Growth Momentum in the Early Stages of Small Business Start-Ups

This article utilizes an empirical study of 145 new venture start-ups to explore a model of growth momentum as measured by sales. Of primary interest are the relationships among pre-startup activities, intended and actual business expansion activities, and early stage performance. Results indicated that the sales level achieved in the second year had a positive correlation with (i) the breadth of pre-startup activities, and (ii) the range of expansion activities. Business performance had a negative correlation with the firm's relative dependence on the technical skills of the owner-manager. In addition, the study revealed a consistent gap between owner-managers' expansion intentions and actual expansion.