Monday Manufacturing Motivation – with Eddie Saunders Jr

Curt Anderson  00:00

Are we ready? 10 Jumping jacks right 120 Wait, wait wait I’m sorry. We’re live. Hey, we’re live happy Monday man. Manufacturing Monday motivation. Damon, how are you brother?

00:16

Doing great. Curt. Doing great.

Curt Anderson  00:18

Good. mariners are like you’re so doing the Seahawks the Seahawks win last night. No, we’re playing murders are doing great. Forget about football. So yeah, Damon, are you sitting down for this one

Damon Pistulka  00:32

dude are you know, I guess I am man.

Curt Anderson  00:36

I like dude, I haven’t slept all weekend. I am just so fired up. Eddie Saunders Jr. is in the house. Eddie. How are you brother?

Eddie Saunders Jr  00:47

It is well, my soul. It’s a great day to have a great day. And I’m hanging out with some cool dudes. So I don’t know what more I’d want besides a cold beverage. But hey, more on that later.

00:55

Now, I think Curt that is the first time we’ve ever been called cool dudes. Yeah, to go there.

Curt Anderson  01:01

Oh, just you know. All right, Eddie. We got to question your judgment of character. But yes. Eddie, using everything else. You know, it’s a great day to have a great day. So Eddie, I did a little bit over talking. And I noticed that’s a great line. Yours. Absolutely love it. Hope everyone had an amazing, incredible, wonderful dynamic weekend. Because we are flexing here on Monday at 11. You know what, let’s just dive right in. I’m not you know, I’m not even pulling any punches because like, dude, I’m old and you’re like an MMA guy, so I can’t go there. But here’s the first question of the day you ready for this one?

Eddie Saunders Jr  01:33

Are you ready to one ready?

Curt Anderson  01:34

Are you ready? You’re born ready? Okay. Eddie, dude MMA you’re like influencer you’re you’re manufacturing you know mascot. You’re just your dude. I just my admiration, respect for you off the charts. As a young man growing up in the great Buckeye State of Ohio as a young man growing up in a great Buckeye State. Who was your hero? Who was your hero growing up in Ohio?

Eddie Saunders Jr  02:03

Man, just any of the great Ohio State football players were just huge heroes to me, specifically, Eddie George, for some obvious reasons, right? Not only a great football player, same name as well. And I honestly began liking the Tennessee Titans be through strictly because of Eddie George. And when they left I couldn’t care less about the Tennessee Titans. So sad. George was just the Buckeye football players. It’s such a huge tradition for the respect of just Ohio State University football. And so those are a lot of the big heroes that you kind of look at growing up, if you will, that and not to be cliche, but my father is is a huge, huge factor in my life. He’s worked in manufacturing practically his entire life and I was able to watch him work his way up and instill a lot of his work ethic in me so it’s made me respect a lot of the other blue collar workers across our country that make it so great, my man.

Curt Anderson  02:57

Eddie, do awesome, Damon, you know, hey, you guys, hang on. Hang on one second. You’re ready. Ready for this?

03:04

There’s gonna be some big love here. I can tell what’s happening. I’m

03:09

on stage. So he hold it. Oh, H O. O H. O

Curt Anderson  03:16

i You know what? I gotta

Eddie Saunders Jr  03:18

yell on your show. Hi,

Curt Anderson  03:19

my bad. No, I should have asked you before because I have a replica of the shoe sitting like it’s somewhere in this room and I can’t and so dude, I’m a proud alumni of Ohio. The Ohio State University 1990 I’m an old dude. I was there when Chris Spielman was playing. That’s how old I am. But Eddie George, I was at the St. George 300 yard game against Illinois. 1995 won the Heisman that year. So Eddie, thank you for going Buckeye on me, dude.

Eddie Saunders Jr  03:47

100% No, I watched a transplant from Colorado and all my 24th birthday I rented out the shoe to propose to my wife and I proposed to my wife in the bloco on my 24th birthday.

Curt Anderson  04:03

And oh my Damon. I might get choked up right now like Eddie, I didn’t think I could possibly love you anymore. I’m like I’m so I should have warned me I would have liked to I would have been head to toe Buckeye if I knew that you were going to be here

Eddie Saunders Jr  04:17

as well. I had no idea I had a brother in the house man. Oh,

Curt Anderson  04:20

my God. Damon no come on. Well house

Eddie Saunders Jr  04:27

just made my day dude. For real that that’s so funny and ironic but straight up proposed to my wife 24th birthday. Pictures are beautiful. So anytime there’s ever a home game as long as the buckeyes play home games on that field. Doesn’t matter. They change the turf a million times I propose and she made the biggest mistake of her life by saying yes, on that spot.

Curt Anderson  04:49

Dice closed in the shoe. So for anybody out there Rebecca Good morning. Thank you for joining us, man. Am I like Addy? Like I’m the co All. Nicole what’s going on with this conversation her BYU Cougars has had a big upset this weekend. Whitney’s down in Sugarland. So thank you Whitney for joining us, guys. Anybody out there? Joppa note Chapa Hello, Eddie. What’s dad’s name?

Eddie Saunders Jr  05:13

My dad’s name. My dad and I live we have the same exact name he has ever heard Matthew Saunders senior I’m ever Matthew Saunders Jr.

