Eddie Saunders Jr. is a guy who wears a bunch of hats.

He’s the Creative Director and Brand Collaborator at Flex Machine Tools. He's got a background in theater. He runs an MMA gym. But – since this is a manufacturing podcast – you're most likely to know him as the host of the Flex & Friends, a web series where Eddie chats with influential and passionate leaders in the manufacturing industry.

While Eddie’s only been running this series for just over six months at the time of this episode in February 2022, he's made quite a name for himself in a short period of time.

In this episode, Eddie shares a little bit of everything from his multifaceted background and how it’s contributed to the success of Flex & Friends. He discusses the groundwork he did before starting the podcast and how the first six months have panned out for him.

Eddie also offers actionable tips for manufacturing leaders looking to create content for their brands.

In this episode, find out:

• How Eddie went from theater to manufacturing
• How Flex & Friends began
• What Eddie considered before starting Flex & Friends
• Marketing tips that work across industries
• Lessons Eddie has learned from running an MMA gym
• Actionable tips for manufacturing leaders creating content

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Tweetable Quotes:

• “It’s impossible to ignore the stigmas in manufacturing, but there are also a lot of amazing human beings in our broad and dynamic world, and my number one intention is to tell their stories.”
• “I would highly recommend that if you don't have the confidence to reach out to other individuals doing what you want to do, then I would say keep your eyes and ears open and watch what's being done.”
• “If you go into it just to make cool content, you're setting yourself up to fail, and not only will you fail to achieve an ROI, you’ll fail to achieve an ROE, which is a return on the effort.”

Links & mentions:

• Flex Machine Tools, an industrial machine tools company with a growing set of product lines and applications, including FlexCNC Vertical Machining Center, FlexJet Waterjet, FlexArm tapping, FlexBeam Drill Line, and FlexErgo
• Flex & Friends, a link to Eddie’s web series through Flex Machine Tools’ YouTube page
• Great Lakes Brewing Company, an iconic microbrewery located in Cleveland, OH with house suds, an updated American menu, free tours, and a patio

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.