Founder and President, Rockstar Digital Inc., Sterling Heights
Employees: 12 Revenue: $3 million Education: Kettering University
An entrepreneur at a young age, Robby Dhillon was a deejay during high school and college, and he and his friends performed at various venues in downtown Detroit. He entered the professional world as a co-op student at Kettering University in Flint. “I worked at various jobs at General Motors, first as a co-op student for three years and then four years as a full-time employee,” he says. “I majored in computer engineering and electrical engineering, with minors in computer science and acoustics.” After leaving GM in 2006, Dhillon went to work for his uncle, a wealth adviser with a private investment firm. “My uncle died soon after, in a car accident, and I had lost my father at a young age, so I was devastated,” Dhillon says. “At the funeral, I met one of my uncle’s friends, and long story short, I developed a custom point of sale system (display) for Lady Jane’s Haircuts for Men. That was my big break.” Launching Rockstar Digital, Dhillon combined his software and hardware skills to create displays for an array of clients, as well as LED boards for use inside GM and Chrysler plants. “When the workers look at those boards, they can tell how many cars were produced (that day) and any number of other metrics,” he says. “We also help facilitate local concerts, we create events for small- and mid-sized companies, we have our automotive work, and we have special projects.”