As a child who spent a lot of time in the hospital, Jordan Peterson knew early on he wanted to devote his career to helping others.
“At first, I dreamed that I wanted to become a doctor or an orthopedic surgeon so I could make a difference in people’s lives,” Peterson said. “Then I thought about becoming an elementary school teacher to help shape the younger generation.”
But once Peterson finished high school, he realized that he didn’t want to go to college after all. At the time, he was working at the YMCA as an aquatic manager and teaching CPR was a big part of his job – and the part he found most fulfilling.
“It was the perfect mixture of both the healthcare and education fields,” said Peterson, who got his initial CPR certification at age 16 when he was working as a lifeguard. “I absolutely fell in love with teaching CPR and sharing this important skill with my students.”
In fact, Peterson loved it so much that he decided to start his own CPR training company, MN CPR LLC, in 2020. And that’s when things took a turn no one could see coming.
“My plan was to do this business part time to make some extra money so I could afford to pay my bills,” he said. “I opened my first location and then two weeks later, Covid hit. I lost my job at the Y and all of a sudden, I had a new full-time job.”
Launching a new business at the start of a pandemic would be a challenge for any business owner, but for Peterson, who was only 18 at the time, it was a huge eye opener that forced him to take a major leap of faith.
“I doubted myself for the longest time,” said Peterson, who is now 21. “Because I’ll be honest, I’ve never known another 18-year-old who was able to start a business and make it successful. That’s just not something you ever hear about.”
The early days were rough. With lockdowns in place and so much uncertainty about the virus, he only had five or six people sign up for classes in his first four months of operation.
“I made about $300, and just one month of rent at the office was $400,” he said. “I was definitely losing a lot of money to start off.”
Fortunately, Peterson had been saving up his unemployment payments and once he learned that his position at the Y had been permanently terminated due to the ongoing pandemic, he decided to go all in on MN CPR.
“I threw my whole savings account into the business,” he said. “And that month I ended up getting a really decent return that kickstarted the company and made me believe I could do this full time.”
Now just two years into his endeavor, Peterson has three MN CPR locations – one in Hastings, one in Inner Grove Heights and one in St. Francis – as well as seven employees. His clientele is largely made up of doctors, nurses, coaches, schoolteachers and daycare providers, though he firmly believes that everyone should know CPR.
“I’ve heard a lot of stories about people not learning it until it’s too late,” he said. “I just got an email the other day that someone just lost their father and CPR could have saved his life but no one in the family knew how to perform it. Now that entire family is coming to take a class with me, but unfortunately in their case, it took a hard life lesson to get them to want to learn how to do these lifesaving skills.”
If you’ve considering getting CPR certified but haven’t yet taken the next step, here are a few things Peterson wants you to know:
- Don’t let the fear of being sued scare you: Lots of people worry that if they end up having to perform CPR, they’ll do it wrong, cause more severe injuries to the person in distress and end up getting sued. “Fortunately, we have something called the Good Samaritan Law in place,” Peterson said. “And as long as you stay within your level of training, you cannot be sued and if you are sued, the case will get dropped immediately in court.”
- The life you save will probably be someone you know: We’ve all seen movies or TV shows where someone steps out of a crowd to administer CPR to a complete stranger who is in cardiac arrest. However, Peterson said, about 70 percent of cardiac episodes actually occur at home rather than out in a public setting or in a hospital. In other words, the person in need of your help is likely to be someone you know and love.
- Less than a fifth of the people in the U.S. know how to perform CPR – but you never know when you might need to use it: While not everyone who is trained in CPR will be called on to perform it, being prepared just in case is critical. “I’ve seen life-threatening emergencies where I have been able to make a difference and save a life that otherwise would not have been saved if I wasn’t on the scene,” said Peterson, who also volunteers as an EMT. “You just never know.”
- When it comes to receiving CPR, the genders aren’t always equal: According to Peterson, women receive CPR at lower percentages than men, which is something he and his employees are hoping to change through education. Why is this the case? Because people are more willing to administer CPR to a male victim than a female due to their anatomy. “They worry about what will happen to them if they do CPR on a female and they’re concerned about liability,” he said. “But if you’re trying to save a life, the Good Samaritan law will look at that and nothing can happen to you.”
- Pets can get CPR, too: MN CPR has recently started offering training on pet CPR and first aid. “We have dog mannequins and cat mannequins,” he said. “And cat and dog CPR can transfer to other small animals such as raccoons and squirrels.” So far, the classes have been a big hit for animal lovers who want to make sure they know how to help their pets if they’re having a seizure or choking on something. “We cover all the things you can do to help your animal survive on their way to the vet during these life-threatening emergencies,” he said. “Everyone who has taken these courses has loved them. They’re very appreciative.”
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