If I recall correctly, a full one-third of their entire bankroll was from one of the founder's father-in-law, who got a home equity loan and invested. If that's so, it's not all that impressive--a few years ago, fly-by-night micro-hedge funds with "investors" who primarily consisted of mommy and daddy were the thing. This is little different in that sense--really, it's not all that difficult for someone with middle-class friends and family to raise 1 million plus for something like this, but it requires either supreme confidence, or an absolutely callous disregard for the money of loved ones. As satisfied and confident as I am with my play, I've never once taken money from a friend or family member to use for blackjack, and several have actually requested I do so. I just don't feel comfortable mixing friends and business--I'm pretty much assisting in the selling of things of various, sometimes dubious, value at work everyday, but the people on the other side of the table, no matter how courteous and friendly we become, know that ours is a business relationship first.
As far as their training program being capitalism, sure it is, and if you approve of such laissez-faire shenanigans, then fine, but I do find something rather immoral about offering a product of dubious value for money and then attaching religion to it. I myself am not religious, but people who are can be quite vulnerable to manipulation when something involves their faith.
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