#AskGaryVee Episode 125: One Year Anniversary

– Amber says, if you
lost everything today, what’s the first thing
you would do to rebuild? – What would be the first– So the first thing that, you
know, this is a tough question because I’m trying to give you guys the truth in parallel with
what would be valuable. Meaning, what I would
do if I lost everything. It’s an interesting question. There’s two versions of it. I lost everything ’cause
I actually just bet big. Let’s say, for example,
with Snapchat’s last round, I really, really came close to betting the biggest I’ve ever bet. Meaning, if I would lose,
it would’ve really hurt. Hurt as in, like changed my lifestyle. I’ve never made a bet that
would change my lifestyle before and I almost considered it. I didn’t because that’s just
been my consistent theme. And it was funny, I got to
think about that a little bit. I think I spoke or maybe this
is when I spoke to the interns DRock, was this with the
interns when I told them how secretly I did wanna
go to zero, I think it was. So we didn’t do hit this on the show. I’m very comfortable going back to a studio apartment in Queens. Like Rocky VI or whatever the hell it was where he’s like back in the same place. I’m like, yeah. (laughs) Everyone’s like, oh. No, I don’t like Rocky III where he’s got a fucking robot butler. I like Rocky VI where he’s back to zero. Because I’m comfortable in that zone. I’m comfortable in all environments. I’m not comfortable ’cause
it might be tough for my kids and my family and all those things. Let’s make pretend I lost everything, including my name and reputation. Right, because if I was
to lose something today, I’d still have my name and reputation. It’s be interesting
because I would be a zero or really in this bad place and here I am. Am I in a position to dole out advice? One of the things that I think, I think I’ve earned the
ability for you three to listen to me because
unlike, I think the thing that you’re all referring to which is finally
somebody’s saying (laughs) it’s because I’m not just entertaining. It’s not because I read Napoleon Hill and decided to be like
influential on someone. It’s because I actually
did something first and I just happen to
talk about how I did it and then I’m very consistent down the line and then you can figure out
what’s like that with you. And what’s not like that with you. And how to– I try to create a line
everyone can navigate around. I don’t say do it like me. I’m special. I’m charismatic. I’m left brain, right brain. I have disproportionate
amount of hustle in my body. I’ve got talent for days. I’m special. And everybody else is special
in what they’re good at too. I don’t know these stupid
lights that DRock has, right? I don’t have a duck
fucking tattoo on my arm. (laughs) I’m not that creative. Right? And so like, listen. – [India] It’s not a duck. – What is it? – It’s a loon. – It’s a loon. I don’t have a–(laughs) And there in lies the point. (laughs) And so, I think that
if I started from zero without my reputation, I would do a couple of things. One, I would get a nine to five job. So that’s a little bit of a curve ball. Because I need to establish
some sort of cash flow, right? I would literally do that
for one psychological reason because I would have to
teach Lizzie and my kids that clearly what I’ve
been selling and preaching, I’ve made a really bad turn on and I’m gonna show you
that I’m not beneath that. Now, I think within a month
I probably be selling on Ebay to subsidize what that was. But more importantly,
what I’m trying to really figure out here as a
tangible piece of advice is if somebody’s watching
right now and it’s funny, the audience is getting
younger and younger. I’m paying attention to
who’s resonating with me. I think there’s a lot of people that are at a very low kind of financial
point in their careers. Definitely reputation
point in their careers low. I think the thing that I would do is I would bet on what I’m good at which is, I’m good at selling stuff. So I do think that I know
how to make a 100,000 dollars a year which is a shit load of money. Let’s just get it very calculated. 99% of the people watching this show probably don’t make that much money. Let’s get it calibrated. I know how to make 100,000 dollars a year by garage selling 52 weekends a year. I just do. I know how to go to
Goodwill and Salvation Army and garage saling and then
flipping things on Ebay and so I’d probably do that first. Start using some of that cash
to start an Ecom business using the money that I
make in garage saling to sell stuff online. Something that’s more scalable
than the garage sale stuff. A product, probably. (laughs) It’s so weird, it’s so funny. Notice what I’m just doing. I just realized in real life, I’m literally replicating what I did. I was a merchant hustler kid. And then I went and sold
a tangible product in Ecom and then, I would just
probably replicate my life. (laughs) And it’s interesting, it’s
interesting that I didn’t even realize that I was saying
that until just this moment. So, that’s what I would do. I was start by slinging some stuff adhoc. Then I would create a
scalable selling product using the best practices
and that’s what I would do.

