Elton A. Hollis, III, is a renowned figure in the business and consulting industry, making a significant impact with his expertise and leadership. As the proud owner of Hol Tech Resources, LLC, a highly respected full-service consulting firm specializing in Safety, Quality, and Compliance, Elton brings unparalleled guidance and training to businesses in the Industrial, Commercial, and Small Business sectors. With an impressive 26-year background in the Oil and Gas Construction field, Elton leverages his vast experience to support clients in overcoming challenges and achieving success.
At Hol Tech, Elton provides a comprehensive suite of services, including consulting, training, executive coaching, and robust safety management and compliance solutions. His diverse skill set enables him to address clients’ unique needs with precision and effectiveness. Elton has held various roles throughout his illustrious career, showcasing his versatility and adaptability in the ever-evolving business world.
Elton’s commitment to excellence and problem-solving prowess has earned him a stellar reputation in the Safety and Training field. Notably, he has collaborated with Lamar Institute of Technology on Small Business training grants, demonstrating his dedication to fostering growth in the entrepreneurial community. Additionally, Elton actively engages in marketing meetings organizes events, and delivers inspiring speeches as a mentor to support the success of Small Businesses.
Beyond his involvement with Hol Tech, Elton co-founded the Golden Triangle Industrial Group, a pivotal organization that facilitates project information exchange among local companies, driving business growth. Moreover, he serves as the Vice Chairperson for the Contractors Business Development Group, passionately advocating for the industry’s best interests.
Elton’s expertise and influential presence have garnered widespread recognition, with numerous accolades and media features highlighting his contributions. Esteemed publications such as Global Millionaire Magazine, InLife International, and Global Elite Entrepreneur have featured him on their covers. VT Post has honored Elton as one of the Top 100 Entrepreneurs in Texas, solidifying his status as a distinguished business leader. Reputable platforms like Elitepedia, The Los Angelers, Refine Post, and The Global Celebrity have showcased his accomplishments.
In 2022, Elton received the prestigious BBB Torch Awards for Ethics Award for Microbusiness, underscoring his unwavering commitment to ethical business practices. He further established his authority by publishing his first book, “Creative Problem Solving,” in late 2021. Building on this success, Elton recently released his second book, “Buy Into Yourself First,” which offers invaluable insights and effective strategies for successful business development.
Elton’s talents extend beyond the business realm. He has ventured into music, composing his first song, “Kirbyville,” which resonates with his upbringing in a small Texas town and its profound influence on his life.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Elton finds solace and inspiration in the great outdoors, exploring the scenic landscapes of the Texas Hill Country through hiking trails. He also cherishes quality time with his children and grandchild, fostering strong family bonds. Elton actively participates in charitable initiatives, utilizing his platform to contribute to the betterment of his community. Notably, he hosts the highly successful radio show and podcast, “Small Business Friday,” in collaboration with his business partner, Joe Tant. The show has reached a wide audience of over 3.7 million viewers across platforms like Spotify and various social media channels.
In an exclusive interview with StarCentral Magazine, Elton graciously shared his remarkable journey as an entrepreneur, providing valuable insights into his experiences and achievements. The conversation shed light on the path he has traversed and the invaluable lessons he has learned along the way. Get ready to be inspired as Elton A. Hollis, III, takes us on an extraordinary journey of entrepreneurship and success.
How would you describe your leadership style?
I consider myself to fall mainly under the category of a Transformational Leader. I believe strongly in not only being committed to helping the organization achieve its goals but also to helping group members fulfill their potential. This style of leadership results in higher performance and improved group satisfaction than other leadership styles, in my opinion. In addition, I also believe a leader’s reaction should change according to the type of situation. For example, in a crisis situation, I feel a leader should step out front first to provide clear and concise direction and lead the charge for a solution. After the initial response, I like to fall back and be ready to provide support as my team implements and molds the plan into success.
What factors do you consider when defining long-term goals?
1. Set specific and challenging goals. It turns out that I achieve more by setting specific goals that are a little bit bigger or challenging, but not too challenging. If we set easy goals, we often don’t achieve as much as we could because we don’t push ourselves quite as hard.
2. Set meaningful goals. Reaching goals that you care about is easier than reaching goals you don’t care about. It’s helpful to clarify what you care about right from the start.
3. Set realistic goals. It can be tricky to know just how much you can achieve, In fact, if you don’t believe in yourself, you might set your goals too low and miss out on doing some great things. If you believe in your ability to manifest something, you are more likely to persist until you do. Take some time to dream big and then put on your reality cap to reflect on what is possible.
4. Commit to your goal. We, silly humans, don’t like to disappoint ourselves or others. When we commit to something, we’re more likely to do it, especially if we share the commitment with other people in our lives.
