How to Win on Facebook and Social Media in 2025 | The 505 Podcast PART 2

Summary

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Podcast Summary: How to Win on Facebook and Social Media in 2025 | The 505 Podcast PART 2

Podcast: The GaryVee Audio Experience
Host: Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee)
Date: August 27, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this lively and candid episode, Gary Vaynerchuk sits down with the hosts of The 505 Podcast for the second part of an in-depth conversation about the evolution of social media marketing, growing companies, and preparing for the landscape of 2025 and beyond. Gary provides tactical advice on building winning cultures, adapting to tech shifts like AI and live shopping, creating content at scale, and identifies platforms and strategies that businesses and creators should pursue to find success on Facebook and beyond. The conversation is peppered with insights on leadership, humility, patience, and the realities of growth in the digital age.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Lottery Story & Early Hustle (00:00–02:03)

• Gary retells the story of his minor lottery wins—using personal phone numbers as picks, cashing in significant (for a teenager) wins, and watching the draws with friends.
• Underlying theme: Even in randomness, his story is about optimism, hustle, and community.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “I've literally won the lottery. Pick three, pick four. Three times in my life. … I've only watched the lotto on TV like five times. It’s super wild.” – Gary Vee (01:40)

Macro Patience, Micro Speed (02:03–02:42)

• Gary explains the secret to fast-moving success at large scale:
  • Macro patience, micro speed.
  • One-second videos now outperform photos on Facebook; Gary personally emails the company when he discovers such trends.
• Key Tactic: Turning photos into one-second videos for superior Facebook reach.
• Quote:
  • “Macro patience, micro speed.” – Gary Vee (02:11)
  • "If you post photos on Facebook, ... make it a one second video. It will get dramatically more reach." (02:43)

Company Culture and Building Teams (03:28–07:30)

• Maintaining a “family business” vibe with thousands of employees.
• Advice to founders:
  • Rule one: “Don’t be a dick… The only reason people are assholes is because they're insecure.” (03:54)
  • “The number one way to build something big is to make the first 10 employees family.” (05:02)
  • Early-stage hiring: prioritize personality and work ethic over 'A players' from elite backgrounds.
• Insight: Humility, overcommunication, and empathy are critical for team building at any size.

Talent, Strategy, and Content at Scale (07:30–08:45)

• When hiring “A players” didn’t work:
  • “They were too bougie. They were too in the old school. They were lazy. They were sizzle, not steak. I’m obsessed with being B player in like skill and like brain, firepower and a fucking down for the cause.” (06:53)
• Content is king—but judged by the audience, not the creator:
  • “Great content isn't judged by you, it's judged by the market. Organic views achieved, not… paid media.” (07:44)
• Advice: Post great content at scale and focus on genuine engagement.

Mastering Multiple Platforms: No Excuses (08:03–09:08)

• On diversifying social presence:
  • “You know what else would be awesome? A million on LinkedIn and 2 million on fucking YouTube and 500,000 on fucking X and 750,000 on Snap. Like, why not?” (08:25)
• Overcoming comfort and contentment; pushing for omni-channel reach.

Adapting to Meta, AI, and Market Shifts (09:08–11:42)

• Reaction to Meta’s evolving ad ecosystem:
  • “Mark’s job is to get every dollar for his company.” (09:20)
  • “Agencies will adapt—the best ones… means there shouldn’t be that many left.” (09:28)
  • Agencies must become leaders in culture, event marketing, live social shopping, and AI-resistant services.
• Defensive strategies for agency leaders:
  • Lean into culture strategy, experiential, and hybrid solutions (e.g., “we’re your marketing department”).

AI in Culture & Marketing (11:52–13:37)

• On AI detecting culture:
  • “AI is my partner in this work because just information. ... I still have to be smart enough to prompt engineer.” (12:03)
• Human experience and smart prompting are still essential.

How to Win Business as an Upstart Agency (12:28–13:27)

• Early Vayner days: Did not worry about big competitors; focused on undercutting, delivering value.
• Pitch focus:
  • “I do not want you to waste money on marketing anymore… work with us. The end.” (13:01)
  • Social, creative, and media is “the game”.