Curt Anderson  05:19

Okay, well, we’re gonna try to be some a little bit of Eddie. So hey, big shout out to your dad for just you know, what a driving force being your hero. And just you I tell you, you’re such an inspiration to so many of us on LinkedIn and in the manufacturing space. And big shout out to Eddie senior for what he’s done. Big shout out to Eddie George, we might geek out a little bit more. So for anybody out there outside of Ohio. They’re like, what are you guys talking about? So Ohio State University football. That’s what we’re talking about? Eddie, let’s take a slide in here. So do you have you know, first off connect with Eddie if you’re not connected with that, uh, you want to connect with Eddie here on LinkedIn. He is just a ball of fire inspiration. You’re going to be fired up just by being in his presence. Eddie. Dad’s an inspiration to you was your hero. You know, your heavy duty, you know, like we’re talking about MMA. You’re talking about and you’re doing a ton of work as an influencer in manufacturing. Let’s start with your athletic background MMA. And let’s I want to talk about your background there and how that slid into like, how that’s inspired and helped your career. How did you kick off his athletic career MMA? Like, let’s go there for a minute.

Eddie Saunders Jr  06:25

Yeah, for sure, man, honestly, like whether I liked sports or not, didn’t have much of a chance or a say and it just turned out to really love it, and it molded me in such a big way. You know, I’m really gravitated a lot towards football, just due to the physicality. I make a joke, but it’s obviously serious. It’s the first basketball game that I ever officially played. And when I was in junior high, I no joke I found out. And so that’s what I knew I was probably a little too aggressive. A fumble was not the same thing as a drop ball and basketball. So I didn’t get the memo. But But through that just loved the the idea of this the physical challenge. And I’ve always gravitated towards that which is difficult for me. It’s to my detriment sometimes, but it’s yielded some awesome life experience. And always fascinated with with the MMA, like just the concept of it just that challenge. And I also happened to grow up down the street from a former World Championship kickboxer. And so that’s something where I grew up with his kids. And even though I never made that connection, once I got into my teens, you know, he had kind of gotten in my ear about it. And I still actually talked to him to this day. And he’s one of the coaches now in my MMA gym, which is super full circle, and really humbling. But when I started when I was 16 years old, because my parents refused to take me because of course, Mom’s not motivated to take her little boy to a fight in classes. Yeah. So I got I had my job. So I was paying for my membership. I got my license, I was paying for that. And so I went off and joined that, and it’s inspired me in so many ways. And honestly, it’s it’s given me the resilience and the grit that I never knew that I had. And it showed me things about myself that I never knew. And then also it’s humbled me because there are a few things in life that will help you more than 125 pound man. Absolutely just ragdoll in you. I’ve had guys there’s you could fit in your pocket, just turn me into an absolute pretzel. And it’s that’s another thing that fascinated me that the size of it like of who you are could completely be mitigated out by solid technique and real world application. So the grit, the experience, and I honestly met my wife through one of my friends that I one of my training partners, and so it’s just brought me so many things that my blessings have been in, they’re continuing to flow and as long as the good Lord puts breath in my lungs, I’m going to be teaching coach and MMA in some way shape or form and hopefully inspiring the next generation.

08:52

I got good, you are awesome.

Curt Anderson  08:54

This is alright. Alright, so grid resiliency apps, you know, oh my god, you met your wife. What’s your wife’s name? Let’s

Eddie Saunders Jr  09:00

hear that. Michelle.

Curt Anderson  09:02

Michelle, big shout out to Michelle, the converted Buckeye God bless her. So, as long as you have breath in your lungs, you have to apologize my Rottweilers can hear my dog going nuts.

Eddie Saunders Jr  09:13

I love it. That means that it’s doing the

Curt Anderson  09:16

jogging by so sorry about that, Eddie. No worries. So as we’re talking about grit, we’re talking about resiliency met your wife experience talked about like you’ve you’ve brought your superpowers, your expertise. You know, first I want to talk about marketing. Okay. Your influencer, you do announcing you have a podcast you do and you have an incredible online presence. What attracted you to start a career in marketing? Then I want to cite in what attracted you to manufacturing, but let’s start with how do you bring your superpowers to marketing.

Eddie Saunders Jr  09:49

So my mom and my aunt love to tell a story, a short story about when I was a kid, you know, when you had to watch commercials, right? And so I’d be in my room playing with toys, and then all of a sudden, there’d be a commercial that would come on. And I would drop everything I was doing run to go watch the commercial. And then as soon as the commercials were over, I would go back in, like, run back to my room and play with my toys. And I did this like, often. And that’s when I knew I was going to be in marketing. As soon as they solidified that so but with it’s something I’ve always been fascinated about, it’s just interaction with other human beings. Because if you want to reduce marketing to a couple of concepts, one of them is just allowing facilitating other individuals to make conscious decisions and to make specific choices think feel certain ways. And it just always really fascinated with me, because the core of that is I really am just in love with how humans operate function, think make decisions, that’s really something that is the most fascinating to me. And marketing is such a core part of that. And then another little mini joke that I make is, you know, obviously going to college, I did pick my degree. And marketing was the only degree in where I was going, that had one accounting class and the entire curriculum and I said, I hate accounting. I’ll take that degree. But you better believe I took that accounting class one time. That’s

Curt Anderson  11:14

right. One accounting class, I’m all in so that drove you alright, so anyway, love that humility, love the humor, but again, as a little boy, just that consumer behavior, understanding those commercials, and I love that I wanted to give a couple of shout outs and we got Ross from Chicago on here. Great man, Richard Ross, you absolutely want to connect with Eddie. Man, you guys have a ton in common. Our dear friend, our beloved Diane, happy Monday to Diane, guys. We’re here with Eddie Saunders Jr, you absolutely want to connect with Eddie on LinkedIn. So let’s go here and what I love what you just said, but that consumer behavior side and Damon, we were on a program last year, I remember this came up when you think about Detroit, Detroit, you know, Motown Motor City, you know, cars, you know, built on all the automobile. And when you think about what was Detroit truly built on, you know, a lot of muscle, you know, blue collar, you know, building things, but you know what, they understood consumer behavior, they were absolutely brilliant. They’re probably better marketers than Madison Avenue in New York. So I love what you said, you know, how you you know, in as manufacturers we don’t always think that I had been metal I cut steel, I make a circuit board, I 3d print something. It doesn’t always naturally come like, oh, I need to be I grill a marketer. Right? So now you brought your superpowers, your passion, your expertise. You’re an influencer, you’ve brought your skill set to manufacturing, what you could have picked any different industry. I know you’re in a great state of Ohio, where there’s wonderful manufacturing, what attracted you to manufacturing?

