By
Viewed
36,815
Please choose the correct answer for each question below:
Questions: 0/1476
Correct: 0
Translate:
I'm scared every day. If you're an
entrepreneur, you should be scared. But
in any big technology, you either take
that sword or that sword will kill you.
Either you go to the gym or you think
about going to the gym. Either you go to
the gym or you read about how to do the
proper exercise. But until you're doing,
>> you're not doing every all you five
youngsters must be interacting with AI
apps every day. Must at bare minimum
chat GPT and thinking and talking.
>> You've been saying that in the next 5 to
10 years followers won't matter as much.
Yes.
>> Why is that? because they don't matter
as much right now.
>> And and what do you think's happening?
Why why
>> Just to kick off the show right away,
like I don't predict.
>> Yeah.
>> I talk about things that are actually
happening that I'm aware that I might
just be a little faster to the
observation because of what I do when I
wake up in the morning. In the same way
that I know some people are skinnier or
stronger or better at golf, when I wake
up in the morning, as I did this morning
at 4:30 a.m., uh which is unusual. I
actually believe in 7 8 hours of sleep,
but I was in Oklahoma City for game one.
Even on the way to the airport, you
know, at 4:45 in the morning, I'm
looking at what's happening in culture.
Like, how's this Trump Elon beef going?
What's going with the boooos in that
[ __ ] toy? Like, what are the it girls
doing? What are the [ __ ] golfer bros
from Yale doing? Like, what's the
lacrosse girls at Duke doing? What's the
Jamaican bros that like skate? like I am
a cultural anthropologist.
>> Mhm.
>> And then where does that culture play
out? Well, it plays out in social.
>> Yes.
>> Right. So then the next thing I'm
looking at is like what are the
platforms doing? What's the algo doing?
You know, is there a new feature? What's
happening with live? Why is this
happening? Why is this happening? Why is
this happening? Why is this person
popping off? Why is this person
declining?
So that all leads to when I started
saying like followers don't matter as
much. That started happening three years
ago.
>> That happens. That happened when I was
yelling about Tik Tok in 2017. That's
why I was yelling about Tik Tok in some
reason of 2017 and 18, which was a I
knew that a lot of tension was going to
go there and that was good for all of
you. Like, oh, you missed Instagram. You
missed [ __ ] Facebook and Twitter.
Well, here's your chance. Ironically and
not ironically, so many people that had
80,000 on Instagram that were crying
that they didn't have a million couldn't
go over to TikTok and get to their
million because they had the insecurity
of having no followers there.
>> Mhm.
>> Yes.
>> And they didn't want to start over.
>> Yep.
>> Right. Whatever the [ __ ] that means. All
that life is is starting over. Every day
is starting over. Like real talk. Like
especially for winners. So I think that
um
>> you know I think we're there. I mean
like and I actually think we will
continue to decline. I think meaning now
actually actually if I was sitting with
you know Facebook Meta Zucks the product
team Tik Tok I would say yo you need to
go to the extremes on the left like I
think when I open my feed there should
be a toggle two options left side full
interest graph just give me nothing
which is where some of the platforms are
heading just give me nothing but at this
moment I give a [ __ ] about trading cards
and comic books because of V friends the
Knicks the Jets training camp starting
wine. Like, give me my the 80s
nostalgia. Give me my [ __ ] And then on
the right,
>> let me have 150 followers that I can
have, but I want to see every [ __ ]
post from them.
>> Okay,
>> you like that? Like that's what I would
do if I like ran Tik Tok or Instagram or
Twitter right now. That would kill. And
I actually think there's no outcome that
that doesn't become possible because I
think it's pendulum swings. We only got
content in 2008, 9, 10, 11, 12 from who
we followed. Now we're starting to get
to a place that I think it's going to
keep going where you're just getting
[ __ ] from whatever's popping to you.
>> Yes.
>> And I think for all of us, even when I
said it, I could feel you two and the
other three dudes in the room,
everyone's like, "Yeah, that'd be
fresh." Because I'm pissed that I'm I
mean, every day I get 50 comments in my
feed that say, "Yo, Gary B, Gary Vee,
where you been?" Like, "Fuck, man. This
is awesome. Fuck." you know, like so
like and I feel that way about people I
follow. So anyway, that's why I say it,
bro, because it's already real.
>> Yeah. You've been calling it interest
media.
>> Yeah. I think it I think that's where
we're at. Yeah.
>> You know, social media was like your
social graph, the people in your social
circle. That's where this came from.
>> I think we're fully in interest media
now. I when I open my app, I get stuff
I'm into of the moment. And the second I
start to deviate and get into something
else, that [ __ ] starts to show up.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> The AI is getting that strong.
>> Yep. Very strong. Okay. Okay, I want to
ask you this. Place this a little more
personal to us. So, say So, we're just
telling Zach off camera, he's been
seeing it. We recently launched this
thing on our social media um where we're
giving away $1,000 every single week.
And what we do is we pick a random
location all around the greater Toronto
area. It's where we're from. We really
niched into there. And we pretty much
pop up with a reel being like, "We got
$1,000 cash. We're going to hide it in a
secret location here in Branson,
whatever. First person to show up,
>> thousand bucks is yours." or we do we've
recently
said first 32 people to show up are
going to participate in a rock paper
scissors challenge
>> for the bucks and 6 weeks that we've
done it once a week we've already grown
a text community of just under 5,000
people who are waiting for the hints
>> and obviously these
>> what app are using community or
something else
>> uh just Mailchimp right now basic
>> and so
>> I I want to actually show you one if you
want to pull it up
>> and I just want your opinion on like we
we've obviously we run the podcast we do
some content series and then we've
really dialed in on this and it's just
been super viral. We've been getting
like more corporate sponsorships, like
sports teams wanting us to like do their
halftime show, things like that, right?
