Life in the Fast Lane Are you dreaming of explosive growth during your first year of business? Be careful what you wish for.

You want your business to be a success from day one-withcustomers beating down your door and the media reporting on yourexplosive popularity. Or do you?

While a growth explosion in your first year of business can bean ego boost, it can also be a huge challenge. Jerry White,director of the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship at SouthernMethodist University in Dallas, suggests that entrepreneurs takeinventory of their own businesses before deciding on a growth plan."You can do in five years what it normally takes 15 years todo," he says. "But don't sign up for that if youdon't know what you're getting into."

Growing fast can be extraordinarily lucrative, though, andthat's one of the biggest pros. But according to White, yourgrowth plan should largely depend on your personal goals. Do youwant to revolutionize the industry? Perhaps quick growth on a grandscale is for you. Do you want a lifestyle business with flexibilityin your hours? Then you should probably plan for a more steadygrowth pattern.

For Professional Sports Tours/Big Blue Travel, a New YorkCity company that plans tours for sports fans and sends them to biggames and sporting events around the country, a first-year growthexplosion was in the cards. Founder Michael R. Martocci knew hewanted his business to be in high demand-but even he was takenaback by the $3 million his company grossed in its first year ofbusiness back in 1995. His first tour was a package for a big gamebetween the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. One radiospot later, he had 600 customers clamoring to sign up."Initially, we didn't have the staffing to handleeverybody," he recalls. "So each day-each hour-we werehiring new people."

That's one of the biggest challenges for fast-growthcompanies-outgrowing staffing and systems just as you'regetting them into place, says White. "And growth consumes cashfast," he says. Overestimating the amount of capitalyou'll need to accommodate rising orders is important.

It was a bit easier for Martocci, 42, because he partnered witha travel agency he had previously worked with and was able to use alot of its resources. "I got a little bit of a break. To beable to get the clout of their purchasing power helped me get thebest deal out to my customers," he explains. And the rapidgrowth hasn't fazed Martocci's company at all-annual salesexceed $15 million.

If, on the other hand, you'd prefer a slow and steady growthplan, you can model yourself after Michael Rose of Omega Plastics LLC inErie, Pennsylvania. When he founded the custom plastic injectionmolding company in 1998, he planned to grow slowly. "We choseit because it's a safer route for the business," saysRose, 33. "We also feel we can [better serve] ourcustomers."

Rose was concerned about not outgrowing his staff orcapabilities before the company was ready. He's even turneddown business opportunities to keep growth on a more even keel-andhis customers appreciate his honesty.

With sales at about $700,000 annually, Rose sees growth on thehorizon but is steadily planning for it. "You'll probablybe presented with the opportunity to grow rapidly, but there'san engineering and labor crunch that goes with that," he says."And if you don't execute properly on a large project, youcan endanger your business."

There isn't one right way that will work for every business."Know yourself, know your goals, know your ambition,"says White. "Let that influence your vision. Don't let anarticle or some high-powered success story cause you to embark on agrowth rate that is not [compatible with] who and what you reallyare."