Meet Elzie D. Flenard
Elzie D. Flenard, III is the founder of Enterprise NOW!. Elzie is also the host of the Enterprise NOW! Podcast. Elzie has more than a decade of experience as an engineering professional and entrepreneur. He thrives on thinking outside the box, bringing the best out of entrepreneurs, and driving results. He provokes thought, challenges creativity and inspires persistence. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Carroll University and is an Accredited Small Business Consultant.
What is a good way to communicate brand message?
I think the best way to communicate anything really is the way that’s authentic and genuine to who you are and your voice.
What is the best way to get started in podcast?
I think a lot of times people say just get started. I’m gonna advise against that. I’m gonna say do some homework first. I always advise people to get a coach. Get someone who knows the ropes, who’s done it before to kind of help you save time and frustration. And really just focus on your why. Why do you want to do a podcast? Are you doing it because it’s the big thing? And everybody else is doing it? Or is there a method to it? So know your purpose, get a coach, and then just do it, don’t sit on it.
How would an entrepreneur know if podcasting is a good fit for their business or their brand?
Hone into your point of who your audience is and where do they hang out? If that’s where your audience is, and that’s where you want to reach them and audio is the method that you want to use, then podcasting is probably a good method for that.
Can you share with our listeners your most successful or favorite networking story or experience that you’ve had?
So I have a guy on my show once and I’m at a networking event and I’m in the room just mingling and introducing myself and I hear this voice from across the room. And then my ears perk up and I recognize that voice and so I poke my head up and I see the person from which this voice is coming from and I’m like, hey, so and so and he sees me, he hears me. He’s like, hey, how are you? And we like meet in the middle of a room and there was like this, this reunion of people and yet we have never met before. So that just speaks to the power of podcasting and the ability to build those relationships. And it’s really networking.
How do you nurture or stay in front of the community that you’re building?
Continuing to network because a lot of times I think people will start strong and then they kind of temper off. Because in my mind, relationships are the whole game. So in terms of follow up that looks like paying attention, being present, actively listening and really embracing and being deliberate and intentional about building those relationships. So I think being authentic, intentional and just deliberate.
What advice would you offer that business professional who’s really looking to grow their network?
I always say find the right pond. You just have to make sure you’re fishing at the right pond. So find the pond and again, be authentic, be genuine, and do more of the things that work and stop doing the things that don’t work.
Digital networking or traditional networking, which one do you find more value in?
I’m going to give the answer of both because, honestly, it is both. For example, this morning I met for coffee with a gentleman that I met on LinkedIn. So glad that that we were able to connect. I’m going to say both and I think you can’t really have one without the other. But I tend to lean toward the face to face personal interaction.
If you could go back to your 20 year old self, what would you tell yourself to do more of less of or differently with regards to your professional career?
I would tell myself to focus on learning how the business operates, focus on it from the owners perspective. And I would tell myself to focus on the focus and to always pay attention to perspective and how that impacts my current world.
So we’ve all heard of the six degrees of separation, who would be the one person that you’d love to connect with? And do you think you can do it within the six degree?
The person will be Magic Johnson. I don’t know if I can do it with the six degrees because I know he’s a really busy guy. But I admire his story, where he came from and he turned his passion into his business and he’s just an incredibly successful entrepreneur. I’ve watched him from being a player to some of the ways that he went and got mentors and learned business and then went out and, and adapted it to fit him. He was extremely self aware. He knew, hey, this works for these people. But this works for me. And he’s been able to carve out a really good business for himself.
So anything you want to share with our listeners that you’re listening to you or find fascinating or that you’re reading that’s kind of helped you with some of your journey along the way.
The main way that I’m getting business knowledge is through my podcast, interviewing these people. They are fantastically successful and they have these amazing stories. So I learned a lot from them. Right now I’m reading this book called Anti Hustle. The premise of it is, is that you want to work smarter and not harder and just really being intentional and focused on the focus.
Do you have any final words or advice for our listeners with regards to growing and supporting your network?
I would say focus on the focus. And I know I keep saying this, but be authentic. Being genuine and really caring about your relationships and nurturing those relationships. I think that is going to take you a long way. So there’s no shortcut.
How to connect with Elize:
Email: eflenard@enterprisenow.net
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elzie-d-flenard-iii-76aa23126/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/enterprise_now