Andersen's brothers worked for E. H. Sheldon and Company in Muskegon, a manufacturer of specialty school furniture. Too young to work in the factory, Elmer's first job was helping his mother, who took in washing. From there he moved on to selling newspapers, vegetables, specialty products, candy bars and soft drinks. He also carried travelers' bags from the boat docks to the train station. "I love selling," he wrote. "I love the interchange with people. A good salesman gains influence on another person's mind. That makes selling quite a serious undertaking." At the age of fourteen, Andersen joined his brothers at the Sheldon furniture factory. He also wrote short essays on birds that were published in the Muskegon "Chronicle". "The thrill I had seeing those columns in print was the start of an abiding attraction to the newspaper business."