We recently connected with Emmanuel Glaze and have shared our conversation below.
Emmanuel, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I found my purpose through a combination of methods. Early in my adult life I had the pleasure of coaching middle school football for 10 years. Having the chance to work with those young men and seeing the affect I as one of their coaches was having on their lives helped me in knowing that supporting our youth was a passion for me. After coaching I went into sports media, where I have covered sports for 9+ years. While covering, I noticed the effect that these events were having on the youth that were able to attend these events and when I saw this I knew I wanted to do this for youth that were underexposed.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Emmanuel Glaze serves as the Founder and CEO of Optimize The Vizion and the OTV Media Network. Emmanuel is also the founder and Co-Host of The Crush Sports Show which airs on the Crush Sports Network.
Optimize The Vizion is guided by goal to enhance the vizions of children’s futures by exposing them to countless possibilities and opportunities that the world can provide. This is created by taking middle and high school students from the Metro Atlanta area to various events in the city to provide the participants a more wholistic and opportunistic view of the world.
His roots run deep into the red clay of Georgia. Born in Fort Gordon, Ga, he was raised and lived in Lincolnton, Ga. During his high school career, he was a standout linebacker on perennial powerhouse and multiple state champion Lincoln County Red Devils Football team. He continued his athletic prowess at Morris Brown College where he lettered in football and track and graduated with a degree in Mathematics in 1996. After graduation, he never lost his desire to compete and fulfilled that need by coaching football programs at Kell Middle School.
Emmanuel is married to his college sweetheart of 25+ years to his Jennifer. They have produced two beautiful daughters Nia and Nadiyah. Nia is currently attending Savannah State and working on a degree in Biology and Nadiyah is a attending Georgia State University and working on a degree in Biology.
When asked how he continues to break the mold of what people think a guy from Lincoln County, Georgia should be able to accomplish, his reply embodies his quiet faith: “You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.”
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities or skills that were more impactful in my journey are:
1. Believe in your passion. It’s your passion, no one will believe in it more than you will. So if you fully believe in what you are doing then your passion will always be what you make it and not what someone else try to make it.
2. Do The Work- Passion work is hard, but fulfilling. Your passion will need your heart, soul, mind and spirit to make it work. It will also require that you do the work. If you are not ready to spend the time to do the work for your passion, then you may not be successful in your passion.
3. Listen and Learn- You will never stop trying to grow your passion. And the best way for it to grow is for you to learn as much as you can to make your passion and listen to others who have expertise in the field. Never be to big in your passion that you are not wanting to constantly grow your passion. Listening and Learning will help you do that.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Running a nonprofit requires structure and funding in order to make it work. Although we have had great success over the past 4 years, we were still missing out on opportunities to be better. So one of the things we are doing to maximize our opportunities, we are starting to work with experts in our field to help us learn how to get our organization better. We don’t have all the answers, so we are reaching out to those who can help us find the answers. We are constantly learning and growing to make our organization better.
Contact Info:
- Website: OptimizeTheVizion.org
- Instagram: Optimize The Vizion, OTV Media Network, EGlazeOTV
- Facebook: Optimize The Vizion, OTV Media Network, Emmanuel R Glaze
- Linkedin: Optimize The Vizion, OTV Media Network, Emmanuel Glaze
- Twitter: @OptTheVizion, @MediaOTV, @EGlazeOTV
- Youtube: Optimize The Vizion, OTV Media Network, The Crush Sports Network
Image Credits
Photos: Dope Shot By Precious
