Why Running a Small Business Is Harder Than Most People Realise

I feel I need to write this down and explain what a founder-led business is really facing right now.

I'm not going to pretend things aren't tough. We all know they are.

The cost of living continues to rise. Fuel prices seem to increase overnight. Energy bills are climbing again, and mortgage rates are nowhere near what they once were. Families everywhere are having to make difficult decisions about where they spend their money.

That has a huge impact on businesses like mine.

People simply don't have the same disposable income they once had, and understandably, they're looking for ways to save money.

The first thing I want to say is thank you.

I'm incredibly grateful to our customers because so many of you come back to shop with us again and again. That loyalty is what keeps Mia Tui going.

Finding new customers has become incredibly expensive. Advertising costs are eye-watering, and cutting through on social media is harder than ever. There are so many questionable companies online that it's difficult for someone who has never heard of us to know who they can trust.

If you've ever wondered how you can help a small business without spending any money, here's the answer.

If one of our adverts appears in your feed, give it a like. Better still, leave a comment. Comments really do make a difference because people read them, and social media platforms reward engagement. If you can share it too, even better.

Those small actions genuinely help businesses like ours.

At Mia Tui I've always tried to build the business on three simple foundations.

1. Customer Service

I want our customers to be able to pick up the phone and speak to a real person, not spend half an hour trying to explain themselves to a chatbot before getting nowhere.

2. Great Products

Our team in Vietnam works incredibly hard to make the very best bags we can. Are we perfect? No. Occasionally something will go wrong. But that's where our customer service comes in; we'll always do our best to put things right.

3. Value for Money

We work hard to keep our bags affordable. They're not just empty bags with a logo on them. Every pocket, zip, compartment and feature has been carefully designed to make life easier.

The Biggest Challenge I Face Isn't Selling Bags

Despite doing everything we can, the biggest challenge I face today has nothing to do with designing bags or making sales.

It's renewing the lease on our warehouse.

Our lease expires on 14th July, and the stress it has caused over the past six months has honestly been overwhelming.

Most people don't realise how commercial leases work.

When many small businesses sign a commercial lease, they're asked to lease outside the protection of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954. That means when the lease ends, you don't automatically have the legal right to stay in the building or renew your lease. It's surprisingly common.

You also normally sign what's called a Full Repairing Lease, meaning you're responsible for maintaining much of the building during the lease.

When our lease started in 2021, we had a Schedule of Condition prepared. This records the condition of the warehouse when we moved in, meaning we shouldn't have to return it in a better condition than we received it.

Looking back, I made one mistake.

I didn't have the roof independently surveyed before taking the building. We experienced leaks almost immediately. Over the past few years we've repaired those issues and today the building is watertight.

When it came to renewing the lease, I simply asked whether the landlord would replace the roof.

That seems to have become one of the biggest challenges in reaching an agreement.

As part of the renewal process, a Schedule of Dilapidations was carried out. This is a survey listing work the landlord believes should be completed at the end of the lease.

The figure came back at almost £96,000.

Some of the individual items genuinely surprised me—£70 to deep-clean a toilet, £100 to remove a Velcro doorbell, and around £38,000 to recoat the roof.

To put this into context, other units on our estate have become vacant and are now being fully refurbished, including brand-new roofs.

Since this process began, I've spoken to several other business owners who have also experienced significant dilapidation claims at the end of their leases. One business is still disputing theirs more than two years later.

I've also spoken to surveyors and solicitors, and it's become clear that commercial lease renewals and dilapidations can be one of the biggest challenges many small businesses face.

Before this year, I had no idea just how stressful and complex the process could be.

*Photo to show we had roof issues from the get-go

Six Months of Negotiations

Throughout all of this I've been dealing with Mileway, the asset management company acting on behalf of the landlord.

Throughout the negotiations, I've found communication to be slower than I had hoped. There have been periods where weeks have passed without a response to my emails, even when I was simply asking for an update. As the lease expiry date gets closer, that uncertainty has been incredibly difficult.

To avoid reaching a cliff edge while negotiations continued, I asked for a short extension to my lease.

Initially, this was agreed by email, but no formal paperwork ever arrived.

Later, during a telephone call, I was told the extension would be reduced to two months. Then, around an hour later, I was told it would instead be one month.

As I write this, I still haven't received the Tenancy at Will agreement or any contract to formalise even that one-month extension, despite sending several follow-up emails.

The proposals currently on the table are difficult for me to accept.

One proposal would see me renewing the lease at the same rent as the neighbouring refurbished units, despite those units benefiting from brand-new roofs.

The second proposal would involve me contributing around £38,000 towards a new roof while also paying around £4,000 more per year in rent than those refurbished units. From my perspective, that feels difficult to justify.

I've now sent three emails over the last two weeks asking for some certainty, including copying in the Regional Director, but I'm still waiting for a response.

What makes this so difficult isn't just the numbers.

It's the uncertainty.

If the landlord ultimately decides not to renew my lease, I simply want to know. At least then I can make plans, find another warehouse and organise a move for the business.

It's Not Just About Me

Moving a warehouse isn't something you can do overnight.

Years ago, Mia Tui operated from my garage.

Today we have a warehouse full of stock, systems that keep everything running and, most importantly, a fantastic team of people who rely on this business.

They are feeling the uncertainty too.

If I'm honest, this whole situation has affected me more than I expected.

There have been moments when I've wondered whether it's time to give up.

Running a business can be incredibly lonely.

There isn't a day when I don't think about Mia Tui, about sales, our staff, our customers and whether we'll be able to keep moving forward.

That pressure doesn't stay at work. It follows you home and affects your family too.

But I also know I have people depending on me.

Our team relies on this business.

Our suppliers rely on this business.

Thousands of customers continue to choose Mia Tui because they believe in what we do.

And despite everything, I genuinely love this company.

What Happens Next?

As things stand, I don't know what will happen on 14th July.

I've commissioned my own survey, which I hope will help move negotiations forward. I've also viewed alternative warehouses, although staying where we are remains my preferred option because the cost and disruption of moving would be enormous.

Because my lease was contracted outside the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954, there is a possibility that I may not have the right to remain in the building once the lease expires. I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that.

I've sought legal advice and written to my MP. I'll continue doing everything I can to find a sensible and fair solution.

I want to be clear that this blog isn't about criticising one company.

It's about shining a light on something I never truly understood until I experienced it myself.

Small businesses across the UK face enormous challenges every day. We worry about rising costs, employing great people, paying suppliers, looking after our customers and somehow finding enough time and energy to keep everything moving forward.

Many people only see the finished product, a new bag arriving at your door.

They don't always see the sleepless nights behind it.

I'm still hopeful we can reach an agreement. Staying in our current warehouse would be the best outcome for everyone. If that isn't possible, I simply want enough certainty to plan the future of the business responsibly.

If you've read this far, thank you.

Whether you've bought one bag or twenty, liked one of our Facebook posts, recommended us to a friend or simply followed our journey, you've played a part in helping Mia Tui get this far.

Running a small business isn't easy, but your support makes it worthwhile.

If you're a fellow business owner who has been through something similar, I'd genuinely love to hear your experience. Please leave a comment below, I think it's a conversation worth having.

Thank you for being part of the Mia Tui journey.

Love Charlotte & The Mia Tui Team x