The machinists.
Drivers.
Purchasing clerks.
Warehouse workers.
Engineers.
Salespeople.
Receptionists.
Apprentices.
Customers who trusted a company nobody had heard of.
Even Richard.
Especially Richard, in a way.
Because a company was not built only once.
Every generation either rebuilt its culture or allowed it to decay.
One Friday afternoon, Richard stopped at Daniel’s office.
“You heading home?”
Daniel put papers into a folder.
“Dinner with Clare.”
“Tell her I said hello.”
“I will.”
Richard remained by the doorway.
Daniel looked up.
“Something else?”
Richard nodded.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said.”
“That’s dangerous.”
Richard smiled.
“That first day.”
Daniel waited.
Richard looked toward the warehouse.
“I think I forgot what it felt like to start at the bottom.”
Daniel studied him.
“Most people do.”
“I don’t want to.”
Daniel stood and put on his coat.
“Then don’t.”
Richard laughed softly.
“That’s the advice?”
“That’s the whole thing.”