The Ultimate Start-Up Reality Check

Four young companies present their plans...and four veteran entrepreneurs pick them apart.

• The Get Ahead Guide: Erin McKenna Makes the Best Cupcakes in New York City
  Now she wants to go national. How fast can she grow?

• The Get Ahead Guide: Scandigital Processes 100,000 Images A Month
  But there are few barriers to entry in the scanning business. Is that a big worry?

• The Get Ahead Guide: Seema Sudan Made Money On Her First Collection
  But the rag trade is full of knockoff artists. How can she protect her brand?

• The Get Ahead Guide: Perry Chen Thinks His Website Could Be As Big As YouTube
  Isn't the concept of a giant website a bit passé?