Founder Spotlight: Donna Pearson’s Journey to Building Pearson Safety Solutions

Founder Donna Pearson didn’t begin her career thinking she’d work in safety. She studied accounting, worked as a comptroller, and supported business operations early in her professional life, including time spent helping manage the books during Kirkland’s early growth.

But a shift in responsibilities led her to construction, and eventually to safety. What started as “one more thing” became the work she felt called to do.

“I didn’t pick safety as a career,” Donna says. “I fell into it.”

That unexpected turn became the foundation of a career and a company, centered on people, protection, and doing things the right way.

When Safety Became Personal

Donna’s first safety role was in construction, working for an HVAC company. It didn’t take long to realize safety wasn’t just about checklists and regulations. It was about real people and real consequences.

Over time, she saw how quickly a normal day could become life-changing, and how the right training, systems, and oversight could prevent tragedy.

“I had people come up and tell me I had saved their lives,” she shares. “I know I’ve saved at least two, because they came back and told me.”

Those moments shaped how Donna approached the work: safety as service.

Earning Respect in a Tough Industry

Construction safety is not always a welcoming environment, especially for women. Donna remembers confronting an unsafe habit on a job site early in her career and being told she should “go back in the kitchen and let the men do their work.”

She didn’t match the energy or escalate the situation. But she didn’t back down either.

“I realized I was going to have to buck up,” she says.

Over time, the consistent approach – calm, direct, and rooted in the job, earned trust. Some people even started calling her the Safety Lady. Not because she demanded a title, but because she became someone people relied on.

Donna’s mindset has always been simple: don’t make it personal; make it purposeful.

“Somebody wants them to come home,” she says. “I’m trying to keep you safe.”

The Turning Point That Sparked a Business

Donna’s entrepreneurial journey began through a season of loss. Her husband, her biggest supporter, encouraged her to start her own company. Not long after, he passed away unexpectedly when Donna was 39.

She became a single mom, and her family’s primary income was gone.

That moment reshaped everything. Donna doubled down on building security, not just for her family, but through her professional path.

She returned to school to strengthen her technical knowledge and earned her CSP (Certified Safety Professional), one of the most respected credentials in the safety profession.

Eventually, circumstances forced a decision. Donna found herself unexpectedly without a job. Instead of stopping, she stepped forward.

A client backed her early, the work grew quickly, and Pearson Safety Solutions took off.

“We had a target for $250K the first year,” she recalls. “We did $500K the first year.”

The Values That Built Pearson Safety Solutions

Donna credits much of Pearson’s momentum to two beliefs she’s carried from the beginning:

1) Love what you do

“I’m one of our best salespeople because I love what I do,” she says.

Donna believes genuine belief in the work shows up in every part of a business—from the way you serve clients to how you build trust.

2) Focus on service, not money

Yes, financials matter. But Donna never built Pearson with “growth at all costs” as the goal.

“Focus on the service. Focus on the client,” she says. “Bigger’s not always better.”

Pearson grew because clients needed support, and because Donna treated every organization with care, regardless of size.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s five people or a large company,” she explains. “Their business is important to them. Their people are important to them.”

What Pearson Safety Solutions Does

Today, Pearson Safety Solutions provides third-party safety consulting support across a range of industries, from construction and manufacturing to agriculture and industrial operations.

If an organization has people, it has risk, and Pearson’s role is to help reduce it through practical systems, training, and a strong safety culture.

Pearson’s services include:

• OSHA compliance support and assessments
• Safety program development and implementation
• Accident investigations
• Training and audits
• Retainer-based safety support for organizations needing an outsourced partner
• Learning management system training through LinkTrain
• Contractor qualification support through LinkQualify

Many clients come to Pearson after realizing they’re more exposed than they thought, often without knowing it.

“Most companies don’t realize how wide open they are,” Donna says.

Leadership That Prioritizes Strengths

As Pearson grew, Donna made a leadership decision that speaks volumes about how she views success. She stepped away from the “president” title after a merger that positioned the company to better support larger clients, allowing her partner to lead business operations while she focused on what she does best.

“It’s a title,” she says. “Do what you love and what you’re good at.”

Donna became Founder and VP of Safety, keeping her close to clients, job sites, and the work that matters most.

The Legacy: Getting People Home

For Donna, the mission has never changed.

“I’m more focused on making sure those people go home,” she says.

Pearson Safety Solutions exists to help companies protect their teams, strengthen their operations, and prevent life-altering incidents. And Donna is proud that the company is built to last, beyond any one person.

“That legacy means a lot to me,” she says. “I put my heart and soul into it.”

Interested in watching the full episode? You can view it here. 

Want to Talk Safety?

If your organization needs help strengthening compliance, improving training, building a safer culture, or creating a program that works in the real world, Pearson Safety Solutions is here to help.

Because safety isn’t just about meeting requirements—it’s about protecting people. Just take it from the Safety Lady; she knows a thing or two about keeping people safe.