The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-28
CHICAGO INSURANCE AGENT.
Successful Business Career of Miss Ida
Harmed.

Harmed.
The insurance business has been an
nexed from some time to woman's field
of endeavor and conspicuous among
women who have attained success in
the business world of Chicago Is Miss
Ida Harmed. She is recently in receipt
Of an international medal from her
company for having written more in
surance during the month of June than
any other agent in the world. Miss
Harmed is a little, black-eyed woman,
about % years old, but with a wide
business experience and a shrewdness
much beyond her years. She was ad-
vised upon her first venture in the in
surance world to attempt only small
business with women, such as teachers
and stenographers. But the suggestion
was not acted upon; she Immediately
began working upon large cases, mil
lionaires and persons of note whom
men hesitated to approach 1t was up
hill work at first, but what made it
more trying, the older agents laughed
at her in a good natured, patronizing
way and dubbed her Little Harmed"
Now they would be glad to share per
cent. of Little Harned's" commission.
In the matter of tact she can out
wit many men. One recent successful
experiment is fair sample of her
methods. A wealthy southerner from
Birmingham, Ala, was recently one of
luncheon party where she was. Not
being accustomed to women in bust
ness, he was consumed with curiosity
to hear her talk shop, while she was
specializing how, when and where she
could write him policy.
How long have you been in the in
surance business2N he asked.
This soup is delicious" she smiled
at the girl on the other side of the ia
BILE.
well, I'm SO years old" continued
fI1a RI t,nI
surance yet" && s
Fifty years DID," was Miss Harned's
mental comment But she talked ev-
erything but insurance. When the
colonel from Alabama called at her
neat little office the next morning to
pay his respects and say goodbye be-
fore leaving town, and Incidentally TO
hear her talk business, he was fully
staggered to see her pull out the slide
of her desk and place upon it the APP
plcation for insurance filled out for
himself.
How. much insurance did you say
you wanted?' she inquired gravely.
MOT a cent, not cent he pulled,
growing red in the face.
Just sign your name there, them
said the girl; well leave it $4,000;
here's pen; right here and, gasping
with establishment at himself and at
her, he did as he was told. Then he
heard a woman talk business; he
learned what favor this little woman
had conferred on him by increasing his
estate so many thousand dollars; he
learned how she had befriended his wife
and what a load she had removed
from his own mind in case of sudden
death, and finally she left him to the
tender mercies of a physician, who as
sured him of good health and a long
life.
During a recent banquet made up of
20 II aY
ned was challenged by one of the most
successful men present to six months
contest for volume of business, There
is much speculation as to the outcome,
but the majority are confident of Miss
Farned's success.
convent education was the girls
only preparation for a battle with the
world when at the age of 20 she was
thrown, an orphan, on her own re-
sources. Naturally ambitious, the
small salary and long hours of clerks
life repealed her, as did stenography and
like avenues, open to women. The real
estate business she finally decided was
a broad field for her energies, and she
rented desk room in a Chicago office.
She had cleared $500 in 10 days Son' a
sale of southern land. Her sticcess
continued and she finally decided to
locate in La Sale, ILL.,, where she could
have an office of her own. While there
an insurance agent who sought to in
sure her life ended by persuading her
to insure others. That was a red letter
day in her life, for since then she has
known success to the fullest extent; not
as women in business know it, but
from the standpoint of the successful
business man.