The Eyes
Stand Closest to the Wallet.
Money flows from the customer down. Whoever stands nearest the customer drinks first.
Picture the money as water poured in at the top - the customer's hand. It runs downhill through everyone on the chain, and each person drinks as it passes. By the time it reaches the person who did the actual work, most of it has already been drunk. That is not unfair. That is gravity. The position nearest the wallet always drinks first and drinks most.
So the move is never to work harder further down the pipe. The move is to climb up the pipe, toward the mouth, toward the wallet. Own the relationship with the person who pays, and everyone downstream - including the people with all the skill - now depends on you to eat.
Position is gravity. Get as close to the paying customer as you possibly can.
This is one of 48 laws from MIDDLEMAN - The 48 Laws of the Money in the Middle. Read it in full to climb the whole building, floor by floor.