Erik Rice and his wife, Erin, both grew up in Raleigh but spent several years away as work took them elsewhere. When they had the opportunity to return to the area eight years ago and stay close to home, they quickly realized Raleigh was no longer the smaller community they remembered growing up in.
But then, they found Wake Forest.
It was a place where their family could walk to a neighborhood pond and fish, spend time downtown, and feel connected to the people around them, all while remaining close to the opportunities and amenities of a larger city.
For the Rice family, Wake Forest quickly became home. And over time, the relationships they built here would also help create the foundation for a new business.
Rice had spent years working in the stormwater industry, gaining experience and certifications before eventually moving into a construction role. But even after leaving stormwater professionally, people continued coming to him with questions.
Many were friends and fellow business owners in the Wake Forest area who were struggling to understand stormwater requirements on their properties.
“They would get something from the municipality and not really understand what it meant or what they were supposed to do,” Rice said.
He started helping them navigate the process and quickly recognized a need.
That need became BMC Stormwater, a family-owned and operated company Rice runs with Erin. The company’s name comes from their children, Banks and Mary Charles.
Stormwater control measures, commonly called SCMs, are designed to collect runoff from developed properties and treat it before the water reaches surrounding streams and waterways. Municipalities regulate the systems, and property owners are responsible for making sure they are inspected, maintained, and functioning properly.
BMC Stormwater helps remove confusion from that process.
The company works with property owners to understand their systems, identify problems, complete maintenance and repairs, and stay ahead of municipal requirements.
Its goal is summed up simply in the company's tagline: “No surprises. Just reliable stormwater.”
Rice wants customers to understand what is happening on their property before a problem turns into a violation or fine. BMC Stormwater will even walk a site with a potential customer at no cost, explain what they see and help the property owner understand what may need attention.
That straightforward, relationship-focused approach has helped the business grow almost entirely through referrals and testimonials.
“We’ve grown just by talking to people and doing what we say we’re going to do,” Rice said.
Those same types of local connections eventually introduced Rice to the Accelerator in the Wake Forest Founders Program.
He first learned about the program through attending the Annual Economic Development Forum and hearing WFBIP President Jason Cannon give his annual report that included information about an upcoming pitch competition.
The pitch competition was what initially caught Rice’s attention, but the value of the Wake Forest Founders Accelerator Program quickly became much broader.
He found a group of fellow entrepreneurs willing to listen to ideas, share experiences, and serve as a sounding board while he built the business. Through the program, he also learned more about resources available to entrepreneurs, including internships, SBA lending, grants, and coworking opportunities at The Loading Dock.
But perhaps the most valuable lesson was much simpler.
Just go.
“The biggest thing was hearing people say, ‘Just go,’” Rice said. “It’s never going to be perfect. Go find customers, solve their problems, and develop the processes as you grow.”
For an entrepreneur, Rice said, it can be easy to convince yourself that every process, system, and detail needs to be in place before you are ready.
His experience taught him otherwise.
“If you have customers willing to pay you to help them, then you have a business,” Rice said. “You can develop the SOPs and processes as you go. If you’re passionate about it and willing to figure it out, just go.”
It is a lesson Cannon sees echoed throughout the Wake Forest Founders Program.
“Erik is a great example of what happens when industry experience, a genuine community need, and an entrepreneurial mindset come together,” Cannon said. “He didn’t wait until every detail was perfect. He listened to what people needed, used the resources and relationships around him, and built a business focused on solving a real problem. That is exactly the kind of entrepreneurship we want to continue supporting in Wake Forest.”
Building the business still required sacrifice.
Rice initially worked on BMC Stormwater while maintaining a full-time job, often spending evenings working from the Wegmans café from 8 to 11 p.m. That meant missed dinners and long days, and he is quick to point out that starting a business requires support from more than the entrepreneur alone.
For Rice, having Erin fully behind the idea was essential. Today, she is his partner in the business.
Working for himself has also created something especially valuable for their family: time and flexibility. Rice is now able to coach his children’s middle school soccer team at Franklin Academy and be more present for the moments that matter to him.
The mission behind BMC Stormwater also has a meaningful connection to another Wake Forest family.
The Rice family was close with Aven Moffat and his family. Aven died after contracting primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM, a rare and devastating infection caused by an amoeba found in warm freshwater.
His family created Amazing Aven’s Quest for Amoeba Awareness to raise awareness about PAM and educate families about water safety.
With BMC Stormwater’s work centered around clean water and protecting local waterways, Rice saw a natural connection between the company’s mission and helping keep Aven’s story alive. He encourages others in the community to learn more about the organization and support the family’s work.
It is another example of how closely Rice’s business story is tied to the community around him.
BMC Stormwater was born from conversations with local property owners who needed help. It has grown through referrals and relationships. And through the Wake Forest Founders Accelerator, Rice found a network of entrepreneurs and resources that helped him turn years of industry experience into a growing local company.
That combination, strong businesses supported by strong community connections, is at the heart of Wake Forest Business & Industry Partnership's work to foster entrepreneurship and economic growth in Wake Forest.
For Rice, it also reinforces what brought his family to Wake Forest eight years ago in the first place.
They were looking for the kind of community they remembered growing up in. They found it here, in Wake Forest.
