Standing on Shoulders: How Mentorship Shapes Business, Faith and Life

I read a quote this morning that stayed with me.

“Our adoration of Jesus is best expressed by our emulation of Jesus.”

—Michael Strong

I loved that thought. It’s simple, direct, and powerful: What we do matters more than what we say. So I highlighted it. Then I noticed a little footnote at the end of the quote. Curious, I clicked it.

Turns out, Michael Strong was quoting Russell M. Nelson, from a talk he gave back in 1995. Naturally, I looked that up. (Morning study and warm socks make for excellent conditions for a rabbit hole. Haha.)

In Nelson’s talk, he too used a footnote. He was quoting Neal A. Maxwell, from a book he wrote in 1984. So of course, I went digging again. And wouldn’t you know it? Maxwell was quoting Hugh B. Brown, from a book in 1965.

At that point, I decided I’d gone far enough. But it made me wonder: Did Hugh B. Brown think of it first? Or was he standing on someone else’s shoulders, too?

It reminded me how everything we build is layered on what came before. Not just in gospel study, but in business, family, and life.

I once heard someone say, “I have dozens of mentors.” The person they were talking to looked stunned. “You mean, all those people committed to helping you?” The first person laughed. “Oh no. I’ve just read a lot of really good books. They don’t know they’re my mentors, but they are.”

What We’re Building at Yokl

Yokl didn’t invent food tours. Or trolleys. Or Hershey, Pennsylvania. Or the entrepreneurial spirit that runs deep in south central PA. But we get to weave all those things together to create something new and meaningful for our neighbors and our time.

We stand on the shoulders of Milton Hershey. Of small-town dreamers. Of teachers and founders and givers. Of every artist and baker and brewer who said, “Yes, I’ll share what I love with others.” And in return, we hope to create joy, connection, abundance, and a little bit of hometown magic.

The Takeaway

Whatever you’re building—whether it’s a company, a community, a testimony, or just a really good day, it’s okay to borrow wisdom. Let it shape you. And then make it your own. Adoration becomes real when it turns into action, when we stand on shoulders, and then offer our own shoulders for someone else to climb.