Looks like Rebecca a little bit. – Hey Gary Vee, I wanna
ask you a question about competition.
– Yes, I love competition. – A lot of solopeneurs
are advised that don’t look at the competition
because it can drain you and make you
second-guess yourself and everything like that
but I, you know, through my business
that is and things like that I’ve realized that,
or I’ve been taught that you can’t operate
in a silo, you know. Your landscape, you
have to keep your eye on the landscape of your industry. So, my question is,
what do you think about competition and
how you approach it? Thanks. – What’s her name again,
one more time? – [India] Sarah. – Sarah, thank you so much. I like the taxi photo
in the background. You know, this is a tricky one. I think this comes
down to the individual. I don’t spend a lot of
time on my competition. I haven’t historically. But I keep, you know, a
fifth of an eye on it. You know, you want
to know context, you can’t be blind
to things completely but I don’t dwell or allow
my competition to drive my mentality or where I’m going. I think it’s a very fine line. I think it’s a very,
very fine line. And I think it’s a very
individual thing so. I don’t know much
about the agency world, as a whole, I don’t know the
names of most of the CEOs. I don’t know how much
revenue they’re doing. I don’t know who
their clients are. I don’t know what
the work they’re doing. A lot of my contemporaries
spend all their time on AdAge and DigiDay and other websites to keep up with what’s going on. PRWeek, AdWeek, in the trades. I think that there’s a lot
of entrepreneurs that do extremely well by
knowing what’s going on with their competitors
and using that as a proxy, as a guiding light. I think a lot of entrepreneurs
are B and C entrepreneurs and they need somebody
else to be the leader and they follow it and
they pick up the crumbs. And they get 20 and
30% of the action and that’s enough for them. And that’s where
they deserve to be. I think others like me are
super driven by not knowing. I don’t even want
to give my competition the satisfaction of knowing. I mean, I literally hate
my competition so much that I literally want
to be disrespectful by not even amassing
a minute of my time on what they’re doing
because I think that’s the ultimate
insult and I like that. Because I don’t
like you, competition. I don’t like you. Now, I like you
as a human being, like in, when I put my
jersey on, I hate you, but as like a human,
there’s plenty of executives from competitive
agencies that I adore and think are
really good people. But, when I put my
jersey on, I hate you and the way that I can
teach you that I hate you is to not even
allocate a minute on you because I disrespect
you that much. That’s me. You may be somebody who
learns from your competitors and that’s how you navigate. So, I do not think that
anybody who taught you one way or the
other, emphatically, don’t forget, #AskGaryVee Show, I’m one dude,
with one personality trait, with, you know, one life that
is trying to communicate my points of view but I never, and I’ve said this on DailyVee recently, I have no interest in you
following, you know, my footsteps. I have you, I have
interest in you trying to figure out yourself the way I
figured out myself. Right? I know that about me so
I don’t force myself to look at the competition
’cause I know, deep down, it’s not who I am or
what I want to be doing. And so I know that about myself. You need to know yourself. And it may be a balance. Some people are 50/50. It all works if you’re
most self-aware about you. Question of the day,
question of the day:

“do you outsource, for
example, preparing your meals, “doing your laundry, etcetera
in order to enable you “to focus on work?” – I’ve outsourced
everything my whole life. Either I outsource it or I punt it. Since I was about in third grade if I didn’t think it was valuable to me to buy the New York Jets, I’ve outsourced or punted it. School, couldn’t outsource it, couldn’t say “Hey Brian Chen.” Real actual person, one of my best friends in middle school. “Hey Brian Chen, do my homework “and take my test.” Couldn’t do that so
instead I just took Fs. Just punted it. Sorry, I’m out. Outsourcing, when I went to college I was not capable of doing my own laundry because my mom did everything for me so I hacked, and I mean this is kind of
awkward, but I would get girlfriends to do it for me. I would I guess hook up with girls so they would do my laundry, because there was no other way for me to do my laundry, because to this day as I sit here in front of
you as a 40 year old man I’ve never done laundry in my life. Now I know you’re judging me, and I respect that, but I’m judging you, because I’m way better
at business than you are. Listen, it’s fair. I think that there’s I mean I outsource every, I don’t wanna do anything. I would never, ever, ever do anything that I didn’t wanna do if I could help it. I don’t wanna change
my tire on the highway. I have, because I was stuck, but if there was a new
Uber-like app called Tire where I could hit
it and in three minutes somebody would be there, I would do that every time. I don’t wanna do anything that I don’t wanna do, and I believe
everybody is the same way. I’ve worked very hard to try to put myself in the financial situation to do things, including fixing my weight and my health, because I needed somebody else to really be full time for me to get there, and then I’m just self-aware
about those things. I don’t want to, I don’t care how you judge me on
never doing my laundry. I get it and I don’t think that I’m right. I just think it’s my truth. – [Voiceover] Corey asked,
“I might be the best example “of someone who gets distracted
by width instead of depth.

