Unlocking Opportunities: Trevor Williams of the
Williams Key
Trevor Williams has lived an extraordinary life. Born in
Virginia to missionary parents, his family moved to Africa when he was just 4
years old. Living in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), Williams
experienced the dangers of civil unrest firsthand during the Rwandan genocide.
His family later moved to Haiti to continue their missionary work, where
Williams witnessed government upheaval and violence.
After evacuating to California, Williams decided to pursue
his dream of becoming a firefighter. Despite applying to over 60 departments,
it took years before he was finally hired by the Los Angeles County Fire
Department. While working as a volunteer firefighter and carpenter, Williams
also founded a nonprofit building homes for Haitian earthquake victims.
On the job, Williams was dismayed to see firefighters
continually forced to break down doors, causing costly damage. Drawing on his
carpentry skills, he developed a simple tool - the Williams Key - that allowed
first responders to swiftly bypass locks and enter buildings.
As word of the Williams Key spread among LA firefighters,
demand skyrocketed. Williams improved the design and began selling engraved,
customized versions of the tool. Viral social media videos helped drive sales
even further. Today the Williams Key is used across all 50 states and over 30
countries.
The successful Williams Key brand has allowed Williams to
expand his product line to a range of specialty tools for first responders,
including a door hanger, slip knife, and custom door wedge. However, Williams
still handcrafts some tools himself as rapid scaling remains challenging.
When asked what he needs to continue growing the business,
Williams acknowledges that funding is a constant limitation. However, he hopes
to maintain the Williams Key's "small business community" feel,
personally handling many customer interactions.
Williams has no plans to leave his firefighter job anytime
soon. Despite tremendous entrepreneurial success, he remains committed to
public service and helping people in need.
Connect with The Williams Key:
·
Website: https://williamskey.com
Connect with our team:
· Sam Massa, CEO & 24/48 Host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammassa/
· Chelsea Lassen, Marketing Director & Producer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-lassen/
· Spencer Carter, Videographer: https://www.instagram.com/spencervisual/
·
Marina
Hunter, Graphic Designer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-hunter/
· Allison Saxon, Marketing
Specialist: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tabithasaxon/
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If you want to help us support first responder-owned
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Thank you for listening!
“The 24/48” is brought to you by HiViz LED Lighting //
Produced by Chelsea Lassen // Assisted by Spencer Carter, Marina Hunter, and
Allison Saxon
