“leverage 'x' with 'y'”?

Question

I read through other questions regarding the use of "leverage" and wonder if you can "leverage one resource with another? For example "Leverage our resources with your own to help you gain market share."

I prefer not to use "balance."

Answer 1

You could, though you'd be at two metaphorical removes from the source of the word.

Unless the "resources" you are talking of using is borrowed capital, then your use of leverage would be a metaphorical comparison to that.

That word in itself is not completely divorced from the image of a physical lever.

It's a bit of a stretch.

Note that leverage has a sense "to use to maximum advantage", which we get by just abandoning the use of with:

Leverage our resources and your own to help you gain market share.

Or:

Leverage our resources combined with your own to help you gain market share.

Answer 2

This may, under some circumstances, be very proper.

Leverage entered financial jargon in the 19th century to describe the advantage of gambling with other people's money.

Suppose you invest $1,000 dollars in a stock. The stock goes up 10%, you make $100. Your metaphorical 'lever' is the same length on both sides of the fulcrum. $1,000 of cash buys $1,000 of stock.

But if your broker allows you to purchase on a 10% margin, you buy $10,000 worth of stock - the broker lends you the other 90% against the stock as collateral. Now if the stock goes up, you make $1,000. You've made your metaphorical 'lever' that much longer - you've 'leveraged' your resources with his.

Of course if the stock goes down 10%, you've now lost your entire $1,000, instead of just $100. Leverage works both ways.