Where you couldn’t sell shit? – Wow. (laughs) I’m gonna throw a lot of
people for a curve ball here. I actually wish that existed. I actually think that I would
be even more successful. I think I have, I think
I’m doing fine financially. I’m actually, in my behavior,
I wish my accountant was here. I’m very conservative, way
more than people think. I don’t value the dollars that much. I’m not– We should go into James’ office right now. Of all the money I’m leaving
on the table at VaynerMedia because I like the feelings
and all the other things that come along in life, I
actually think that if the world had no money that I
would be more successful. Because I think, and I’ve eluded to this, that my ability to communicate to people and to storytell and
to inspire and motivate is maybe my disproportional skill. And that if I wasn’t drawn
to running businesses, that I would be absolutely
in hype-man P. Diddy or preacher. I push very hard against
my motivational aspect because I don’t wanna be bucketed into a motivational
speaker because I do think that it’s the cliche thing
that we talked about earlier that you two really hit on. And I’m scared that people
struggle to cut through the noise which is why I’m impressed with the– You know it’s funny, you two
are the most interesting for me because you’re both the parallels
that happen with me right? There’s only one third person
that wasn’t your story, it would’ve been perfect
of the three versions of my content that’s put out. Instantaneous understanding. Perseverance, but liked it up
front but it was perseverance. And, at some level,
thank god you’re not this but like the, this guy’s full of shit and I just eventually got
there and won that game, right? So I actually think that if the
world was stripped of money, that I would be dramatically more impactful on society. And the weirdest and only scenario that ever goes through my mind. Ever. Of me not buying the New York Jets. Ever. Ever. Is that somewhere along the line, the chemicals inside tweak just enough to where I become guilted by myself to give up that part of my journey to triple down on the other
part of my journey a/k this. It’s a funny story, somebody
sent me an email yesterday and said they were
disappointed in me for sending the email and creating the contest of asking for the books
to be in the question. And I sat there with the
question for like 20 minutes, I said, “My god, I will
never win this game because people are unable
to see one level deep.” (scoffs) I’m not forcing people to buy that book. I’m putting out a show every single day that is free in a world where plenty of people monetize video content. And you’re more the
welcome not to participate in that part of it and I am
picking 500 other questions to put in there and it’s just interesting that there’s so little breathing room for any kind of commerce to some people in a world where you could
provide dispropotionate upfront value and people
want you to be stuck in the jab, jab, jab, jab world and I’m wired as a jab,
jab, jab, right hook guy. If money was taken out and the game of business was stripped. I would then have less of a
right hook mentality of commerce My right hook would then be to
get people to actually do it. So I’d be like chasing all
of you around and be like, “No, you gotta go do it.” Now, motivation isn’t enough. I actually think the
answer to your question in a long-winded way is I’d be really happy and really successful in
communicating to the world my points of view. – [Voiceover] Love it.

