“The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.” This aphorism from the masterful English conductor, Colin R. Davis, could not ring truer in our experience. As the gap that separates the haves and the have-nots continues to grow from a fjord to an abyss, we have taken note of the pathway that leads to either camp. Every day we engage with funders in the alternative lending marketplace (both merchant cash advance and corporate finance) and with increasing regularity we are approached by individuals that fall into one of two classic archetypes: those who lead and those who follow. With the latter, our conversation usually begins with a broker or mid-level representative of the company. The individual is trying to break out of the mold they are resigned to, usually by getting creative with the ideas they can pitch to the C-level executives. Their hope is that this will curry favor with upper management, who will love the idea and help to elevate the representatives...