Gary Vaynerchuk is my 35-year-old, foul-mouthed, wine genius, hero. He's a humble man that knows exactly what he wants (to buy the Jets) and knows exactly what he can do. He doesn't bullshit you--he's as honest as can be. So, other than my descriptors, who is Vay ner chuk?
Gary's parents owned a liquor store and when he was young he started reading The Wine Spectator and wine books, realizing that collecting wines had the same allure as collecting baseball cards. During college he spent every weekend at the wine store and, realizing the importance of the online world, he started Winelibrary.com. He took his family's business and helped it grow from $3 million to $45 million by 2005. That's pretty damn impressive if you ask me (and even if you don't, it is).
Then, Gary did something that I will start doing very soon--he began doing video blogs. Everyday he would sit down and review wines. What I like the most about him is the fact that he would always be upfront about his opinion. If he didn't like a wine, he said it. This earned him the credibility of being honest.
The video blog tactic revolutionized the wine industry and since then Gary Vaynerchuk has been rocking it out. A cult-like following, guest appearances on television (the Conan O'Brien episode was funny), two best-selling books, a company launched with his brother that helps Fortune 500 companies find their social media voices and build digital brands, and also paid for speaking engagements are some examples of his accomplishments. To find out more go to his website and see the rest.
Now, I love our humble Mr. Vaynerchuk, especially when he's doing some public speaking. I found the video below of one of these events and, let me tell you, I laughed a lot while watching it. I mean, the man walks out on stage with his shirt tail sticking out and weaves foul language into the presentation. But, he also tells you the harsh truth. This video is about content providers and telling people to hustle. "This is the time to do the shit you love."
"Why are you going to work for a company that sucks complete shit?"
"People in the middle are fucked. Content providers are kicking ass and getting more action."
I highly suggest watching this video. It's 12 minutes long but at least give it a chance. It's highly entertaining and, at the same time, very inspirational. Gary Varynerchuk will be the first person to tell you that he isn't very smart, but he knows what the hell he wants and is going for it.
Shouldn't you?
Gary Vaynerchuk at FOWA Miami 09 from DamianVoltes.com on Vimeo.
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