The company first invests in engineering/technology/product, in order to actually build a product, find the market fit, and innovate. Then the company invests

The company first invests in engineering/technology/product, in order to actually build a product, find the market fit, and innovate. Then the company invests in operations to scale the success they are having. Then the company invests in accounting and finance to squeeze costs and move numbers around, so they can make line go up without physically doing anything. Then the company invests in lawyers to attack competition and defend their business from attacks. Finally, the company invests in lobbying to shape the rules such that they don't even have to do any of the above four to make line go up.