Blog + Diamonds
VIDEO SUMMARY
Your Blueprint for Success: Discover the Vital Steps to Empower Yourself
Hey there, buddy! Ever wonder why your life sometimes feels like a rollercoaster ride with no seatbelts? 🎢
Well, guess what? You’re not alone! 😅
Imagine having the power to decode life’s little mysteries and navigate through its twists and turns like a pro. 🚀
Curiosity piqued yet? You won’t believe what’s waiting for you! 😮
Stay tuned, and get ready for a revelation that’ll blow your socks off! 🧦
Your journey to mastering the art of life is about to begin! 🌟
#LifeMysteries #UnlockYourPotential #StayTuned
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Introduction
Description:
Provide a brief introduction to the interview and its context.
Implementation:
- Start by mentioning that this is an interview with Gary Vaynerchuk.
- Briefly explain the interview’s purpose and topic.
- Include any relevant information about the interviewer or show (Larry King Now).
- Mention that Gary Vaynerchuk is a digital media mogul, author, web show host, and venture capitalist.
Specific Details:
- The interview introduces Gary Vaynerchuk and his various roles and achievements.
- Mention the name of the show, “Larry King Now.”
Step 2: Gary Vaynerchuk’s Background
Description:
Highlight key points from Gary Vaynerchuk’s background, including his immigration story and early entrepreneurial experiences.
Implementation:
- Mention Gary’s immigration background, being born in Belarus, and coming to the United States in 1978.
- Describe his parents’ journey and their American dream.
- Highlight his early entrepreneurial experiences, such as lemonade stands and collecting sports cards.
- Explain how he got involved in the liquor store business with his family.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s family’s journey from Belarus to the U.S.
- His parents’ hard work and success in America.
- Gary’s childhood entrepreneurial ventures.
Step 3: Transition to Wine Business
Description:
Explain how Gary’s interest in wine developed and how he transitioned into the wine business.
Implementation:
- Mention Gary’s interest in collecting wine, which started at the age of 17.
- Describe his initial goal of building a wine franchise.
- Discuss his entry into e-commerce and the launch of WineLibrary.com.
- Explain how he grew the business from a small operation to a $60 million business.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s passion for collecting wine and its connection to sports card collecting.
- The launch of WineLibrary.com and its growth.
- Key strategies used to expand the wine business.
Step 4: Entry into Digital Media
Description:
Detail Gary’s transition into digital media and the role of YouTube in his career.
Implementation:
- Explain how Gary recognized the potential of the internet and YouTube in particular.
- Describe the launch of his YouTube show four months after YouTube started.
- Mention that he started the show without being a wine expert.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s early recognition of the internet’s potential.
- The timing of his YouTube show’s launch.
- Gary’s willingness to venture into YouTube despite not being a wine expert.
Step 5: School and Entrepreneurship
Description:
Discuss Gary’s experience with education and his views on entrepreneurship.
Implementation:
- Mention Gary’s academic struggles and poor performance in school.
- Explain why he believes that the traditional education system is not conducive to entrepreneurship.
- Share his perspective on the negative impact of too much success in school on entrepreneurs.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s academic performance and how it contrasts with his entrepreneurial success.
- His critique of the traditional education system.
- The potential drawbacks of academic excellence for entrepreneurs.
Step 6: Self-Awareness
Description:
Highlight Gary’s emphasis on self-awareness.
Implementation:
- Mention Gary’s focus on self-awareness as a crucial factor in personal development.
- Explain the importance of recognizing one’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Discuss how self-awareness can benefit entrepreneurs.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s belief in the value of self-awareness.
- The role of self-awareness in personal and professional growth.
Step 7: Conclusion
Description:
Summarize the key takeaways from the interview and conclude the summary.
Implementation:
- Recap the main points discussed in the interview, including Gary’s background, career transitions, and views on education.
- Conclude with a brief note on the significance of Gary’s journey and insights.
Specific Details:
- Briefly summarize the interview’s key topics and insights.
Step 8: Importance of Self-Awareness
Description:
Discuss Gary’s view on the importance of self-awareness and his efforts to encourage it in others.
Implementation:
- Highlight Gary’s acknowledgment of the importance of self-awareness.
- Mention his uncertainty about how to teach self-awareness but his belief in its significance.
- Discuss his intention to create an environment where people close to you can honestly tell you your strengths and weaknesses.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s emphasis on the value of self-awareness.
- His goal to foster open communication for self-awareness.
Step 9: Gary’s Current Ventures
Description:
Provide information about Gary’s current ventures, including VaynerMedia and his role as a modern-day Mad Man.
Implementation:
- Mention Gary’s role as the CEO of VaynerMedia, a 650-person social media digital agency.
- Describe VaynerMedia’s work with brands like Toyota and Pepsi.
