Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Graddon.
In 2008 Brian, a San Diego Firefighter and Paramedic began teaching CPR and First Aid classes locally. He soon after became a distributor for Philips AED’s at the prodding of his friend Tom, a Philips AED manager who needed a rep in the San Diego area. CPR training went hand in hand, and soon Brian and his wife Elizabeth (a Registered Nurse), had built a very small but fun little business called STAT. With full-time jobs and a growing family, business growth was slow, but in early 2012 they saw an opportunity.
AED Program Management was still relatively new, and the market was fragmented and confusing. Small AED distributors like STAT, who desired to offer AED Program Management to their clients were forced to re-sell programs that were cumbersome, outdated and complicated. They thought they could do better. So they partnered with programmers, physicians, and AED manufacturers to design a simple and modern Program from the ground up, all built around the question: “What is the easiest and most effective solution we can possibly create; One that we want to use ourselves as either an AED owner, or a Distributor.” They called it “AED Total Solution”.
They re-organized as an LLC, re-named themselves CPR1, and added to their team. Since that time they’ve seen the growth of 60-100% year over year, and they have no plans of slowing. So that’s where they came from in a nutshell.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Growing the business while I still worked as a Firefighter and my wife still worked as a Nurse, with 3 small children was tough.
Starting the business post-recession also caused some challenges. Since that time we’ve been fortunate to build a great team of administrators and instructors, and things have consistently gotten better and we’ve had great growth over the last 8 years.
CPR1, and AED Total Solution – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
What sets us apart is definitely our high service level and the excellence of our team, and of our classes. Our AED program is also one of the top in the industry nationwide, with custom client online portals and mobile apps for tracking all aspects of your AED, training and safety programs.
CPR1 is comprised of a dedicated team of healthcare professionals united behind a common goal: To combat sudden Cardiac arrest as a leading cause of death in the United States through the accessible placement of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) throughout communities in San Diego and nationwide, and through the widespread teaching of Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) taught through the American Heart Association.
Our customers range in size from large public entities such as the San Diego Regional Airport Authority (Lindbergh Field) and the cities of Carlsbad and Oceanside, to corporate clients of all sizes, to small pilates, yoga, and fitness studios.
Mission Statement:
We are a united group of caring and innovative individuals brought together from the organizational backgrounds of non-profit, corporate, and emergency medicine and rescue. Our Mission is to create a safer world through the implementation of intuitive AED programs, effective safety training, and emergency products of the highest quality.
Core Values:
• With the right training and equipment, every single person is capable of rapid, effective, and extraordinary action in an emergency situation.
• The potential of saving a single life more than justifies the cost and effort necessary to properly prepare for an emergency.
• We will always put the needs of the client first, recognizing that the best solution for the client may not always be the most profitable.
• Our relationships, both with our customers and with each other, are for the life of our business. Every decision will be made with this in mind.
• We will constantly re-analyze our program, teaching methods, and products – creating innovative solutions to address new challenges. The changing needs of our customers, advancing technology, and shifting markets make this critical.
• Honesty, integrity, and respect for life form the foundation of our business.
• If we aren’t growing, if we aren’t fulfilled from our work, if we’re not having fun, then we’re doing something wrong.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me is finding fulfilling work that you can do well, that makes a true impact in helping people at some level. It is enriched if you can do it with a team of quality people you truly enjoy spending your day with.
If organizations and the people in those organizations find real value in what you do, and you end up being well compensated for your efforts, then that is just the icing on the cake.
Pricing:
- We have AED packages under $1,000
- Our program which includes all AED supplies is approx $200/AED/year
Contact Info:
- Address: 3516 Seagate Way, Suite 120 Oceanside, CA 92056
- Website: www.AEDTotalSolution.com www.CPR1.com
- Phone: 1-855-888-2771
- Email: Info@CPR1.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPR1LLC/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cpr1-oceanside
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