do you stay focused throughout the year
but do not one business goal which is to buy the New York Jets really my business
school there is to have the game of trying to buy the Jets I do so personal
goals they come out hoc you know I started taking care of my health in July
not in January so I don’t understand why people do so fresh start make sense
whatever works for you I keep myself in check by talking to myself often I
probably communicate with myself more than most people it’s not like hey Gary
Gary any kind of weird kind of like or silly or interesting stuff it’s just I
think a lot I ponder a lot I checked myself and I’m happy you’re focused or
what have you so I don’t do anything in the new year though I tend to do things
in the new year so you know I’m sure this snapshot hotel has a little bit to
do with the new year but no I did not even ask you are incredibly passionate
about snatch it now has been around a few years why now
what’s changed Kevin I’ve done this a lot I did this
with Instagram as well I only get really

“the end goal and the path to get there, “before you can begin? “Clarity before hustle?” – The clarity is everything. If you don’t know where you’re going, you will get lost. Ooh. I’m sure somebody’s said that before, but it’s the first time
I’ve said it and I like it. The clarity is everything. No question, my clarity
on my professional goal, the vanity professional goal
of buying the New York Jets, but more importantly the depth of that which is the process of
trying to buy the Jets, has absolutely, and then my real one that, psst, I don’t talk about that often, but once in a while on the show of like, getting everybody to be
guilted into going to my, like Sean you’ll come
to my funeral, right? – 100%.
– Awesome. So like, you know, that to me, allows me to interact the way, like making sure that
everybody comes to my funeral is probably the reason I need to get salty to have the tough conversations, ’cause I’m soft that way,
’cause I’m just love. And so, I’m just love. I also hate, I hate football. (laughter) So I think the clarity really matters. I think a lot of you,
and I’ve been reading a lot of your comments, especially on Instagram,
I’m really deeply entrenched there right now. So start leaving more
comments, ’cause that is 100% a place I’m gonna see them. By the way, actually,
let me take a step back. Thank you so much, Vayner Nation. The real answers to who are you. You guys saw. Like deep, like, deep. I’m gonna go review and read
every one one more time. I’ve read probably 40%,
I’m gonna read ’em all. Because, I’m just too appreciative that you actually did that. There was some deep stuff. Some very real stuff. Oh, join my email newsletter. We’re pushing that right now. (chime ringing) Ding. Link it, Staphon, in the YouTube and the, the YouTube and the Facebook. A lot of you don’t have your clarity. A lot of you are looking for the vanity, or the short-term things,
out of pain, out of ambition. And I have empathy for
both of those things. The truth is, you just gotta know. And it’s interesting somebody
left an Instagram photo of like, boring, about what I was posting, ’cause he was like, basically saying, I’m over trying to build a business. I travel a bunch, I don’t
make that much money, I’m happy as hell, and I was like, I replied and was like, I’m pumped. Like just so everybody knows, I don’t know if you guys are
getting tricked by the facade. This whole show, my whole energy is like, I just want people to be happy. Like, people pay attention to me, because I think they’re
gravitating towards believing that business
success will bring them a certain level of happiness. But like, I just want
everybody to know, forever, for the record, maybe
this is a Medium piece. For the record, while I’m salty. You can be pumped as
hell at $49,000 a year and boy do I envy the crap out of that. Boy do I envy, more than
anything in the world, somebody who is wired internally, to be able to get a commoditized job, where there’s a lot of them, to make a 40 to $60,000 a year pay, to then live a lower middle class, or depending on what part
of the world you live in, that you’re very excited
about just checking the box on those 40 hours, that is
not where your passion lies, come home and your whole
life revolves around the bowling team, drinking
beers with your buddies that you went to high school
with and never left town. I mean these are cliché
things but I’m being dead goddamn serious right now. Like, what the hell’s wrong with that? That’s (bleep) awesome! Like crap! That is tremendous! Like, that’s the best! I know this because I know