>> So, we just want to I want to know what
you think about it and like what the
future of it could be.
>> Cash. We're going to hide it in a secret
location in Toronto. Let me show you
where we put it.
>> Shout out my guy Josh for making this
happen. Okay, if you guys know where
this is, share it with
>> Why? Josh is the one that put up the
money.
>> You guys are You guys are just sitting
in the me in the middle. Do you tag
Josh?
>> Yeah, of course. Fair.
>> Collab with his page.
>> So, this thing has like 2 million views,
15,000 shares, like ridiculous
engagement. So, we do it every week and
it's been growing rapidly. So,
>> there's it's a it's kind of a
double-ended question. One, are we like
do we say [ __ ] it to everything else
right now and just go all in on this
because it's like
>> Well, I think you know I think there's a
couple things f my first reaction and we
can talk. Let's break it down because
it'll be fun for everybody. My first
reaction is the audience is not high
value.
>> Okay. True.
>> Right. Like as a shopper like size of
wallet,
>> right? LVMH
>> has become a huge company because their
average shopper spends $40 trillion and
like you know other companies are
struggling because their average ticket
size of what they sell is like a buck
30, right? Because they sell pizza.
>> Yeah. True. So I think one thing to
think about is you're very young right
now and is volume
always the most interesting thing. Would
you rather have 50 people who are
million-doll customers or $500,000 that
are $100 customers?
>> Truth.
>> So by the way, I'm going to say
something also that's very important is
to what I just said. Like I'll go find a
thousand bucks. I'm a human being. Like
like but my intuition
>> is that you've got people who got time
on their hand.
>> Mhm.
>> Cuz [ __ ] you running around Toronto to
find some [ __ ] and play, right? Who you
know who that thousand is that thousands
is worth their time. It's entertaining.
You look you guys are smart. You don't
need me. What I would tell you like let
me teach you how to use AI. [ __ ] Gary
Vee.
>> Go hey we're doing this. Upload the
video.
>> Be like we're aware that this has been
done a hundred times over the last
decade. what has transpired to those
people, what businesses were built, what
worked for them, what didn't work for
them. I'm teaching you guys how to
prompt engineer right now.
>> I can give you my opinions.
>> I can give you my angle that I see it
from that has been valuable. That is
what's been me, but this is where AI is
going to become really valuable. I just
gave you a prompt that you can do that
will really help you and think it
through. I think that's what you need to
think about. Look, personally on just
gut, I would not go all in on just on
that. I think that's a I think that's
campaign energy.
>> Yes.
>> I think that my intuition tells me that
you guys have the talent to build
something more sustainable and bigger.
>> Mhm. Okay.
>> Okay. So, with that being said, we kind
of use it as a marketing tool right now
as well, like a campaign. We do have an
agency and we do have the network that
we started like we spoke about last
time. Um, so it is a big marketing play
and
>> that's why that's why I like it, but I
don't go all in on a campaign.
>> For sure. And I think it's fair,
>> right? It's But by the way, it could be,
by the way, do I think that could lead
to an $8 million a year business? Could
>> Yeah.
>> But all that energy, all that time, and
again, it's what brand positioning is
that doing for you
>> for sure.
>> Today, what again, I think too many
people, let me say where I'm actually
going and then you guys can think about
it.
>> Okay. I think too many people are
binarily addicted to the views and the
followers without really breaking down
the next part.
>> Okay.
>> Right. Not all views are equal.
>> Yeah.
>> True.
>> Not all followers are equal, right? And
so you want to just break it down and
like would you wake up in five years
from now and being all in on this and
like if everybody in the Toronto area
around the world like, "Hey, you guys
are the hide the cash guys." It's a lot
of work to rebrand for another day.
There's a lot to think about. I
>> I think we see it as it fitting into the
money buys happiness brand already
because the name obviously.
>> I get it. Of course.
>> So, I guess that's the way we're and and
the text message community is a big
thing that we believe in because if we
build that thing to like 30,000 and we
can pull up somewhere and
>> of course
>> and 20,000 people are there. I think
that as marketers we see that as power.
>> I I I agree with that as well,
>> right? I I just don't think you need to
go all in
>> go all in as like this is our business.
I think you'll be able to achieve all
those things
>> as you're doing now in parallel while
you do other things.
>> Yeah. Okay.
>> Okay.
>> So, does that make sense?
>> No. No, it makes sense. It just we're
we're we just got excited. The big
biggest excitement is the fact that like
we would literally with one Instagram
post and one text message, we can have
500 people show up anyway.
>> Of course. So it's like we're looking
like we see these massive streamers, I
show speed and all these guys. If they
go anywhere outside and IRL stream, they
have a mob of people and look at the
power that that that whole
>> of course, but they actually but they
actually have that power.
>> Yes.
>> This is a this is a aim power.
>> You're saying it's a gimmicky thing.
>> It's not gimmicky. It's um there those
people are there for the money.
>> Yes.
>> And and then and you've seen already it
starts to become a little micro
community like Yes. But it's, you know,
when I show speed shows up in the middle
of Brazil, like they're all there for
speed.
>> Correct. True.
>> So keep that in mind.
>> Just find a way maybe to bridge that
gap.
>> Yeah. And like find a way to bring more
value as you have that text community
instead of just keeping throwing them
around the greater Toronto or Canadian
area. What about putting out a meaty
piece of content that can really help
them
>> that could help someone who needs a
thousand bucks? Yeah. Like the [ __ ] I do
with like garage sale like flipping from
a dollar to 100. like start thinking
about how to provide value.
>> Fair.
