The statement was: <<The tree was developed as a bonsai instead of being grown into a bonsai.>>, slightly different than you quoted me. You used for on both occasions instead of as and into

The delta:

A tree that is grown as a bonsai is a tree in which premature shaping/direction takes place into a final design well before the tree is developed or ready to be styled.

On the other hand a tree that is grown into a bonsai, is a tree were the growth patterns are developed/directed towards a certain end, and not necessarily styled. e.g inducing taper, developing branches where needed (allowing buds to grow and others to be removed) sacrificial branches to increase trunk girth and speed scar healing etc...

If we takes Frank's tree. the delta is obvious. Take the first 2 branches, they are barbells, or at least appear to be barbells in the photo provided. This will undoubtedly cause reverse taper at that juncture. One of those branches should have been chosen as the new leader whilst the other the primary branch. At the moment, IMO the area above the primary branches will develop huge reverse taper, it has already started and will only get progressively worse with time. To grow the tree another 1/3 might be a viable option to provide some taper (which should have been done in the ground) but we still need to address the reverse taper that is going to happen.

The trunk has beautiful bark and movement, something went adrift during it's development, that will take many years to correct, once again IMAO...