Every small business owner knows that the laws of finance will allow negative cash to be augmented with debt as a temporary means to an end, but not as a long-term way of life.

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It was a big jump from hard-core technical books with titles like Applying RCS and SCCS, to Parisian guide books, but as a sole owner O'Reilly was able to finance his dream.

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Original owner Vince Naimoli came from the world of finance too, but his fortune was built as a turnaround specialist, taking over struggling companies, streamlining operations, stripping out costs and then cashing out at a tidy profit.

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But the bridge finance would be expensive, relative to the interest the owner would receive from Verde's mortgage lending.

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If I don't return the car in time, or damage it, the contract will automatically be referred by the owner to an adjudication panel who can use my deposit or the owners bond to finance resolution.

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Chrysler's owner, private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, also owns 51% of GM's finance arm, GMAC.

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In both Europe and India, he points out, the state remains a big owner of enterprise, the capital markets have yet to supersede banks as a source of corporate finance, and share ownership is often concentrated in family hands.

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