– Mike? – [Webly] Yep, Mike. – Okay. – [Webly] I think it’s waste of my time to comment on your videos and answer the question of the day. Tell me why I’m wrong. – Well, Mike. Let me help you tell you why you’re wrong. – [Voiceover] Here we go. (laughs) – No, I think it’s a
really interesting question and I think that– Mike, I think it’s a great question and I think that there’s
a couple of things to figure out here. One, I’m gonna assume, maybe not, that one of the good reasons
to think what you think and I think a lot of other people think, there is because I’m
not reading that right? Like why say something if
it’s not being consumed. I think a lot of people
recognize I do read them because I’m engaging quite a bit. Not on YouTube which is because of the app and because I have a
awkward sign-in structure on Google between Gary@vaynermedia and the account we use for
a lot of the Google content. I have to figure that out. I would comment more
because now it’s all mobile, I only comment mobilely. So, I’ve gotta figure that out
but quite a bit on Twitter. Outrageous levels on Facebook
in the last month or so. More on YouTube, I will figure it out. I will use this as call to action. But now I’m gonna give
you a really good answer to your question. The reason you’re actually
gonna start commenting. It’s because I have nothing
to do with the equation of what’s actually happening here. Let me explain. That’s not fair. I do have something to do with it. I’m (claps) the match of what’s happening with the #AskGaryVee Show. But the truth is, to really
get what I want out of it, I want to build a comminity. A community can not be built predicated on a dictatorship or an individual. It needs to be predicated on the fact that people are communicating
with each other. What you haven’t realized yet, Mike, is that if you look deeply into
what’s going on on Instagram and YouTube and Facebook there is a group of 30 to 40 people that are quietly and
subtly, and I would say of those 40 people, 25 are
doing the wrong version of it. Which they’re in there
communicating with the other people for their own interest in
mind to siphon them into– If Webly was to do that, she’s
in there ’cause she wants some of the other small business
people to take her services and that’s all she wants
in a right hook, right hook right hook, right hook way. 25 of you, I’m paying attention,
are playing that game. 15 of you are not,
you’re playing more of a jab, jab, jab, right hook game and let’s just remind everybody, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook to that person that
emailed and said they were disappointed in me, that is a game that plays like this. Jab, jab, jab, right hook. The right hook is not you get the sale. The right hook is you’ve been given the permission
to have a chance to sell. So, when you jab, jab, jab and right hook you go for your right hook
but you’re not disappointed. I have not even asked
any single person here what the update is on how
many books have come in. It’s just not the part, it’s
the permission that it created, not necessarily what the
results are just yet. The real reason you should
be commenting on this show is because you’d start putting
out content on your two cents in context to what was just
put out in the show format. Other people that are in the trenches are actually reading
those comments, plenty. More of you should be. And then you start
engaging with each other. And out of that serendipity,
much like on Wine Library TV, where there are over 20
different wine tasting groups right now that have been
hanging out with each other for the last seven to ten
years drinking wine together, once out of every, once a
month on every third Wednesday for the last five years
and have built their disproportionate best
friends out of being part of a community of a web
show started by some kid in New Jersey talking about wine. The community that’s being
built underneath here. The way that these three get
to interact with each other for the rest of their lives
on this connection point and the way that you guys
all have the ability, if you’d like to, to create
connections of likeminded people with very different angles and to have an interesting situation unlike politics or
religion or other things where you have a guy who’s a pardox which then creates fan
bases in opposite directions so it’s not a complete sheep
game but yet people that can actually have empathy for
other people’s points of view and collaborate, you
now have the beginnings of a community that has value to you that has nothing to do with the person that’s putting out the content. That, my friend, is why
you should be commenting.