- Explain that VaynerMedia operates as a modern-day Madison Avenue agency, focusing on advertising through platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s current role at VaynerMedia.
- VaynerMedia’s clients and services.
Step 10: The Changing Media Landscape
Description:
Discuss Gary’s insights into the changing media landscape and the shift from traditional media to digital platforms.
Implementation:
- Explain Gary’s belief that the telephone is becoming the new television, and television is becoming the new radio.
- Mention his interest in studying the transition from radio to television in the late 1950s.
- Highlight Gary’s focus on becoming a proficient storyteller for digital platforms.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s perspective on the changing media landscape.
- His analogy of the telephone, television, and radio.
Step 11: Next Topics
Description:
Provide a teaser for the upcoming topics in the interview.
Implementation:
- Mention that the next segment will cover utilizing the digital world for entrepreneurial benefit and the transformational potential of social media for businesses.
- Invite the audience to stay tuned for more insights.
Specific Details:
- Tease the next segment’s topics.
Step 12: Conclusion
Description:
Conclude the summary of the interview by mentioning the book “#AskGaryVee” and its focus on entrepreneurship, leadership, social media, and self-awareness.
Implementation:
- Recap the interview’s key points, including self-awareness and Gary’s current ventures.
- Highlight the availability of Gary’s book, “#AskGaryVee.”
- Mention the book’s themes of entrepreneurship, leadership, social media, and self-awareness.
Specific Details:
- Summarize the interview’s main topics.
- Promote Gary’s book and its themes.
Step 13: Utilizing Social Media for Business
Description:
Discuss Gary’s advice on how to use social media effectively for businesses.
Implementation:
- Explain Gary’s perspective that social media is a term for the current state of the internet.
- Highlight the importance of taking social media seriously for business.
- Emphasize the need to understand the context and differences between various social media platforms.
- Mention Gary’s point about providing value to the audience instead of constant self-promotion.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s view of social media as the current state of the internet.
- The importance of taking social media seriously.
- Understanding the nuances of different social media platforms.
- The concept of providing value to the audience.
Step 14: Adaptation to Technological Changes
Description:
Discuss the challenges of technological changes and Gary’s response to them.
Implementation:
- Mention the challenge of technological advancements that can quickly disrupt existing platforms.
- Highlight Gary’s perspective that businesses must adapt to market changes.
- Share the example of Twitter losing its leadership role due to certain issues.
- Emphasize the need for businesses to stay ahead of technological changes.
Specific Details:
- The challenge of technological disruption in the market.
- Twitter’s decline and the reasons behind it.
- The importance of adaptability for businesses.
Step 15: Conclusion
Description:
Conclude the summary of the interview by mentioning the book “#AskGaryVee” and its focus on entrepreneurship, leadership, social media, and self-awareness.
Implementation:
- Recap the interview’s key points, including the importance of social media and adaptation.
- Reiterate the availability of Gary’s book, “#AskGaryVee.”
- Mention the book’s themes related to entrepreneurship, leadership, social media, and self-awareness.
Specific Details:
- Summarize the interview’s main takeaways.
- Promote Gary’s book and its themes.
Step 16: Influence of Age on Technology Adoption
Description:
Discuss the influence of age on technology adoption and behavior, as mentioned by Gary Vaynerchuk.
Implementation:
- Mention Gary’s observation that people over 40 and 50 are also adopting technology and social media.
- Highlight the fact that older generations are becoming tech-savvy.
- Mention the youthification of society due to technology.
Specific Details:
- The increasing adoption of technology by people over 40 and 50.
- The influence of technology on the behavior of older generations.
Step 17: Gary’s Desire to Buy the New York Jets
Description:
Discuss Gary’s lifelong ambition to buy the New York Jets and his emotional connection to the team.
Implementation:
- Explain Gary’s childhood connection to the New York Jets.
- Highlight his desire to own the team despite the challenges.
- Mention the emotional significance of the Jets in his life.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s childhood memory of becoming a Jets fan.
- His ambition to buy the team.
- The emotional value of the Jets to him.
Step 18: Impact of Jets’ Losses on Gary
Description:
Discuss how losses by the New York Jets affect Gary Vaynerchuk emotionally.
Implementation:
- Mention that Gary is usually level-headed and unemotional in business.
- Highlight the fact that Jets losses are his one weakness.
- Discuss how sports, particularly the Jets, can evoke strong emotions in people.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s typical level-headedness in business.
- The emotional impact of New York Jets’ losses on him.
Step 19: Importance of Cash in Business
Description:
Discuss the importance of cash as a crucial element in starting and running a business, as mentioned by Gary Vaynerchuk.
Implementation:
- Emphasize the significance of having adequate financial resources when starting a business.
- Mention that many entrepreneurs overlook the importance of cash in their ventures.
- Highlight Gary’s advice on prioritizing cash flow.