>> Got it.
>> Okay.
>> So, that's what I mean. Yeah. Like it's
good. Yeah. But like
>> don't get you know like there's a lot of
it's like everything everything is so
nuanced. There's right like that's why
like this clip you know 5second world we
live in
the advantage is going to be for the
people that are thoughtful.
>> Yeah.
>> You know the advantage is for the people
that can get under the hood of the
headline.
>> True.
>> The the advantage is for the person that
doesn't overreact. quick on just like,
you know,
>> you know, a little a little
thoughtfulness, a little before I decide
who I hate or who I like or what I'm
going to do. Like, you know, go into
your go do it like the OGs. Go into your
den, [ __ ] put on some classical
music, pour some scotch, pull out a
cigar, and just think for five hours.
>> That's what I think has ultimately been
my advantage.
>> I don't do Oh, I don't do that scene. My
thinking is happening kind of weirdly
always. It's kind of like even while I'm
here, there's a part of my brain that's
somewhere else. And definitely flights
and showers and long drives, you know, I
think I'm in my fields a lot more than
people. I think I'm more thought. You
know, it's funny. V friends,
>> there's 250 characters.
>> Every character, you know, it's an ape,
it's a shark, it's a duck, it's a
hedgehog, it's an alien, it's an
alligator. There's one character called
the thoughtful threehorned harpic. In
fact, we have our comic book coming out
that time tells the origin story of him.
He's the only character I made in Be
Friends that is not a character that
exists. There's no such thing in the
world as a threehorned harpic.
And I did that on purpose because I knew
I would develop this character. And I
want to impose on a generation of kids
and young men and women that
thoughtfulness. Like, when the [ __ ] do
any of us see the word thoughtfulness in
a clip? Zero.
>> I've never seen it.
>> Like this clip is going to be the first
time. Like we're popping cherries in
this [ __ ] podcast, you know? Like
>> we're not thoughtful.
>> True.
>> You know, like everyone's so [ __ ]
triggered. Hot takes and everything's
like even Elon Trump like this. They
literally people in a hundth second
decided whose side they're on.
>> Yep. True.
>> No thoughtful like everyone like what
like my name gets. I love him. I hate
like like nobody's like in it. Mhm.
>> So I would just say to get deeper and
that's how I was breaking that down.
Notice how what I was doing and that was
four minutes.
>> Yeah. You're saying go deeper really
>> like just think about all the things I
said in four minutes.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> And I just want you to do that for four
weeks.
>> Sure.
>> And then you'll make better decisions.
>> Makes sense.
>> Okay. One more question before we I want
to crack open some cards with you.
>> Um cuz we come across this all the time.
We'll start a project or a content
series or a business
>> and we love it at first
>> and then you don't
>> but it's still making money.
>> Yep. So, how do we decide whether to
>> By realizing there's something called
opportunity costs.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Right.
>> I know. Yeah.
>> You know where I'm going.
>> You're making 4,000 here a day, a week,
a month, a year, and it's costing you
this much time, but you hate it. And you
don't realize, and this is like why
people should quit jobs and go for their
dreams. You don't realize that if you
cut that $50,000 a year thing, all that
time that even the hours you spend being
upset about it
given back to you will make you 100k.
>> Yeah.
>> Even the time, forget about even the
time you need to do the thing, whatever
that thing is,
>> the time you get back that you're
spending on like this [ __ ] I don't want
next Tuesday got to do the consulting
thing that you know.
>> Yeah. that.
>> Yeah. And so you would suggest cut it
off as soon as you feel that way.
>> Yes. Well, again, thoughtfulness of
course, you know, as soon as you know
no, right? You know, I uh my team knows
I call it smoke and then fire. I'm
always like I'm always talking to them.
I like teaching them this thing. I'm
like, for me, it's always like
>> nothing's happening. Then all of a
sudden, out of nowhere, there's smoke.
>> Starting to get these feelings. Smoke.
I'm like, wait, do I do I want to be
doing that? Wait, is that the right
price to charge for how much I charge
for speaking? Yeah. Wait,
>> dude. Like, I need to be involved in
every meeting of this like it used to be
way more important. It might be less
important.
>> Smoke, right?
>> Week later, I'm like, yeah, like I
[ __ ] I need to raise my speaking fee,
you know? Like, I'm I'm talking to
myself. A couple days later, I'm like,
damn, three people said no to the
current speaking fee and I'm trying to
say I got to go up. Am I right? Next day
I'm like, no, I'm [ __ ] right. You
know, like, and you're smoke, smoke,
smoke. And then it goes into fire. When
it goes into fire for me, I start to
act.
>> Okay.
>> In this in the stories I'm telling right
now, I'd be like, "Yo, Zach Nadler, who
runs Vayner Speakers, I'm like, I'm up.
>> I'm up. Put another 50K on it. I'm I
don't want to I don't want to really be
speaking. I'm in my [ __ ] V friends
bag, right?" Um, and so I'm up.
>> Yeah.
>> And I start to act. The fire starts to
cook. So, you know, sometimes that [ __ ]
takes three days, that whole process.
Sometimes that [ __ ] takes four months.
Sometimes that [ __ ] takes four years.
>> Yeah.
>> Smoke fire. So like you just want to
keep checking yourself.
>> Of course.
>> You know,
>> self-awareness. A lot of self-awareness.
>> Yeah. Always.
>> And and then what you you'll How old are
you?
>> I'm 29.
>> 31.
>> Like you'll see like at 39 and 41 the
here are the secrets. One, you're going
to feel exactly the same.
>> I'm straight up.
>> Thank god. Nice.
>> Like for real.
>> Good news.
