Georgian College

7 GEORGIANVIEW 2024 PRINT EDITION ALUMNI STORIES Grad builds business and team of alumni Graduate Rick Black (class of 2007) is a successful entrepreneur, building a Barrie-based business from a shop of one to 27 staff – half of whom are Georgian graduates – in only five years. His team, consisting of programmers, electricians and designers, provides custom manufacturing solutions to companies across 16 countries and multiple industries. But as a teenager, he was unsure of what postsecondary program to pursue, and he never dreamed he'd one day own a thriving company. "My dad advised me to stay home and go to Georgian, as there was no point in spending the money to live away or commute when I wasn't overly confident in what I wanted to pursue in postsecondary," he explains. After reading the Georgian program guide, he chose the Advanced Electrical Engineering Technology diploma program as the thought of working with robotics piqued his interest. It turned out to be a pivotal life decision, one that kick-started an impressive career path. "In the beginning, I didn't have huge aspirations – but I grew into them," he says. Thanks to a solid foundation in the classroom, combined with three co-op terms, he was exposed to the working environment of leading-edge companies and teams, quickly learning the ropes about production environments, machinery and systems. After graduation, he secured a role with one of his co-op employers, where he continued to grow professionally for over 12 years. "Some people try to get in with the biggest companies right off the bat or choose their first role because of title or salary, but I'd advise them to pick based on where they will learn the most and enjoy working," he says. Armed with a broad base of knowledge and skills he'd gleaned over the years, he made the bold leap to open Black Controls in 2019. Besides having a part-time assistant, he was the lone full-time employee. But by the second year, he'd moved the business out of his house into a shop, added employees, and has been growing steadily ever since. He's now in a second, larger location. "We are fortunate to have great customers and see opportunities continue to expand. It's exciting," Rick says. When asked about his secret to success, he's quick to point to his tremendously talented team, noting he's proud to hire Georgian grads, and stresses that company values place a lot of importance on a positive workplace culture. But, he says, solid negotiation skills with customers, the ability to make decisions under pressure, and trusting his gut, have also helped him along the way. He encourages others who are considering the jump from employee to business owner to make sure they take the time to learn from others — but don't wait too long. "Don't wait for a perfect time, as it might not come along and nothing is ever certain," he says. | Rick Black, owner of Black Controls (second from left) stands with three of his employees who are also Georgian grads. L to R: Mike Lake (class of 2014), Build Team Lead; Rick Black (class of 2007), owner; Matthew Heisz (class of 2013), Programming Team Lead; and Jon Ferrier (class of 2014), Design Team Lead.

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