"I checked on them like I was the FBI"

Another business mistake story reported by Marcia Pledger of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. This story is from Stella Moga Kennedy, founder of Le Chaperon Rouge, a chain of day-care centers.

I've always put my heart into building my business, but my passion turned me into a control freak.

Even though my schools have grown to include fifth grade and enrichment programs like instrumental music, foreign languages and karate, I remained involved in details as if I were still working at my first location, the sole employee in the basement of a church. Back then I did everything for my first three day-care students, from teaching to cooking homemade soup, pies and crepes.

Even though I had directors and assistant directors at every school, I checked on them like I was the FBI. Many times I was told it was insulting. Often I heard comments like, "Why don't you just relax?" or "We know what to do." I didn't mean any harm. It's my nature. As the business grew, I drove to at least three schools every day for years.

Everybody told me that what I was doing was absolutely crazy. I heard them. But I didn't really listen. I came to this country from Communist Romania with no money and worked so hard to achieve and expand. I was so involved because I wanted to keep up the quality. I was intimately involved in curriculum, administration and accounting.
I didn't trust my babies - meaning my schools - with anyone.

I finally promoted someone to become the company's first executive director five years ago, and gradually I learned to let go.

The truth is I only did it because I was becoming so tired that I wasn't as effective. Aside from running the schools, I started a real estate company about six years ago. I started to forget things and not deliver, which is not like me. I was exhausted and I realized that if I didn't start delegating, I would get sick.

Delegating allowed me to be more creative, work on enhancing and developing new curriculum and even write a book. It also allowed me to expand. In the last five years, the company has doubled with schools and employees.