>> Maybe not physically. you start to lose
a step on the court, but like mentally
you're going to feel the same. You're
going to be just as hungry. Promise.
>> I'm real [ __ ]
>> You have might have new dynamics in your
life, love, children, all whatever h you
know those things that happen between 30
and 40,
>> but like in your soul, like it is who
you are.
>> Um, but you're going to have more
pattern recognition. You're going to
know yourself better. Like these gray
hairs that come with real value. Like we
really, you know, we've been so obsessed
with youth culture. Everything's about
looking younger, you know, acting
younger, dressing younger, being
younger. And we've really lost our way
on putting the OGs on a pedestal. You
know, 100 years ago, 15 year olds
weren't the culture.
51y olds were.
>> You know, like, you know, when you come
from immigrant DNA, like we put those
[ __ ] OGs on a pedestal,
>> but we've lost that. We now make fun of
80-year-olds because they don't know how
to use Tik Tok. Meanwhile, those
[ __ ] know how to live. They
they know what life is and we [ __ ]
make fun of them. It's crazy. I actually
want to see the rise. In fact, I'm
thinking about starting a company,
both human and AI influencer versions of
only 70 to 90 year olds.
>> I like that.
>> I think [ __ ] podcast with like 80
year olds that are still like, look,
there's plenty of 80-year-olds that are
like pretty nonvibrant and like it
wouldn't be good content, but I know so
many 80-year-olds that are still doing
it,
>> let alone vibrant. Yeah,
>> those [ __ ] would crush and all
the [ __ ] kids that listen to
this should listen to that person.
>> True.
>> Not do what they say, but just hear
wisdom
>> perspective, too.
>> That's what ended up happening with me
because I had like a 10-year head start
on this whole game. I became that
person.
>> Mhm.
>> I became worth listening to cuz people
were like, "Damn, Gary was there in the
my Facebook and Facebook Twitter." Like,
you know, it became and you know, as I
continued to stack things that made
sense,
>> trust built,
>> right? Yeah.
>> And so like, you know, so
>> how do you balance building something
you genuinely love with making sure
you're not leaving money on the table?
>> Well, I don't know if it's selling out.
I actually think it's selling in what
you're saying, right? Selling out's the
reverse.
>> At least the slang cultural term that
we've all used, right? I think selling
out is like if I decided to just become
a [ __ ] Wall Street executive
>> because that would be me maxing out
money. Yes.
>> I think to to your question, how do you
do it? By knowing going in. And this is
my life. I knew going in from the get.
I'm talking 18. I'm talking my my
watershed moments are 18, 22, 34, you
know, going into college and just like
really not wanting to be there and being
like, I'm really going to build my dad's
business while I'm in college. Launched
the website, all that. Then 22 actually
doing it and built. Then 22 to 30. 30
was like, [ __ ] man. I have no money and
I built a huge business for my dad and
my dad's not a bad person. He's an
immigrant. He's like I'm not going to
pay you because I'm like I'm not really
paying myself either. It wasn't like my
dad was making a million and I was
making 50,000
>> but the business was getting all the
money but he owned the business like you
know he was able to do [ __ ] with that
asset. I was like hello. Um and then 34
when I started kind of going on my own
and doing my own [ __ ] Every one of
those chapters, I knew going in that I
was going to leave a lot of money on the
table.
>> When when I wake up in the morning
today, I know I'm leaving money on the
table. So, but that's because that's the
combo of having with myself. How do you
do it? By being honest with yourself. I
think one of the big issues for humans
is they struggle with their relationship
with themselves.
Like they're deeply, you know, so many
people are insecure at least minimally
insecure. All of us are insecure in some
things.
>> Um, and I think we're delusional and I
think we sell ourselves [ __ ] because
we're selling other people [ __ ] and
we start to believe it and like so I
think for anybody who wants to go into
passion,
you know, there's there's millions of
people who have done this. There's
millions of people who have decided to
be public servants.
>> True. who know they have some
money-making talent who decided they're
going to serve God or serve children as
a teacher or serve the local community
as a cop who who are leaving money on
the table.
>> Mhm.
>> And but it it makes them tick. Listen, I
I understand those people heavy. I'm a
little weird because I make a lot of
money anyway, but [ __ ] man, I leave a
lot of money on the table
>> in a in a real real way real way, you
know? And I'm not even talking about
like not compromising by doing like a $5
million deal for like a cannabis Mars on
Mars company. I'm talking about like,
oh, I could do a a private equity firm
or I could be a hedge fund manager or I
could, you know, be a VC full-time or I
could just raise capital all the time or
you know what I mean?
>> Yeah.
>> Not like selling out more just like
making a decision that I'm going to
spend my dayto-day to maximize dollars.
I spend my dayto-day to maximize my
happiness that I believe is my happiness
I define as what I know will make me
happiest
today 70 80% and that what I believe
will make me happiest that I did it five
and 10 and 50 years from now. So it's
like a mix of like enough like a lot of
happiness today 60 80 and the reason I
say 70% last year I would argue that
when I woke up I was happy in the macro
but my day-to-day grind last year into
the first half of this into the first
quarter last 15 months leading up to the
launch of this
>> I knew that this is coming I know V
friends is coming but I also know that
Vayner X is a [ __ ] 320 50 million
business that I've got to get proper
>> and put the pieces in place and like so
last year
>> you talk to Zach and Mike, you ask them
like what did Gary do last year? They're
like he was in that office in the corner
from 9 to [ __ ] 9 every day.
>> That was it. And and by the way, that's
why I wasn't on a lot of podcasts. Like
if you look last year, almost all my
content, like for the hardest core Gary
Vee fans, most of my content last year
was refurbished from prior times. That's
why I've been popping off a little bit
more in the last month because I'm back,
you know? I'm back and and I'm really
coming back post Labor Day. Like really
coming back. So I think 2026 is going to
be the year of Gary Vee. 2024 was the
year of Gary Vaynerchuk, the operator,
the businessman.
