Why does Ries make more money than my dad? They’re both programmers; they both work with computers. The difference is that my dad has a Ph.D. and years of experience. Ries is much younger, lacks the experience, lacks the knowledge. Yet Ries makes so much more money right out of school. I guess another difference is that my dad is a foreigner. A permanent resident, yes, but a foreigner. Ries is American. It really is pretty unfair, but I guess that’s just life. I have to do my best to succeed, whatever that word means to me. I’ve no choice.