Our Story

Our History

The Idea

While having lunch in a fast-food restaurant around April 4, 1980, I was contemplating. What value added service could I provide in the real estate community? How could I increase my standard of living? I had a wife and four kids. I was an educator with a few year’s experience as a dual career mathematician and realty licensee. I had not long ago completed my realty continuing education for license renewal. The instructor for the class was challenging, to say the least.

A few days afterward, while looking at the menu on the table at an eating establishment, I thought, “I am a certified teacher. I can definitely teach or offer realty instructions better than what I had just experienced.” But, where would I and how would I start? What would I charge for classes? The “Hamburger – $0.35 cents” and “French fries – $0.15 cents” prices stood out on the menu. I grabbed a napkin and began to write: “$35 for a 3-hour course per person.” Before I could finish that writing, another question came up. “How many classes would I have to teach at that price in order to match my teacher’s salary?” I gazed out the store window, thinking of an answer. There it was, on the restaurant billboard. The fast-food company’s name was glowing in the dark. “‘X’ million hamburgers sold last year,” the sign read. I grabbed another napkin and began figuring: “$0.35 cents times ‘X’ million hamburgers, plus fries, sodas, etc. Wow, that is a lot of money. If this fast-food restaurant can make this kind of money at $0.35 cents a hamburger, then surely I can match my teacher’s salary and more, I thought?” I grabbed another napkin and started writing again. “Henderson Professional Development Seminars, $35 a 3-hour class per person for ‘X’ number of persons per class for ‘X’ number of classes.” Thus began Henderson Professional Development Seminars (HPDS).

Building the School

I wrote my first realty curricula, submitted and got them approved by the District of Columbia Real Estate Commission. I taught realty approved pre-license sales, broker, and continuing education classes in my home, hotel conference rooms, in church basements, in bars, and in school multi-purpose rooms. Eventually, I got my first school location in the basement of a church in Northwest Washington, DC. As the student population began to grow, a larger commercial space for my realty school was sought. I was able to obtain my first commercial location in the old REALTORS building at 1511 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC. As the school continued to grow other various locations around the Washington, DC metropolitan area were obtained. HPDS achieved a school’s students’ licensing exams passing rate of 100% on both the realty broker’s and salesperson’s examinations. I wrote more curricula and got them approved by the Virginia Real Estate Board and the Maryland Real Estate Commission.

Growing Through Adversity

There were several setbacks along the way, and there was no one to go to for help or advice. So, I prayed, “God, give me this idea, so help me to do it and succeed.” It was a struggle with my four little kids stuffing flyers into envelopes and showing buyers properties buyers could not afford, appraising over-priced properties, handling tenant eviction issues, consulting with greedy sellers, advancing my graduate education, and raising a family. On some days, I had reserved and paid in advance for hotel conference rooms with food and beverages for 10 students, only to have no one to sign-up for the classes. As time went on, my faith in God increased and my belief in myself grew stronger.

The Full Course Menu

New opportunities began to open for me to offer realty education courses in other states. Also, my realty course offerings expanded to cover broker, salesperson, property manager, home inspector, and appraiser students. After teaching a class of appraiser students in a hotel conference hall, I went to the restaurant to whine down, relax, and eat dinner. I had my school name, and I did not have a brand. While looking through the menu in a nearly empty restaurant, I saw the words “Full Course Menu” and the different varieties of foods, beverages, and deserts that were available on the menu for patrons to select, eat or drink. There it was. That’s it: “Henderson Professional Development Seminars (HPDS) Full Course Menu” from which patrons could select and enjoy realty courses.

Today

Now, after some 40 plus years of providing excellence in realty education services, Henderson Professional Development Seminars, now HPDS or HPDSEM, continues to serve its “FULL COURSE MENU” with the best in realty education for your professional development. The focus at HPDSEM is to assist you towards achieving your goal of obtaining your realty license and/or increasing your service level to your clients and customers. Having earned the highest formal post-graduate teaching degree in education in existence, the Ed.D., I offer you full access to my knowledge to help you reach your goal. Also, the teaching staff at HPDSEM all have bachelor or master degrees, in a variety of disciplines, to augment your exposure to the best learning experiences possible using the media of synchronous, in-person, or, individualized instructions. At HPDSEM, you are not a customer. You are valued patron. HPDSEM says, “Thank you to my existing valued patrons; and, welcome to you, a new valued patron.” You have choices and thank you for choosing HPDSEM. Make your course selection today.

With best regards,
Dr. Samuel Lee Edward Henderson, Owner & Educator
P.S.: Please refer a friend.