I really enjoyed "How Not to Grow" in the September issue of CFO magazine.  It has some good advice for anyone wanting to grow their business.  Two thoughts caught my eye:

1.  Make sure that you include the increased need for working capital in your borrowing needs.  "A company may borrow enough to fund some of the growth, but not realize that running a larger business will tie up [disproportionately] more money in inventory." and other areas.  That means that you will need not only to understand the capital needed to grow, but the capital tied up in inventory and accounts receivable.

2.  Hiring superstars who don't fit the company culture.   Often in times of growth, companies often forget the importance of the people  they have on board, and the culture that is growing up around them and hire people who were successful at other organizations.  That may really change the workplace for better or for good.

“Growing is harder that cost-cutting…That is because growth strategies are subject to many external influences that are beyond a company’s control, whereas cost-cutting is more a matter of exercising the will to get it done.”