The Business of Letting Go

I always carried a journal as a kid—filled with ideas, sketches, and dreams. I was born with a passion to create and build something of my own. My Aunt Sissy, Christine, saw that spark in me early on. Over the years, I’ve probably called her 50 times with a new business idea. No matter how far-fetched or short-lived, she met every call with excitement, encouragement, and mentorship.

Today, I’ve asked Aunt Sissy to share a lesson she learned during the height of her most successful business—one that shaped not only her work, but who she became along the way.

Startup Success

The journey began almost by accident.“It kinda happened at me. When I was creating invitations for friends, people wanted to buy them... A hobby turned into something more.”

As demand grew, so did the business—eventually expanding into two retail stores, a wholesale operation, and a full team of employees and contractors.“We were growing really fast, which was exciting, but I had never managed employees before.”

But success came with its challenges. The desire to maintain full creative control led to exhaustion.“I never delegated much... I was really particular to the point I burned out pretty quickly trying to control everything myself.”

In hindsight, she sees the value of trusting her team more:“If I would've put more trust in others, we would've grown a lot more.”“It’s okay to let other people get involved and let them support. I could’ve been more big picture and less hands-on.”

Business Burnout

The stress of trying to do everything alone took its toll. She recognized that her drive for perfection, though rooted in care and passion, was unsustainable.“Perfection is the enemy sometimes... There’s charm in the organic.”

Reflecting on this period, she shared a powerful realization:“The side effect of control is burnout, and we don’t have to take everything on.”

Reinvention & Reflection

Her creativity had always been a central part of who she was.“I found greeting cards from when I was 7 I had drawn and put a little Hallmark symbol on the back.”

Despite discouragement that art wouldn’t be a viable career, she persisted in her passion. But even passion needs space to breathe.“Creativity is very personal and emotional, and artists are sensitive.”

Through years of self-reflection, she’s learned to pause and let go more intentionally.“I’ve learned to take a pause, sit back and see where the road goes… When you’re able to release some of that, step back, and reassess—it feels better.”

She also emphasized the importance of mentorship:“I highly recommend mentorship and being a mentor. Help each other grow.”

Now, she strives for balance—recognizing the beauty in softening control, for the sake of both her work and her relationships.“If I let it soften around the edges and not be as sharp, you have better relationships—business or personal.”

My Takeaway & Perspective

My Aunt Sissy’s experience of starting a business that grew from a lifelong passion is not only inspiring but also a powerful encouragement to keep pursuing the passions we’ve had since childhood. When we’re young, creating comes naturally and fear of failure doesn’t hold us back. But as we grow older, life can easily pull us away from our dreams—if we let it.

After talking with my aunt about the lesson she learned at the height of her most successful business, I deeply resonated with her insight about letting go of perfectionism. It’s exhausting and limits us from reaching our fullest potential. Like her, it’s in my nature to want to control everything, but her story reminds me that sometimes stepping back, zooming out, and giving things time is exactly what we need.

There’s no point in reacting immediately or stressing ourselves out over things beyond our control. What’s meant for us will come—whether we push or let go.