Introducing Sonia of First Aid Corporate Training (FACT).
Sonia runs a first aid training company with her business partner Liz in the Midlands area. Read about Sonia’s journey into the world of first aid and find out what it’s like running your own company.
How did you get into teaching first aid?
In 2006 my business partner and I set up our own swim school starting with just 2 toddler classes and 2 parent and baby classes. Over time this led to us running 38 lessons a week with 8 staff. We taught beginners through to rookie lifeguards and junior coaches.
Part of the life guarding program we teach involves teaching some basic life support. Over time we got to thinking that we teach that anyway so why didn’t we take the step to train and deliver all first aid. I initially did the training and over the next two years built the first aid side of our business. It grew to a point where I couldn’t sustain and deliver all of the training on my own, we made the decision for Liz to do the instructor training so we would both be able to teach first aid.
What do you enjoy about teaching?
For me it’s about giving people the skills that one day may save someone’s life, you can’t give someone a better skill. But I also enjoy meeting such a variety of people from diverse and varied backgrounds and employment roles. This also means you have to maintain and build relationships, so they become a returning client which is important to me and I enjoy this. We deliver to GPs, dentists, teachers, road workers, drivers, child minders, children, young carers, home educated children and to the insurance industry to name a few.
How often do you teach first aid courses?
This really depends upon demand, but I like to be working 2/3 days a week this gives me a good work life balance.
What tips do you have for advertising your courses?
We do some social media marketing in terms of using LinkedIn and Facebook and although it’s not always course based it’s about having a presence on the platforms. We really should do more of this, however we are in the fortunate position where we get repeat work and lots of recommendations. Word of mouth has led to a growing network which sustains us both in a way we enjoy.
I certainly don’t ever feel I go to work! (Don’t let my husband know that though!)