Strategy vs. Scale—And the Power of Niche (13:37–15:14)

• Content at scale with strategy:
  • “If you don’t know what the fuck you’re doing, you’ve lost. But strategy comes in all shapes and sizes.” (14:11)
• On building VeeFriends and niche brand awareness—even for a handful of new fans each day.
• Fast money is fleeting:
  • “Fast money is vulnerable… If you go nice and slow and build it properly, you will have unlimited fun.” (15:15)

Advice for College Seniors & Young Risk Takers (15:40–17:27)

• Iconic "22–30" speech:
  • “22 to 30 is when you go high risk and dream… I see no downside in living with your parents at 25 to chase your dream… 22 to 30 should be when you go crazy.” (16:11)
• Reject the notion that you should "settle down" right after college; these years are for bold risk-taking.

GaryVee’s Content Philosophy: Why He Creates (17:50–19:09)

• Impact through content:
  • “That sentence you just delivered is singlehandedly why I continue to make content. … That’s not what I was chasing. … This YouTube thing is the next email.” (17:50)
• Gary has always been looking for the next big communication medium, from email and AdWords to vlogging and IRL.
• Didn’t connect with blogging—turned to vlogging as a natural communicator.

GaryVee’s 2026 Content Strategy (19:20–20:54)

• Personal focus is shifting back to “being GaryVee”—more content, more visible, more engagement.
• Hybrid strategy:
  • “2026 Gary is produced with purpose and ‘document, don't create.’ … I will make content around something I care about.” (20:03)
• AI influencers:
  • Discussion of AI influencers and the likelihood that audience will or won’t care if a creator is human or not.
  • “I think we just care about liking shit. As humans…” (21:14)

Ownership, IP, and New Forms of Content (22:12–23:16)

• Gary’s advice:
  • Encourage making IP-based characters (like the podcast’s idea for a rock mascot).
  • “That intellectual property is worth more.” (22:22)

Reflections on Patience, Hunger, and Growth (23:33–26:08)

• Balancing ambition with patience:
  • “Do not mix up patience with hunger and ambition. I am hungry as fuck. … There’s a reason that they're not the same words.” (24:56)
  • “The friction between ultimate hunger and fire and actual patience leads to the greatest bridge.” (25:46)
• Comparison culture:
  • “Every 26 to 29 year old that has a ton more money, fame and success than you has nothing to do with you... The pie is unlimited. Endless.” (26:10)

Gary’s Influence and Content Vernacular (26:42–28:34)

• Creating one’s own style:
  • “My reading comprehension’s so bad… I came up with so much of my own vernacular. And then I just watch people use that vernacular. … I don’t get upset, I’m flattered.” (26:43)
• Humility is critical; lack of humility is “destroying a generation.” (28:31)

The 2025–26 Platform Playbook (28:39–32:08)

• Gary’s priority for himself:
  • Focus more on YouTube and podcasting, emphasizing deeper, more thoughtful content (28:46).
  • Live streaming is also key.
• Platforms for most people:
  • “Facebook, Facebook, Facebook. LinkedIn, LinkedIn, LinkedIn. YouTube. Shorts. Snap Spotlight is a monster… Twitter X is a monster monster.” (29:24–29:58)
• Secret Opportunity:
  • Live social shopping: Most listeners should not aim for “tens of millions” but can make millions through live selling on Whatnot/TikTok Shop.
  • “If you sell and you’re an influencer, immediately get your ass to Whatnot and TikTok shop and start selling shit.” (31:16)
  • “A lot of young women… Instead of going OnlyFans… consider live social shopping.” (32:08)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On company culture:
  • “Don’t be a dick. … The only reason people are assholes is because they're insecure.” – Gary Vee (03:54)
• On hiring:
  • “I’m obsessed with being B player in skill and a fucking down for the cause.” (06:53)
• On content:
  • “Great content isn’t judged by you, it’s judged by the market.” (07:44)
• On opportunity:
  • “The pie is unlimited. Endless.” (26:10)
• On ambition and patience:
  • “Do not mix up patience with hunger and ambition. I am hungry as fuck. … There’s a reason that they're not the same words.” (24:56)
• On platform focus:
  • “Facebook, Facebook, Facebook. LinkedIn, LinkedIn, LinkedIn. YouTube. … Snap Spotlight is a monster.” (29:24–29:39)
• On live selling:
  • “If you sell and you’re an influencer, immediately get your ass to whatnot and TikTok shop and start selling shit.” (31:16)
• On risk in early adulthood:
  • “22 to 30 is when you go crazy high risk after … 22 to 30 should be when you go crazy.” (16:11)