Eddie Saunders Jr  12:50

I mean, my first big boy job actually, I worked in the in the office of a an aluminum castings foundry. And so that was a huge thing. Being able to see literally made me realize how many things are casted, just in general, and how many things just all around us, specifically vehicles. And so that was always really just interesting to me. But there are many times right also growing up, like as a teenager worked in my dad’s factory to small little odds and ends, jobs, things like that. But it just helped me really learn about really how America is made, and you never understand it, because you just ordered this purchase that you know that then when you really take a look back and you get to see some of the components behind that specific curtain. It really is just interesting. I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but also just how broad it may be. There are so many different segments of manufacturing that I never knew were really included within that conversation. And then also, it’s just as much a cutting edge conversation as anything else. Because of all the robotics, the industry, Forero and all the other buzzwords, it’s just in it’s huge. And then when you have something like a pandemic that greatly affects our ability to manufacture or puts our problems right in front of our faces. That is lets you know infinitely more how important this sector is to our infrastructure as a country. And so when it’s of that high of a magnitude and that’s me realizing it now, but you just really embrace it and realize how important it is and also I’m on a mission to make a sexy again, gonna be real with you. I’m trying to make manufacturing sexy again, I’m trying to get rid of the doll dirty dingy dark, all that other stuff break all the stigmas bring a little bit of life reality and little bit of realism but some optimism to the game and I think that that is contagious and that’s what I’m here to do.

Curt Anderson  14:35

And you know what in you absolutely bring a contagious enthusiasm. Your positivity is off the charts. Let’s take you know what we have to take a deeper dive there and he lets you know bring is where Damon if you remember we had another great Buckeye we had Janelle from the MEP Manufacturing Extension Partnership in Cleveland from magnet. She was on the program in a title for program, bringing sexy back to manufacturing and healing Let’s go there man I’m gonna a little bit off script didn’t have this on the agenda today. I thought how talk to folks you know out there like man Eddie dude, you had me at sexy? How? What are some things that manufacturers out there? What can you do to bring sexy back to manufacturing? To everybody’s

Eddie Saunders Jr  15:16

worried about thrown features and benefits out there like with your companies but like everyone’s I don’t think people should be afraid to just tell stories to entertain like what happened to entertaining people when did that become uncool? And all reality and I understand from a content production standpoint, we’ve only got certain platforms and tools at our disposal. But Flex is a great example of how you can still create enter likes are engaging and educational content. But don’t forget that 30 And that’s entertainment, man. And if we’re just boring people to death, what are we really doing? I think that there’s ROI, which is great when it comes to getting your features and benefits. What about the ROI E and that’s the return on effort. And I feel like from a marketing individual and from an analytical approach, even if I’m looking at my bandwidth and my time, I’d rather spend my resources on more effective and entertaining activities because people ultimately never forget how you make them feel you may forget that my A 32 has a 400 RPM motor built in as a standard. But you’ll never forget about that one funny video where I dressed up like an Easter Bunny for you know what little things like that. And I’ve I think if people focus more on just telling good stories and helping one another tell the stories, it will become a multiplier effect of just a goodwill that can be done and also is being done because there’s a lot of really cool things happening in manufacturing. And that’s another reason why I have my show not to sell my products not even necessarily to entertain as much as it is to inform and a solid platform and a new cutting edge way. So plenty of ways to do it. First step is just wanting to in the first place.

Curt Anderson  16:49

And of course, it doesn’t hurt to entertain a little bit and right here our dear friend Nicole Donnelly from Donnelly marketing group says you’re doing a great job Eddie Saunders. You guys need to connect and he let’s go back to the accounting conversation here. Our dear friend Whitney says eight that was my least favorite course in all my years of schooling. In our good friend Diane. She counters and says accounting degreed professionals are the nicest people said by the accountant in the chat, Diane, you are the sweetest thing on earth. So, hey, I want to give a shout out to our dear friend, Gary. Hey, Gary, Happy Monday to you, my friend, eager to connect with you here soon. So let’s take it another step further. So let’s say there’s tons of manufacturers out there. And they’re a little light, little lean on the marketing side. They’re tired of that word content. They’re like, Oh my God, if I heard content one more time, you make it look so easy. You make it look fun. You look at entertaining, engaging. What’s your secret? Dude? Somebody out there wants that silver bullet? How do you help small manufacturers make it more palatable?

Eddie Saunders Jr  17:52

Two things, the buddy branding system, and fractal content. So what I mean by the buddy branding system, and I’ll talk more about this in some upcoming events into something I’ve spoken on various amounts of times, is finding synergistic collaborative partners. And that just pretty much means people who will make content with you, there are a lot of other individuals who are just like you who are small, have a one, maybe two person marketing team, they don’t want to hear the word content again, which one you should honestly I’m saying this, anybody who who who does feel that way, you got to get over it, you got to get over it. It’s like being an athlete and or being a basketball player and hate and you hate the word free throws, you got to throw a practice your free throws, you have to do just like for marketing, if you hate the word content, call it whatever you want, but you still need to be aware of it and know how to create it. So aside from that, one way to make it easier is find your buddies find either products or software’s that are very synergistic with yours that a story can be told. And really, that’s been the the big key to flex flexes success. So we don’t have to rely so much on ourselves, we can buddy up with others, because not only is it nice to create the content that way. But it’s also a great way to extend your reach. So you’re almost doubling your outcome without having to double your effort, I would argue it cuts it in half. And then also from that point, the second one is fractal content. So what I mean by that is just like you have have a porcelain tea cup, if you will drop that backbone on the ground, it’s going to break into a million different pieces, it’s still a part of that cup, if you will. So for lack of a better analogy, anytime that you’re creating any type of any video, whatever it may be, if you’re not thinking about three to five ways that you can recycle that content you’re trying too hard and if you have a one to two person marketing team, you’re probably being spread too thin anyway, so find your friends that will help you and also try to maximize your stuff because repurposing content and fractal content is not a dirty concept at all.

