Part 3/11:
Bell assumed a marginal role in the company's operations, focusing on his work with the deaf while his father-in-law, Gardiner Hubbard, managed the business. Under Hubbard's guidance, Bell employed a capital-light business model that empowered local entrepreneurs to operate regional telephone networks, known later as the Bell Operating Companies. This grant of exclusivity allowed Bell to scale rapidly without significant outlay on infrastructure, creating a network of interconnected local operators.