how upset I am about the Jets, that’s something I care about. I almost don’t care about
anything else this way, and it’s a better life. I’m a much happier person,
outside of my football life. Like, it’s great! You know, what is that whole thing, like, being naive is bliss,
or, what is the saying? – [Voiceover] Ignorance is bliss. – Ignorance is like,
there’s truth to that. Meaning like, it’s like
simplicity is delicious. That’s a good one, too. Like simplicity is
delicious, what is possible? Please don’t think
you’re watching this show because I’m trying to rah rah you, to working 90 hours a day. I’m just telling you what it
takes to make a lot of money in a hyper-competitive
business world in 2016. I’m not telling you that’s
the light to happiness. The light to happiness
is to be so self-aware, of what makes you tick, and go do that! But don’t (bleep) complain
that you’re not makin’ it, when you’re not doing actions to make it! Like, I don’t complain
about missing my family. You will not hear me say that. Because I’m not entitled to say that, because my actions don’t map to that pain. You’re just doing the reverse. You’re complaining! Like, woe is me, unfair! It’s not unfair! It’s talent, and work. Period. You wanna call it that
your parents had sex at a moment that turned you into a human, and didn’t give you a certain talent, that you subjectively wish you had? Cool. You think that’s unfair? Fine. I think you’re a dickface
because I think that the fact that you became a human being is the greatest thing that ever happened. But you’re more than welcome to say, oh, why am I not the prettiest, or why don’t I have Beyoncé’s voice. Like, fine. Like, shit I wish I was
6′-9″ and could dunk and pass for the, I
wish I was that LSU kid, light-skinned, friggin got moves, great! But it’s not what I have. Like, know who you are, go execute, but, if you sit and watch this
show on your phone right now, on the subway, and you’re happy. Because you’re so happy
where you’re going right now, whether to work, or leaving work, and going to the Knicks game. Or the lowly Nets game. Or your darts championship
with your homies. Like, that’s the only thing that matters.

do you practice to keep focused?” – Raymond, that’s a good question. Daily rituals to keep focused. You know, now that I’m a year and two days into my physical regimen, that is what you would think is one of the things I do, but I don’t. I do not find that my working out has done anything for me
mentally, I really don’t. I don’t feel any different mentally today than I did a year ago. I don’t sleep better. The only thing that’s happened is I just look way better, and you know, that’s that. I’m sure there’s plenty of other, I’ll probably live a lot longer, that’s that thing. I feel much stronger, by the way. Traveling is where I’m really feeling it, just little silly things
like grabbing my suitcase. I think I only have one ritual which is in parallel to the way I live my life. Even right now, as I’m
talking to you guys, there’s a little part of my
brain that’s always moving. It’s just like think of
it as a hamster wheel, and it’s always just reminding
myself to keep things in perspective. I think my daily ritual. How was the question phrased again India? – [India] It was phrased daily
rituals to keep you focused. – To keep my focused, I think the one thing
that keeps me focused is the perspective of
understanding how lucky I am, how good life really is, how
the things I complain about are not that big of a deal
in the scheme of things, how at moment’s notice I can get a text right now while filming this show and have the tragedy of my life
happen, and every second that doesn’t happen,
how thankful I should be for that, because those
are real scenarios. These are things that
you and so many of us deal with on a daily basis. Now that I have a 530 person company, HR sends me an email inevitably every week to two weeks of very scary things, like people’s families having
tragedies of death or people being diagnosed with illness. Just real stuff, real stuff. I am stunningly capable
outside of New York Jets football to understand
in check, in emotion, how 99% of things don’t matter. My daily ritual is
actually my ritual that I keep at an every second basis. It’s my moment, every second ritual of keeping myself in check to recognizing what is
important versus what’s not. Sure I get frustrated and
