Are there any other ways to get started?
The way you can start the lending service despite your account is to first know how crypto lending work on this forum and how to secure your crypto by only providing your service to the high-rank user with a good reputation.
The last thing, buy a copper membership.
Do you think I can act as a lender by leaning on another user who escrow and who holds the collateral?
To protect your interest. You can make use of an escrow in some of your services but if it is not about protecting your crypto from loan defaulters there's no need for escrow.