Man, I saw a toaster oven repair where the issue was a rogue crumb jamming the door switch...

Deleting the cards is scary, but letting characters argue you into a scene is the real magic.

That line about reputation being the byproduct really hit me too. I had a similar moment with a plumber I hired for my own place years ago. He spent an extra hour showing me how to shut off the main valve and which pipes were original to the house, stuff he didn't have to do. I still call him for everything and recommend him to every tenant I have. It made me realize that the small things people remember are rarely the ones on the invoice. Since then I've tried to treat every interaction like it might be the one someone talks about later. It's crazy how one random conversation can just rewire your whole approach.