>> And so it es and flows and like when I'm
more creative, when I'm more chopping up
with you guys, look at even the
goosebumps. When I'm being more
creative, I'm happier. M
>> but I have the resilience and the
understanding and the lack of
entitlement and the [ __ ] grit and the
[ __ ] patience and all the [ __ ] I talk
about to have had to have these last 18
months
>> because that's what I [ __ ] signed up
for. I'm comfortable sleeping in the bed
that I [ __ ] built.
>> Yeah.
>> Right. people go out and [ __ ] have a
child with two different people and
then, you know, don't marry either of
them and they're 25 and like I have some
[ __ ] character homie friends. Like
not all my friends are bougie. I grew up
[ __ ] kind of a certain way. And then
like my boys are like, "Yo, this is
[ __ ] up. I can't tra chase my dreams."
I'm like, "Bro, you [ __ ] a bunch of
girls and created a bunch of babies. You
have responsibilities. You didn't have
to do that [ __ ]
>> Sleep in the [ __ ] bed you made."
>> Yeah.
>> People [ __ ] complain about [ __ ] that
they created. Mhm. It's facts.
>> People complain about [ __ ] they created
and then start looking for who to blame.
The government,
>> their dad,
>> you know, if my dad didn't [ __ ] girls, I
like what, you know, like as if every
son follows the exact path of every dad.
Not true. So what? You know, of course
you share DNA. You see what you see, but
like
>> this is the [ __ ] I think about it.
>> Self-awareness aspect of it
>> and the accountability. Yeah. Right. To
your point, it starts with self. If
you're not aware,
>> Mhm.
>> If like you can't see that you're [ __ ]
up, you're in trouble.
>> Once you understand that, and you'll see
it over time, everybody eventually sees
it.
>> Um, are you ready to like own it
>> or do you believe you can trick everyone
into not seeing that you are that?
>> Okay, that is interesting. Then I want
to ask you this question because we we
I've been going back and forth with
Ernesto about this. So,
>> I drive a Range Rover back home, right?
Yep. And I've been recently considering
downgrading cuz I I just personally am
looking at it like
>> you're listening to too much Gary Vee
content.
>> Why I'm like why is there like why why
is this massive car payment and
insurance payment coming out of my
account every month? Like can I afford
it? Yes. But also I don't really know if
I care for it. But then on the flip side
I have this like thought process of like
well I'm an entrepreneur. Money buys
happiness. Maybe is that a part of the
brand? So
>> well that there's a let's break that
down. Money buys happiness if it's not
your happiness. I've never had a nice
car. I've zero happiness on that. But
I'll buy a [ __ ] six figure trading
card. Like I buy I bought like I bought
millions of dollars of things but yet
have never had the jewel. You guys know
me enough is you know like
>> money buying happiness needs to be
defined on what's your happiness. Now
the next part is also a problem. The
brand
>> look you're sitting with a very popular
entrepreneur. I'm comfortable and I say
this with all humidity humil humility
but I'm in the mix as like top 25 known
entrepreneurs. I'll go there and I feel
like I've got a little bit higher than
that.
>> I don't do that [ __ ]
>> Yeah.
>> So, and and I'm not saying by the way I
don't think I'm right. I don't judge.
People sometimes people come to me like
yo [ __ ] you Gary V. You always say like
Rolex and Lambos [ __ ] you. This is what
makes me happy. I'm like good. If that
actually makes you happy
>> do you.
>> Mhm. But if you're doing it to get
[ __ ] girls or if you're doing it to
[ __ ] posture and disguise or if
you're doing it because you think that
people will then join your mastermind,
well then we got to talk.
>> Mhm.
>> That's different.
>> Yeah.
>> That's different than you really know
what a Porsche feel like. I would not
know what it feels like. Like I don't
get off on like driving stick and
understanding the smooth ride. I don't
give a [ __ ]
>> Yeah. But on the flip side, I know
owning one of the only Spider-Man rookie
cards from 1966 Donus gets me off. And I
have a very funny feeling 99.99999%
of the people that just listen to that
sentence are like, "What the [ __ ] he
talking about? That's stupid." And
that's awesome. That's what life's
about. Some people want to spend their
money on sitting courtside because they
both think it's good for the brand and
it's bougie, but they actually [ __ ] with
basketball. And then I see people
sitting courtside that are there for the
selfie who couldn't tell you any of the
10 players on the court.
>> That [ __ ] is what I'm interested in.
Everyone's allowed to. First of all, by
the way, on the record, my subjective
opinions mean nothing. I'm one human
being. I have the like I don't think I
get to say how to do it.
>> Sure.
>> What I do and what I talk about and what
I'm passionate about is I've lived a
little bit of life and I see who's happy
and who's not. I just see a lot of
people that look happy on Instagram
[ __ ] taking drugs every night to just
go to sleep to get the voices out of
their head. That [ __ ] with me and I do
not want others to go down that path.
And I want the ones that are in there to
break the [ __ ] out and get the
simplicity. I do think materialism is a
problem.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Do you think as a business owner at the
beginning there is an image you want to
kind of have when you're dealing with
people that might be signing big
contracts for you or big clients? Do you
see what depends? Yeah. Of course, it
depends what you're selling. But let me
give you a story though.
>> Still marketing, let's say.
>> Yeah. But let me give you a I wish AJ
walked by right now. Do you know what
the ultimate story of Vayner is?
>> Tell us.
>> In 2011, 12 11 we signed a huge deal
from a not one of our biggest client. We
had much bigger clients, Pepsi,
Campbell, but it was like a midsize. Was
it magazine? I don't know. I don't
remember what. Dude calls AJ because AJ
took I took the meeting, but AJ was in
the meeting. I was traveling. Dude calls
AJ. AJ texts me, call me. I could tell
it was good because we always are like
if something's bad like we're call me
heart so I'm good you know like like
it's guys please text with context
everyone's [ __ ] everybody up like
like like if you're like call me like
give that person like they think your
mom died like you know like [ __ ] like
give people context out there we got to
fix this it's a pandemic anyway he's
like call me I'm excited because I knew
it was good because of the way he
whatever emoji put in or what he said I
call him he goes bro we got the [ __ ]
thing I'm like we got the [ __ ] deal
it was a good deal at the time hundreds
of thousands which was big for us we
were all. And then he goes, "Guess why?"
I I have no idea. He goes, "The dude
said, "The reason I went with you is cuz
your offices were a piece of [ __ ] and I
know that you spend your money on the
right stuff, and that's who I wanted to
work with."
>> Wow.
>> Wow.
>> So, in that story, it was the reverse.
>> Literally, the actual reverse. Now,
there are many people that look at it
the other way. Look, if you're doing
marketing services, the reality is is
you're actually only, and this is
something, you know, I'm very
comfortable saying because I've lived it
and watched everybody else for the last
15 years in this space,
>> your work is going to be the punch line.
>> Yeah.
>> Like real talk.
>> Like real talk. Like if you're going to
build something big
>> Yeah.
>> Like and that's why I've always focused
on like we need to be the best.
>> Yeah.
>> That's by the way that was a lot of what
last year was about for me. getting
Vayner Media and the Sasha Group, which
is one the other big agency and my
holding company to get [ __ ] great
because social was changing, marketing
was changing. I had to teach them about
live social shopping. I had to get
everybody on board with [ __ ] using
influencers and creators in addition to
the content we make. I had to get
everybody on board with AI tools. I I
had a lot of things to get 2,000 3,000
people
>> from here to London to LA to Mexico City
to Toronto to Amsterdam to London to
[ __ ] India to [ __ ] you know
Malaysia and Australia all aligned.
That's work.
>> Yeah, it's true. Okay, so let's talk
about AI a little bit. Do you think it's
dangerous for humanity?
Um, of course it can be like like if a
if if Russia and China and America and
Saudi and India create AI enabled robots
that act like humans that can police and
fight war, like that's some, you know,
gnarly [ __ ]
>> Yeah.
>> Could get real scary that way.
>> Yeah. I mean, I think I I don't really
even see an outcome of where they
wouldn't do that.
>> Fair.
>> Like like that's what governments do.
They they try to protect their sovereign
soil. and they try to control their
citizens.
>> Okay. But from the flip side, as a as a
let's say somebody in the marketing
space or the creator space.
>> Oh, you want me to go way down?
>> Yeah. Like 10 levers down. Go ahead.
>> How are you leveraging it? I I know
you've spoken about like podcast hosts
are going to be AI. Creators are going
to be AI. A what do you think is the
timeline on that?
>> And as a creator, do you like do you be
scared like or how do you how do you set
yourself up?
>> I'm scared every day. If you're an
entrepreneur, you should be scared. If
you're a creator, that sounds you're an
entrepreneur, right? You're trying to
make money by being a person. So
>> now, I wouldn't use the word scared.
>> And I would say, am I awake?
>> Am I woke to it? Am I focused on it? Did
I spend three hours on a flight
yesterday looking at three different
tools that could do tasks that my
employees do, which eventually means my
clients will expect? Like, do I think
about those things? Yes. Do like do I
think about people? Do I think about you
know um understanding how to police and
maintain my intellectual property and my
copyright? Yes. I mean you think about
these things but yeah like I mean look
in any big technology you either take
that sword or that sword will kill you.
So what I would say to you guys is you
could be like [ __ ] just as we were
[ __ ] getting going this [ __ ] came
along [ __ ] Or you could be
like, "We're going to keep building our
brand, which is always going to matter,
and doing this, while over here, we're
going to create a podcast with two girls
that talk about fashion."
>> You're allowed to do that.
>> True.
>> You're allowed.
>> True.
>> So, right, you could take the sword and
be the one that wins.
>> Yes.
What if I told you in four years you're
making three times the money that you
make on this podcast with that girl's
podcast that you just write the script
in the morning for 15 minutes and that's
life?
>> It'd be amazing.
>> Depends. For me, that'd be devastating.
I'd be like, "What the [ __ ] else do I do
with my other 23 hours?" I'd be like,
"Fuck, now I got to start 10 more of
these and I'm going to go garage selling
in the middle of the day." Like, you
know, like, so it just all depends on
what one wants. But what do I think? I
think it's very big. Yeah.
>> Like big bang.
>> Yeah.
>> Like bag.
>> And you're just saying just take the
sword to yourself.
>> Yeah. I mean, I think for you two young
dudes, everybody in here, like
everybody, Mike, your man, like like
Zach, like you got to kind of spend an
hour a day chat. Like what I do every
day, I go to chatbt. I'm like, what's
the 10 best image uh apps created by,
you know, AI apps that were created in
the last 30 days?
>> Then I click them, then I download them,
then I play with them. Like either you
go to the gym
>> or you think about going to the gym.
>> Yeah.
>> Right. Right. You got it. That's the
analogy, right? Makes sense. Right.
Either you go to the gym or you think
about going to the gym. Either you go to
the gym or you read about how to do the
proper exercise. But until you're doing,
>> you're not doing. And so like every all
you five youngsters must be interacting
with AI apps every day.
>> Must
bare minimum chat GBT and thinking and
talking. Last night me and AJ at 1:00 in
the morning after game were doing [ __ ]
like who's Curtis Martin's WWF comp.
>> Yeah.
>> Who's LeBron James NFL comp? Who's Lamar
Jackson's NBA comp? Who's Gary Ve's
cartoon comp? Like um my NBA comp's
Draymond Green by the way. I was like I
like it too. I'm so that person. Uh
>> I I think that um I think that uh you
guys need to use it every day.
>> Of course. Okay. open these cards or
why?
>> Yeah, let's open a couple.
>> I wanted to bring you a gift,
>> please.
>> And uh we went to our friends at
MintNink. Yes. Right. And he goes I go,
"Yo, we need to get him a gift." He's
like, "He got everything he wants
already." All right. I said, "Why don't
you crack some cards with him?" So, I
would love to crack a pack of these with
you.
>> I would love to I would love for you
guys to open a pack and read the back.
Yeah. Here's what I want to talk about
to everybody who's listening. I'm going
to assume
Let me do a public service announcement
for VS. All of you have to go to eBay
and type in Vfriend Friends and go to
completed sold items. It will blow you
away. I'm actually genuinely really
building the next Pokemon in Marvel and
I'm doing it in everyone's face, but
because everyone's so distracted about
Gary Vee of it all, they don't even see
it. In the same way that a lot of people
think I'm a motivational speaker.
>> Yeah. Isn't that crazy?
>> Like, like really? And I'm like, like
when they come here, they're like, "What
the [ __ ] is this?"
>> I'm like, "The company." They're like,
"What company?" I'm like, "Vayner."
They're like, "What's Veayner?" I'm
like, you know, the $350 million a year
revenue revenue not valuation revenue
business that I run that I'm the active
CEO of like I actually run it and I
actually run V friends and I'm actually
massively impactful on the VCR group my
restaurant [ __ ] and I'm massively
impactful on Vayner Sports one of the
hottest biggest emerging sports agencies
in the world that my brother runs and I
still am super involved in my dad's wine
business like and Vayner Watt my TV
production company. Like, I'm a
businessman
>> who happens to do content charity for
the kids out there on a daily basis. I
want you to focus on the back of the
car. So, anyway, these cards are redot.
These boxes were $99 when they came out
6 weeks ago. They're selling for $550 a
box on eBay.
>> Oh, we should have sold this thing, man.
>> Yeah. You guys talking about making
money. You're [ __ ] quoting it. Now,
check this out. This is why I'm so
excited about it. If you look at the
cards, creative crap, but look on the
back, you'll This is where This is So,
you guys have probably not gotten deep
enough, but you know me, you're going to
like this. You know what V friends is?
It's 250 characters that I'm going to
use to expand on what I'm trying to get
the world to think about as Gary Vee. I
can't get to everyone. I'm not
everyone's cup of tea.
>> I don't look the part for everyone. If
you're like, you know, I'm still kind of
hanging in being cool to the kids, but
[ __ ] man. I'm 49. like like it's not
like I don't even know how this has gone
this far. Like, you know, 68-year-old
me, I got to be empathetic that if
you're like a 16-year-old, you know,
Puerto Rican kid in the hood, like
69year-old me's like doing my thing,
like there there's a there's a place
where that just I'm not going to be able
to penetrate. Plus, there's been many
audiences I've never been able to
penetrate. Maybe a mom that doesn't like
cursing.
>> Yeah.
>> Right. Maybe you know somebody who's
like wants to look up to somebody that
looks like them. So they're an Asian
woman and like this white dude's not
going to do it. They got to find but the
friends these characters can get to
everyone.
>> True.
>> From the corners of Brazil to [ __ ]
Melbourne, Australia to [ __ ] Tokyo,
Japan to Belgium. I can get to everybody
with these characters. And that's why
I'm building it. And then that's why
like when a kid gets Focus Falcon, read
the back of Focus Falcon.
Focus Falcon. Competitive advantage.
Laser focused on every goal. Soaring
with precision and discipline. Focus on
the goal and everything else becomes
secondary.
>> That's just
>> and then and then quote.
>> Yeah. Yeah, that was a quote.
>> Oh, that was a quote. The goal,
everything else could come secondary.
>> But like now, let's think about it.
There's a bunch of us in here right now.
9-year-old us reading that. That [ __ ]
gets interesting.
>> Yeah. What about a parent who's trying
to get their kid to focus a little more
and now they have something that looks
cool as [ __ ] to them and they're like,
"All right, mom. I'll [ __ ] focus."
>> Yeah.
>> Like I'm very This is the most selfish
and selfless business venture of my
career. It is selfish because you catch
BT.
>> Yeah.
>> Use it right now. I want you to do
something.
>> Okay.
>> Type in how much is Pokemon worth?
>> Oh, this is scary. Scary numbers. How
much is Pokemon worth?
>> Enter.
Let me see here.
Okay, we're searching the web. Oh, okay.
>> Oh, sorry. This is Hold on.
>> Which cards did you get? I got creative
crab, which
>> mule.
>> Love it.
>> Right. I got the capable caterpillar.
>> Love.
>> Tough to beat a worm from the dirt.
>> Uh-huh.
>> That's sick.
>> That's my guy.
>> This is a scary number. You ready? Say
yes. I want everybody here.
>> How much is Pokemon worth? As of 2025,
Pokemon is Pokemon is the highest
grossing media franchise in the world
with an estimated lifetime revenue
exceeding $150
billion.
>> It's a big number.
>> So, this is this is the most selfish
thing. I'm trying to build the next
Pokemon. Even if I get halfway home, I
have a $75 billion
>> entity. But it's also the most selfless.
