A number of years ago some enterprising deal makers at GE Capital proposed a series of transactions that would provide financing for a chain of funeral homes. From a financial perspective, it looked like an attractive proposition: The terms were good, the demographics pointed to a growing market need, and the fragmentation of the industry suggested major opportunities for continued consolidation. When the idea was presented to Capital’s CEO, Gary Wendt, however, he asked how the company would be perceived if a GE-financed funeral home was accused of overcharging a bereaved family or didn’t provide proper services for someone’s beloved grandmother. In his opinion, the deal did not pass what he called the “reputational smell test.”