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The time:
1:43 am From a deep sleep, I
sat bolt upright and, surprised, exclaimed, "with my help, any CPCU
candidate can pass any CPCU exam."
"Dad, I've got an idea. Here's
the deal: If you front me $250,
I'll be able to get it off the ground.
If I make money at it,
I'll repay you 100% of the first year's profit up to $500.
If I don't make money, you'll lose your investment."
When the idea struck me, I instantly figured 12,000 exams times 20% (I
thought I should easily be able to get 20% market share.) times $125 (price per candidate per exam) times 60% (To allow for
my passing guarantee since every patron was guaranteed he'd pass--plus my
expenses.) would leave me with $180,000.
I figured I'd be rich.
That first year, from August 18, 1976 to the end of May 1977, I worked over
100 hours every week.
And I wrote The Burnham System for the entire CPCU.
In my spare time, I also prepared for and passed three
more CLU exams.
You have no idea how deeply envious I was of Jon's mother whose retirement
party I attended in June of 1977.
I took the summer off except for my full-time job at Burnham Insurance
Agency, which I'd had for the past one and one-half years.
That August (1977) I started all over again, improving The Burnham System,
enhancing it as I could, and updating it to reflect the Institute's changes.
My first year's sales (about $18,000) improved slightly in my second year.
Then disaster struck.
The Institute junked the entire CPCU curriculum and started again from
scratch with a much improved 10 part program.
In the third year of The Burnham System, my sales declined as I was only
able to write 5 of the 10 new parts … including the then-impossibly
difficult Part 8. In the fourth
year, The Institute junked the Part 8 and went to much easier, clearer
books.
In order to focus on The Burnham System, I left work at Burnham Insurance
Agency on 12/31/79.
The next big change was when I
started Burnham and Nale Insurance Agency with Nancy Nale.
We opened March 5, 1984.
After 10 years (from 8/76 to 8/86), the annual revenues of The Burnham
System had only doubled--to about $36,000.
Then, maybe because the agency was doing well, maybe because I was dating
seriously, maybe because lady luck decided I deserved it, sales started to
take off … and I do mean they
took off.
In 1989, I decided to expand my course offerings.
Over the years, there were many other changes at The Burnham System.
Then in 1989, I switched from Radio Shack to an Intel 286 computer with
Professional Write word processing.
In 2004, we upgraded our database again to help us provide even better
service. |
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I wish you, my patrons, every success ... always,
If you have any comments or suggestions to make, |
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Send Email
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For immediate assistance, please call 1-888-BURNHAM (1-888-287-6426) or email my office at info@BurnhamSystem.com or email me directly at Ray@BurnhamSystem.com. |
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Last updated:
03/11/2008
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