concerned and worried, but it never has a sustained level of a feeling, because I just put things in perspective so well and I’m so thankful for that gear. I really wish I knew how to teach it. I think the only thing I try to do is put it out to you guys. I’m hoping that somebodys like geez, that seems like hope you’re looking at
me or listening to me right now and saying, gee that sounds fun. You’re right, it is. I’m a very outrageously, stunningly, over the top happy person,
because of this gear. It is very difficult
for me to have sustained unhappiness because of this vehicle, and it also allows me, and
I really do believe this, allows me to affect the people around me whether they’re consuming
me on a daily basis or they work with me, to actually level themselves. Stunwin, as someone who I find
very cynical and different than me, straight up, no
bullshit, because I don’t care and you know that. Don’t bullshit me. Do you feel that this, how long have we been
jamming together now? 18 months, where are we at now? – A little over two years now. – Sorry, in these two years, do you feel that the answer, I don’t know how much you were listening, you
seem like you were working which is a nice change of pace. – Thank you, thank you Gary. – Stunwin, do you feel,
no bullshit, no bullshit, do you feel that you’ve moved at any level to be more optimistic, bigger perspective, happier? – Absolutely. – Talk about it. I know it, because I can see it from afar. I’m pumped to hear that, but I’m curious how you quantify it. How much? Or how or what, or talk? – I would say that the thing that you all, you say that resonated with
me the most is the whole you’re 100% in control
of your situation and don’t bitch about it. – You’ve changed in that way. – Yeah, in a big way, absolutely. – Yeah, you’re right. I think about you three years
ago, you complained more. – I complained a lot. – Yeah, no really. And you feel more in control. – 100% yeah if I have a problem, everything is fixable as opposed to – And talk to me as somebody whose, when did you start watching Wine Library TV? – 2007 I think. – The difference of being this, so you said, I listened very carefully. I’m a good listener. The thing you said that resonated with me you followed me for a long time. How long have you been at VaynerMedia? – Three years this month. – For almost a full year,
you weren’t as inner circle with me. Was it watching the execution
of that non-complaining that triggered it, or was
it just momentum or what? I’m trying to figure out what I wanna do for them
is what’s the difference between what they are experiencing which is what you
experienced, which is you’re listening to it versus
clearly being able to see it in real life. You see all the, you’re in my inbox, you know the insanity that I – I know what it is. It’s that you encourage
people to take control of the situation, and what
happens is the first time somebody actually acts on that and says, I have a
problem with this person and instead of bitching
and complaining about it, they actually take control
of the situation and they say, hey this is a problem. How do we fix it? People are afraid to do that. They think it’s gonna backfire. They think, I’m not allowed
to give that person feedback, or I’m not allowed to
act on this, because it’s not my job, or I’m not
senior enough or whatever, and the first time you do
it, and it doesn’t backfire, and it actually works, because you asked for what you wanted, it’s like oh shit, that’s actually really empowering. – And let me teach you about scale. That’s awesome, in that what I know and I’m gonna give you
a little love here is going from that what he just said which is complaining and
not doing anything about it, to the next step which
is doing something about it, but what Steve has
done, unlike others. I’m super pumped they’re just doing it. What Steve has done that I’ve noticed is not only that, then empowering others to do the same, and that my friends is scale. That my friends is how
you go from a small base to a big base when you are so religious and you suffocate all the wrong, and you try to teach, and you have people that level up to it, so that saves you time, but then some break through and actually teach it as well, and help me scale it and know much of a religion it is. That’s when you start really scaling it, and that’s who the hell knows how we got to this point. I don’t even remember the question, the daily ritual. That’s my ritual, and not only is it my ritual it’s my religion, it’s my passion, and it is probably fundamentally
why I do this damn show, because I’m so desperate for you guys to do the same, because
it’s just way better.

