This notes presents some important lessons from one of the founders of a fast-growing services firm that grew to over a billion dollars.

• Make tough personnel decisions early -- especially senior ones that are not working out
• Recruit best-in-class people when you need them -- don't wait
• Reorganize when you need to…but thoughtfully and carefully
• Make sure ownership and accountability for key decisions is clear
• Know the company's limits and don't take on business that is clearly beyond these limits, i.e. projects that are bigger than the company can handle. Be realistic with respect to what it takes to expand limits (timeframe, people, etc.) and don't just wish the limits away. Be especially aware of falling into a pattern that is so fast-paced that you fall into bad patterns without even realizing it.
• Drive units to bring in future leaders even though this may hurt their short-term profitability
• Keep the ability to be entrepreneurial alive. This is very difficult to do as a company grows and as you start to lose good people who can contribute to growth by becoming future leaders and by starting new things but who think they arrived too late.