Ask any founder what their biggest dream is, and most will say "growth." And that makes sense — growth is proof that you've built something people want. But ask seasoned operators what they fear most, and they'll say the same thing.

Why? Because growth done wrong can break a company faster than failure ever could.

I've scaled a company from scratch. I've done it without outside funding, without flashy campaigns and without burning cash just to show hockey-stick charts to a boardroom. And I've seen companies grow five times faster than we did — only to disappear within a year.

If you're building a business and looking to scale, here's the hard truth: speed doesn't matter if you can't handle what's coming at you. Growing too fast, before you have the structure, systems, and discipline in place, is like pouring concrete before checking the foundation.

So, how do you scale without collapsing under your own weight, or wasting millions trying?

Here's what I've learned.

Related: 5 Crucial Steps to Help You Scale Your Business

First things first: growth isn't the mission. Execution is. Growth is what happens when your product solves a real problem, your team can deliver consistently and your operations can scale without friction. If you focus on growth as the goal itself, you'll cut corners,

© Entrepreneur