Interview with Jude from Results First Aid Training

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Meet Jude from Results First Aid Training

Jude is a guest speaker at the upcoming WBS Networking Event on the 6th of October

Jude Barnes is CEO of Results First Aid Training. Jude and her husband Rory established Results First Aid Training in 2013 upon returning from 10 years living in the USA. She has over 25 years training experience teaching qualification ranging from hospitality, customer service, sales and first aid.
Jude is a real people person and throughout her 25 year training career the one thing that has remained constant is her passion for training in an interactive and friendly manner. Her expertise in training staff over many years has ensured she can communicate the most complex concepts in a simple manner.
Her philosophy is simple: First Aid is a serious skill that can be taught in a very simple and effective way to empower a person to do something in an emergency and thus save lives.

Tell us about your business

We deliver Nationally Accredited CPR, First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis training courses. We also supply Defibrillators and Defibrillator training.

Why and when did you start your own business?

We started in 2013 having just returned to Melbourne after 10 years living in the USA.

What does being a business owner mean to you?

It’s exciting! I love the freedom it gives me to make a decision and act on it.

What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?

My first and greatest influence was my father, he was an entrepreneur who started many businesses over the years, some very successful and some not so…

He always, always told me I could do anything…just go for it and believe in myself.

My older brother Andrew is also a great mentor to me, he also owns a successful business here in Pt. Cook – AR Property Investments.

What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment to date?

Establishing this business and seeing it grow successfully over the past 3 years. Seeing the number of people we have trained and hearing the great stories from our students of how being first aid confident has helped them in many different situation and even saved lives.

What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our readers?

Never stop promoting your business. You may know you have the best product on the market but that doesn’t result in much if you don’t get that message out to all the people that need your product. The most important time to promote is when you think you can least afford it – you just have to bite the bullet and do it and the calls will roll in…

What has been the most effective marketing initiatives or programs you have used to promote your business?

For us face to face is our best tool – at least 3 hours every week where we go into businesses and introduce ourselves and our product.

Social Media management backed up with leaflets in letterboxes

Getting involved with the community, we sponsor several local sporting clubs

What is one thing you have you learned as a small business owner that has served you well over the years?

Always deliver more than people expect. Give them an amazing product/service or experience for their money.

Are there any resources or tools you’d like to share with other small business owners that have helped you run your business?

http://www.leafletsinpointcook.com.au/

Do you have any new projects coming up (or have you just completed a big project ~ reached a milestone, etc.)?

Relocating to larger premises is our next major project. We are currently looking for just the right place for us, somewhere local with parking.

What do you do for fun/relaxation?

Travel, movies, knitting, cooking

What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?

Self belief

Attention to detail

Don’t think of your business as work – for me it is my life and I LOVE it!

What is a fear you face in business? Have you overcome it? How do you manage fear?

Financially over-commitment is my biggest fear. I have lots of ideas for expansion that I would like to start NOW however new projects need to be financed and this can lead to some sleepless nights. Should I do it now or wait???

I tend to face my fears head on. I find that truly confronting a problem or a worry I can usually find a solution or a way to work through the situation.

What are your top 5 goals you want to achieve by the end of 2016?

New commercial premises

New trainers on board

New courses on scope

New partnerships with other training providers

Reach our target number of certificates issued for 2016 which is 30% more than 2015

What makes you happy?

My family

Helping people

Happy customers

Have you had to make any sacrifices whilst running your business? If so, what are they?

No holiday pay, sick pay or long service leave!

Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most and why?

Sage Institute of Training – their advertising campaign is so multi-layered and I think everyone in Melbourne has heard their name.

Where you see yourself and your business in 10 years? 20 years?

I would like to think, at my age, that I will have a great team in place running the day to day business allowing me to step back a bit and enjoy my grandchildren (still to come)

What book has inspired you the most?

Favourite Novel: Shogun by James Clavell

Inspirational Book: Grant Cardone – Selling, the Secret to Success and Sell or be Sold

How do you measure your success in business?

Achieving my goals which brings a level of lifestyle that is comfortable and enables me to do the other things in life that I like to do, like travel.

Do you have kiddies if so how many? And what is their favourite activity to do with you.

My husband Rory and I have been married for 32 years and we have 3 kiddies – spread out in age – one born in the 80s, one in the 90s and one in the 00’s!

Spencer is 27 and still lives in Florida in the USA with his wife Lea. Spencer is also an entrepreneur and is a partner in an internet marketing business which he and 2 friends started 10 years ago, they now have approx 40 employees.

My daughter Ellie is 22 and recently married. She lives in Tullamarine with her husband Alex.

My youngest is Harvey, he’s 14 and still lives at home with us.

What is your favourite inspirational quote you would like to share with other WBS members?

There’s no such thing as failure – just not enough follow through.

Please add your top 5 business tips:

Find out what your customer needs and wants and deliver it to them. Listen to them. Survey your public, don’t presume you know.
Promote, promote, promote – never stop promoting.
Keep good records and graph your statistics so you can visually see what is happening in your business on a daily or weekly or monthly basis, you can then act quickly to make changes if needed. Don’t find out too late that you’re not viable.
Focus on customer/student experience – don’t focus on the money, that will come if you deliver a great product.
Be honest and ethical in your business – treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. Pay your bills.