The Threshold

Opening a used bookstore: Stef faces the hiring question—why it makes her uncomfortable, why waiting will trap her in the business for years, why systems matter now more than ever, and why she's terrified that she IS the success variable.

I'm at a threshold. Hiring now versus later isn't just a staffing question—it's a scaling question. If I don't hire soon, I'll get sucked into working in the business instead of on it. Three years will disappear, and the store won't grow beyond what one person can manage.

But hiring makes me uncomfortable. Why? Control. The brand matters so much right now. I've built something intentional, and I'm scared that if I'm not doing it myself, it won't stay true.

I talk about trial and error—what works for one staff member won't work for another. Training takes time and money that feels like sunk costs while I'm still learning. But that's the work.

Game meets game: I went to Sunsets thrift shop and met two guys in their 20s who are killing it—already selling on WhatNot in addition to their brick and mortar. They offered me a crazy deal to share their seller network. I'm not excited about it yet, but it's a first baby step. And honestly, it's part of the hiring conversation too. 

I'm using AI as a resource tool for onboarding—looking up state and federal regulations, building checklists, creating systems. But here's the real fear: What if the success variable is me? What if removing myself from the equation makes the whole thing collapse?

That's the founder's trap. And I can feel it.

I need MORE systems. Better ones. Systems that let other people execute the vision without me present.

On a lighter note: Phoenix En Plein Air is officially launched. The community voted, and our first book is Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton - Funny, literary, community-focused. Perfect.

Current Book Count: ~15,000+

Time to build systems, not just a business.

🐦‍🔥 Follow along as The Phoenix Used Bookshop continues to rise—subscribe to A Bookshop of My Own and get updates at phoenixusedbookshop.com.

Links mentioned:

• Phoenix En Plein Air book club (next read: Tartufo)
• Phoenix on Whatnot
• Sunsets Thrift Shop
• Submit a book request