Curt Anderson  19:47

Man I absolutely love that hey, our dear friend we got a couple good comments coming in you guys keep your comments coming questions. Content is king but then she comes back says yeah, but community is King erm, you know, and I say hey, maybe it’s cool. Right, it’s Queen Queens always above the king. And then we’ve got Rebecca dropping a great, I’m loving the new trend toward non traditional scheduling, in manufacturing, having hours that allow employees to also manage young families is an amazing benefit and attraction. Rebecca, thank you, Damon’s on the program next month, we can’t wait for you to join us. So that’s You’ve piqued my curiosity on the buddy system. Maybe I’m a metal Bender, CNC shop, whatever I might be doing. Let’s take a you know, let’s, how about can you give us some examples of like, what would be a good hardcore buddy system that’s going to help me move the needle,

Eddie Saunders Jr  20:36

you think about the tools that you use, think about the machines that you utilize as well, there are a lot of these individuals, especially if you’re a customer of them, because that’s kind of a caveat, okay, I’m a machine shop where I’m like a manufacturer myself, how do I do this. I mean, if you’re trying to show your capabilities, just think about the tools that you have. I mean, if you’re using a specific line of tools, what’s to stop you from reaching out to them and wanting to do some type of video collaboration on them, they may feature you in their next case study or success story. And a lot of times they’re looking for that anyway, flex anybody watching, hey, I’m looking to feature your business. And we do it multiple times a year, and they are high powered, like they’re high quality productions. I love doing I wish more people can beat down my door to do it. And it’s again, it goes back to my original point, you have to want to in the first place. Yeah, and what’s the worst thing you’re going to be told, if you go out to reach out to a buddy per se, I know, one of my roadblocks is you have to be willing to in the first place, if they’re not willing to, that’s completely okay. But instead of just kind of talking more about what you can do, how you can do it, I’ve seen small to medium sized manufacturers also showcase their equipment, in collaboration with the equipment providers, because they’re also utilizing their network when we say community as Qinger, which I love. And I’m going to use that and probably look silly in a lot of situations, but I’m using it. So if community is that, think about it, if I have my pack of friends, and you have your pack of friends. And we somehow figure a way just to be cool with one another think about with for lack of a visual, if you will think about that like combination of communities in ways that we can direct our message. It only it only magnifies the messaging. So I really don’t understand why anybody would be opposed to it. And by any means, right?

Curt Anderson  22:14

Alright, so let’s just let’s unpack, repack, whatever, whatever you want to do, right there. That is so critical. So again, small manufacturer limited resources, you know, maybe a one person marketing team, or even more challenging. I’m the owner and I’m doing HR One Minute Finance next minute operations. Oh, by the way, I need to do a little bit of marketing. But you’re not adding more to their plate Eddie, what you’re doing is you’re trying to make their life easier, more efficient, more effective. the buddy system, I dude, I think that’s absolutely brilliant. Love it. And what you’re talking about is align with either vendors align with other subject matter experts align with, I always like use an example if you’re manufacturing lamps, right? There’s a lamp right here. Who’s the lampshade person, right? Aligned with light bulb guy line with the person that makes you know, what are the other the end table aligned with the other folks that are going to collaborate with you. Now you do an amazing job at each of building your community. And I’m going to take a deep dive into videos in a second. Okay, but talk about you. What When did you turn the trigger on for LinkedIn? And when did you decide I’m going to quadruple down really like build my community? You lined with a bunch of other you know, Joe Sullivan, a lot of folks that were, you know, been in our show, your show that we collaborate with Chris Lukey taught like, what when did you have the light switch of like, I’m quadrupling down on this LinkedIn community for manufacturing.

Eddie Saunders Jr  23:40

Yeah, it’s honestly it was about two and a half years ago in all reality, because I before I got into marketing, I was actually in sales for 10 years. Yeah. And so when I talked about that obsession for not obsession, that’s probably wrong word but fascination for human reactions and understandings like 110 plus years of so many sales conversations and interactions did that but I’ve also I’ve read like 40 Plus books on human psychology, sales mark just a lot, a lot of those are the those ideas. And so knowing that, and I’ve dabbled a little bit on the Instagram world as well. I take took Gary Vaynerchuk stairstep method. And actually, I leveraged my Instagram, which is nothing mind you. But to get free product, I’d start off getting like smaller discount this and that. And once I realized that it was scalable from a human level, I thought, Okay, I’ve practice on how to do a brand correctly incorrectly. For all you know, for us all these years. I wanted to really double down because I also thought there was a little bit of a low barrier to entry. I’m just gonna be honest, that’s no offense to the industry, but there’s nothing really exciting. There were a few exciting individuals. But if you think about it, there are content creators in every single industry, every single one and they’re all of their varying different degrees. And so I thought to myself, there’s there is a lot of cool things happening in manufacturing. Nobody’s doing a great job of of talking about it because everyone’s too busy talking about them. selves. And so I thought that I could check a lot of things off the list from doing so. And then also recognizing that social media platforms were greatly shifting to genuflecting on creators themselves. And so a lot of what I do gets a lot more feedback and raw data than a lot of what flexes primary socials are. And that’s just a testament to how much these these platforms are looking for creators after the craze of tick tock, so it’s all part of a bigger strategy. In all reality, I very much I very much understand on synonymous with Flex, and you know, vice versa. And so it’s all really just a big part of the strategy, and all reality and getting the personal brand and having all that like it’s honestly just icing on the cake. And it’s the cherry on top. I make friends easier.