Specific Details:
- The critical role of cash in business operations.
- Gary’s observation that some entrepreneurs underestimate the importance of money when starting a business.
Step 20: Leveraging Strengths in Business
Description:
Discuss Gary Vaynerchuk’s advice on leveraging one’s strengths when starting a business.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary emphasizes identifying and using one’s strengths effectively in entrepreneurship.
- Mention that successful entrepreneurs should surround themselves with complementary skills.
- Highlight the importance of recognizing individual strengths and weaknesses.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s advice on identifying and utilizing strengths in entrepreneurship.
- The concept of complementing strengths with other skills.
Step 21: Finding the White Space in Business
Description:
Discuss Gary’s advice on identifying and capitalizing on the white space in a business sector.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary encourages entrepreneurs to look for unexplored opportunities in their industry.
- Highlight that understanding where others are not marketing or storytelling can lead to success.
- Emphasize the importance of being innovative and filling gaps in the market.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s advice on discovering and capitalizing on unexplored opportunities in the market.
- The significance of innovation and recognizing gaps in the industry.
Step 22: Gary’s Best Piece of Advice
Description:
Highlight the best piece of advice that Gary Vaynerchuk received, which had a significant impact on his life.
Implementation:
- Mention that Gary’s father gave him a life-changing piece of advice.
- Emphasize that the advice revolved around the importance of one’s word and honesty.
- Explain how this advice influenced Gary’s behavior and success.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s father’s advice about the significance of one’s word and integrity.
- The positive impact of this advice on Gary’s life.
Step 23: Gary’s Approach to Advice
Description:
Discuss Gary’s approach to receiving advice and his tendency not to follow it.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary does not often follow advice.
- Mention that he believes he receives bad advice regularly.
- Highlight Gary’s independent and self-reliant approach to decision-making.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s tendency to not follow advice.
- His belief that he receives bad advice regularly.
- Gary’s independent approach to decision-making.
Step 24: Emerging Social Network – Musical.ly
Description:
Highlight Musical.ly as an emerging social network that Gary Vaynerchuk believes is worth paying attention to.
Implementation:
- Mention that Gary thinks Musical.ly is an emerging platform.
- Explain that it’s gaining popularity among junior high kids in the United States and China.
- Highlight the potential of Musical.ly as a growing social network.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s recognition of Musical.ly as an emerging social network.
- The platform’s popularity among junior high kids.
- The growth potential of Musical.ly.
Step 25: The Future of Virtual Reality
Description:
Discuss Gary’s prediction about the future of virtual reality and its impact on how interviews like this one will be conducted.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary believes virtual reality will become a significant part of the future.
- Mention that he envisions interviews happening remotely while feeling as if they are in person.
- Highlight the potential transformation of communication through virtual reality.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s prediction about virtual reality becoming a major technology.
- His vision of remote interviews feeling as if they are in person through VR.
- The potential for virtual reality to revolutionize communication.
Step 26: The Decline of Television Advertising
Description:
Discuss Gary Vaynerchuk’s opinion on the state of television advertising and its challenges.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary believes television advertising is facing significant challenges.
- Mention that traditional TV advertising is not as effective as it used to be.
- Highlight the changing landscape of advertising in the digital age.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s view on the difficulties faced by television advertising.
- The shift in effectiveness of traditional TV advertising.
Step 27: Jeff Bezos as a Remarkable Entrepreneur
Description:
Discuss Gary’s admiration for Jeff Bezos as an entrepreneur and his strategic moves, including acquiring The Washington Post.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary considers Jeff Bezos one of the best entrepreneurs of this century.
- Mention Bezos’s acquisition of The Washington Post and its potential use on platforms like Kindle.
- Highlight the importance of branding in Bezos’s strategy.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s praise for Jeff Bezos as an entrepreneur.
- Bezos’s acquisition of The Washington Post and its potential applications.
- The role of branding in Bezos’s business strategy.
Step 28: Gary’s Favorite Success Story
Description:
Highlight Gary Vaynerchuk’s favorite success story, which happens to be about his father’s journey.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary’s favorite success story is his father’s.
- Mention that his father immigrated to the United States with nothing and achieved success.
- Highlight the significance of Gary’s father as a role model.
Specific Details:
- Gary’s admiration for his father’s success story.
- His father’s immigration journey and accomplishments.
- The impact of Gary’s father as a role model.
Step 29: Africa as an Emerging Business Hub
Description:
Discuss Gary’s interest in Africa as an emerging region for business and commerce.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary is intrigued by the potential of Africa as a business destination.
- Mention the growth of cell phone usage in Africa and its significance.
- Highlight Africa as a focus area for business development in the next decade.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s interest in Africa’s potential for business.
- The growth of cell phone usage in Africa.
- The future prospects of Africa in business development.
