Debt Is Not a Last Resort - Designing Capital Before Urgency with Michael Wallace (TIMIA Capital)

Founders don’t think about debt when things are going well.They think about it when urgency forces the decision.In this episode of GTM Vault, Rick Koleta sits down with Michael Wallace, CEO of TIMIA Capital, to explain why debt fails when it is reactive and why disciplined operators design capital long before something breaks.Most founders assume debt is a last resort, something to reach for only when equity or growth stalls. In reality, debt fails because of timing, not because of risk. When capital decisions are made under pressure, optionality disappears, terms worsen, and control erodes. Predictability gives leverage. Urgency destroys it.This episode is for founders and operators navigating growth, dilution, or board control who want to understand how capital fits into a scalable GTM operating system. The solution is not better fundraising tactics. It is intentional capital design aligned to strategy, predictability, and execution.Build systems, not urgency.