Curt Anderson  25:45

Cool. Well, so a couple more comments here. And again, as we’re coming to the top of the hour, you know, if anybody has to jump off if we’re next call, please, please connect with me here. You’ll thank us later. Thank us now right instead of later, and she you know, Nicole, my dear friend, Nicole Donnelly, we have a Whitney jobs rising tide lifts all boats. Yes. Rebecca, thank you get Daymond we’re getting a little love from Rebecca about building the lives thank you so much. And Edie, you are you know, two and a half years ago, you said you know, jumped on LinkedIn. But you’re so intentional man. Like, you know, even right now you got the hat, the shirt, the you know, slacks. I mean, like, it just fits your personality. So I want to talk about I want to talk about your company now. Okay, let’s talk about flex machine, I believe founded in 1971. Been around for a few years. Right? Right. Yeah. A little older than your company. But it goes back aways. How on earth did you find a company that was such a perfect fit for you and your personality? Is it you know, describe the culture at flex describe? Like, what was the market initiative? And how did you to get how did this marriage come together?

Eddie Saunders Jr  26:54

Yeah, so oddly enough, I’m actually an MC, like a professional like announcer was for sports combat. And so with that, being one of my big side gigs, a big event that was held here at flex when they built their new facility about three years ago. And so I really didn’t even have a major interview process, I came in for one conversation, because I was actually prospecting flex in my previous role. And so that was, I guess, how the intro and I had known probably four or five people that work there internally. So it was kind of we all knew everybody, this and that. And they actually needed a sales role, believe it or not, so I started off at flex in the in the sales world, managing everything in the Western US. But I continued to with my marketing degree and background because a lot of my sales experience was specifically in marketing and advertising platforms and stuff. And I was a consultant as well as my very first side gig, I was a marketing consultant. So that was really cool. So I brought a lot to the table. Um, I just didn’t talk about my marketing chops as much because it was more for my own benefit. And I kept giving some advice, given some advice here. And we’ve got really young ish leadership, your average age here at Flex is about 3536 years old. And so yeah, so it’s nice, it brings some challenges, but not as many as what people would think, you know, just because we have less individuals in here with gray hair, which has nothing to grunts against gray hair, I’m actually excited for some salt and pepper to come through. But that being said, you know, we don’t really get any flack for it, because we bring a new perspective, and it’s word growth company. And all reality Flex is a growth company disguised as a manufacturer. And so when you have that as your mindset, like you have to bring in younger, more flexible, more aggressive individuals who are less set in their ways. And so with me, I’m an entertainer at heart. I know that for a fact, it’s what I do, I have an education degree and lots of great background in marketing. But I am an entertainer in every way shape and form front, whether it’s entertaining my children and being the biggest weirdo on the planet, or entertaining 700 plus people at these big events. And so flex really wanted to leverage that. So we actually during the pandemic, sort of doing a live video series and because of my theater background, because I’ve actually written plays that have been performed and produced and I’ve acted in a variety of productions. They leverage that hardcore and once they saw okay, this guy does stuff in front of a camera and he knows how to write it and he knows how to just manage his stuff. I said give me a microphone, give me a laptop and let’s go and a lot in between there but they’re in now I can say here we are through

Curt Anderson  29:24

like you know rights plays your song is I on your on your profile. You’ve got singer songwriters that are going to sing a song first.

Eddie Saunders Jr  29:34

Oh, good, you know, and I don’t want to sing for free anymore. Yeah. Yeah.

29:40

I gotta use that one.

Eddie Saunders Jr  29:42

Use out that’s my go to bro. That’s my, that’s got it. That’s a good I’m gonna write the

Curt Anderson  29:47

Venmo I’ll send you alright, so anyway, let’s talk more about flex. If you don’t mind. I’m going to clear my screen for a second. I’m going to show everybody so something real quick. Yeah, for sure. So you were talking about videos and we’re talking about flex and so people are like, man up Get my curiosity. Can you guys see?

30:04

Yes, we can you see my screen? Yep.

Curt Anderson  30:07

Okay. And if you don’t mind I want to show this video. I know it’s a let’s let’s go here you guys can see this.

Eddie Saunders Jr  30:15

We’re not your typical manufacturing company. Some call us different, unique, modern and even ambitious. Honestly, they’re all right. At our core, we’re a growth company disguised as a manufacturing facility. So some of our products have been around for decades, always innovating, testing, collaborating, and challenging ourselves to not only be pioneers of machine to automation solutions, also good humans, routine that drives and fuels culture and my culture. I don’t mean leather couches by the fireplace in Palm breaks, beautiful pie. Employee jam the spirit week in company merch. We’re blessed. Passionate thinkers and doers. We all bring our diverse backgrounds and perspectives. We’re committed to breaking the mold in disrupting snacks. Our humble roots began in 1971 Richard Kennedy started his small Wapakoneta Ohio based machine shop, fulfilling government contract, then flex arm was born. Now 50 plus years in millions of innovation hours later, flex machine tools provide so much more people were proud IT industry all star flex ergonomic on Flex, CNC and flex machining centers, in our Flexjet waterjet machines that we provide various machines with solutions, we have one secret exceed customer expectations. Because when a business focuses on bringing value to the customer, how can you it’s no accident or secret that we have some of the top talent and it shows through everything we do. Innovation isn’t easy. Being a growing force in the industry doesn’t happen. But we couldn’t be more proud of our team. 1000 customers flex. Man,

Curt Anderson  32:30

what on earth like, Dude, you’re a manufacturer you’re not supposed to have like killer videos like that. And Damon, did you love the you know, we don’t have the leather couches and the ping pong table and like, yeah,

32:41

I love that part.

