FIRST aid training company Hero HQ was born out of necessity.
The idea to start the business came to Nikki Jurcutz while she was working as a paramedic for Ambulance Victoria in 2010.
After arriving at countless scenes to find that people were unprepared to act effectively, Nikki put the idea to her sister, Rachael, and Hero HQ was born.
Armed with Nikki’s experience in paramedicine and Rachael’s background in education, the sisters became the youngest women in Australia to own a registered training organisation.
The business has enjoyed immense success and is the winner of this year’s Casey-Cardinia Business Award in the category of Health and Education.
The sisters “rocked off” to decide who would deliver their speech, so unprepared were they for the honour.
“It was just Nik and I last year. Now we have 30 girls Australia-wide,” rock, paper, scissors winner Rachael said.
“We know that the people we train will be able to save a life.”
Their goal is simple.
“At Hero HQ we provide our clients, both in the home and workplace, with a fresh, generation Y approach to first aid training,” Nikki said.
“We want every single person who walks away from our sessions to feel empowered to act quickly and effectively in an emergency, and ultimately be able to save lives.”
The business has two divisions. Hero HQ provides corporate first aid training services while Tiny Hearts equips expecting parents and caregivers with paediatric first aid skills.
Hero HQ is the fastest growing first aid training company in Australia and Nikki said it aims to transform the industry.
“Traditionally, first aid courses have left people feeling overwhelmed and bored meaning that people would not take in information and therefore they would not act appropriately in an emergency,” she said.
“Hero HQ’s point of difference is that courses are always interactive, engaging and dare we say it, fun!
“Our celebrity manikins George Clooney and Jen Hawkins are always a hit with our clients also.”
Thirty women are currently employed by the company, yet even bigger things are in store for the next year.
Hero HQ plans to expand throughout the country and even venture into international territory.
But Nikki said some things will never change.
“Most importantly, we will continue to empower people in the workplace, community and home with the life skills of first aid.”
Watch what they had to say at the awards night:
