During a recent episode of “Pod Force One,” Secretary of Home Affairs Doug Burgham shared how his entrepreneurial mindset and humor led him to business school, reminiscing about his first job as a chimney sweep that provided him with a unique experience.
Burgham humorously recalled his job application for more than a few MBA programs: “I wanted something that would allow me to advance quickly and stay dirty all the time,” he joked while speaking with Miranda Devine. He took a bold approach, applying to top schools like Stanford, Harvard, Dartmouth, Northwestern, Virginia, and the University of Chicago, ultimately earning his MBA from Stanford.
“It felt like everyone was cleaning chimneys as part of the MBA experience,” he quipped.
Burgham, who would later become the Governor of North Dakota and a member of Trump’s Cabinet, started the Chimney Sweep Company in the 1970s while he was a senior at North Dakota State University.
He recalled a shift back to wood-burning stoves as oil prices soared, which presented an opportunity he recognized. “People couldn’t afford to heat their homes with oil anymore,” he noted.
This side venture caught the eye of the Associated Press, which published profiles of NDSU undergraduates, including a memorable black and white photo of Burgham sitting on a chimney in frigid weather. “There was steam everywhere, and ice too,” he described, explaining how he included that photo in his application materials.
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He further explained that while working as a chimney sweep, he wore a “top hat and tails,” which was part of the uniform he was expected to don. “There was this image, like Dick Van Dyke in ‘Mary Poppins,'” he noted, adding that some homeowners actually expected him to perform with a British accent when he arrived.
“I didn’t really know much about applying for business school back then,” he admitted, reflecting on his initial doubts. “I probably applied to seven programs, reaching what felt like zero success.”
When homeowners requested his chimney sweeping accompanied by a song, Burgham would say he could do it, but they needed to pay extra. “If they asked how much, I’d say I’d double the job price,” he laughed, indicating he had to perform for his payment.
