When you think of Kourtney Kardashian, you might picture her picture-perfect Instagram feed, her wellness empire Poosh, or her famously chill vibe. But behind the scenes, the eldest Kardashian sister is facing a challenge that no green juice or meditation session can fix: workplace drama. In a candid episode, Kourtney opens up about the struggles of running a business with her oldest friends, the blurred lines between boss and BFF, and how her sisters Kim and Khloé helped her lay down the law and save her company from chaos.

This is the inside story of how Kourtney Kardashian tackled a full-blown Poosh team meltdown—and what it reveals about leadership, friendship, and the reality of being a girl boss.

“I Need to Be Respected”: When Friendship and Business Collide

“I love that I get to work with my good friends, but I also need to be respected,” Kourtney confides, setting the tone for what’s to come. “The way it is right now isn’t working. This is your job, and I just feel like no one was taking it seriously.”

As the founder and CEO of Poosh, Kourtney has built her brand around authenticity, wellness, and female empowerment. But when the pandemic forced her team to work remotely, cracks began to show. With her Chief Content Officer Sarah and ad sales team member Sam—both close friends since high school—Kourtney noticed a shift. “My Poosh team has been working remotely, and everyone’s just figuring out new ways to keep doing business online as much as we can from our homes,” she explains.

But the distance only made the drama worse. “I spent two hours calling my team to check in, and all of them inundate me with their drama about each other,” Kourtney says, exasperated. “If you even knew what each person was saying…”

The Group Chat That Broke the Boss

It all came to a head over a simple attempt to reconnect. “Maybe they want my attention, so I’m trying to be nice,” Kourtney recalls. She invited the team to an in-person, socially distanced meeting—only to be met with resistance, excuses, and, eventually, open defiance. “The questions that start coming: ‘I can’t make it to West Hollywood on Friday,’ then someone else, ‘I can’t make it, I’m going camping.’ How unprofessional!”

But things went from bad to worse when one team member, overwhelmed and frustrated, removed herself from the group chat after complaining about the “vibe” and lack of notice. “She removes herself from the conversation! Not a weekend, right? But you’re her boss!” Khloé exclaims when Kourtney recounts the story.

Kim, ever the pragmatist, jumps in with advice: “You do not speak to your boss like that, Kourtney. You’ve hired a lot of your long-term friends, and sometimes it’s really hard to separate work relationships and friend relationships. Someone has to always be in boss mode, and someone always should be in employee mode during work hours.”

Khloé is even more blunt: “Kourtney, lay down the law. They’re going to walk all over you and overthrow you if you don’t.”

Drawing the Line: Kourtney Sets New Boundaries

Realizing she’s lost control of her team, Kourtney decides it’s time for a reset. “For my friend and employee to disrespect me on a group chat in front of all my other employees—it was just not okay,” she admits. “It sets a tone for the whole team and for how they think they can treat me.”

She calls an in-person meeting—COVID tests required—and lays out her new rules. “I love that I get to work with my good friends, but I also need to be respected. The way it is right now isn’t working. This is your job, and I just feel like no one was taking it seriously.”

Kourtney is clear: she will no longer be the team’s sounding board for personal drama. “I cannot engage in the conversations anymore of what everyone’s personal drama is,” she says. “I will have my assistant organize meetings, and my brain needs to focus on bigger things—like big picture stuff. I’m not getting into personal issues anymore. That should go to your superiors.”

Her leadership team backs her up. “We all want this to be a very profitable and successful company,” Sarah says. “With that, we’re adapting to ensure that your responsibility is really just the big picture as CEO.”

“I Cannot Be Disrespected”: The Tough Conversation With Sam

While most of the team seems to understand the new boundaries, there’s still tension with Sam, Kourtney’s longtime friend and colleague. “There’s still so much tension. We need to just have a conversation where we can understand each other a little bit more,” Kourtney says.

In a heartfelt one-on-one, Kourtney addresses the elephant in the room. “Our friendship is obviously more important than any work problems,” she tells Sam. “But I also just cannot be disrespected in front of the whole team. To have someone I’ve known and been close with since high school show it’s okay to be disrespectful—it’s not okay.”

Sam owns up to her actions. “I’m really sorry for how I acted on the text. I definitely overstepped,” she admits. “Let’s chalk that up to me being stressed or whatever. I love working for you and with Poosh, and I don’t want that to change.”

Kourtney is relieved. “The fact that you can just own it and say you’re sorry, that’s how I’m okay moving forward. We’re all humans, we all make mistakes, we all have our moments. If there’s a problem, just write me on the side.”

The Takeaway: Girl Boss Lessons in Real Life

By the end of the episode, Kourtney and her team have reached a new understanding. The boundaries are clear, the drama is dialed down, and Poosh is back on track. “Working with friends can definitely be interesting,” Kourtney reflects. “But I’m just happy that Sam and I could have a real talk and that we’re able to move forward and learn from this.”

The episode offers a rare, unfiltered look at the reality of being a boss—especially when your employees are also your friends. It’s a masterclass in leadership, vulnerability, and the courage to have tough conversations. With Kim and Khloé’s tough love, Kourtney proves that being a girl boss isn’t just about running a business—it’s about setting boundaries, demanding respect, and never being afraid to stand up for yourself, even when it’s hard.

As the Kardashian sisters know better than anyone, success isn’t just about what you build—it’s about how you lead, who you trust, and how you handle the drama when it inevitably comes your way.