“It’s My Store. I’m Never Leaving.” What One Employee Taught Me About Building a Culture of Ownership

If you follow me, you know I have devoted my life to entrepreneurship. When a business owner needs help, I always try to be there.

This week, I had the pleasure of meeting John of John’s Crazy Socks. John is smart, focused, and building something special. After hearing about his new brand, Wahoo Market, I believe he has another winner in the making.

John is a no-excuses entrepreneur.

He has Down syndrome, but as he made very clear Thursday morning, Down syndrome is not going to stop him from pursuing his dreams.

He shows up.

And every entrepreneur knows that sometimes showing up is half the battle.

Entrepreneurship Is Never Easy

Being an entrepreneur means having a hundred things competing for your attention.

Branding. Logo design. Sales. Customers. Employees. Marketing. Operations.

The list never ends.

But there is one thing John has clearly gotten right:

Culture.

During my visit, I spoke with an employee named Cat. She told me:

“I’m never leaving. It’s my store.”

John immediately jumped in:

“It’s my store!”

Cat answered right back:

“It’s my store!”

I thought about that conversation all weekend.

Because those three words — “It’s my store” — say a lot about a company.

They represent pride. They represent loyalty. They represent belonging. And most importantly, they represent ownership.

Do Your Employees Feel That Way?

Ask yourself a question:

Do the people who work for you feel like they are simply employees, or do they feel like they are part of what you are building?

Do they believe in the company? Do they understand the mission? Do they take pride in its success?

Imagine what your business could become if every person on your team felt the way Cat does.

Imagine hearing your employees say:

“This is my company.”

“I helped build this.”

“I’m proud to be here.”

That kind of culture cannot be purchased.

It has to be built.

What John Reminded Me About Leadership

John, I want to personally thank you for the lesson.

After a lifetime of entrepreneurship, I am still learning. And you reminded me that I can do an even better job creating that feeling of ownership inside my own businesses.

Here are four lessons I took away from the experience:

1. Let Your Employees Know You
   Give your team an opportunity to understand the person behind the business. Let them know why you started it, what it means to you, and what you are trying to accomplish.
2. Be Transparent
   Don’t only share the victories. Let your employees understand the challenges, the goals, and the journey. When people understand where the company is going, they can better understand the role they play in getting it there.
3. Bring Enthusiasm Every Day
   Culture starts at the top. If you believe in the business, your employees can feel it. Your excitement, commitment, and energy become contagious.
4. Build Something People Are Proud to Call Their Own
   The goal should not simply be to create employees. The goal should be to create believers — people who care about the company, people who want it to succeed, people who proudly say “It’s my store.”

John, thank you for being you.