Step 30: Promising Young Entrepreneurs
Description:
Discuss Gary’s views on young entrepreneurs who have impressed him, including Mark Zuckerberg and Evan Spiegel.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary believes Mark Zuckerberg is a remarkable entrepreneur and could rival Jeff Bezos.
- Mention Evan Spiegel, the co-founder of Snapchat, and his impressive achievements.
- Highlight the qualities that make these young entrepreneurs stand out.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s admiration for Mark Zuckerberg as an entrepreneur.
- Evan Spiegel’s achievements and impact on Snapchat.
- The qualities that set these young entrepreneurs apart.
Step 31: The Internet’s Impact on Innovation
Description:
Discuss Gary’s perspective on where young entrepreneurs get their innovative ideas and how the internet plays a crucial role.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary believes the internet has enabled young entrepreneurs to innovate and succeed.
- Mention that it’s not just genius but also the opportunity the internet provides.
- Highlight the internet’s role as a platform for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s view on how the internet empowers young entrepreneurs.
- The role of the internet in fostering innovation and opportunity.
Step 32: Gary’s Future Outlook
Description:
Discuss Gary Vaynerchuk’s future plans and his continuous commitment to hustling.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary sees himself continuing to hustle in the future.
- Mention that owning the Jets is a long-term goal.
- Highlight Gary’s dedication to his work and ambitions.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s commitment to hustling in the future.
- His long-term goal of owning the Jets.
- Gary’s work ethic and dedication to his ambitions.
Step 33: Starting a Business Readiness
Description:
Discuss Gary’s response to a question about when someone knows they are ready to start a business.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary believes purebred entrepreneurs have an innate desire to run their own business.
- Mention that if someone is unsure about starting a business, they may not be ready.
- Highlight the importance of passion and drive in entrepreneurship.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s perspective on the readiness to start a business.
- The characteristics of a purebred entrepreneur.
- The significance of passion and drive in entrepreneurship.
Step 34: Gary’s Favorite Baseball Team
Description:
Discuss a social media question about Gary Vaynerchuk’s favorite baseball team.
Implementation:
- Mention that Gary’s favorite baseball team is the New York Jets.
- Highlight the sentimental value of the team for Gary.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s favorite baseball team, the New York Jets.
- The sentimental value of the team for Gary.
Step 35: Internet’s Global Reach
Description:
Discuss Gary’s statement about the internet being everywhere, even in the ocean and the sky.
Implementation:
- Explain that Gary sees the internet as an integral part of our lives.
- Mention that the internet’s reach extends globally and across various platforms.
Specific Details:
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s perspective on the ubiquity of the internet.
- The global reach of the internet and its presence in different environments.
Step 36: Conclusion
Description:
Conclude the summary by summarizing the various topics discussed in the interview with Gary Vaynerchuk.
Implementation:
- Provide a brief overview of the key points covered in the interview.
- Mention the diversity of topics, from entrepreneurship to technology trends.
- Highlight Gary Vaynerchuk’s insights and opinions shared during the interview.
Specific Details:
- A concise summary of the interview topics and key points.
- The range of subjects discussed, including entrepreneurship and technology trends.
- Gary Vaynerchuk’s contributions and insights throughout the interview.
Step 37: Choosing a Favorite Baseball Card
Description:
This step discusses the favorite baseball card as a kid.
Implementation:
- Reflect on your childhood memories related to baseball cards.
- Identify the specific card that holds sentimental value to you.
Specific Details:
- The favorite card mentioned in the transcript is the “1990 Leaf Frank Thomas rookie card.”
- It’s important to choose a card that has personal significance and brings back fond memories.
Step 38: Meeting a Sports Icon
Description:
This step covers meeting a sports icon, Frank Thomas.
Implementation:
- Attend events or locations where the sports icon might appear.
- Engage in conversations and interactions with the icon when the opportunity arises.
Specific Details:
- The transcript mentions meeting Frank Thomas a couple of weeks ago, indicating the importance of being in the right place at the right time.
Step 39: Staying Practical in Politics
Description:
This step provides advice on approaching politics pragmatically.
Implementation:
- Avoid strict party affiliations.
- Evaluate each political situation independently.
- Make informed decisions based on the current context.
Specific Details:
- The transcript suggests not sticking to one party and instead making decisions based on the situation.
Step 40: Investment Strategy for Digital Companies
Description:
This step discusses an investment strategy for digital companies.
Implementation:
- Consider both digital companies with millions of users and no profit and those with few users but millions in profit.
- Assess the potential for growth in companies with millions of users and no profit.
Specific Details:
- The transcript suggests that companies with no profit but a large user base may offer significant upside potential.
Step 41: Maintaining a Print Audience in the Digital Age
Description:
This step provides tips for maintaining a solid print audience in the digital age.
Implementation:
- Build a digital audience alongside the print audience.
- Offer unique content in print that cannot be replicated digitally.
- Be aware of the shifting demographics towards digital consumption.
Specific Details:
- The transcript emphasizes the importance of adapting to the changing landscape while preserving the strengths of print media.
Step 42: Avoiding Spammy Social Media
Description:
This step offers advice on not making social media content feel like spam.
Implementation:
- Focus on providing value to your audience.
- Create content that is informative and engaging rather than sales-focused.
Specific Details:
- The transcript emphasizes the need to act more like a media company than a salesperson on social media.
Step 43: Identifying Emerging Apps
Description:
This step discusses identifying new apps with potential.
Implementation:
- Keep an eye on emerging apps in the market.
- Evaluate their unique features and potential for growth.
Specific Details:
- The transcript mentions specific apps like “music.ly” and “Anchor” as examples of emerging apps worth watching.
Step 44: Balancing Work and Family
Description:
This step provides insights into balancing business and family life.
Implementation:
- Prioritize emotional intelligence and understanding in business.
- Encourage family members to pursue their passions and strengths.
Specific Details:
- The transcript highlights the importance of supporting family members’ individual interests and talents.
Step 45: Maintaining Work-Life Boundaries
Description:
This step emphasizes the importance of separating work and personal life.
Implementation:
- Avoid bringing work-related negativity or stress home.
- Create clear boundaries to maintain a positive home environment.
Specific Details:
- The transcript mentions the need to keep negative work-related issues separate from family life.
COMPREHENSIVE CONTENT
Welcome to Larry King Now
Our special guest is Gary Vaynerchuk, the self-proclaimed hustler, is a digital media mogul, author, web show host, and venture capitalist among many other things. As the CEO and co-founder of VaynerMedia, Gary hosts the hugely popular YouTube show, #AskGaryVee. And has penned three New York Times best-selling books. Gary has been named to Fortune Magazine’s 40 Under 40 list of the most influential business leaders and holds the number one ranking on Forbes top 40 social selling market masters. His newest book, #AskGaryVee, is available now.
How did this all start, you, wine?
(laughs) What, what happened with you?
- What happened with me is, I had the great benefit of being an immigrant. I was born in Belarus, in the former Soviet Union.
- [Larry] My mother was from Belarus.
- I didn’t know that.
- Minsk I think.
- Yeah, I was born 40 minutes from Minsk. And came to the states in ’78, when they let some Jews out of there. And, we set up in Queens. And my parents lived the American dream, they worked very hard. My dad was a stock boy in a liquor store in Clark, New Jersey. And eventually became the manager of that store, and eventually saved up enough money to buy a store in Springfield, New Jersey. I was lemonade stands, baseball cards, real hustler kid, Blow Pops, anything to make a buck. And at 14, I got dragged into the store. You know, oldest son, immigrant family. I always tell people, Larry, that I lived their grandparent’s life more than theirs, right? I’m a couple generations behind most. I did it in the 70’s, and 80’s, and 90’s, when most people did in the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.
- You’re a legal immigrant?
- I am, thank God.
- [Larry] Okay.
- Otherwise I probably wouldn’t do the show–
- Donald?
- Okay. (laughs)
- And, I fell in love with people collecting wine when I was 17, because I was into collecting sports cards. That was my connection point.
- Collecting?
- Collecting.
- I wanted to build 4,000 wine shops. That was, I was gonna build a Toys “R” Us of wine, sell the franchise, buy the New York Jets. That’s what the plan was. Heard the internet my freshman year of college, heard that sound, cuh, cuh, chee, cuh. Knew that it was special. And in 1996, I launched one of the first e-commerce wine businesses in America. Called WineLibrary.com. Took over my dad’s business, kind of running it day to day in 1998, alongside with him. And from ’98 to 2003, helped grow that business from a three to a $60 million business. That became the foundation. Built that on e-commerce, email marketing, banner advertising, Google AdWords, things that the marketing world didn’t believe yet. And then, YouTube came out. And I started a wine show four months after YouTube started.
- You are not a wine expert?
- I grew up a wine expert. You know, from 15 to 30, in those 15 years, my whole life was wine.
- Were you always successful?
- In everything but school.
- Didn’t do well in school?
- Poor. Terrible actually. Punted it. You know, it was funny. And this is where I give my parents enormous credit, and I’ve, you know it’s funny, it’s a business book that says self-awareness. My parents grew up, and I give them so much credit, in a world where all their contemporaries, as, and you know this, education’s the way out for immigrants.
- Sure is.
- My mom recognized that I was a merchant, an entrepreneur, a promoter.
- So did school fail you, or you failed school?
- School failed me. School’s failing entrepreneurs every single day.
- Because?
- Because it’s not built for entrepreneurship. It’s built for workers. You know, if, you’re being taught to play within the lines. And there’s nothing being taught that maps to the entrepreneurial market. As a matter of fact, my biggest cynicism when I sit across an entrepreneur today, is if they are too successful at school. I probably look at Ivy League grads starting startups right now with more of a negative light, than I do somebody who wasn’t as good.
- Because?
- Because what I’ve learned over the last five to seven years, and by the way, in the last two, three years, I’ve taken a step back on this, because there’s too many entrepreneurial friends who’ve gone to great schools that have been successful, so this is not a blanket statement. But I will tell you that in a world of private schools, in a world of mommy and daddy having a lot of connections, that when you go from 12, 15, 18 years of that ecosystem, and you go into a market, and you create an app, the market doesn’t give a crap who your dad is. The market responds to your product, and a lot of these kids have not been able to take the punch in the mouth that comes along with entrepreneurship.
- You’re big on self-awareness, right?
- [Gary] Huge.
How does one get to be self-aware?
- I don’t know.
So how do you teach it?
- I don’t know. But I know it’s damn important. And so, I know where I start and where I stop, Larry. And I wish, honestly I’m curious to see over the next 40, 50 years of my career, if I figure it out. I think that, the things that I’ve been pushing people to do is, one, create an ecosystem where you make the people closest to you feel comfortable to tell you the truth. So, one of the things I’ve been asking for people to do is tell your mom and dad and spouse, best friend, coworker, hey, tell me the truth. What am I good at, what am I bad at? And spend a month or two to get them comfortable to actually tell you the truth. Cause the people that love you sure don’t want to tell you.
How did the website thing come about?
- Way back when?
I mean, you, your web show.
- [Gary] Or the web show now?
What is the biggest thing you do, is your web show?
- The biggest thing I do right now is I run a 650 person social media digital agency that works with the brands like Toyota, and Pepsi–
- [Larry] That’s called?
- And that’s called VaynerMedia.
And what does VaynerMedia do?
- We’re a modern-day Mad Man. We’re a Madison Avenue agency, the same people that used to sell commercial time on anything you ever did in radio and television, we now do that on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram. And we produce the creative for the brands to sell stuff, through the phone. Because Larry, and I’d love to get, I’d almost want to, I know we’re doing a show here, but I’d love to get your thoughts, maybe after, maybe right now, who knows. I think we’re living through a very interesting moment. I believe that the telephone is becoming the television. And the television is becoming the radio. And I’ve been spending a lot of time studying the transition, in the late 50’s, from radio to television. Because this is the first time we’ve had a platform shift in our society in a half a century. And I think it’s a very big deal. And I’ve been spending an enormous amount of time, the last five years, trying to be the best storyteller for that platform.
We’re back with the incredible Gary Vaynerchuk. Is that a Jewish name?
- You know it’s funny, I know it always confuses people. People don’t think it, but I am.
- [Larry] Okay. (laughter)
- The book, #AskGaryVee is out now. An entrepreneur’s take on leadership, social media, and self-awareness.
Okay, how do we use social media to help our business?
- Well, I think we first understand that social media is a slang term for the current state of the internet. And when you position social media that way, you take it a lot more seriously. So step one Larry, for 97% of the people that are watching, is to actually take it serious. That’s number one. And again, we were talking as we were getting ready, a lot of radio people didn’t take television serious when the transition happened. That was their loss.
Correct.
- [Gary] Right? That’s what’s happening right now, Larry, this is historic, that history always tells you the future. And so that’s what’s happening. So first take it serious. Two, understand that Facebook, and Instagram, and Snapchat, and YouTube these are different channels. It’s the difference between CNN and Fox, and ABC and Sports ESPN. You’ve gotta understand the context of the medium that you’re on. So when you’re storytelling about your business on YouTube, you’ve gotta produce different content than when you’re putting a picture on Facebook. So again, sitting in your presence, I almost wanna ask questions more than do this interview. I think that people underestimate the context of the medium. I would assume that when you interviewed somebody on radio versus when you did it on television, there’s slight differences ’cause they’re different mediums.
Slight
- Slight and it’s slight, but it’s real. And in that slightness is all the magic. Number three, it’s understanding that you have to provide value. Too many businesses right now on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram, every post they put out is buy my stuff, buy my stuff, buy my stuff, here’s where I’m gonna be, check me out, buy my book, check out my experience, watch me on my show, and nobody’s providing values. So the prior book I wrote to this was called, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook. Give, Give, Give, Ask. And it gave people a formula of how to put out content that actually gave people enough value.
- Tough crap. Right? The market is the market is the market. Everyday people put out shows on radio and television that tried to knock you off your pedestal. You had to become number one, stay number one, that’s the market. I wish that Twitter wasn’t losing its leadership role. I have 1.2 million followers on Twitter. I built my brand on Twitter. I’m dominant on Twitter.
I have 2.8.
- Well, ’cause you’re a legend.
