Our Story
Debra and Cole have worked together closely for decades, having served together on three non-profit industry organizations board of directors, including the American Factoring Association since 2009, where they both still serve today.
Our founders have started, ran, grew, and successfully sold AR Factoring and Asset Based Lending platforms to banks in the USA. Debra was president and chief credit officer of Vertex Financial, Inc., for 17 years, which sold in 2014, and has worked in leadership positions in commercial finance since she was 18 years old. Cole started State Bank’s (Austin, Texas) AR Factoring and ABL business in 1996, which sold in 2006. In 2007, Cole co-founded Far West Capital, which sold in 2018.
In 2019, Debra and Cole teamed up to purchase a portfolio of clients and brought together a team of highly experienced commercial finance professionals, e.g., the minimum amount of client facing experience is fifteen years.
Our shared passion for entrepreneurial success and flourishing brought us together and inspired us to rally behind the idea that is hidden in our name, Dare. We focus on our purpose relentlessly, and we invite you “to give” us a try today.
what sets us apart
core values
"A TEAM" Effort
We are more together than we are alone.
Our team is committed to working in lockstep with each other and our clients toward consistent long-term success.
Dare to Give, First
In Latin, “dare” means “to give.”
We believe in giving our best, putting our best foot forward, and working with clients who dare to give trust, transparency, and match our best with their own
Further + Onwards
There is always another improvement to make.
We take a growth mindset approach to our business and our clients’ success.
Radical Transparency
We strive to never surprise anyone with anything.
We will always share information − good or bad − with each other and with our clients, explaining every decision we make to the best of our ability.
→ Who We Are
We’re the financial partner you’ve always wanted on your team. We have a combined 60 years of experience helping entrepreneurs build and grow; we’ve lent over 6 billion dollars to fund working capital needs. Obstacles? Complications? You name it, we’ve seen it – and overcome it. We love forming long-term relationships with growing companies; we especially love getting to know you, your goals, and your needs. We’ll support your success as long as you need us.
→ Who We Do
Do you need working capital to grow? Have outstanding invoices you’d love to get paid off today, not in 30 or 60 days? We factor accounts receivables and provide lines of credit for growing companies. We’ll be there to help you grow and scale; We’ll be there when you need advice or an introduction; and when there are problems, we strive to be your first call. We’ll always tell you the truth−good news and bad news−and share everything that informs our decision making.
→ Who We Do It
We’ve helped grow thousands of companies, most of whom have worked with us for years. And we know what it takes. Our vision is to help create growth and success for Entrepreneurs willing to embrace The Journey. P.S. We are on the same Journey, so we get it
Our Clients Are Like Family
We want to be there with you every step of the way. Our goal is to help you grow and achieve what is important to you. We are here for you and much or as little and you want us to be. When you succeed, we succeed.
Our Team of Experts
We will walk you through the process every step of the way.
Cole Harmonson
Co-Founder & CEO
From the very beginning of his career, Cole has recognized the transformative value of factoring and asset-based lending to manage cashflow for growing companies without impacting equity.
In 1996, he founded State Bank’s factoring and asset based lending business; when they sold their business in 2007, Cole took the leap into entrepreneurship and founded Far West Capital, which had a successful bank exit in 2018 after supporting hundreds of companies’ growth.
Debra Zukonik
Co-Founder and COO
Debra Zukonik is a well-known and respected leader in factoring and asset-based lending, with over 30 years’ experience. Her risk-management expertise is unparalleled in the working capital industry.
Prior to joining Dare Capital as Chief Credit Officer, she was the President and Partner of Vertex Financial, a leading Texas-based factor, from 2001 to 2017, and served as Chief Credit Officer of BAMFi from 2017 to 2019.
Carson Harmonson
Analyst
Carson is a recent graduate of St. Edwards University. Carson joined our team immediately after earning a degree in Entrepreneurship.
Carson has a passion for helping entrepreneurs surpass their goals via asset based lending and factoring.
Before joining Dare, Carson helped grow a local water sports venue from a thousand customer season to a ten thousand customer summer before leaving.