I kinda been keeping up on
Facebook and your Twitter and I saw where people were struggling with identifying your passion as opposed to calling it cockiness. You know, along with
passion comes confidence and I understand that well
’cause I’m the same way when it comes to what I do. I was just wondering,
how do you handle that? It’s something that I’ve
dealt with my whole life. Where most, some people don’t understand that your love for
something or your passion for what you’re doing, it shines through and people have a hard
time understanding that. So I wanted to know what is
that you do to cope with that? What is it that you do
to try to help people better understand that? And I think that can also
help take me into next level. To the next level in what I do and I wanna just find out how
it is that you handle that. Look forward to hearing
back from you, thank you. – All right, world champ,
Draymond Green on the show. Staphon, you must — – [Staphon] No, it’s a great day. (laughs) – Thanks Draymond. I think, you know– First of all, thanks
for watching the show. Show. (laughs) I have a feeling and
I’ve watched from afar how you’ve been handling this as well ’cause you’ve clearly established yourself especially with the Golden State Warriors run to a championship this year. A lot more people are aware of you and you definitely come with a
lot of confidence and bravado And really interesting, right? Your story connects with me because you’re an undersized, power forward
who sometimes guards centers in the NBA and now, I just
read an article the other day that everybody in the
off-season is talking about finding their
Draymond Green in the NBA. That you’ve been
mentioned more than LeBron this off-season about
how small ball can work. You’ve literally, through
self confidence, perseverance I also know a little bit about
how your mother raised you so I caught that part of your narrative, that’s interesting to me. I think we actually connect pretty well. As a matter of fact, I
actually think that you and I should play one on one. (laughs) In an episode of the #AskGaryVee Show. Just to see if it’s humanly
possible for me to score a point I think this is one of
the things that I love about people that think
they can play NBA players on one-on-one. I actually think that people don’t realize how pretty consistent an NBA player against anybody who never
went past high school level basketball can shut them out 11 – nothing in a one-on-one game. So I would be super pumped
if I could score points with Draymond, that challenge is on. I think you might duck me
because I think you’re scared and you know we’re gonna film it. (laughs) But to answer your question, to answer your question in full. I think you just have to do you and I think that’s what you’re doing. I think I talk about the
truth being undefeated. I’m a 39 year old man. You’re in your 20’s, early, mid-20’s. Early 20’s. I know that you and I and
everybody in this room, and everybody watching
and listening to the show, we all want, we all
think about who we are. Social media’s been
really interesting to me because I think social
media’s been the first tangible expression of how
everybody wants to PR themselves to the world. Even the people that poo-poo it or try to play too cool for school or don’t believe in it, they don’t understand. Subconsciously, every
single piece of content that every person has ever
put out on social media has been absolutely
thought through and is– Not like, you’re thinking about it. It’s been thought through subconsciously. It is the action end
results of a narrative that you’ve been painting in your mind your whole life of who you are. Who you want to be. The ambition that you want. I have outrageous disproportionate want to be considered one of the
great businessmen of all time. And want to be known about how I did it. And they way I treated
people along the way. I am very far away from that. For as much as you guys love
me and as much as they– You have to understand, 99% of the world has no idea who I am. I have still not amassed
the kind of wealth that can give me the halo effect to talk about being a tangible
execution to that level. So, I’m still so far away but I know at 80 my
actions are gonna basically be the result of my wants. And I think you want to be great and you’ve already, at such a young age, hit the apex of your career
so you’ve got a different game than I do but I think
along with, he’s cocky or he’s this or she’s cocky and she’s that comes all the stories behind the scenes that people don’t know. That I’m sure, and I’m not sure. I hope that behind the scenes you’re doing these things for fans. And behind the scenes when
your competitor beats you, even though you’ve put
everything to it, there’s– As much as I hate the
Patriots, as much as might hate that you got knocked
out of the playoffs. Even if you’re kinda sour
about it, and I get sour. If I lose 11-nothing, I
wouldn’t even shake your hand. Even though I’m telling you
to shake that person’s hand in my advice right now.
(laughs) It’s really there, it’s that
respect level to the game. I think as long as you respect the game and respect, and this
something that I think a lot of people struggle with. I respect where I’m at right now. Because it’s the game. I could think maybe I’m slightly behind. I could think I should be
a little further along. I’m just not. And it’s a net net game. I think that you want people
to see you as self-confident not egotistical. You want people to see
that you’re working hard, that you’re not cheap in the trenches. So those actions just have
to be that way, right. They just have to be that way. So for me, I think you just do you and let the chips fall where they may and I have funny feeling you’re okay with what they’re saying along the way as long as you feel good about it. And for me, that’s my game too. Plenty of people say things and I just feel good about it. I feel real damn good about it. ‘Cause I’ll see you. I’ll see you soon and we’ll talk about it.