Curt Anderson  32:42

Did you like to talk about that talk about again, let’s I want to take a deeper just I just I love the culture a lot. You know, everybody loves what you’re doing. They want a little bit more. And I want a piece of Eddie here. Just talk about like that video and how that that just represents the company. I’ll stop there because I could ask you like five more questions on one. But just talking about the video and like the culture and just how that really how that resonates with what’s going on at flex.

Eddie Saunders Jr  33:09

Yeah, man. And sorry, first, like, I just got this little little teary eyed little choked up because it’s just, it really, this really is a beautiful company. It really is. And everyone says that their people are like family. And I know it sounds super cliche. But gosh, like we really have rallied together. COVID brought us so so close. And we really do have a phenomenal culture. And it’s one of those where our superpower here at Flex is when you when we bring you to our facility, it’s really as our people we brag about our companies so much. And it’s not because we’re just drinking the Kool Aid, right? We’re all in our mid 30s For the most part, obviously other others, you know, and other ages, but it’s just like we’ve worked other places before. And there’s a reason why when people do leave here and it’s a rarity, they always want to come back it’s because we’re we’re it’s always an adventure, I will say working for Flex is not for everybody because it’s it is very fast paced, and like I said in the video, like it is a growth company disguised as a manufacturing facility. And that’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but we find some A players here, and some amazing human beings. And I just it’s just incredible. I could go on all day, about how much I genuinely admire respect and and just have a deep sense of friendship. And I love some of these people I really do because they’re just great humans and the product is awesome. Like that’s cool and all but when people come here it’s very unanimous. They say a lot of the very same things like the people you have your oh my gosh, the facility is great. But the people we have he is our greatest asset here. 100%

34:41

Yeah, I mean, like you said to it’s industry standard stuff, you guys. You know the flex arm has been something I don’t know how many factories I’ve been in or manage that use them like crazy day in day out. gazillion repeat. Oh yes. And then you You know, and these are the videos you guys do around the products are our eight real world kind of stuff. And then fun mean, because like you said, as you’re coming in this, I don’t really care that the envelope of my CNC machine is bla bla bla bla bla bla bla, I want to see it do some stuff, right? Yep, have some fun. And, and really, really watch, watch what you can do and watch and envision myself benefiting from that.

Eddie Saunders Jr  35:28

And it’s good for sure. We were, we think with you in mind. And one thing that I had to really break here like a wild horse flex was using the I speak and I’m not talking about your physical I talk about the letter I would so many people in manufacturing, they use the keywords they think they want to use, they have the conversations that think best suit them. And I came in here and swung my stick around said stop it, stop it, stop it. Let’s talk all they want to talk. Let’s show them what they actually want. And oh, it’s funny. You want to like we should put some entertaining content out there that people like, oh, it’s like people want entertained? It’s crazy.

Curt Anderson  36:05

Right? All right. So let’s go further to the topic today how to create killer content. And we’ve covered a lot of space here so far, Eddie. So again, you know, we’re speaking to, you know, let’s talk to the flex years ago, you know, somebody that wishes, you know, you guys, what I love is when you have the leadership is bought in. Okay. And obviously your leadership is just all in the culture the the way that you’re I mean, like, Damon, you get in shows today or what man, I mean, like the way for you to talk about, you know, you’re talking about this when you talk about your family, you know, Eddie senior in the show, you know, like, I love these people, their family, you know, you’re right at home, you’re wearing their swag, like, you know, it’s how do you create that culture of enthusiasm. And then I want to slide into, let’s get more tactical on content. But just, let’s take it another step further, I just can’t let go of that, that that culture that you guys have created at flex. And let’s let’s dive into the content.

Eddie Saunders Jr  37:06

There at the end of the day, like I boil it down to empathy. Like honestly like that, that is one of the greatest superpowers known to mankind or womankind, humankind, whatever. Empathy really is a superpower. And that’s one thing here at flex that we have in abundance. And when and it doesn’t matter if it’s your coworker, your enemy, you know, your spouse, your child, your your your teammate, it doesn’t matter. showing empathy is always well received. And it’s not sympathizing. People mix sympathy with empathy. And it’s like, okay, I can understand your feelings empathy, as I insert myself into your feelings, and how that relates to what we’re doing it flexes, we all understand, we each have our specific jobs to be done. I’m not worried about shipping times because I’m in marketing, don’t care as much about right. And vice versa. Shipping doesn’t care about my marketing message as much right? Typically, but we not only feature a lot of our employees, but there’s so much collaboration that goes in between these walls, we break down the silos, we break down the walls, our campus is all wide open, there are very few offices in this building. And the tops of them are completely open, and the front of them are completely glass. And we have an open door policy. And it all goes back to empathy. And so regardless of what type of company, what type of industry that you are in, I feel if you show others, especially your workforce, your employees, your team, that they are important, you give them the tools and you get out of their way that will make you a priority. They really will. And it sounds cliche, but cliche to me is time tested. So I’ll say it again and I beat it to death, showing empathy. And any levels will help you accomplish anything whether it’s buy into your company’s brand or whatever it may be. Just showing that empathy towards other human beings understanding their situation and being a good human. That beats beanbag chairs and beer in the fridge and things like that. That that that will create culture all day. Everything else is just icing and cherries on top.

