We all love watching someone win.

Whether it’s some ripped athlete snagging gold, the newest Marvel hero mastering a badass superpower, or even someone we know landing the order of a lifetime, something inside us shouts hell yes when a victor drinks the milk.

It’s a moment we dream about.

Through one trial and then another, we slog along because there’s a point to the journey—a finish line, however far, waiting for us…

And nothing beats crossing it.

Story experts like the late Joseph Campbell recognize this as the hero’s victory. Humbled and strengthened by a dozen wash cycles, tested in the cave, and then lifted to a higher calling, the hero receives a great gift, an elixir.

Or, as Campbell puts it, the ‘ultimate boon.’

Whatever we call it, the thing’s no soccer trophy.

In the hands of the unprepared, the reckless, or the undeserving, the great gift turns to ash… or something even worse.

In the right hands, it’s empowerment, a testament to the maturity of someone who’s gone the distance. It’s also a game-changer for everyone else in the story.

For us average Joes, the ultimate gift may be less of a climax than we’d like it to be.

But it’s a mile marker, nonetheless, a sign of how far we’ve come since answering the call.

But is there more to the story?

You bet there is.

What happens when the gift’s not what you expected?

There’s an old Zen proverb that shows how everything can turn on a dime. When a farmer’s horse runs away, his friends try to comfort him, insisting that it’s a terrible misfortune.

But the farmer replies with a shrug… and the word maybe.

When the horse returns, everyone tells him how lucky he is. Again, the farmer says maybe.

When his teenage son falls from the horse and breaks his leg… and when the marauding army comes and rounds up all the young men to fight in the war—except the son with the broken leg—the farmer watches, listens, and just shrugs.

That’s great! … Aw, that really sucks.

Maybe.

And on it goes.

Sure… We get it. We sigh and roll our eyes, because yeah… life does that.

When everything’s a nonstop roller coaster, you learn to hold your breath…. and expect some fire ants at the picnic.

But in a time of hundreds of canceled flights, prices raised to highway robbery, and creeping health mandates—all on the heels of a record-shattering vaccine rollout and a summer bursting with travel— maybe hits pretty close to home.

Getting what we want doesn’t mean we’ll like what comes with it.

And just like that, with that sweet victory taste still lingering, we’re back in the wash cycle.

Like it or not, life whittles all things down. But as every hero knows, that’s no reason to quit fighting.

Values for facing the unknown

Maybe you’re still on rinse.

Or maybe, like Indy in the forbidden temple or Bilbo Baggins at the dragon’s lair, you’re honing in on some glimmering treasure.

In our industry, we know that gifts are catalysts, good problems that trigger big uncertainties.

Whether it’s winning a big order, an acquisition, unexpected growth, or a new product launch, the ultimate boon unlocks newer, trickier levels… and leads to a ridiculous amount of maybes.

We all know it ain’t the end.

Dare has been there.

More than once, we’ve crossed the finish line, stood on the podium… and then tangled with some mean bullies in the parking lot.

How do we face the unknown?

We do it by delivering proactive insights… by building relationships based on trust, where failures and vulnerabilities can be turned into strengths.

We give what you can’t get elsewhere.

Further and Onward

Whether you’re reaching a finish line or simply trying to keep up with all the moving pieces, Dare’s piece is that we’re tracking with you.

We understand life is one maybe after another.

Whether it’s victory, defeat, or just more wash cycle, when the story goes further, we say onward.

Our proprietary platform comes with empathy and relationship. It’s not just a chance for us to make money off you.

We’ve got a broad mission: giving passionate, transparent, and daring entrepreneurs a foundation for growth. We partner with those who take the bad with the good and look to the long game.

Further and onward are core values.

Because the real lesson learned is that the lessons keep coming. They continue, and so do we… ultimate boon or not.

If further and onward sound good to you, and if you’re someone who won’t back down, then give us a call!