Barnum argues that every customer interaction either compounds or erodes business value. Politeness and civility are the best Capital a merchant can invest, because customers return to kind treatment and flee from rudeness. The cost of a single lapse is disproportionate: insulting a paying customer loses not just that individual but everyone they influence. Beyond transactions, charitable giving creates a reputation that commands patronage even when pursued purely as business policy. The most effective form is selective assistance to self-helpers, which produces the greatest benefit per unit of Charity.