DeGrooth 1

Julia DeGrooth
Mrs. Oliveira
20 January 2017
College Writing
Keys To Success
From a young age, almost every child aspires to be wealthy and successful. To be happy
and satisfied, surely one has to discover what generates bliss. Such desires help one to achieve
success in growing relationships, building strong families, and managing social agendas.
Satisfying these desires holds great meaning in Mr. Burrs life.
Kevin Michael Burr had a difficult childhood compared to his peers. His mother worked
odd jobs to make ends meet. His father however, abandoned his family at the age of eight. Their
newly defined nuclear family forced him to work harder in hopes that one day he could have a
different life than the one he grew up with. Although born with little to nothing, he was proud of
what he had. His mother instilled life lessons, teaching him great morals. Such morals helped
him shape the rest of his life.
Throughout high school, Mr. Burr had a difficult time fitting in. He and his brother
would be two of the select few to bring in their own bagged lunch, while the rest of their friends
and classmates bought hot lunch. The two had the opportunity to receive free lunch, but their
proud mother would not allow them to accept it. Handing in a bright orange paper would declare
their financial state to the lunch room. Because of their homelife, a nickname was made for the
two boys: becoming the brown bagged fags(Burr). It may have seemed funny to others back
then, but such profanity spurred Mr. Burr to be that much more successful in his future.

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In stop complaining and just work harder, Mr. Burr asserts his best attribute:
determination. Going to college for engineering, he later became employed in Milford,
Connecticut. Here he used his technical degree and worked extensive hours, from 12pm to 8pm.
These eight hour shifts allowed him to conserve enough money so he could continue to apply for
new managing positions until a worthy opportunity arose. Before finding his existing job, he
never gave up and never walked away from an opportunity that allowed him to further his
career to the level he is currently holding (Burr).
Today, he works as a manager for a chrome plating business in Providence. Chrome
plating puts a surrounding layer around metal to form a protective barrier so the product does not
rust. Being a manager of such a successful business, he deals with employees who do not have
the same goals or mindset as he, which can make the job a daunting task. This can become a
challenge as the employees tend to have varied ideals as compared to Mr. Burr. Although raised
differently, he believes no one will achieve success without working hard. Thus, people who do
not exceed expectations and work genuinely to the best of their ability, in everything they do,
aren't worth too much of his time. According to Mr. Burr, in a moment when, you want
something to be done right, give it to the person that is already busy, because they already have
that wavelength and mindset, and thus complete the task properly(Burr). Optimistic remarks
such as these, portray as a hard-working man he proves to be.
Working to improve his company, Mr. Burr tends to spend long hours consisting of
tedious work loads that only a rare few dare to take on. Through the tiresome workload, he finds
a thrill when he meets a goal and achieves great, and unprecedented heights, for his company;
not just for the money, but for the mere excitement of achieving. In his job Mr. Burr contributes
countless personal attributes which brings forth success in his company. Some of these

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characteristics include the use of systemic thinking to challenge his employees as well as himself
daily. Additionally, he strives for only the best work in every task he completes and assigns.
These traits which Mr. Burr exemplifies result in a successful company and career.
This success has brought him great financial security and within in it, he has raised his
family with similar morals that he exhibited throughout his life. Mr. Burr puts his three children,
Jackie, Michaela, and Randi first in his life. He teaches his children the same morals taught to
him by his mother. All of his well-mannered, athletic, and academically inclined children,
demonstrate how his hard work and conscientiousness reflect onto his daughters. He instilled in
them the importance of work ethic, determination, and never asking for anything for free
(Burr). His wife, Amanda Burr, even follows the same attributes as he, living within their
means, not having any debt, and making sure you pay for only what you need (Burr). These
intellectual adults share a committed and respectful relationship where they create strong role
models for the people who matter the most: their children.
All of humankind desires success, but only a select few can manage the task. Mr. Burr is
one of those men, who unlike many, continues to accomplish his dreams. Being happy and proud
of who he is holds more importance in his life than any paycheck. Mr. Burr uses his life lessons,
morals, and education to be the best person he can be. In fact, Mr. Burr compares himself to no
one, saying that he does what comes naturally and follows his own path, and following his
own path is surely what he does (Burr). By knowing his life goals, he stays true to himself,
resulting in a successful life and career. Many people in society may not have the same mentality
nor childhood as Mr. Burr, but the one thing humanity shares, is the ability to work hard, only if
an individual challenges himself hard enough. Along these lines, Mr. Burr continuously
challenges himself. Recently he decided to try to buy his current company. With this business

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decision, Mr. Burr hopes to influence the company by imparting his moral code and work ethic
to his workers. This large step in not only Mr. Burrs life, but in his family's and employees, will
likely leave all of the people in his life, touched by his dedication to be his best self, something
he has striven to do since a young boy.

Work Cited

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Burr, Kevin. Personal interview. 18 Nov. 2016.