>> Mhm. like I'm going to do it and I'm
trying to build this for me and my
family and like we're all wowed. But the
fact that what I'm selling
>> Yeah. has the potential to have a
substantial positive impact on modern
parenting, on mental health, on the
mindset of a generation. That [ __ ]
gets me going because as these comics
and cartoons and movies develop and I
start teaching people about decisive
duck like what do every do you know 90%
of my questions are like people just
asking me for permission to validate
them to make a decision?
>> Yeah.
>> Because they're scared.
>> So no [ __ ] decisive duck has upside.
>> Yeah. You know what I mean?
>> But you found a beautiful balance.
>> Yeah. Because I believe that we're
allowed. I believe that everyone's
allowed to I hate when people demonize
people that are trying to make money and
be entrepreneurs.
>> Yeah.
>> You're especially for us men. Like we
are built wired to provide for our
families. We used to go out and [ __ ]
hunt and kill a wolf and bring back the
meat. And today financial is one of
those things.
>> Yeah.
>> Like I don't know. Like that's all I've
ever known is to help my family like
with my capabilities. You're allowed.
You're allowed to buy jewelry and golf,
join a expensive country club and like
you're allowed.
>> Um, but for me at least, I don't judge
others who don't want to give back to
society. I really don't.
>> Yeah.
>> Honestly, I just don't have a lot of
judgment in me. I don't give a [ __ ]
enough to be honest. And I'm too
empathetic. It's actually the extremes.
>> Yeah. It's crazy.
>> I don't give a [ __ ] enough cuz what does
somebody else's life have to do with me?
>> True.
>> But I also have empathy. Like I don't
just cuz you made money. I don't know
you. You might be secretly paying for
your sister's care because she was born
completely nonfunctional and nobody on
earth knows that you have a sister who's
been in a facility your whole life,
right? And you pay for it. And so what?
I'm gonna judge you that you didn't
donate at this charity event even though
I know you have some money. What if I
don't know that you're paying 150,000 a
year to give full care to your sister
that you've never had the emotional
strength to communicate about? I have
that level of compassion and empathy
that so few people have. And I don't say
that braggadocious. I say that as thank
you mom
>> for giving me that DNA and then being
the parent that f she not only gave me
the seed, she [ __ ] watered it.
>> So I don't talk from a place of I'm
cool. I'm talking from a place of Tamara
Vaynerchuk is cool. She made me like
this. I know that story I just told.
Most of the [ __ ] in this room and
definitely on the podcast had never even
thought a thought like that in their
life.
>> Ever.
>> Ever.
>> Ever.
>> That to me is empathy elephant. That to
me is compassionate catfish. That is
what I'm going to teach because that
makes your life better. When you
eliminate envy and jealousy because why
would you sit at a charity event and
waste your energy judging someone who
didn't donate that you know makes money?
It's because you're jealous of them.
down,
>> right?
>> Yeah.
>> Right. Because you're like, I just gave
5K and [ __ ] Rick makes much more
money than me. They're triggered by Rick
makes much more money than me.
>> Yeah.
>> But I sit there and I'm like, literally,
literally, actually, I'm like, man, I
hope everything's okay with Rick.
>> Now, Rick might just be a straight dick.
>> Yeah.
>> And wants to buy a [ __ ] another golf
course and not help the kids.
>> Everyone's allowed. Yeah.
>> I have no judgment.
>> Wow. I like that a lot. Everyone's
allowed.
>> Everyone's allowed. That's a hard pill
to swallow for a lot of people.
>> It's a hard pill because everybody is
too audacious and thinks that the world
should be the way they see it.
>> Yes.
>> Now people are not allowed to murder.
Like no, but I mean like I need to say
this unfortunately because people like
clip it and they're like, "What about
rape?" I'm like, "No, people are not
allowed to do that, dick. No [ __ ]
>> People are, you know what I mean? People
are allowed but people are allowed to
live their life with their money that
they accomplished the way they want." It
may, but for me, I need to give back. I
need to still make content. I need to be
on nonprofit boards. I need to try to
help all you [ __ ] that are coming up
because I was one of you [ __ ] and I
wish I had me.
>> I Gary Vee is who Gary Vaynerchuk wish
existed at 15.
>> Wow.
>> Damn.
>> Yeah, man. Cuz I had nowhere to look. I
didn't have the internet.
>> My pops was like an OG dude. Like
different. If I had Gary Vee, if Gary
[ __ ] Vayner Shook at 15 had Gary Vee,
I'd be happier and more successful.
>> I'm motivated by that. I want to give
back to the game that gave me so much.
>> Yeah.
>> You know what I mean?
>> Yeah.
>> So, that's where I'm at, boys. I got to
go.
>> I missed. Final question.
>> Yes.
>> Does money buy happiness?
>> Does money buy happiness? Absolutely
not. And of course, money is such a
foundational part of our world. I
believe that what buys happiness is
living within the money you make.
Got it? So, if you make $49,000 a year,
you can be remarkably happy if you have
humility and you live a $37,000 a year
life. If you live a $90,000 a year life
and get into debt because you're trying
to keep up with the Joneses even though
you're not capable of making that kind
of money, you're going to get hurt. It's
like sports. If I went on an NBA court
right now and tried to play basketball,
it would be bad.
>> That would be bad. It would be ugly. I'd
get hurt. I would get uncomfortably
embarrassed.
And that is how I feel like when people
are spending money on Rolexes and
vacations and going into debt, you're
not good enough to buy a Rolex. Live
within your means and you get very
happy.
>> Yes. Thank you, Gary. Thank you. Nice
client.
[Music]
Heat. Heat.
Related Songs