Interior Secretary Doug Burgum tells ‘Pod Force One’ the joke that got him into seven business schools

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum shared a humorous anecdote from his early days as a chimney sweep on the latest episode of “Pod Force One.” Burgum revealed that his witty one-liner about wanting a job where he could always stay in the black helped him get admitted to several prestigious MBA programs, including Stanford University where he ultimately earned his MBA.

In the 1970s, as a senior at North Dakota State University, Burgum started his chimney sweep company due to the energy crisis caused by the OPEC oil embargo. With the price of oil doubling, people turned to burning wood to heat their homes, creating an opportunity for Burgum to start his business.

The Associated Press even published a profile on the rugged NDSU undergrad, featuring a photo of Burgum sitting atop a chimney in freezing temperatures. Burgum used this photo on his MBA applications, along with his signature top hat and tails uniform that he wore to homeowners’ front doors.

Despite homeowners expecting him to put on a faux-Cockney accent and sing the “Chim Chimney” song from “Mary Poppins,” Burgum cleverly avoided the requests by jokingly charging double for the job if they wanted him to perform. This tactic spared him from having to sing and entertained his customers in the process.

Burgum’s entrepreneurial spirit and quick wit not only helped him succeed in business school but also shaped his approach to customer interactions during his chimney sweep days. His ability to combine hard work with humor and creativity set the stage for his future as the governor of North Dakota and a member of the Trump cabinet.