Pete Richardson
East Perthshire-based Pete Richardson runs First Aid Perthshire, which offers first aid services to events as well as a wide selection of first aid at work training courses for businesses.
Getting started
Pete set up First Aid Perthshire in the summer of 2016 after a 30-year career in the hospitality industry, mainly at the Hilton Dunkeld House Hotel as a health club manager.
Having always been a qualified first aider, he decided to start his own business after the hotel went into private ownership. The first year of business was, he admits, difficult as he struggled to pick up new clients initially.
The enterprise journey
Despite that, Pete has found the transition from being an employee to becoming a business owner a comfortable one and he incorporates situations he has dealt with throughout his career into his courses.
He says that building up a comprehensive network of contacts is vital to the development of his business, as is building up trust with those contacts to ensure that they go on to recommend First Aid Perthshire to their clients.
Since he first started, Pete has developed the range of courses he offers as well as the number of events he attends and courses he runs.
“It is great to see people who have little or no knowledge about first aid leave a course with the confidence and skills to perform CPR and use a defibrillator,” he says.
Support
As anyone who has done it can testify, starting a business from scratch can be a bit of a challenge, and Pete acknowledges this, saying: “You sometimes question whether you have made the right decision. Lots of people offer you advice but you don’t always know which advice to take.
“So many people have helped with my business – some previous contacts within the hotel industry, as well as building up a strong new network of local contacts through meetings and offering to do presentations and demonstrations of CPR and defibrillators, which is beneficial to everyone.
“I first heard about GrowBiz through my next-door neighbour who told me about some of the free support they offer businesses and suggested I got in touch.
“It seemed like a great way to connect with the local business community and since then I have attended a number of events and learning sessions.
“The XChange networking events are really useful and businesses involved with GrowBiz have their business cards, flyers and information about their services on display.
“As well as the networking events, I have also been to sessions on contracts, tax returns, Freeagent, Making Tax Digital and other informative events which help guide you to grow your venture.”
Looking to the future
Pete continues to develop the range of courses First Aid Perthshire offers, from Mini Medics for six to 12-year-olds to the full First Aid at Work courses and is looking at taking on additional instructors as the business and his client base grows.
