I recently got an unexpected lunch invitation. The most successful real estate developer I know made a beeline for me in the church lobby. He requested lunch as soon as possible. 

We met for lunch the next day. We hadn’t even ordered when he started pouring out his heart: 

“I’ve got a problem. I’ve been doing business with two banks for decades. One of the bankers has become a close personal friend.” 

He paused with a pained, pensive stare at nothing. 

“But they’re both acting…weird. They seemed nervous last fall. But now it’s more serious than that.” 

He went on to describe how his favorite banker changed the terms and then outright canceled an approved loan days before closing a few weeks before. This deal had been in the works for well over a year. My friend had to make a painful phone call to the seller to sheepishly ask for an extension to a now-uncertain closing date. 

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