--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The goose lays the golden egg. Payrolls…" description: "\"The goose lays the golden egg. Payrolls make consumers.\" — George M. Humphrey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/george-m-humphrey-53751_consumers_the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-m_2168219.png" --- # The goose lays the golden egg. Payrolls make consumers. ![“The goose lays the golden egg. Payrolls make consumers.” quote by George M. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/george-m-humphrey-53751_consumers_the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-m_2168219.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/george-m-humphrey-53751_consumers_the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-m_2168219.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/george-m-humphrey-53751_consumers_the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-m_2168219.png) > “The goose lays the golden egg. Payrolls make consumers.” [George M. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-humphrey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that consumer demand drives production, likening it to a goose laying golden eggs. **In simple terms:** Consumers create wealth. Key Takeaway Focus on consumer needs. Themes economics production consumerism Mood analytical pragmatic Type economic business When to use this quote - marketing - product development - investment decisions Key Concepts supply and demand value creation Questions to Reflect On - How can businesses serve diverse consumer bases? - What limits consumer‑driven growth? A Different Perspective Assumes all consumers have purchasing power. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Egg Payrolls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egg-payrolls-4630782/) [Eggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eggs/) [Geese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geese/) [Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden/) [Lays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lays/) [Make Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-consumers-1772515/) [Payroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/payroll/) [Payrolls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/payrolls-1889145/) [Payrolls Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/payrolls-make-4630783/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[...\] we are on the payrolls of two dozen different companies as consultants, but we do absolutely nothing for our paychecks, just like normal consultants.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/we-are-on-the-payrolls-of-two-dozen-different-companies-as/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [Given that you'll never be able to prevent copying, the question is, what can you do to minimize it? What can you do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-felten/given-that-you-ll-never-be-able-to-prevent-copying-the-question-is/) [Edward Felten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-felten/) > [You've to make consumers smart. An e-commerce portal doesn't sell a product at cheaper rates, instead an offline shop sells it at a costlier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/you-ve-to-make-consumers-smart-an-e-commerce-portal-doesn-t-sell-a/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Critics of consumer capitalism like to think that consumers are manipulated and controlled by those who seek to sell them things, but for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/critics-of-consumer-capitalism-like-to-think-that-consumers-are/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Lack of resources (payroll), time and competing priorities are why so many nonprofits haven't done well. It's that simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/lack-of-resources-payroll-time-and-competing-priorities-are-why-so/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you hire relatives, you'll have a payroll that won't quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-berle/if-you-hire-relatives-you-ll-have-a-payroll-that-won-t-quit/) [Milton Berle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-berle/) > [ Did folks know that the tax to fund the program \[Social Security\] only hits salaries up to $110,000? That means that if you make… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-bernstein/did-folks-know-that-the-tax-to-fund-the-program-social-security-only/) [Jared Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-bernstein/) > [ Our \[generation\] people have the worst diet of anybody. I'm ready to put a farmer on my payroll. We've got to get back to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/our-generation-people-have-the-worst-diet-of-anybody-i-m-ready-to-put/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [If you look at the Forbes 400, they are paying a lower rate, accounting payroll taxes, than their secretary or - whomever around their office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/if-you-look-at-the-forbes-400-they-are-paying-a-lower-rate-accounting/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I was $4,000 short on my first payroll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-douglas/i-was-4-000-short-on-my-first-payroll/) [Tom Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-douglas/) > [Republicans want to punish work and reward wealth; hence the high payroll tax and the low dividend tax. Said one Bush economic adviser, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-begala/republicans-want-to-punish-work-and-reward-wealth-hence-the-high/) [Paul Begala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-begala/) > [I am not a great fan of the payroll tax holiday because I'm nervous about what it does to the future of Social Security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-am-not-a-great-fan-of-the-payroll-tax-holiday-because-i-m-nervous/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Timing is everything. Tell me how a young man spends his evenings and I will tell you how far he is likely to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/timing-is-everything-tell-me-how-a-young-man-spends-his-evenings-and/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [“The big change has been in the hardware/software cost ratio. The buyer of a $2-million machine in 1960 felt that he could afford $250,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-p-brooks-jr/the-big-change-has-been-in-the-hardware-software-cost-ratio-the-buyer/) [Frederick P. Brooks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-p-brooks-jr/) > [The big story now is that President Bush is coming under attack for his service in the National Guard. The White House said, 'no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-big-story-now-is-that-president-bush-is-coming-under-attack-for/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) ## More by George M. Humphrey > [I think things that contribute to the destruction of our free-incentive system are wrong. A trend against that free-incentive system is wrong, and should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/i-think-things-that-contribute-to-the-destruction-of-our-free/) [George M. