a start in life

a start in life

fiction
edward w pritchard

Out of college, freshly graduated after six years with a history degree I spent the next nine years
selling life insurance. It was quite the ordeal because I didn't have the proper love of money that was the first requirement for success in the job. Net net I am not sure if I broke even in that endeavor.

How I wished I could be like old Ben Feldman of New York life. Working in the small town of East Liverpool, Ohio old Ben, the most successful life insurance salesman ever once sold 20 million dollars worth of life insurance in one day. Never a week  went by when I was an insurance agent that I would not have lunch with a fellow agent who wasn't a close and personal friend with old Ben Feldman.

Doing a bit of historical research on New York life the top rated leading mutual insurance company today and a good philanthropic corporate citizen I came to find out that they got their start in business back in 1845 placing life insurance on slaves down Charleston SC way. For three years 1845 premiums on slaves financed the start of of a mega powerhouse of an American financial company.

It's undisputed that today New York life is a good corporate citizen and a fine place to work.Still like most success stories in business the Devil had a hand in their getting started in life.

And old Ben Feldman-what would he say on the matter? "No time to talk or judge I got ten prospects to see before lunch."