Podcast Summary: GaryVee x Guy Kawasaki – Lessons on Business, Tech, and Culture

Podcast: The GaryVee Audio Experience
Host: Gary Vaynerchuk
Guest: Guy Kawasaki
Episode Date: September 6, 2025

Episode Overview

Gary Vaynerchuk sits down with legendary entrepreneur, author, and tech evangelist Guy Kawasaki to discuss Guy’s new book, Think Remarkable, and to reflect on lessons from decades in business, technology, and culture. The duo explores the foundations of “remarkableness”—growth, grit, and grace—sharing candid insights about success, adversity, generational differences, and the power of kindness in leadership. The episode is rich with personal stories, memorable quotes, and practical advice for anyone aiming to make a difference in work and life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking the Rules for Remarkable Friends

[00:00 – 01:16]

• Gary admits to breaking his New Year's “no virtual podcast” resolution because of his admiration for Guy.
  • Quote: "I just can't say no to this guy. I like him too much. I admire him too much." – Gary ([00:37])

2. Guy Kawasaki’s Career & The New Book

[01:17 – 02:08]

• Guy summarizes his path: From Apple’s chief evangelist, tech ventures, to Chief Evangelist of Canva and host of the Remarkable People podcast.
• Author of 16 books, Guy marvels at his own prolific output.
  • Quote: "15 times I said I don't have another book in me... if you told me 30 years ago you're gonna write 16 books, I would have told you you're nuts." – Guy ([02:09])

3. The Lost Era of Blogging & Foundations of Communication

[02:26 – 03:21]

• Gary reflects on missing the mid-2000s blogging era and admits writing is his weakest communication skill compared to audio and video.
• Guy attributes his writing passion to a “hard ass” high school English teacher and connects adversity with long-term growth.
  • Quote: "The coaches and the teachers and the bosses who are the hardest on you taught you the most." – Guy ([03:21])

4. Adversity, Accountability, & Instant Fame Culture

[04:12 – 05:42]

• Both discuss how overcoming adversity built resilience, contrasting it with today’s instant recognition via social media.
  • Quote: "Adversity is the foundation of success." – Gary ([04:12])
• Gary details his five-year grind with Wine Library TV and the patience required before getting recognition.

5. Think Remarkable: Extracting Wisdom from the World’s Best

[06:07 – 07:47]

• Guy describes distilling insights from 250 podcast interviews, organizing the book by life stages: Growth, Grit, Grace.
  • Quote: "This is not an interview book... this book is organized by stages of life as you become remarkable." – Guy ([06:54])
  • Memorable Tip: Grit is more valuable than talent; "I would take somebody with grit over talent anytime." ([07:47])

6. Grit, Grace, and Leadership Styles

[07:47 – 09:59]

• Gary and Guy debate old-guard “tough” leadership (Steve Jobs) vs. kindness and grace. Gary shares his management style—hardworking but compassionate.
• The importance of empathy and authentic relationships in business.
  • Quote: "Nice guys finish first. I do want to teach the world that you don't have to compromise who you are as a human to have financial and business success." – Gary ([08:39])

7. Legacy, Making a Difference, and the Myth of Overnight Success

[10:00 – 11:10]

• Guy shares his desire to be remembered as someone who helped others, not for fame or wealth. True remarkableness comes from impact, not PR.
  • Quote: "If you make a difference, if you make the world a better place, people will start considering you remarkable." – Guy ([11:10])

8. Compassion over Anger & The Roots of Kindness

[11:55 – 13:30]

• Both agree that anger and harshness stem from personal pain. Gary advocates responding to "darkness" with compassion, attributing his mindset to his immigrant background and childhood adversity.

9. Generational Gaps, Entitlement, and Opportunities of Today

[13:31 – 16:44]

• The struggle for accountability in younger generations when faced with unprecedented opportunity.
  • Quote: "If you have all these options and you don't want to do this grind work because you have all these options, and then you're not winning, don't blame the algorithm, don't blame the audience, don't blame your parents, blame yourself." – Gary ([16:31])

10. The Universal Traits of Remarkable People

[17:16 – 18:14]

• Guy identifies a “growth mindset” as the defining trait across all remarkable people: continual learning and progress, never resting on one's laurels.
  • Quote: "They always had intellectual curiosity, and they seldom, if ever rested on their laurels." – Guy ([17:16])

11. Motivation for Giving Back: Making True Impact

[18:46 – 20:31]

• Discussion of philanthropy: authentic impact vs. ego-driven charity. Focus on supporting causes that truly need help, rather than prestige donations.
  • Quote: "If you're really trying to really make an impact, there are many... Stanford's the last place that needs it." – Gary ([18:46])
• Guy's work with Digital Nest supporting Hispanic youth into tech, rather than defaulting to agriculture.

12. Who Should Read Think Remarkable?

[21:37 – 22:43]

• The book is a “read me first for life,” curated wisdom for Gen Z or anyone wanting actionable inspiration and to find meaning by making a difference—beyond just financial success.
  • Quote: "This is the book that I want to be remembered for. That it helped Gen Z figure out how to be happier... what makes people truly happy is that they made a difference, not that they made money." – Guy ([21:47], [22:23])

13. Legacy and Recognition

[23:29 – 24:42]

• Gary honors Guy’s impact on the culture of communication and business, saying he’s set a powerful, positive example over decades, regardless of book releases.

14. The Practicalities: Short, Dense, and Actionable

[25:22 – 26:00]

• The book is intentionally concise—170 pages, designed to be highly readable, “snackable,” and immediately useful.

Notable Quotes

• Guy Kawasaki:

  • "I would take somebody with grit over talent anytime." ([07:47])
  • "If you make a difference, you will be considered remarkable. It's not because you woke up one day and hired a PR firm..." ([11:10])
  • "This is 170 pages, that takes the wisdom of 250 remarkable people filtered by someone who's been on the front lines for four decades to give you a manual or a handbook... for life." ([21:47])
  • "What makes people truly happy is that they made a difference, not that they made money." ([22:23])

• Gary Vaynerchuk:

  • "Adversity is the foundation of success." ([04:12])
  • "Nice guys finish first. I do want to teach the world that you don't have to compromise who you are as a human to have financial and business success." ([08:39])
  • "If you have all these options...and you're not winning, don't blame the algorithm, don't blame the audience, don't blame your parents, blame yourself." ([16:31])

Segment Timestamps

• 00:00 – 01:16: Gary’s intro, why he broke his resolution for Guy
• 01:17 – 02:08: Guy’s career recap & new book announcement
• 02:26 – 03:21: The lost art of blogging, building writing skill
• 04:12 – 05:42: Adversity as the bedrock of success, instant fame culture
• 06:07 – 07:47: The idea behind Think Remarkable – stages of a remarkable life
• 08:39 – 09:59: Leadership, grace, and empathy
• 11:10 – 12:10: What really makes someone remarkable
• 13:31 – 16:44: Generation gaps, entitlement, and taking accountability
• 17:16 – 18:14: The growth mindset in all remarkable people
• 18:46 – 20:31: Authentic giving and realizing impact
• 21:47 – 22:43: Who should read Think Remarkable
• 25:22 – 26:00: Conciseness and utility of the book

Conclusion

In this lively and heartfelt episode, Gary Vee and Guy Kawasaki challenge conventional ideas about what it means to be remarkable. Their conversation highlights that success is less about talent or luck and more about resilience, ongoing growth, kindness, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact. Think Remarkable synthesizes life wisdom from hundreds of extraordinary individuals, creating a succinct guidebook for anyone seeking both fulfillment and achievement in today’s world.