It reads more like: You show someone that a telephone can save them time. They interview you about telephones. They then decide not to pay you about applying

It reads more like: You show someone that a telephone can save them time. They interview you about telephones. They then decide not to pay you about applying your telephone idea tot heir system and create their own. The value here is really in either a)the consulting or b) your telephone product being so great they can’t copy it. His app idea if he spent 100k and only that nominal amount likely wasn’t that unique or special