INSPIRED IMPACT™ is an ongoing blog series that gives voice to social entrepreneurs and leaders of purpose-driven organizations who are making an impact in their communities, industries, and around the world.
Gary Montague is the CEO/Founder of HeartHero headquartered in Denver. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn and learn more at HeartHero.com.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
We created HeartHero to empower anyone, anywhere to save a life. We are designing and building the highest quality, least expensive automated external defibrillator (AED) on the market, and pairing it with a lifesaving ecosystem that immediately engages the chain of survival. It is our mission to save more lives from sudden cardiac arrest than all other AEDs combined.
WHY DO YOU DO IT?
The HeartHero mission is to empower anyone, anywhere to save a life by designing and building the highest quality, least expensive automated external defibrillator (AED) on the market. Our vision is to create an environment that inspires our people to provide innovative technology that will save more lives per year than all other AEDs combined.
WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU MAKING?
We are setting a new standard in how we address cardiac arrest. By creating a new model that makes the old obsolete, we will be able to save tens of thousands of lives per year.
WHAT (OR WHO) INSPIRES YOU TO MAKE THIS IMPACT?
Society inspires me. “We” deserve better. Instead of complaining about it and waiting for a solution, we at HeartHero are bringing our solution to market.
WHAT’S YOUR BIG DREAM FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND THE IMPACT YOU WANT TO MAKE?
Big dream… simple, just save one life, to give a couple the chance to have another glass of wine, another birthday, another anniversary or to have a father walk his daughter down the aisle… all of these are ripped away from people every day around the world. That must stop. The memories must go on.
WHAT RESOURCES DO YOU NEED TO MAKE THOSE DREAMS COME TRUE?
Public awareness. We also need to start addressing those at risk for cardiac arrest from the hospital. If you or a family member have any one of these conditions (CHF, previous heart attack, heart rhythm abnormality, and more) we should be sending you home with an AED.
Imagine a world where your child has a severe allergic reaction and you are not sent home with an epi-pen; instead, they are only found in public places, behind glass cabinets with alarms and signs that say “For trained personnel only.” If this was how we cared for people with allergic reactions thousands would die each year; but instead, we send people home with epi-pens so they or their family can treat them immediately and save their life. But cardiac arrest kills thousands of people every year and we have not changed our approach to treatment despite the fact we know AEDs work. We need to demand better.
WHAT IS (OR HAS BEEN) YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
I am always surprised by the naysayers. Our mission is to save a life. “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will!”
WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER LEADERS LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT?
There is a huge difference between an “ideapreneur” and an “entrepreneur.” If you want to change the world, you have to make the leap and jump in. The water is warm… jump in.
HOW CAN OTHERS SUPPORT YOU OR YOUR CAUSE?
Follow us on social, share your stories, engage in the conversation. Cardiac arrest has impacted almost everybody. We want to hear it.
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