Curt Anderson  39:05

Absolutely, Nicole. Yes. My favorite word. Of course. Gary love the video. And hey, by the way Nicole wants to know you know, you still we need to get a collection going to get you to sing or

Eddie Saunders Jr  39:17

show tunes. Oh my gosh, you got to take my theater background. Oh, no, man.

Curt Anderson  39:25

Because being on theater, so Eddie, so we’re talking culture slide into and again, I want to be mindful of your time is we’re starting to wind down a little bit early. Some other content strategies for folks I know like you’ve got great. You’ve got a couple of shows coming up this week. Big one on Thursday big one in Chicago I think by behalf of LinkedIn is that is in Chicago this week. Talk about let’s go into like a little bit of a another content strategy. You know, how do we tie in empathy? I have limited resources. I’m a one man band marketer, one person Woman band, share some other tactics that other folks could take advantage of today.

Eddie Saunders Jr  40:05

Do you talk to your customers? Straight up? Talk to your customers? One, they’re already converted easy conversation. Hey, Mr. Customer, we are to do business together, can we have a conversation? Oh, funny, we’re already having one. So that’s, that’s a big thing. Because you can learn so much. And I feel like too many people and I was in sales for 10 years, I’m all about let’s get that signature on to the next one. You’re a salesperson and you don’t feel that’s because you’re lying to yourself. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t be a good person care about them, yada, yada, but you don’t hit your number. It’s a whole different situation. I digress. But But that being said, I would highly recommend in addition to what we’ve talked, you talk to your customers learn why they bought, why they were hesitant, what they love the most about what it is that you’re doing. And I always create content again, like what did I say earlier? Too many people use the AI marketing when they’re not speaking their customers language. And it’s a huge mistake that so many people are making, especially on an SEO perspective, don’t get me started there. But that would that would be the biggest thing because they are already warm conversations. And what’s the worst that’s going to happen? You find out how you can get better. You know that that’s a small price to pay. But the greatest thing that can come from that, especially in our experience, what I’ve learned, you know, the 12 plus years I’ve been doing this is they’ll tell you things that they love that you didn’t even know. Yeah, available for your product or service or that man, they’ll tell you things. Yeah, that matter because we say or think, oh, we need to buy all the tapping seo keywords we can when people aren’t even using that word, you know, just for lack of a better exam. Yeah. And it just goes back to that your customers will tell you how your prospects make decisions. Yeah,

Curt Anderson  41:42

I love it. We so Damon, we use the word czar, right. Remember our little czar. So if you you know, the the the name of the product that goes around a coffee coffee cup that prevents your fingers from being burnt? That little cardboard piece is called a XOF. Nice. Who on earth is going to Google Zara they’re Googling please, I don’t want to burn my fingers today on this hot cup of coffee. Right? So exactly to Eddie’s point is I put yourself in your ideal buyers shoes. Try to speak their language. If you’re not sure what language they speak.

42:16

Just ask to speak English.

Curt Anderson  42:19

But so fast. It’s that simple. So I hey, let’s see. Diane says being a good human. The coal mines. Here’s some music man. So we might have to talk a little music man. And Nicole says, Hey, I’m looking forward to meeting you on Thursday and Edie? Guess what, brother? I’m gonna meet you in person in Cleveland. How’s that one?

Eddie Saunders Jr  42:38

I’m fine. Now it’s a party.

Curt Anderson  42:40

I’m coming to the show. Just because you’re speaking brother. So no, oh, yeah. I’m going. Jeff Long’s going. I feel like Joe Sullivan is going to be there. Wendy Covey, who was just on the program, Daymond she was on last month. She’s a keynote speaker. So Eddie, what can we expect from you? If you’re not going to Cleveland, please have FOMO? Because you got to hear it. You got to hear Eddie speak live in Cleveland. On Thursday, September 15. Eddie, what are we talking about on Thursday,

Eddie Saunders Jr  43:08

we’re gonna really dive into influencers and manufacturing because as much as I regret telling everybody about and blown the lid off of it, because it’s worked so well for flex. So as we said earlier, one of my favorite quotes is a rising tide lifts all ships and I’m opening up the playbook. I’m sick and tired of everybody hiding their cards. I want manufacturing to win. And if I’m doing weird stuff that’s working, I want you to do weird stuff that works for you in a weird thing that is absolutely working objectively and subjectively is influencers within manufacturing. And I’ve got some gangster case studies on how we specifically accrued over 1.6 million video content views in under two years with one single influencer nice.

Curt Anderson  43:49

I’m sorry, Eddie. I’m an old man. I can’t hear that. Well, what was that number again? Could you please repeat that 1.6 million. Dude. All right in this but we’re not going to tell you because you got to come to Cleveland to get the deed. There you go.

Eddie Saunders Jr  44:05

We’ll talk about I promise I’ll feed you off.

Curt Anderson  44:07

All right, well, man, it’s gonna we’re gonna I can’t do it. I can’t wait to meet him. Now remember, I’m an old guy. So don’t be putting me in any MMA moves because I break like a pretzel so

Eddie Saunders Jr  44:16

I’m a way better hugger. That’s why I tell everybody my entire life I am a way better hugger.

Curt Anderson  44:23

I’ll get up with it and might even try to twist your arm to get you to sing that song but i Are you going to be in Chicago this week by any chance?