on how to get out of his mess. What would you tell him? (laughs) – Ugh, this is tough. You know what’s funny? I actually had a very interesting moment with myself yesterday. Obviously, maybe some of you
saw this picture (fingers snap) And a lot of people then put out, did Gary Vee pay the
plane to fly over Boston and say look up cheaters? And it was funny, I was sitting
there and I had very, very– I’mma tell you guys a story. In 2008, in the midst of
Wine Library TV exploding, it was the first time that I
was starting to get attention at any kind of level
outside of a small circle. I don’t know if it was an
article or a conversation, I don’t remember. But I read something about the notion of that person or this story
I read was talking about becoming a caricature of yourself. And it really hit me, and
I was saying to myself, huh, am I forcing the narrative? Am I becoming more hyperbolized? More energetic? More intense? To pander to what the
audience is giving me. Am I becoming a caricature of myself? And I don’t know if I’ve ever
really answered it, right. It was very difficult for
somebody that’s really in tune, I was really struggling to
unpeel the banana and be like, Am I? Am I? It’s interesting. What if it really happened, right? We just had a famous athlete
ask a question one second ago. What if Tom Brady hit me up and asked me? Would I be like, “Oh, Tom I wish you’re leg fell off your body.” The answer’s no, I’m not that human right. And the truth is, it’s actually
very hard for me to be upset with an athlete, even
though that’s where I get sports muscles aka you guys know what beer muscles are right? Somebody get’s drunk and they wanna fight. I get sports muscles. I’m at a sporting event, I wanna fight. But outside of it, especially right now in non football season, I feel like I’m almost
becoming a caricature of myself outside the football environment
of hating the Patriots and it was really interesting. I literally thought about that yesterday. So, being honest with myself, if he hit me up and asked me a question, I’d probably give him the best
sound advice that I could. And I’d try, ’cause
there’s still a good part– as I was just about to say that (laughs) there was a part of my… (laughs) There’s a part of me is
like, “This is the moment where I can finally put
the nail in the coffin and sabotage him.” I mean, the truth is he’s getting close to the end of his career. It’s funny, Kobe, hated him my whole life. Like just hated him, sorry. But now I kinda root for him
because he’s an underdog. I love underdogs, right. And I think Tom is the complete
and utter reverse of that in our society today and in my division. So it makes me very easy to dislike him. Look, he destroyed his phone, systematically to conceal the evidence. Nobody in public domain,
no matter what he does is going to believe him. So many people over and
over talk about the fact that people don’t care
that much about the crime, they care about the coverup. It’s unbelievable what America does with the coverup versus the actual crime. Literally probably right up to
where it gets to the ultimate like a murder, I don’t
think we’re like, all right. But underneath that, I mean there’s like– I don’t need to say ’em out loud. There’s four to five things
in society that can be done where the issue is the issue. But boy, all those
thousands of other things they’re actually things
we’re more than willing to let go away because
we have all have empathy to know that we’re not
perfect and we all have our skeletons in our closets. It’s when you try to trick us after we, the collective United States, the collective world, have put you on such a pedestal and you’ve been rewarded with the riches that come along with that. And so I would say to him to have empathy and to understand why it’s happened. And I would probably tell
him, which ugh it sucks but this is what I’d tell him. I’d probably tell him look, the truth is, the more you fight this, the worst. The more you approach it with empathy, it is what it is. The chips have fallen. You’re probably too
emotional or passionate to apologize or admit. I don’t think you have to do that. I think you just have to go neutral for a long enough period of time and I don’t think anybody
cares 24 months ago– from now other than passionate Patriot and anti-Patriot fans that debate this for the rest of your career. Out of fondness of debating around sports. That’s probably what I would tell him.