You’ve had your own fitness/training business for 20 years. In your late 50’s, you launched another business, Stayin’ Alive CPR. What prompted you to start this new entrepreneurial endeavor?
Because I was getting bored! I’m someone that never stops moving, never stops growing and I truly believe in caring for and helping others better themselves. What led me to founding Stayin’ Alive CPR & Safety is that about ten years ago I started noticing companies really starting to focus on wellness in the workplace and workplace safety. “There are about 10,000 cardiac arrests in the workplace each year in the United States,” (US Occupational Safety & Health Administration) and according to the American Heart Association only 50% of people can locate an automated external defibrillator (AED) at work. Knowing that small piece of information and how to effectively use one has the potential to save thousands of lives! Becoming a CPR instructor was a good supplement to what I was already doing as a personal trainer and teaching others to become lifesavers really resonated with me. I decided to go full time since I already had the knowledge and licensure to run my own business and it still follows my passion of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and helping others to do the same. And since I like a challenge and never want to stop learning, I now offer AED inspection, maintenance, and installation as well!
You work with the American Heart Association, the Red Cross and individual businesses. What does all of that entail?
The spice of life – variety! In a single week I could teach everything from a babysitting class for a Girl Scouts Troop to a CPR/First Aid/AED + Life Threatening Bleeding & Tourniquet class at a plastics manufacturing company. I work with pharmacies, nursing students, private companies, local youth sports organizations, community classes, daycares – the list goes on and on. The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross are first and foremost humanitarian organizations. They both have high standards and require strict adherence to the course information and by partnering with them, I am ensuring my customers are receiving the best and most up-to-date information while also fulfilling my desire to help others. Because they are recognized as the standard when it comes to CPR/First Aid/AED certification, I am able to employ instructors all over the country, and I run it all from my cell phone and laptop!.
What advice would you give someone who has an idea that they want to pursue? What have been the pros and cons in starting something new?
Advice: Find a mentor! Be open to learning, let them show you the ropes, shadow them, ask questions, maintain open communication with them and ask for their honest feedback. Accept that you don’t know everything, ask more questions and never stop learning.
Pros: The earning potential has been huge for me. As mentioned, I employ instructors around the country allowing for more income growth than personal training could allow. As my reputation has grown for being thorough and truly knowing the material, I have become the go-to instructor in my area which means I am never short on work. I get to be my own boss and schedule trainings around my life, plus I’m helping others learn a life-saving skill and so even on my most hectic days, I feel good knowing that. I am never bored these days and I’m keeping my brain young because I’m always learning whether it be new teaching techniques, apps, new technology, etc. Perhaps one of the best pros is getting to meet so many different people in so many different walks of life and as a result, my own education/knowledge/empathy of others has grown. I’ve become a more understanding person.
Cons: The start-up fees, as most businesses have, can be a lot initially. Definitely not as much as many other businesses, but still a consideration. The time it took to get certified myself and the steep learning curve when it came to the different companies and their processes for reporting scores took some time, but that’s where my mentors came in and helped to pull me along.
