Brij Patel, founder and CEO of Alliance Funding Group, believes experience is what makes an industry voice or brand stand out. “We’ve incorporated our learnings, some good and some bad, to build the best version of our business,” he says.

That experience has helped shape AFG’s evolution from a broker and lessor to a trusted balance-sheet lender. Over the past 10 years, the company has grown its assets under management to more than $1.2 billion and continues to focus on adding value for its clients, vendors and partners.

For Patel, thought leadership is rooted in adaptability and the stability it can provide during times of volatility. Under his leadership, AFG has fostered a culture that encourages employee participation.

“This industry has given me and my family all that I have,” he says, “and I want to pay it forward.”