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-humphrey/) > [You can't set a hen in one morning and have chicken salad for lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/you-can-t-set-a-hen-in-one-morning-and-have-chicken-salad-for-lunch/) [George M. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-humphrey/) > [It's a terribly hard job to spend a billion dollars and get your money's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/it-s-a-terribly-hard-job-to-spend-a-billion-dollars-and-get-your/) [George M. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-humphrey/) > [I don't see any significant recession or depression in the offing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/i-don-t-see-any-significant-recession-or-depression-in-the-offing/) [George M. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-humphrey/) > [I don't think you can spend yourself rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/i-don-t-think-you-can-spend-yourself-rich/) [George M. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-humphrey/) [Explore all 6 George M. Humphrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-humphrey/) ## More Consumers quotes > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [I've always considered making it legal for Americans to import their prescription drugs a free-trade issue. Imports create competition and keep domestic industry more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/i-ve-always-considered-making-it-legal-for-americans-to-import-their/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [“In a world where consumers had limited choice, you needed to compete for locations,” says Ross, who went on to cofound eCommera, a British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/in-a-world-where-consumers-had-limited-choice-you-needed-to-compete/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [The capitalistic social order, therefore, is an economic democracy in the strictest sense of the word. In the last analysis, all decisions are dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-capitalistic-social-order-therefore-is-an-economic-democracy-in/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is it is what consumers tell each other it is. - Scott Cook,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cook/a-brand-is-no-longer-what-we-tell-the-consumer-it-is-it-is-what/) [Scott Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cook/) > [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [Why is Caterpillar bad if we create a new job in India or China to receive U.S. exports? It makes no sense to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-r-oberhelman/why-is-caterpillar-bad-if-we-create-a-new-job-in-india-or-china-to/) [Douglas R. Oberhelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-r-oberhelman/) > [America always put forth this phony melting pot theory, but it's a reality now. They couldn't accomplish the melting pot economically; they couldn't accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/america-always-put-forth-this-phony-melting-pot-theory-but-it-s-a/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [Gaming provides us with some very good signals about consumers and what they're interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-johnson/gaming-provides-us-with-some-very-good-signals-about-consumers-and/) [Peggy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-johnson/) > [As consumers adopt crypto, we hope that they'll also be interested in trading equities and options.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baiju-bhatt/as-consumers-adopt-crypto-we-hope-that-they-ll-also-be-interested-in/) [Baiju Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baiju-bhatt/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [Consumer wants can have bizarre, frivolous, or even immoral origins, and an admirable case can still be made for a society that seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/consumer-wants-can-have-bizarre-frivolous-or-even-immoral-origins-and/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Many of us are alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of medical care, including patients, who are the consumers. However, medical malpractice is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-baca/many-of-us-are-alarmed-at-the-skyrocketing-cost-of-medical-care/) [Joe Baca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-baca/) > [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 1,606 Consumers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The goose lays the golden egg. Payrolls make consumers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George M. Humphrey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-make-consumers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consumers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-make-consumers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/george-m-humphrey-53751_consumers_the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-m_2168219.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/george-m-humphrey-53751_consumers_the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-m_2168219.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/george-m-humphrey-53751_consumers_the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-m_2168219.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The goose lays the golden egg. Payrolls make consumers.” — George M. Humphrey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George M. Humphrey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-humphrey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The goose lays the golden egg....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-make-consumers/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/the-goose-lays-the-golden-egg-payrolls-make-consumers/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```