Nice to meet you Vayner Nation. (laughs) – What is your question Molly? – My question is I read an article in the New York Times recently. – Is that a newspaper? – It is a newspaper, but my
Mom sent it to me on Facebook. – Amazing. – So, it was called ‘No
Time To Be Nice At Work’ and it was all about how
the workplace is becoming a hostile environment now
because people aren’t civil to one another because of a
bunch of external factors. They’re focused on a bunch
of other different things. – Like what? – So people aren’t nice to each other because the pressure of day-to-day tasks, they’re thinking about something else when they’re in a
conversation with somebody. – OK. – How do you find– – What was the point of the article, like what was it trying to say? – It was trying to say that there’s always time to kind of like take a deep breath and say
hi, how are you, to somebody, which I think you do a really good job of. – Okay. – So how do you find the time to focus? We’re having a conversation right now, this is a great example,
but how do you find the time to focus, be nice to
people, stay in the moment, that kind of thing? – How do I personally? – Yes, you personally. – You know I don’t think I
really have any other gear. I truly believe like DNA and the way you were brought up is real. I truly look around this room and there’s different levels
of being a nice person in this room, it’s just real. It’s just a real thing, right? For me, it’s super easy. So here’s what I would say,
I think that one thing I like to say a lot is money and
micro-fame or real fame doesn’t change a person,
it just exposes a person. So the amount of people
that write me emails or see me in the street like,
“wow you’re…”, they’ll like send a tweet after they take
a selfie with me in the street and they’re like, “Wow, Gary
Vee’s a really nice guy!” Like, you actually get credit
for being a nice person the more exposure you get. Which I think is silly. Which I think is kind of
just a weird kind of dynamic. So, I think that falls in the
same realm as your question which is, you know, I
don’t think external things in the world, like 24/7 world, I don’t think anything’s really changed. I don’t think Gertrude is nicer or meaner because it’s 2013 and
not 1955 anymore, right? I really don’t think that, I
just think Gertrude’s a (beep) and like decided not to be nice just like she wouldn’t have
been nice 30 years ago. And so, for me, I don’t
even know any other Gary. As a matter of fact, I’m
probably a little bit weird the other way, which
is I’m so uncomfortable with negativity and angst,
things of that nature, that I attack it in reverse. A lot of my day is taken up trying to make sure that’s
contained and not happening. So, it’s just my default. I think there’s a lot of value in it. I’m stunned how many people undervalue a head-nod or a “hey”. For me, because as you guys
know I’m running around so much, so much of my stuff is like
a wink or a smile or a, it’s just I don’t have the
time, but it’s so nice. I think people really
value effort, and intent. And I think you can get away with doing so much of that stuff, with
such little stuff, right? And so, for me it’s easy
because my parents had sex at the right moment to give me my DNA. – [Kim] (applause) – Thank you, Kim. And,
– (laughter) and my Mom really parented me in a way to really value other people and all that kind of stuff. And so, I just haven’t
known any different. I love that I get like extra
credit for it now-a-days because a couple people
follow me on social media. But, for me there’s, ya know, and more importantly, and I
think you know this, and I think a lot of you know this and
some of you don’t know this, but it’s what’s more interesting
to me is I believe in it so much the level of which
I’m forcing it down below me, not just leading by example
but being pretty upfront with senior leadership of
how much it matters to me is I think helps our company. – For sure. – Cool.
– It does. – Thanks Mol. – [Group] (applause)

“to have two burning
passions and pursue them “at the same time without half-assing them? “Or is it ideal to pick one at a time?” – That’s a really good question. I, you know I think there’s people that have two burning
passions at the same time. I really do and I wonder
if you can Wuzzle them and make them both work at the same time. That was a 1980’s rare television cartoon Saturday morning reference, Wuzzle. Do you know what Wuzzles are? India search it right now.
– [India] Wuzzles? – Let’s watch India’s face
as, she’s gonna love these watch this, this is India in real time, this is India in real time.
