Neither A Borrower Or A Lender Be?

"If you can't pay for a thing, don't buy it.  If you can't get paid for a thing, don't sell it."

 Benjamin Franklin

18th century American statesman

Leave it to old Ben to reduce commerce to its most basic form, with a dose of New England pragmatism thrown in for good measure.

Don't over extend is still good advice but how practical is it to attempt to conduct business this way?  

I never could have started and grown my companies had I not sometimes borrowed and had I not accepted some assignments where I might not (sometimes did not) get paid.