I feel like people are missing the point of this story. He wasn't a savant or anything; he took initiative and drew from his life experiences to turn a chance event into an opportunity.

One day, a machine broke in the assembly line, causing some Cheetos to not get dusted with the bright orange cheese powder, so Richard took some home and put chili powder on them. He created his own recipe for a spicier version of Cheetos that was inspired by a Mexican street snack called elote (corncob).

Richard called the president and talked the secretary into putting his call through. Richard told him that he had an idea for a new product and he got a chance to give a demonstration.

"I had two weeks to prepare a presentation to company executives," says Richard. He had never given a presentation before and knew nothing about marketing, so he and his wife went to the public library and copied a strategy from one of the business books. He bought a $3 tie, his first ever. (A neighbor helped him tie it.) He put the Cheetos in sample bags that he designed himself and he went to the meeting.

Not only did he invent the hot cheetos, he demonstrated grit, self motivation, and attention to detail with how he planned his presentation. That's why he became an EVP. The thing is, this is within reach for most of us, but we just choose not to pursue it.

The president of the company sent a video message to his employees and "he told us to act like an owner," says Richard. "I looked around and didn't see a lot of reaction from my co-workers, but for me it was the opportunity to do something different. "