Founders have a tendency to hang on to control, not allowing kids to have enough say or enough investment in the business. “The entrepreneur typically does have a fairly strong control-oriented personality,” says Sage-Hayward. Entrepreneurial characteristics tend to be very independent, autocratic and wanting things to be done in a particular way. It can be difficult for entrepreneurs to let go of those tendencies, but Sage-Hayward says that’s exactly what needs to happen in order to have a successful succession.