a crucial point: Effective leadership in the framing industry isn't just about knowing how to stack frames or operate a wizardly piece of equipment. Today's employees, especially the creative types drawn to our world, crave a leader who is more than just a taskmaster. They need someone who is:

• Visionary: Not just dreaming, but articulating a clear picture of where the business is going. Think of it as having a beautifully designed roadmap when everyone else is wandering around without a GPS. This means staying ahead of trends, maybe embracing that scary new online platform, and always looking for ways to make things better or offering cool new stuff. Inspire them to see that future with you. Dinosaur stubbornly stuck in the mud…bad…Innovative cutting edge boss…gooood.

• Empathetic: Understanding that your employees are, in fact, people. With lives. And pets. And kids who inexplicably graduate from kindergarten and have Christmas concerts. Be flexible when life happens. Listen when they're struggling. Recognize their individual awesomeness. Oh, and leading by example? Use your own dang PTO! A stressed-out, grouchy boss who hasn't taken a break or seen the sun in months is about as fun to work for as Captain Ahab. Let that white whale go dude, and take care of yourself. A happy team is a productive team, and a happy boss is slightly less likely to sink the ship.

• Communicative: This isn't rocket science, it's just... talking. Openly. Honestly. Transparently. Regular feedback builds trust, both the "you're awesome!" kind and the "let's tweak this a bit" kind. In my shop, we did quick huddles. Five minutes before opening: who's doing what, any tricky jobs, break schedule. Five minutes before closing: what got done, what didn't, any wins? And make sure you sincerely praise the heck out of accomplishments! It wasn't perfect every day (sometimes the plan went out the window by 9:05 AM), but at least we started with one.

• Delegator (or "Stewardship Supporter"):  This may come as a shock, but you can't do everything. Trying to be some kind of superhero control freak makes you crazy and makes your employees feel useless. Delegating isn't just dumping work; it's empowering people. I prefer "stewardship." You're the captain, but you assign first mates for different areas. Employee A is the Inventory Guru, B is the Design Counter Commander, C is the Equipment Whisperer. Support them, hold them accountable, and watch them take ownership. It makes them feel valued and frees you up for the actual boss stuff.

• Decisive: When faced with a choice, eventually you have to, you know, choose. Indecision is a productivity killer. Your team needs you to make calls, even if they're tough. Standing there scratching your head while the perfect opportunity walks out the door isn't a good look.

• Adaptable: The art and framing world isn't static. New trends, new materials, new tech (hello, fancy mat cutters!). Don't be the old stick-in-the-mud luddite who refuses to use social media, POS systems and text messaging. Embrace change, try new things. It keeps the business fresh and your team from wanting to poke you with a sharp moulding cutoff (lovingly, of course).

Creating a Place People Don't Dread Coming To (Mostly)

So, you're working on being less of a hovering workshop phantom and more of a present, inspiring human. Great! Now, let's talk about the work environment itself.

• Invest in Your Humans: Send them to workshops, buy them books, let them try new products and techniques. Training isn't an expense, it's an investment. It levels up their skills and shows you value them.

• Foster Collaboration: Encourage teamwork! Let them brainstorm tricky projects together. It builds camaraderie and often leads to better solutions than you trying to figure it all out alone in your bat cave.

• Recognize & Reward: A sincere, simple "Hey, you crushed that today!" goes a long, long way. Whether it’s bonuses, promotions, or even just public praise; Acknowledging good work makes people feel seen and appreciated.

• Give Feedback (Two-Way Street!): Set up clear policies, onboarding procedures and training. Do quarterly check-ins. These are golden opportunities to tell them what they're doing well and where they can grow. Crucially, make these sessions a chance for them to give you feedback too. How can you be a better leader? Their answers will often surprise you and lead to simple, impactful changes (a better tool, a slightly different process, moving that annoying printer).

• Lead by Example: Don't ask your team to be professional, on time, and positive if you consistently roll in late, grumbling, and wearing yesterday's glue-stained shirt. Be the change you want to see!

• Pay Fairly & Offer Benefits: Don’t be the clueless boss that thinks throwing a pizza party while withholding fair pay is the way to boost morale. It’s not.  It costs WAY less to give a valued team member a raise than it does to recruit, hire, and train someone new from scratch. Competitive pay attracts better talent and keeps them around. Customers hate high turnover. In this business especially they like to deal with the same person who framed their Hello Kitty poster to perfection. Employee retention is crucial.

• Respect Work-Life Balance: Whenever possible, offer flexibility. Trust your team to manage their time. Life happens, and knowing their boss understands makes a huge difference in morale and loyalty. Burnt-out employees aren't doing their best work. People need mental health days once in a while. Offer two or more paid PTO days off, in addition to vacation pay for people to use on birthdays, anniversaries, or just to go to the beach.

The Bottom Line: Your People Aren't the Problem, They're the Solution

My slightly painful, humble-pie-fueled journey taught me the most valuable lesson: In the art and framing world, where craftsmanship and customer service are everything, your employees aren't just cogs in the machine. They are your hands, your eyes, your creative force, and the smiling faces your customers interact with. They are, without a doubt, your most valuable asset.

By shifting from being just a skilled craftsman or a task-focused boss to an effective, empathetic, and yes, occasionally humble leader, you can cultivate a team that's passionate, skilled, and genuinely invested in the success of the business. And when that happens? Watch the magic unfold. Happy employees lead to happier customers, a stronger reputation, and long-term growth.

So go forth, fellow framers and business owners! Put down the tape measure (sometimes!), stay out of the backroom (unless invited!), embrace the art of leadership, and build a team so awesome, finding "good help" becomes the least of your worries. You'll be too busy celebrating your success (and maybe occasionally buying lunch).