Eddie Saunders Jr  44:31

I will be going to IMCs to my surprise I’ll be there for a one day event. I’ll be running around the entire facility interviewing some of my best friends getting some photos and some fluxys if you will, so but only be there on Wednesday fly in that morning fly out that evening so I can make it to Cleveland on Thursday but I’ll be there making noise loud and proud flying my Flex

Curt Anderson  44:51

flag. Awesome. Well, speaking of fly, let’s wind things down. So guys, all right. Again, let’s recap. Yeah, have to connect Like with Eddie, like my goodness gracious if you’re not motivated today, please call the priests call the doctor calls somebody man because like, on fire, you get to see Eddie live naturally. So anybody that’s at the show in Chicago this week, stop by Eddie’s booth. I think I wrote your booth number down. Was it a B O M? 79. Do I have that right?

Eddie Saunders Jr  45:26

That’s for a bob 79 is actually the influencer? Who who we’re going to have influencer? Yes. A bomb is one of the biggest influences manufacturing. He will be at our booth on Wednesday for all the pictures selfies and videos that you could get your hands on. So yes,

Curt Anderson  45:41

in where’s that? Where’s the reveal party going to show on LinkedIn? What we see that on LinkedIn?

Eddie Saunders Jr  45:46

The reveal for for what just him being there? Yeah. Oh, no, we’ve already announced it. Yes, he will. We want to give everybody a heads up not to surprise anybody because we know that a lot of people wanted to know where he was going to be. And so we let everybody know loud and clear. He’s gonna be flexing with us

Curt Anderson  46:03

on Wednesday, touching you at the industrial marketing Summit. And you know, just if you Google industrial marketing summit, I think I hopefully I put it in the chat box earlier. But you want to connect with Eddie I know for I know I I tagged it. So you cook that if you are interested, sign up for that show. It’s a great program. amazing speakers coming up on Thursday. At his we take things down. Let’s take it home. Brother. Are you ready? Let’s take it home. Okay. Maybe we talk we might have talked about Eddie George one more time. Isn’t that right? You know, I’ve been trying to get on the program. Damon is I’ve been trying, you know, I connected with on LinkedIn more recently that I connected with. Oh, and so I don’t know, Eddie, if I can, if I can convince, if I can convince Maurice claret that join us, or any one of our other wonderful Buckeyes, you’ll be the first and they’ll Brother, I will let you know that. Okay, as we wind down your great family man, father, husband, Eddie and Michelle’s proud, proud son here. Who is your inspiration moving forward?

Eddie Saunders Jr  47:10

Man, I tell you what, like this gonna sound cliche, but my kids inspire me so much name because there are no human beings on this planet that challenge me more. Yeah, to think in ways that I have not thought in, obviously, many years. And I know. It sounds crazy, right? You’re probably thinking like, who’s a big thought leader? Who’s a celebrity who’s a big actress? No, my kids inspiring me so much, especially my little boys, because they’re just pure little boys. They remind me to always be curious, always be adventurous. And then I got my two little girls who just challenged me to make sure that I’m staying proper and as much as I want to be just a guy’s guy. Sometimes they give me texture. A girl made me a father first. And so that changed my life and I will never forget that. So my biggest motivator people who inspire me are seriously my four children. And I have some amazing some blessed children, two boys, two girls, and they were they drive me they intrigued me. They challenged me and there’s my biggest supporters as well. Awesome.

Curt Anderson  48:12

I tell you, you are a blessing names and ages of the four young ones at zero.

Eddie Saunders Jr  48:17

This is where I get people. So Leila is 10. Mikayla is eight. Sammy is five and Salem is one so Leila Mikayla, Sammy and Salem. Whoa, you’re a busy man.

48:32

You are a busy man. That is awesome.

Eddie Saunders Jr  48:36

Awesome fall sports season. So it’s a big thing. But yeah, that’s what they challenged me. They can do

Curt Anderson  48:41

more for future Buckeyes right there. So I let’s do this. Dude, thank you. Thank you for your passion, your expertise, your energy, your flexing, the being the mascot of manufacturing, dude, man, please don’t take your foot off the pedal, you know, young, there’s a big renaissance in manufacturing. You’re leading the charge. There’s a whole pack. You know, Andrew Crowe, you know, Chris Lukey you know, everybody has an amazing job here on LinkedIn. Just just really shining a bright light on manufacturing. And you my friend are just doing an awesome awesome job. Guys, you want to connect with Eddie on LinkedIn you want to check if you’re like man, I’m gonna manufacture I need to step up my main if my marketing game, go to flex machine tools. Obviously if you need machine tools you want to go to flex. But if you’re looking for some great marketing tips, you want to check out some videos. You want to check out their YouTube channel, subscribe to their channel, check out Eddie’s interviews. He is an amazing we flipped the script on him today. He is an incredible host but boy what a wonderful guest and he God bless you my friend. This has just been such. I’m like getting chills this even being in your presence. Any last parting words that you want to share with folks today?

Eddie Saunders Jr  49:57

Be a good human.

49:59

Be a good There you go.

50:00

That’s it. That’s it.

Curt Anderson  50:03

Chapter Mike. Just Damon.

Eddie Saunders Jr  50:06

I was dropped this if it wasn’t suspended, I would drop anyway, let’s just

50:11

let’s just save her.

Curt Anderson  50:12

Let’s just save her at his wisdom, energy, his passion, his enthusiasm. I guys, we’re gonna wind down. Catch Edie live in Cleveland this Thursday. Follow him on LinkedIn. Eddie. God bless you, brother. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I wish everybody an amazing, incredible week. You know what, yesterday was? 911 What an amazing day to be in America and God bless every single one of you out there. Just if you need more energy, if you’re having a down day, please come back to this video. replay it and you will be on fire. So Alright guys, we David. We’ll see everybody on Friday. Oh yeah. Well, 32 Eastern 932. Pacific. We have a great guest. And we’ll see you guys soon. Thank you guys. Thanks, everyone hanging out at one second.