Meet Joey Ferry, BSN, RN | Nurse, Co-Founder, and Co-Inventor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joey Ferry, BSN, RN and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joey, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was the kid in elementary school with that oversized backpack full of Snickers and Skittles, selling candy to all of my friends. In high school, I showed up with a huge roll of orange raffle tickets, cashing in on my own lottery. Then in college, I was going around to local gyms pushing a “revolutionary” fitness drink. I was destined for Shark Tank.

Not quite… My childhood was anything but stable- Single, with no education, my mom tried her best to keep me and my two older brothers fed and clothed. This often left us dependent on sketchy roommates or abusive boyfriends. If we ever did get a place to ourselves, it wasn’t long before that big red eviction notice found its way scotch taped to the front door. I’ve lived in over 30 different places (from buses to motels), started smoking weed and drinking alcohol in 5th grade, and got my ass kicked by too many men to count. My mom died of liver cirrhosis when I was 16 years old. She was an alcoholic…

My oldest brother took me in, and I straightened up pretty quickly, focusing on school and sports… I baaaarely graduated high school (the first in my family). — Fast forward to my second year at community college, I had already gotten one degree and was on the Dean’s list with honors. But at this point, I had to make a tough, life-long decision-

What do I do with my life? I had two options- Continue playing football on scholarship and go to business school OR apply to the local nursing program.

Man.. Business school? All I ever saw myself doing was owning my own business. And sports was the anchor that kept me from drifting in the toughest of times.

But at this point….. What I needed most was stability.

So, I became a Nurse AND I absolutely fell in love with it- worked in the hospital for 15 years. And even though I was in love with nursing, and it was providing all of those things that I had hoped it would, I could not shake that entrepreneur side of my brain, that kid with the backpack full of candy was alive and well. In fact, I was right smack dab in the middle of filing a new patent when I met Taofiki, another nurse, and now my business partner.

Prior to us meeting, Taofiki had spent the previous 6 months trying to solve a problem that’s plagued nurses for decades. Using blankets, pillows, towels, and other linen as padding to protect patients from injury during a seizure. Prototyping, making packaging, and even barcodes so he can sell them to hospitals.

This blew me away — Because see, up to this point in my career, I had always kept these two things separate (nursing and business). I never realized (until that moment) that it could be both – Make a viable product in healthcare and scale it across the country. Who’d a thought? Thankfully, Taofiki allowed me to come on board and bring all of my previous entrepreneurial experience to the table. After several months of product iterations, filing for patents, and checking all of the other legal and regulatory checkboxes, we were now in business.

SafeSeizure™ is an innovative, patented bed rail protection system designed to protect patients from hard surfaces while experiencing a seizure. Created by nurses with years of experience, it offers a universal, compact, and easy-to-use solution that improves patient safety and nursing workflow. Its standout features include a cleanable, wipeable, liquid-resistant shell, 2 inches of foam plus air padding, and a self-inflating valve, all tailored for single-patient -use to prevent cross-contamination and enhance infection control. SafeSeizure™ streamlines the implementation of seizure precautions, reducing reliance on ineffective and unsanitary methods like linen padding, thereby setting a new standard in patient care​​​​​​.

Since 2019, we’ve grown from our garage “distribution center”, literally delivering boxes out of the trunks of our cars, to now servicing over 80 hospitals nationwide, including world-renowned health systems such as Cleveland Clinic and Kaiser Permanente. We’ve doubled sales year over year and are on pace to continue that trend again this year. Not bad for two bedside nurses. The exciting part is we’ve only scratched the surface.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Frontier Innovations Inc. embodies the spirit of innovation in healthcare, driven by our belief in the transformative power of technology and nursing insight. Our journey from nursing professionals to pioneers in healthcare solutions highlights our dedication to creating products that blend safety, functionality, and user satisfaction. Facing industry challenges head-on, we’ve learned the importance of resilience, continuous learning, and the invaluable role of community feedback in shaping our offerings.

