Are We Growing Too Fast?

Small businesses can grow too fast and cause more troubles than it would seem. Growth is good, but when that growth comes too quickly it can kill your business.

There are some red flags that you will be able to notice to signal that your small business is starting to grow too quickly.

Here are just a few of those red flags to watch out for:

There is no Team Structure

If you are noticing you are doing more and more of other people's jobs, that is a very bad sign that you are growing too quickly.

If there isn't a tight control on the structure between management and team, it means that the lines have blurred and there isn't specific jobs at the moment. Step back, assume control, and delegate properly.

Your Servers and Hardware Can't Handle It

If your servers are always crashing, your hardware going on the fritz, or other aspects are showing signs of complete overuse, then you are growing at a too-fast rate.

You will need to increase these aspects, or you'll find yourself paying out to repair them all too quickly.

Profits and Productivity on the Decline

Are you seeing less and less of a profit margin? Are your employees turning out less and less?

When both profit and productivity fall off the ledge, it is a sure sign that you are growing too fast. Employees can feel overwhelmed or just lost and unable to keep up with the demand. It's a bit like that Lucille Ball skit with the candy company, pretty soon your employees are stuffing chocolates everywhere trying to slow things down.

Complaints on the Rise

When you are seeing a growing trend of customer complaints, whether in reality or online, this is a bad sign.

Well-controlled and smooth flowing businesses aren't going to see a rise in customer complaints, but a business that is growing too fast to take the time to worry about their customers will. When this occurs, try to hire someone to pick up the slack and help clean up your online image.

Cutting Corners

Are you starting to relax your views on quality for that extra bit of quantity?

This is a huge red flag, one that should be the key signal that your business may be growing too fast for your needs. This can also manifest in taking shortcuts in other areas, such as hiring competent employees. Take pride in your work and in your employees and make sure that everything is up to par before you send it out.

Take it slowly when you start out, even when your small business has the ability to grow quicker.

Keep things in check and always keep an eye out on those subtle signs that can doom your company to be dead in the water before its learned how to swim.