The Commerce Times

Where school and work collide

Emerson Cassady stands proud by on ergoCentric chair - Photo courtesy ergoCentric

October 6, 2009 0 | By Francesca Del Re

On one side of the scale sits a six-course load, on the other, business dreams. The key to balancing them belongs to Emerson Cassaday. This retail manager is a full-time student who succeeds in both his studies and at work. His secret: allowing them to overlap.

Cassaday is the Retail Division Manager of the ergoCentric in Mississauga. ergoCentric Seating Systems is one of the largest manufacturers of ergonomic, custom-designed seating for industrial and office environments in Canada. His growing rolodex of customers include Bell Canada, RIM, and several universities. His passion and importance of proper, posture supporting school and office equipment is translated the second he describes peronalized designs of ergoCentric chairs.

What do you enjoy most about managing your own store?

I love that I get to provide the public with a quality product that is so important for the customer’s health and wellbeing. I enjoy the hands-on learning experience the position provides; being able to learn first-hand about the ups and downs of customer service, supply management, the retail and advertising business, and about the responsibilities of management.

How do you find juggling school and work?

It was slightly difficult at first to find the time and the drive to balance both. When I was studying English, my work life and school life seemed disjointed. Once I realized my passion for marketing and management, and switched my focus to Administrative Studies, it motivated me to learn as much as I could in the classroom to develop my managerial skills, as well as bring that first-hand knowledge from the store into my classes. Basically, work influenced the direction of my studies at university, which made me want to devote more time to studying in order to take what I learned into the workplace. The two comingled and both school and work were equally as important and influential in getting me where I am today.

What advice can you give to other students with entrepreneurial aspirations?

It’s extremely important to be passionate about what you’re doing. Being driven just for the sole purpose of making money isn’t going to get you very far. It’s the drive, knowledge, and passion that make it all happen. Expect the unexpected. There’s a lot of trial and error and highs and lows. There are no strict rules or guidelines to starting and managing your own business. It’s important to learn from your mistakes. You need to be able to recognize what you are doing wrong and change your plan to accommodate that, and also recognize what is working and making sure to keep with it. An ergoCentric chair actually serves as a great metaphor for what it takes to own and manage your own business-adjustability and adaptability.