An entrepreneur puts everything on the line for a startup to succeed. Why? Because creating a company is a deeply personal thing. It’s your brainchild, your baby, your vision to mold. And because of that, most entrepreneurs have a go-get-'em attitude; they like to call the shots… Every last one of them. But the same qualities that empower you to make things happen — discipline, desire, and fierce determination — rarely translate once a business has reached a point of maturity. If you insist on doing everything yourself, you’ll risk not only your sanity, but also your company's ability to evolve.

So how do you let go a little? How do you go from a DIY founder to an effective CEO? Here’s a five-step plan.

1) Understand you can’t do it all.

A founder basically has her hand in everything as the company gets off the ground. But as the company grows, a CEO should not get bogged down into the details and daily functions related to things like HR and accounting. Other people can take on those responsibilities, leaving the CEO to focus on the big picture: things like corporate vision and strategic direction.

2) Let go.

Most CEOs started in a particular function — like product or sales or marketing — and like to maintain control of that team. After all, they ARE the expert. Unfortunately, this type of micro management is usually counterproductive; not only will it cripple the managers, it can also stunt creativity. After all, if the CEO insists on a my-way-or-the-highway approach, who’ll want to jump in with suggestions, new thinking, and ideas?

3) Hire an effective management team.

Once you understand the need to offload responsibilities, surround yourself with great people who can help. Look for managers and executives who bring varied backgrounds, fresh thinking, and new opinions to the table. You want employees who don’t mimic your style, but who are complementary. Remember, effective managers:

• Empower the team without micromanaging

• Express interest in every employee's success and well-being

• Communicate well and listen to the team

• Maintain vision and expectations for the team

4) Build and foster trust.

The very idea of relinquishing control can strike terror in the heart of a CEO, but once you’ve hired the right managers and leaders, you’ve got to place your trust in them. After all, founders view team members as extra hands, only there to execute — but CEOs know team members as talent that must be nurtured, developed, and relied upon. To that end, aim to build a culture of trust and accountability. As Ben Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget; teach me and I may remember; involve me and I learn.”

5) Focus on the big picture.

A CEO’s #1 responsibility is to set and maintain the overall vision for the company. So once your vision is set and your product is in market, it’s time to focus on growth via things like sales, marketing, and customer service. Now that the company is growing strong, you’ve got to build momentum, taking care to never give the appearance of stagnation. Oh, and the CEO must also constantly have a finger on fundraising, which often becomes a full-time job.

Let go to grow

Successful scaling means nurturing and empowering new leadership. For the Founder and CEO of a growing startup, the priorities should be flexibility, momentum, and change. So stop with the DIY method; focus on what’s truly important and let go of the rest. It’s your only shot at sanity.

Salesforce can help you find customers, win their businesses, and keep them happy so you can grow your business faster than ever. Learn more about our small business CRM solutions or follow us on twitter @SalesforceSMB and join the conversation with #SalesforceGROW.