Richard Millington talks about the expectations of outsiders, and how quickly they expect the online communities they are funding to grow. There is a life cycle that every community goes through, and it might take several years to reach a mature stage.
It's better to have low expecations and exceed then than vice versa.
I'm suspicious of communities that grow too quickly.
1000 active members in the first week is not a good sign.
There is no history, no culture, no relationships between members. A community that grows quickly tends to dissipate quickly too. Novelty only carries a community so far.
More at The Speed Of Community Development – The Online Community …