Another up and coming organization is the American Health and Safety Institute (ASHI). ASHI is a newer organization that is less then 20 years old and provides both advanced (ACLS / PALS) and basic level certification courses. In this industry 20 years is very young, and although the program is based and AHA/ECC science and is legitimate, ASHI has the familiar challenge of competing with other organizations brand recognition and history. This same scenario has played out with many different industries and we don’t always find those who start early in the race finishing ahead of everyone else.

To date, there are many companies and individuals who have never even heard of ASHI. But the organization continues to grow and flourish and if persistent, they will most certainly become a household name as did the others. There will always be a market for basic level emergency care training. If you have experience working for a training center then that is a plus. There simply are corners and issues with running a training center that remain unknown to someone who is only an instructor and lacks the experience of the whole operation.

If you lack the experience with running a training center, you may want to consider starting your BLS training center as a side business and not a primary means on revenue. If it is considered “extra” income, then you are not dependent on the revenue and can give your training center the necessary time to grow without pressure to survive in a changing market. In this manner you are always in the “safe zone” because any income produced is extra. If you have experience running a training center, you know what the demand is in your area, and you have a certification that is going to meet the demand in the area, then you may be ready to launch your desired business campaign. Planning is critical here. There is an old construction saying that I like, “measure twice, cut once.” If the planning is well done, the work execution of the plan will be relatively simple. When engineers are building a massive structure they do so by following a well thought out blue print. Much of the work with running a successful enterprise is in the planning.

Running a basic life support training center can be fun or it can be a nightmare. It all depends on your approach. Make sure you have a good product (certification that is widely accepted), a good instructor base with good equipment and a solid business plan. Having all the right elements in place can make your experience serving others enjoyable.