5. Create a feedback cycle. Feedback can be helpful so that you know how well you are doing. Even if you don’t have someone to provide feedback for you, you can still put systems in place to give yourself feedback. In other words, you could track your progress on how you’re moving towards your goal. That way, you’ll know how you’re doing. Surrounding yourself with good, honest people helps with this tremendously.
What is your method for shaping a company culture?
Get clear on your goals and priorities. Your company culture needs to absorb what you consider most important – your company’s priorities and objectives. I know it sounds cliche, many companies simply don’t convey – clearly and effectively – what the business’s priorities actually are. That can be maddening for people who crave direction, and it breeds a lackadaisical environment for those who aren’t driven.
Celebrate victories and behavior in alignment with your core values and brand immediately and highlight the great behavior; celebrate the story of the success. The closer you make the celebration to the behavior, the more you reinforce the desired value. Over time it is these small steps that accumulate in your culture.
Look for small stories that symbolize deeper meaning. You don’t need only to highlight victories. Instead, also look for small occurrences in the company that symbolize deeper values you want the company to absorb.
Use tough, emotional moments as examples of how serious your company is to living its goals and priorities. A tough decision in alignment with your company values and priorities will have more impact on your real culture than any dozen “easy” moves you make.
What is the most difficult decision you had to make in your position?
This is an easy question for me. Affecting a person’s livelihood by either laying them off or terminating them is the hardest thing ever. I think this is why I’m so passionate about how personally they are meant to be here. Sometimes your company may not be a good fit for the employee, and you really aren’t doing them justice by just letting them exist in the system. This also helps me to remember daily that it is my responsibility to push the growth and direction of the company to hopefully not have to lay anyone off due to the company’s slowdown.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Spending time with my family is my all-time favorite outside of work. It’s a great way for me to reset and just enjoy laughing and in the moment fun times. I also really enjoy random road trips and adventures with my girlfriend. Her job is high-stress and just as demanding as mine, so letting go and relaxing as a team in the outdoors is amazing. I’ve learned that doing simple things, such as cooking together, is valuable for recharging and relaxing.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is multilayered. Of course, I would love to have the wealth you hear about on tv, social media, etc., but I also appreciate and crave the wisdom of conquering challenges and being mentored by wise people. Using mindfulness, I’ve learned to mentor someone else and see your effect on their life, even in a tiny way. Finally, and probably my favorite, is getting to the point of helping someone else succeed and donating my time and efforts to worthy charities in my community. These things will contribute to the ultimate goal in life: to feel proud of your choices and to feel relevant to what you have been chosen to do.
What are your greatest professional strengths as an entrepreneur?
I believe my greatest strength is the ability to adapt to my customers’ changing needs. That also means being flexible and understanding of what they may encounter in the future. Being proactive has helped me numerous times in the past and has helped me retain clients to this very day. I also think surrounding myself with the right people and always being able to learn from anyone has contributed a lot to my success.
What motivates you to succeed?
I have several sources of motivation that drive me to succeed. I know from previous roles that I am highly motivated by opportunities to learn or grow professionally because I know that this means I am providing value for my team and myself. I also get great motivation from completing meaningful work as part of a team and helping my team members achieve their best.
Another key driver for me personally is training or helping colleagues to grow and improve. I welcome opportunities to train others and constantly seek informal opportunities to share my knowledge with other people.
How do you deal with conflicts in your workplace as an entrepreneur?
Where there are people, there is conflict. We each have our values, needs, and habits, so it’s easy to misunderstand or irritate one another – or worse, to fall into conflict.
Left unchecked, conflict can lead to bad decisions and outright disputes. Teamwork breaks down, morale drops and projects grind to a halt. Companies feel the hit with wasted talent, high absenteeism, and increased employee turnover. But conflict can be resolved. Moreover, it can bring issues to light, strengthen relationships, and spark innovation – so long as you don’t try to ignore it. Practicing active listening, controlling your emotions, and being positive with your approach can guide you through this process.
What would you consider as your biggest achievement?
I consider my biggest achievement so far to be operating a successful business, maintaining manageable work-life balance, and having the ability to help other people. I can’t imagine a better life than enjoying what you do so much that it feels great to go to work every day. This couldn’t happen without hard work, a positive attitude, and surrounding yourself with amazing people.
What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?
The golden rule also applies in business. When your attitude is enthusiastic, supportive, and keen, people will come, and your business will get attention. Check your business attitude and leave the bad attitude behind. Also, I think it’s immensely important to reach out and don’t hide behind a computer, smartphone, or website. Don’t hide behind tech to do business because business is still all about the people. Face-to-face connection shouldn’t be discounted, even in a technological age.
Open up your platform. Don’t buck up and give a sermon on your pedestal once it reaches a measure of success. Be visible — not for the sake of what you do to maintain a brand’s reputation but for the power of authentic connection.