Why is Twitter going?
- Because Twitter lost its way in my opinion, ’cause they didn’t create an algorithm and everybody who follows everybody, sees everything and it gets too loud. And so they had, what I call, a fire hose problem. Too much information meant that people tuned it out. So, what Facebook did and what Instagram does, is they don’t show you everything. They show you the stuff based on what you’ve been liking, that it thinks that you’re gonna like.
All this is most appealing to the young, right?
- If you’re over 40, are you into this?
- If you’re over 50?
- I think so. I think if you look at behavior, let me ask you a question. Have you noticed some of your over 40, over 50 friends start to send emojis on text?
I don’t know what that is.
- Do you know the little poop pictures and the little face and the smiles?
- I don’t text.
- Well listen, let’s turn off the cameras, we got things to do here. I need Larry to send some poop emojis immediately.
- A poop emoji?
- Yes. Poop Emoji is the next thing.
- [Larry] Sounds like a dog in the backyard.
- In the next segment, we’re gonna talk poop emojis. Look, I think if you look at the data, it’s stunning what’s happened, 35 to 60. I’ll go a different route with you. For anybody who’s watching right now, if you’re lucky enough to know your parent at the age that you are now, if you’re of an age where you actually knew your mom and dad at the same age you are now, you will notice that your behavior is much younger.
Of course.
- That has a lot to do with technology. We’re living through a youthification of our society. The fastest-growing segment on the Instagrams and the Snapchats in the world are the 40 and overs because just like Facebook, these things age up.
[Larry] And that’s emotional
- Yeah, listen, I’m a flawed human. I mean we all have our shortcomings. You know look, I’ll tell you the truth. When I came to America, in Queens and in Dover, I couldn’t speak English. Dover, New Jersey.
Spoke Hebrew?
No, I wasn’t speaking Yiddish, but I was speaking Russian. There was something when I moved to Edison, New Jersey. Eric Godfrey, Robbie Turnick, they were playing football and they made me a Jets fan, and it was my first American thing. Everybody had a Jets jersey and I wanted one and we couldn’t afford stuff like that. It’s not what immigrants do. You don’t go out and buy a $30 Jets jersey. So, my mom knitted me one. And so I have it. It’s my prized possession. It’s literally my prized possession. And I’ve created a fairy tale in my mind, somewhere around 2nd or 3rd grade, that I was gonna go from not being able to afford a jersey, to owning the whole damned thing. The quest to buy the Jets is my happiness. Whether I buy them or not, so many variables.
What if Woody Johnson doesn’t sell?
Well, that’s right, I mean, there’s an advantage of being 25 to 30 years younger than the current owner, but you don’t know. Anything can happen, right? So there’s a lot of things I can’t control in that fairy tale, but I can control the ambitious climb to get there.
You are so on top of things. Does a Jet loss affect you?
- Yes. The Jets are my one Kryptonite. I’m actually stunningly level-headed. I’m basically unemotional when it comes to business.
- You know, it’s a win/loss thing, it’s a net/net game, I can deal. Yes, the Jets bother me because I’m not in control.
- We got quite a few questions on my blog regarding tips for jump-starting a business. What are the three most important things to keep in mind when starting up?
- One, that cash is oxygen. I’m blown away by all these people that are starting businesses that don’t realize that money (laughs) is important. They think about all these things. They’re trying to think about four years from now, and they haven’t made their first check. Just complete lack of practicality when thinking about a business. Number two, strengths. Are you a salesman? Are you an accountant? Do you have financial strength? Do you have sales strength? Are you operationally? Are you good at HR? Whatever you’re best at, do that, surround yourself with the other three or four pillars that need to have a business. And number three, look for the white space. Meaning, where are people not marketing and storytelling, that you can? Is Snapchat, is YouTube, is a blog, or a podcast your way to separate yourself from everybody else while they’re running direct mail, or radio, or television, or print advertising? What’s the white space in your sector that nobody else is filling?
- [Larry] Okay, well, a little game of If You Only Knew.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever got?
- That. When I was fourteen I was full of crap. I was a salesman. I would say anything to you to make you buy my baseball cards or a bottle of wine. My dad grabbed me by the neck and he said, “Listen to me, “where we come from, “you’ve got one thing: your word,” and that one moment easily, my mom did most of the work. My mom did most of the work. My dad was at work. I never saw my dad until I was 14. She built a self-esteem, she made me the right kind of guy, kind. She built the foundation, but that one tweak by my dad changed the outcome of my life from being a good huckster/salesman who would’ve made it okay and made a good buck to having real potential.
Did you get some bad advice too?
- I don’t really listen to advice at all, so I’m sure I get bad, Larry, I actually think I get bad advice every day.
Is there a company we should be paying more attention to?
