Another important early childhood experience centered on door-to-door sales. Since his family did not have a lot of money, Kauffman would sell 36 dozen eggs collected from the farm or fish he and his father had caught, cleaned, and dressed. His mother was very encouraging during there formative school years, telling young Ewing each day, “There may be some who have more money in their pockets, but Ewing, there is nobody better than you.”