Would you rather IPO and stay involved — or sell to a strategic buyer and walk away? It’s a...
Every CEO of a growing tech company eventually faces the growth dilemma:
Should you take on debt to accelerate growth - or play it safe and scale sustainably?
It’s a question that can shape the trajectory of your company, your team, and your legacy.
In a recent Wisdom From Wizards episode, I sat down with David Satterwhite, CEO at Chronus, to explore this very decision. His perspective is one that many $1M–$5M revenue CEOs will find both familiar and thought-provoking.
The Fast-Growth Mindset: Creating Opportunity Through Momentum
David didn’t hesitate when asked where he stands:
“I’ve never been a patient person. I like to move fast. I like to grow. I like the opportunities that growth provides to impact people’s careers and lives.”
For him, growth isn’t just about revenue - it’s about responsibility.
Fast growth means more jobs, more customer impact, and more innovation. It signals that the market values what you’re building.
David’s view reflects a crucial mindset for CEOs at the $1M–$5M stage: growth isn’t optional - it’s oxygen. The faster you grow (responsibly), the more leverage you create to solve bigger problems and attract top talent.
Funding Growth: More Than Just Debt vs. Bootstrap
When asked how he funds that kind of growth, David’s answer wasn’t black and white.
“How we fund that growth depends on the situation. There are lots of ways to fund growth - including having a business model that funds itself.”
In other words, the smartest CEOs don’t think in binaries.
They design business models that self-fund growth - through pricing, retention, and recurring revenue - while still knowing when to strategically tap external capital.
For tech scaleups, this means understanding your growth levers before chasing investment.
Are you maximizing upsell potential? Is your churn under control? Can your current model fuel the next phase of growth without diluting equity or adding debt risk?
Why Fast Growth Still Wins
David calls out an often-overlooked truth:
“By growing fast, you’re providing value in the marketplace. I’ve never been content with a ‘quality of life’ company.”
Many founders reach a point where their business pays the bills, but not much more.
They have a stable, “comfortable” operation - but little momentum. And in today’s hyper-competitive markets, that’s a risk in itself.
The best CEOs know that comfort kills growth.
They push for scale not out of greed, but out of purpose - to deliver greater value to customers and employees.
As David puts it, “The problem we’re solving is an urgent one - disengagement and lack of productivity in the workplace.” Urgency in the market demands urgency in execution.
The Takeaway for CEOs
If you’re leading a $1M–$5M revenue company and debating whether to take on debt or scale organically, remember this:
The decision isn’t about financing - it’s about philosophy.
- Growth capital should be fuel, not a crutch.
- Slow growth isn’t safer if it leads to stagnation.
- And sustainable growth doesn’t mean timid growth - it means strategic growth.
David Satterwhite’s approach embodies what we’ve seen across 40+ CEOs and $40M+ in collective revenue growth: momentum, when managed wisely, compounds faster than caution ever could.
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