- Music.ly. It’s the emerging thing. Snapchat’s the one for most people, but I’m making that assumption that as people continue to watch this, they’ll know about that. Music.ly is the emerging social network with junior high kids in America and China. It has a chance.
Your biggest failure and what you learned from it?
- I think my biggest failure was when I transitioned from day to day in the wine business to starting VaynerMedia, I wrote a book called Crush It! that became a big New York Times list, I started three other businesses. I was like a guy that came out of a long relationship and wanted to date everything. I learned that even though my brain tells me I can do everything because I work 15 to 18 hours a day, I can’t and you only have so much energy and focus and I need to cut that in.
What industry is on the verge of exploding?
- Virtual reality. And let me say this Larry because I think you’re gonna get a kick out of this because if you think emojis is crazy, let me tell you what I’m bout to tell you. 12 years from today, when we’re doing this interview as we’re gonna have a long relationship as you said, we’re gonna be doing it, it’s gonna feel like it’s happening just like right now except one thing, we’re both gonna be sitting at home.
How about an industry that’s slowing down or dying?
- I think television advertising is in deep crap.
Business leader we should be paying more attention to?
- I think Jeff Bezos, who runs Amazon, is the single best entrepreneur of this century including Steve Jobs.
And he went into the newspaper business.
- Because he’s smart. You know what he did there Larry? He went into the brand business. He bought that brand, Washington Post, for nothing and now he’s gonna deploy it in a different platform like the Kindle.
What’s the best success story you ever heard?
- You know what’s funny? That’s a great question. I’m very under-educated on the entrepreneurs and successful people in the world. My favorite success story is my dad. He came here with nothing. Zero.
Good example.
I live in a studio apartment a quarter of the size of this studio.
- He’s still living?
- Yeah, he’s young. He’s 62. He’s only 22 years older than me.
[Larry] Still working then?
(blows raspberry) On fire.
Part of the world that is exploding in business and commerce?
- I’m very intrigued by Africa. I think Africa is emerging. They’ve got cell phones that at scale, I think that’s gonna be the place everyone’s gonna focus the next decade.
Young entrepreneur who’s impressing you?
- I think Mark Zuckerberg is gonna take that throne from Jeff Bezos and I think he’s grossly, grossly underestimated and in parallel, Evan Spiegel of Snapchat has surprised me. He’s 25 I think. The way he’s navigated that business with all the pressure of the whole world looking at him.
Gary Vaynerchuk’s success comes from a combination of factors, including his entrepreneurial mindset, work ethic, and deep understanding of digital media and marketing. Here are some key elements contributing to his success:
- Entrepreneurial Mindset: Gary Vaynerchuk has a natural entrepreneurial mindset. He sees opportunities where others may not and is willing to take calculated risks to pursue them. He started his entrepreneurial journey at a young age by selling baseball cards and later took over his family’s wine business, transforming it into a successful online venture.
- Work Ethic: Gary is known for his incredible work ethic. He often talks about working long hours and putting in the effort required to succeed. He believes in hustling and getting things done, which has been a driving force behind his achievements.
- Digital Marketing Expertise: Vaynerchuk recognized the potential of digital marketing early on. He was an early adopter of social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube, where he created content and engaged with his audience. His deep understanding of digital marketing trends and strategies has allowed him to stay ahead in the industry.
- Content Creation: Gary’s ability to create engaging and valuable content has played a significant role in building his personal brand and businesses. He produces a wide range of content, including videos, podcasts, and written articles, which resonate with his audience.
- Social Media Mastery: Gary leveraged social media platforms to connect with his audience and build a massive following. He understands the nuances of each platform and tailors his content to maximize its impact. His social media presence has helped him reach a global audience.
- Public Speaking and Personal Branding: Gary is a dynamic public speaker who has used his speaking engagements to share his knowledge and insights. His personal brand has grown immensely through public speaking, and he’s considered a thought leader in entrepreneurship and digital marketing.
- Adaptability: Gary Vaynerchuk has a knack for staying ahead of industry trends and adapting to changes. He recognized the rise of social media and the importance of personal branding early on, and he continues to evolve with emerging technologies and platforms.
- Self-Awareness: Vaynerchuk emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in his interviews and content. He encourages individuals to understand their strengths and weaknesses and build their careers around their strengths.
- Long-Term Vision: While he’s known for his hustle, Gary also has a long-term vision. He’s transparent about his aspiration to buy the New York Jets, which is a goal he’s working toward over decades, not just years.
- Authenticity: Gary Vaynerchuk’s authenticity and genuine passion for what he does shine through in his content and interactions. People resonate with his authenticity and feel a real connection with him.
In summary, Gary Vaynerchuk’s success can be attributed to a combination of entrepreneurial qualities, a strong work ethic, a deep understanding of digital marketing, and the ability to connect with and inspire his audience. His willingness to adapt to changing trends and his long-term vision have also played key roles in his achievements.
