Oil and Gas
Wayne King Grit Industries Inc. Lloydminster
U
nder the leadership of President Wayne King, Grit Industries provides green, sustainable solutions that address the most pressing issues in the oil and gas industry. From burner systems to natural gas line heaters to the “Grit Hog” (a machine used to clean oil storage tanks, replacing the person who used to do this dangerous job), Grit Industries uses innovation to make the energy industry a safer and more efficient environment. When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur? All my life. I’m in my 60s and have been starting companies and creating products since the mid-1980s. At seven, I converted mother’s rototiller into a go-cart. She wasn’t impressed by that! Are entrepreneurs born or made? Both – you can be born that way but also choose to live your life that way. What would you say are the top skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur? The desire to succeed, change course and direction midstream, be driven to change, and have diverse thinking. How important have good employees been to your success? Good employees are everything. What sets Canadian entrepreneurs apart on the world stage? We live in a country that focuses on business and the health of the economy. We have an abundance of adventurous people. How can Canada support a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem? Existing government programs support entrepreneurs through flexible lending and supporting people with ideas. What did you want to be when you were a kid? I wanted to be a peace office or an airplane mechanic. Looking back, what is one thing that you would do differently, professionally speaking? I would stay in school. My post-secondary education is from the school of hard knocks! What is your passion other than entrepreneurship? I have no passion other than entrepreneurship. I eat, sleep and breathe my work. My goal over the next 10 years is to continue making a difference. My main plan is to continue to work. My dad planted his last crop at 83, and I plan to be just as active. We have several projects in progress, and over the next decade we will fully commercialize what we have started.
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EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2014