In 2007, Danaya Wilson, a recent graduate with a degree in marketing, was thrust into a contracting job market just on the cusp of a global recession. Surprised by the lack of even entry-level marketing positions, she started working with her parents’ newly founded hazardous material abatement company. Wilson rose in the ranks from administrative assistant to corporate branch manager, leading the company to a record-breaking year of over $7.2 million in sales.
The experience prompted her to earn a master’s degree specializing in online learning innovation and she began bootstrapping to get CHC Training LLC off the ground. She pioneered remote learning in the environmental testing and abatement industry.
“The resounding industry feedback and a growing number of states that approve and recommend CHC classes and delivery methods illustrate Danaya’s transformative influence,” said her staff. “Undoubtedly, Danaya is leading the charge in reshaping the way the trades industry learns.”
CHC Training LLC provides in-person, virtual and remote training for the construction and hazardous material industry with training categories that include asbestos, lead, mold, silica and OSHA construction compliance. The firm is a modernized, comprehensive go-to for professionals to stay current and compliant on environmental hazard inspection and abatement regulations.
Under Wilson’s leadership, CHC has taken a pioneering approach to online course development by prioritizing long-term collaboration with regulatory agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Alabama SafeState and MIOSHA to name a few.
Since introducing one of the industry’s first online asbestos classes in 2015, the company has grown from a Colorado-specific provider to a global presence with training valid in all 50 states and Canada. CHC Training has posted an impressive 9% average year-over-year revenue growth while others are consolidating or scaling down.
Wilson and the firm have earned accolades, including being named the Best Advance in Compliance Training, Colorado Companies to Watch, and Top 200 Privately Owned Companies.
According to Wilson, leaders who have been in a management role for the past decade and a half have weathered a roller coaster of economic conditions. “A masterful leader can adeptly manage their resources, particularly human capital, efficiently, quickly and directly in response to current market climates,” she said. “This ability to navigate through changing economic landscapes is crucial for ensuring the sustainability and growth of organizations.”
If Wilson could give her younger self advice, it would be to anticipate encountering skepticism and criticism regarding your ideas. “You might find yourself having to exert additional effort to validate your capabilities and earn the respect that others seem to effortlessly receive,” she said. “Persevere with determination, diligence and a commitment to making a significant impact – the challenges you face will be worthwhile, and so will your intrinsic value.”
