Worsley has combined his passion for entrepreneurship and software engineering to launch Wreckingball Systems LLC. The construction safety platform has been awarded an NC IDEA grant and has streamlined the safety orientation process on worksites.
After developing an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age, Cecil Worsley IV ’14 seemed destined to one day start his own company. In early 2021, that destiny became reality when Worsley launched Wreckingball Systems LLC, a software company that has allowed him to combine his love for entrepreneurship with his skills in software.
The Wilmington, North Carolina, native graduated from Elon with a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems and held positions with many successful software companies including Red Venture and Scoot Networks before branching out on his own.
“I moved to California to work for innovative startups and learn my trade as I waited patiently for the right opportunity,” explained Worsley. “Wreckingball started in early 2020 over a beer at a local brewery here in my hometown of Wilmington.”
After discovering a significant deficit in the world of jobsite safety, Worsley saw an opportunity to make a change. “I identified a serious need to replace old and legacy ways of doing safety orientation,” he said. “Today job sites are doing, at worst, in-person, scheduled orientations. “They are rife with human error, scheduling conflicts and lost man-hours.”
Wreckingball Systems began as a simple product that allowed employees to clock in and out using a barcode. During the past 18 months, Worsley has developed it into a more innovative and customizable product, SafetyNow. The platform allows contractors to meet insurance standards and provide their employees with the tools they need to protect themselves. When workers come on site, they are prompted to scan a QR code which launches a customizable safety orientation. Once complete, the orientation is saved to the company’s database.
The product meets the specific needs of different companies while assisting them in keeping track of their workers and the jobs being completed. This can be especially helpful in the case of accidents on the worksite.
“SafetyNow covers all of the bases to make the process, for both the contractor and worker, quick and seamless,” explained Worsley. “When a worker is on the job site, the contractor is aware and can trust they understand job site safety practices.”
Despite Wreckingball still being a young company, it has already received recognition as a promising start-up. The NC IDEA Foundation is a North Carolina-based private company with a passion for supporting young companies in their pursuit of validating and advancing their entrepreneurial ideas. One of the ways they do this is through the NC IDEA MICRO grants. These grants of $10,000 are awarded to a variety of companies each fall and spring. Selection involves a vigorous and competitive application process that lasts three months.
Worsley and Wreckingball wowed the selection panel at NC IDEA and were awarded the grant in the fall of 2021. With these grants, NC IDEA hopes that entrepreneurs across North Carolina will changes lives within the communities they are based.
While at Elon, Worsley balanced his studies with his involvement as an active member of Delta Upsilon. One of the greatest takeaways from his time as a student were his friends, with who he is still in touch.
“The friendships I made there have been immeasurably impactful in my life, and I wouldn’t change that for anything.”
Since his graduation, he has continued to support Elon’s Greatest Needs and has been a strong leader in his community. He advises Elon students who are interested in becoming an entrepreneur to be critical in what actions are necessary to get there, and to be conscious that sometimes less is more. Worsley also notes the importance of a mentor who can support you in your endeavors.
“Know where you’re weak and find a mentor or co-founder to help you fill that gap if you can,” he said. “Be humble about your weaknesses by checking your ego at the door.”