Beyond our innovative products, our mission extends to fostering a culture of nursing innovation. Through speaking engagements across the country, we aim to inspire nurses to embrace innovation as a key component of their practice, believing that frontline experiences are crucial for advancing patient care. Frontier Innovations is not just about creating indispensable healthcare products; it’s about spearheading a movement toward a future where healthcare innovation is driven by those who understand patient needs the most.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Kicking things off, I’d start with a laid-back morning in Vallejo. Grabbing a coffee and some breakfast at a spot where you can just soak in the local atmosphere is key. Vallejo’s got its own vibe, and I’d want to share that—a bit of the local life. Maybe follow that up with a stroll down Georgia Street or a visit to Mare Island to get a taste of the area’s phenomenal history and natural beauty.

Next up, a day trip to Napa Valley is a must. It’s not just the wine—though, let’s be honest, that’s a huge part of the appeal—it’s also about the journey there. Those winding roads through the hills, the vineyards stretching out… it’s like stepping into a postcard. I’d aim for a mix of winery visits: maybe one of those stunning, castle-like places for the ‘wow’ factor, balanced with a smaller, intimate tasting to really get a feel for the craft. Lunch could be something fancy and indulgent, like the French Laundry, or more casual yet memorable, like Gott’s Roadside for a burger and fries; either way, outdoors with a view is a must.

A total change of pace would be on the cards next with a day out on the San Joaquin Delta. Picture this: a boat, good company, jet skiing, tubing, and a BBQ going. It’s about as perfect a day on the water as you can get, laid-back and totally fun.

The quintessential California experience has to include driving down HWY 1. Doing it in style, maybe in a classic convertible, would just add to the vibe. Stopping for fish tacos along the beach, exploring local surf shops, catching those stunning coastal views, and just embracing the freedom of the road would be a day to remember.

Exploring the redwoods would be next. There’s something humbling and awe-inspiring about walking among these ancient giants. It’s a day for reflection, for nature, and for taking things slow—a contrast to the buzz of the cities and the thrill of the coast.

San Francisco demands a day of its own. We’d take the Vallejo Ferry to Emabarcadero, catch a pedicab to Pier 39 – Fisherman’s Warf to visit the sea lions and get a chowder bowl. Rent a couple of bicycles to easily get around the city. For lunch, a burrito in the Mission is non-negotiable. The city’s full of surprises, so I’d want to keep the plan flexible, maybe catch a sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge.

To wrap up the week, a chill day would be in order. Maybe exploring more local spots around Vallejo or taking it easy with a leisurely breakfast. It’s about winding down, soaking in those last moments together, and reflecting on a week packed with memories.

So, that’s the dream week from my perspective—mixing iconic sights with those local secrets, all while keeping the vibe relaxed and authentic. It’s about sharing the best of the Bay Area and beyond, from the comfort of a friend’s insider tour.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Of course…. Taofiki Gafar-Schaner, MSN, RN, the co-inventor or SafeSeizure™ and co-founder of our company, Frontier Innovations, Inc.

Taofiki is a special individual with an innate drive to fix things and solve problems. So, when he found himself wrapping his patient’s bedrails with dingy blankets and sticky tape, he knew he had to do something about it. His patients deserved better. Thankfully, for those patients, Taofiki is an absolute go-getter who doesn’t take “no” for an answer. Despite not having immediate answers, Taofiki set off on a journey to solve this problem once and for all.

It was this initiative and drive that opened the door for me and many other entrepreneurs turned nurses. Since our early days of SafeSeizure™, the nursing community and healthcare as a whole has embraced nurse-led innovation and it’s now widely celebrated and valued amongst the industry. This is, in part, owed to Taofiki’s unique ability to see a problem and fix it.

Website: www.safeseizure.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taofiki.gs.rn/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyferry/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/taofikig