In 2016, triplets Sam, Lucas and Gabriel became business partners with one mission: to save lives. The brothers, Safety Management and Public Health majors at SRU, created a safety, First Aid and healthcare training business called Before It’s Too Late. Over the course of 12 to 18 months, the company has now served SRU students and the surrounding area.
There are now two student ambassadors, Tori Sgattoni and Haley Kramer, at Slippery Rock to inform the student body of the business. Before It’s Too Late also just spread to IUP, and has two student ambassadors there as well.
“The whole goal of what we’re trying to do as a company is trying to change the culture of not only the campus, but the community by making people aware of emergency situations and helping them be prepared,” Sam Boyd said. “Because who wouldn’t want to step into a situation if they could help a loved one, a friend or even a stranger, you know?”
The business, which started here at SRU, has grown tremendously.
“The ambassadors were brought on this year,” Boyd said. They both have lifeguard experience and a passion for saving lives and being prepared.
“In 2016, we first started,” Boyd explained. “It was all word of mouth advertising. My brothers and I just walked around campus after we got out licensures and said ‘Hey, we offer this, tell your friends about it.’ It kind of blew up from there. People just started talking, networking, referring.”
Another huge aspect the business credits their growth to is Davis Smith, a member of Rock PRodutions, the on-campus Public Relations firm, that designed their website for them. Before It’s Too Late also reaches out and informs with social media.
“We are also very fortunate the Public Health program has kind of partnered with us. They have embraced our company and our idea because it’s a student resource,” Boyd said.
The Boyd Brothers also have some connections at their workplaces, including the healthcare field, oil and gas industry and electrical construction. Since all those professions need safety training, they have begun to do training sessions for professional workplaces. Boyd can see the business continuing to grow and becoming a full-time job, especially after adding two student ambassadors to IUP.
“We have grown tremendously between the past 12 and 18 months and it has just been a great journey,” Boyd said.
They say not to go into business with family, but for the Boyd brothers, it seemed to work out.
“My brothers and I have always been business oriented people. I can remember in 4th grade we would be in the front yard selling lemonade for 50 cents a piece. We have always been go-getters and have always had an interest in working for ourselves and reaching our full potential,” Boyd said.
“I think it was a great opportunity in college, and it really fit like a glove and a hand,” Boyd said.
Another reason the brothers wanted to start the company is that their younger brother has a disability.
“The whole business is about taking the extra step to help someone in need and to be prepared in case of emergency,” Boyd said.
SRU ambassadors Tori and Haley are both education majors who think it’s important to get trained no matter what your major is because you never know when something could happen and being prepared is the best feeling.
“Basically we are the connection to the student body,” Sgattoni said.
“I have seen how much it has expanded in the past year and honestly I can see it being a huge business one day,” Kramer said. “I can see it skyrocketing.”
“Here on campus we have trained and helped almost double than the amount we did last year already and its only not even half through semester,” Boyd said. “The fact that we are expanding to other schools I do really see it being a bigger thing.”
A typical training session is between 2 and 3 and half hours. The Boyd brothers are the trainers, and sessions on campus are usually in the Jack Dinger Building. A part of their proceeds go to American Red Cross.
Before It’s Too Late will have a seminar next week on campus for Campus Safety Week as well.
If you are interested in getting trained, you can visit www.b42ltraining.com or follow them on social media @b42ltraining.