– Wuzzles? – Yeah Wuzzles, W, yep see it?
– [India] Wuzzles? – Uh-huh, go to images
because this is Wikipedia go to images.
– [India] Okay. – I want you to like really
wrap your head around how cool these things are, cool right? They’re two animals in one. So she was like a hippo
– [India] Oh. – and a butterfly, you
see what’s going on here? two animals in one.
– [India] I see it, I see it. Oh I kinda remember this. – Bang that’s what I
was lookin’ for, uh huh. – [India] The two animals in one. – Uh-huh, so maybe you can
Wuzzle them right and find a way to make your two passions… For example, you know
I could’ve very easily made Wine Library TV and the Jets.. What’s goin’ on to you? – [India] (laughing) Wuzzle them. – Well Wuzzle them, like take your two passions
– [India] I know – and smash them into one. – [India] I get it. – Like for example, I could’ve
done all my wine episodes at football games that
would’ve been a further.. You know I have the
Jets bucket but you know there’s ways to uniquely… I think you know I once
said and a lot of you liked this photo on Instagram,
if you order this quote, if you want to be an anomaly
you have to act like one. I wonder based on this question if you could be the first
person that combines two things that nobody’s ever combined
before which are weird and win. For example again, I love wrestling. What if I did Wine Library
TV only at tailgates or football environments
and wrestling matches. Like independent
circuits, like weird stuff where there’s 150 people
in the audience at a gym and the Iron Sheik’s still
there, you know stuff like that. So I’m a big fan of trying
to find a way to Wuzzle them and that’s what I would do. Now obviously a lot of
people are gonna tell you pick one, focus, I may say that at times. Today I felt like Wuzzling
them, tomorrow if I answer this question I might say
pick one, both can work. I think at the end of the
day, and we’ve talked a lot about this, it’s about self-awareness. And it’s funny I’m reading
every goddamn comment in Facebook specifically, right now I’m on a Facebook comment kind
of spree so I apologize to all the YouTubers but
that’s just what’s happening, and it’s interesting I’m
feeling more and more pressure on my shoulders more than ever before because the show is
picking up so much momentum and I’m watching so many people comment about them implementing
and seeing results. And it makes me hungry,
ambitious, greedy to try to impact more people with
what is really working. Which is if you really
know yourself, really India this question comes down
to a very simple place which is it’s one of two choices. It’s truly one of two choices. It’s really just two
levers, it’s happiness and financial and street cred upside. It’s just trying to pull the lever.. and listen I do this, I think
a lot of you may be confused. I leave enormous amounts
of money on the table for happiness. I just do, I do it all the time. The largest speaking gig
of my career, a number that makes me vomit on the
table out of happiness, I passed on ’cause it’s week
four and the Jets are playing in London and I want to go
watch the Jets play the Dolphins in London, and by the way
this is a significant number, this is a hefty six figure deal. This is more money than I
made in a three year period in my mid-twenties to go
and MC and speak at an event for a day and a half. Still could’ve watched the
Jets like I do all the time and I’m choosing happiness
over cash and we all have to do that all the
time and our lives evolve. I’m in a better financial place
than I was seven years ago. Maybe then I would’ve
chose cash, I don’t know, but even in my early days.. For example, when I lost an
eighth of, eight Jesus Christ, a third of my entire wealth in my twenties to have fun in Vegas so I
then lose it all gambling was ’cause I chose
happiness, kinda sadness, over, over, over wealth. And so the answer to this question is predicated very simply. Do I believe there’s, I’m gonna
really, I’m really breakin’ this down India, if you
Wuzzle it you may pop and be an anomaly and have
disproportionate success ’cause you’re the first guy to ever bring spaghetti and music together in this way. Most likely you won’t
and your financial upside is probably predicated on
picking one and going all in. Most likely, however, you
just might have more happiness mixing the two and have the
home run grand slam potential of breaking out which is why
I always do those things. I’m always picking my
happiness versus the straight and obvious course because
I’ve got a little bit of magic and sometimes my weird
stuff actually works as well and the booboo prize is that I’m happier. And boy happiness is addicting. You know what I’m gonna actually – [Voiceover] Vayner Nation
Serious Right Hook war.

