Stepping into a leadership role at your sign shop—whether as a team lead, manager, or business owner—comes with its own set of challenges. The transition from employee to leader can be stressful, requiring a shift in mindset and responsibility. However, embracing this challenge puts you in a position to make a real impact—not only on the success of your business but also on the lives of your employees and your community. Leadership is more than just giving orders; it’s about guiding a team, setting clear expectations, and fostering a positive work environment while maintaining accountability.
It Can Feel Lonely at the Top!
One of the biggest challenges I faced early on as a business owner was wanting employees to like me. I struggled with balancing leadership and friendship, and it took time—along with some hard lessons and hurt feelings—to realize an important truth. While you can be friendly with your team and even enjoy social events outside of work, strong boundaries are essential. Leadership isn’t about being liked; it’s about earning respect by making the tough decisions that keep the shop running effectively. Learning to separate personal relationships from professional responsibilities can sometimes make leadership feel lonely, but it is one of the most valuable lessons any leader can master.
No One Gets It!
Owning your own shop comes with added pressures for you that your employees—and sometimes even your family—can’t fully appreciate. The responsibility can feel overwhelming, like you’re carrying everything on your shoulders. I remember a time when one of our designers, who did art projects as a hobby, gave me a small handcrafted frame with a mini-Atlas inside—the Titan god who carried the heavens. I looked at it and thought, yeah, that’s exactly what this feels like sometimes.
But here’s the thing—you don’t have to carry it all alone. As you step into your role as a leader, finding the right support systems can make all the difference. Reach out to your local sign association, look for a mentor, or join a mastermind group. The challenges you’re facing aren’t new; they only feel that way if you try to manage them on your own. Surround yourself with like-minded business owners or leaders who understand what you’re going through, and you’ll realize that you’re not in this alone.
I’m Just a Sign Guy/Gal!
Let’s talk about Imposter Syndrome—that nagging feeling that you’re not as competent or qualified as others believe, despite clear evidence of your skills, experience and success. People struggling with imposter syndrome often doubt themselves, fear being exposed as a “fraud,” and attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than their own hard work.
This feeling is especially common among new business owners and leaders stepping into bigger roles. Even after putting in the effort and earning their position or creating a successful sign shop, they may still feel like they don’t truly deserve it or that they’re just “winging it.” This self-doubt can often lead to hesitation, stress, and missed opportunities due to fear of failure.
I still struggle with this sometimes in my own career. Back in college, I built a janitorial contracting business that grew to over 100 employees, yet when someone asked what I did for a living, my response was always, “I’m just a janitor.” Years later, after growing my sign business to over 60 employees and generating more than $10 million in annual sales, I still found myself saying, “I’m just a sign guy.” No matter how much success I had, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t really a business leader—just someone doing a job.
In a recent podcast interview with Lori Anderson, (CEO of International Sign Association) my daughter Liz (who co-hosts the Behind the Signs podcast with me) and I had a great conversation about this problem in the sign industry. From business owners to lead installers, and everyone in between, people in leadership roles often downplay their own expertise, referring to themselves as “just a ____ guy/gal.” But the reality is, if you’re leading a sign shop, you’re managing a highly skilled workforce, handling complex workflows and overseeing detailed budgets to ensure profitability. You are not just anything—you are an industry expert and a business warrior.
So, moving forward, stop selling yourself short. Whether you’re a business owner, a department head, or a team lead, own your role. You are not a “just a”—you are a leader.
I Feel Like I’m Dying Here!
As you step into leadership, my biggest piece of advice is this: pay close attention to burnout. It’s real, and it can take a serious toll on your health, your family and your business. I learned this the hard way. For years, I never clocked out. I answered client calls and emails on every vacation, worked six days a week and put in 10–12 hour days. I’m not saying there won’t be “hustle days” when you need to push through a big proposal or get a job out the door, but if those days turn into weeks, months or even years, you’re heading down a dangerous path.
Running your business this way is not success. On paper, you might be seen as the person who always gets the job done, or you may feel like you’re making great money. But in reality, everything suffers. For me, the stress led to excessive drinking. Sitting at my desk until 9 p.m. night after night, downing a bottle of wine or six beers, became my way to “wind down” from a day that never truly ended. That stress affected my health, my relationships and my decision-making for the business.
Eventually, I had to make serious changes. I got completely sober, ran 20 marathons in the past 10 years, started meditating and most importantly, learned to unplug. I make time for my family without thinking about work (and without feeling guilty about it). I even discovered a handy little tool called the “Vacation Responder” on my email—something I once thought I’d never use. These changes weren’t easy after a lifetime of being a workaholic, but they were necessary for me to become a better leader.
I don’t share this to discourage you from stepping up in leadership. In fact, it’s the opposite. Your legacy as a leader depends on your ability to take care of yourself. If you prioritize your well-being, you’ll be in a much better position to support your family, employees, and customers. Leadership isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being willing to grow. If you take care of yourself, you’ll be able to make a real and lasting impact on the people around you, and ensure your sign shop’s success.
Joe Arenella: Founder of Sign Tech International, a sign shop with 60 employees that made signs for national chains, local developers, and big projects like the Dallas Cowboy Stadium. He turned from sign shop owner to software founder! With SignTracker (an Inktavo company), he makes job tracking and sign quoting easy for sign shop owners.
You can also find Joe and Liz on the Behind the Signs Facebook Community for industry tips and free resources, and on the Behind the Signs Podcast which he co-hosts with his daughter Liz Arenella Toynes.