“In your mid-twenties, do you
wish you had done more things “or focused more on one thing?” – Great question, Yule. In my mid-twenties, I
focused on one thing. I actually was completely
all in on Wine Library. There was nothing else. I’ve said in the show before
that I wish I went out and hooked up with some more
chicks and had fun some fun. That was one thing I wish
I did because I was so, you wanna talk about being
focused on one thing, as a 20-year-old guy in my twenties, it’s actually uncomfortable
how focused I was on the hustle and building the
infrastructure of my career. You know, I think at some
level when you look back, you’re always, you know, I’m equally, this is where I’m like a paradox. I’m equally completely pumped
’cause look how happy I am and those were great
times and I’m happy now, like I would never change anything. At the same token, you’re
always looking back, and be, like, “Ah,
damn, I could have this, “I could have done that.” Yule, I’m pretty happy with
the way things have played out. I don’t like to play
Monday morning quarterback with my life, but I think it served me well. I learned real foundational
skills of how to run a company. It’s why I’m hyper focused
and why I’m capable now to run a company while
doing a couple more things ’cause I know what it takes,
which is serious focus, but once in a while,
you jump in into a show when you didn’t have to. And so that’s where I’m at with that. Thanks for the question, Yule.

“#cashisoxygen episode 96. “So what’s second? “Product, team or service?” – Jose, great question. Your cash is oxygen,
there is no second, right? That’s like the all-encompassing. It’s not that it’s first. I think, you know, the real
question is really interesting because the fact of the matter is there’s a hundred different
things that could be it. You could be amazing at growth hacking, you might design the greatest product. The truth is, you know, especially for me, I like to give definitive answers to get people moving,
because the more you ponder the more you squander. What? (laughter) And so, and so, and so, don’t be crippled by
what is that other thing. I think that other
thing could be the thing that you’re strong at and
we all have those things. For me it’s sales, right? Like both businesses I built, Wine Library and now VaynerMedia is predicated on I am extremely good at growing the top line revenue of the businesses that I’m at the helm of. Later on I work about
driving profit back up. Some people are efficient at
the profit from the beginning, or architecture business that profitable from the get, or financial engineering, or amazing designers
that are so overwhelming they can’t sell or build a business, but they bring in that skill later because the quality of
their art or product is so incredible. You might design an amazing product, and that might be at the core. So there’s a lot of different things. Cash, though, is oxygen.

“What are bad habits you had and overcame, “and how did overcoming
them aid your growth “as an entrepreneur?” – Shady, good question. Not like the last one. I think the things I
overcame were big eyes. Which was, hey I’m gonna
do a lot of things at once. Actually, I don’t know
if I’ve overcome it. I’ve gotten a little bit better. Definitely in this chapter
of building VaynerMedia I’ve overcome that issue, I’ve been really focused
as CEO of VaynerMedia, and general partner of Vayner/RSE. So, I’ve been really focused. And so, big eyes. Just trying to do too many things at once. And what that’s allowed
me to do is be successful and build another big business instead of half-pregnant across the board. I think the other thing that I’ve overcome is I’ve started, and I’m still not great at this either, these are always works in progress when it’s not the thing that
comes most natural to you, but I think what I’ve
been doing well lately is I’ve been giving more honest, critical, direct to people’s face feedback. You know, I tend to be a little bit soft, I’m much more of a honey over vinegar guy. Between our former manager
and director Kelly and AJ, very straight-shooter operators, they’ve moved me along. I’ve definitely evolved in that category. I’m definitely better at it. I still want to deal with a ton of empathy and heart and soul, but shooting it straight is
bringing more value to me and it’s just speeding up
the process of victory. You can’t have a CEO,
I wouldn’t say I’m not, I’m very decisive, but boy, delivering bad news
does not come natural to me and I don’t love it. Building infrastructure around me and then doing it myself
has been an important evolution that I’ve done
much better at VaynerMedia than I’ve done at Wine Library, and what that’s given me is a thing that a lot of you know that I value which is speed.