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 – Gary’s lottery stories & early hustle
• 02:03 – Macro patience, micro speed philosophy
• 03:28 – Building a family business at scale and team culture
• 07:44 – Great content is judged by the market
• 09:08 – Gary’s take on Zuckerberg’s one-stop-shop video and agency adaptation
• 11:10 – Agency defense: event marketing, culture, and the Vayner Collab model
• 13:01 – The ultimate marketing pitch: “I do not want you to waste money… work with us.”
• 15:40 – “22 to 30” speech on high-risk, high-reward years for young adults
• 19:20 – Gary’s 2026 content plans; produced with purpose and documentation
• 21:14 – AI influencers: Will people care about real vs. artificial?
• 24:56 – Balancing hunger and patience; advice on envy and comparison
• 28:46 – Platforms to focus on: personal and public recommendations
• 31:16 – Tactical push: Live social shopping as a new monetization path

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Concluding Takeaways

• Be everywhere. Don’t let comfort keep you from new platforms; true scale means omnipresence.
• Build real culture. Humility, kindness, and overcommunication drive lasting organizations.
• Act fast AND stay patient. Macro patience, micro speed is how big things get built.
• Content still rules. But only the audience decides what’s great.
• Money is not the only metric. Fast fame is fragile; sustained impact is built through slow, disciplined hustle.
• Learn, adapt, lead. Agencies and brands must evolve or risk extinction.
• Live social selling and new platform features are the next big land grabs.
• No one is “taking your spot.” The digital opportunity is truly infinite.

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Transcript

[Interviewer 1]

Something people might not know about you is that you've won the lottery a couple times.

[Gary Vee]

Yes.

[Interviewer 1]

Can you share that story?

[Gary Vee]

Yes. Where did I just put that out? Was that in a. What is that a dailyvee?

[Interviewer 1]

Recently we got a source.

[Interviewer 2]

We have an incisive.

[Gary Vee]

By the way, I've never won the big lotteries. I have won the pick three in New Jersey. Three numbers, not the big six. But here's what's crazy about this story. So I've won the lottery twice in a significant way for me at that age. The first time I was 18. And I was thinking about my. I was living in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, thinking about Edison, New Jersey, where I grew up. And so much so that right before I went to my friend Brandon Warnecke's house, I stopped at the krausers or the 711 and bought the phone number. Pick three, pick four. 7561407. And I'm watching. I'm literally at his house. I'm like, let's put on New Jersey 12 or whatever, where they do the lottery. And literally 1407. I played it box not straight, which means it could come out in any order. And it was like, 7, 4, 1. And then I jumped up off the couch when it was the first three numbers. And like, seven, four. What if this is zero? I'm gonna shit my pants. Zero, explode, get in the car and drive back to Krauser's to cash in my tickets. And one, like, I think it was like 300 bucks a piece. It's like $3,000, which was like a billion dollars at the time. And then the other time I won was 963, another phone number of mine. And I watched it with my cousin Bobby. Basically, same story. I've literally won the lottery. Pick three, pick four. Three times in my life. I played it probably like 500 times. Cause I did a lot from like 18 to 22. Cause I was at the liquor store. And before, like, you know, before the drawing, you're just at the cash register, like, ah, let me put in a pic. Right, right. I've won three times. I've watched myself win it twice. I've only watched the lotto on tv like five times. It's super wild. That is great.

[Interviewer 2]

That is nuts. That's so funny. You preach so much about patience, but I feel like you move quite fast.

[Gary Vee]

Yes. Macro patience, micro speed.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay. At the level that this company's at right now.

[Gary Vee]

Yes.

[Interviewer 2]

1,000 employees across different countries.

[Gary Vee]

2,500.

[Interviewer 2]

2,500. Okay. 2,500 employees across different countries. How do you still get them moving quickly on the things that are on social that are literally 72 hours, it's over. Like, how does that work now that it's grown to this size?

[Gary Vee]

We have a team internally. And I myself still every day if I see something. So for example, I realized one second videos on Facebook crushed instead of a photo. Wait, like today, like, today still works. You should do this.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay.

[Gary Vee]

If you post photos on Facebook, don't make it a photo. Make. Make it a one second video. It will get dramatically more reach. I will literally, when I'm like, wait a minute, this is working for me, then I'll go check wine library. Like, I'll check five, seven sources. When I'm firm, I will literally go to my inbox, go to teamaynerx and literally email the entire company. Mike. Right. I will literally randomly email every employee. And the best part of it, all of what I have to say is in the headline, right? No grammar, misspellings. 30% of the company just started, so they don't know how to like, read Gary. So they're like, what the fuck did he say? And I'll just be like, yo, one second.

[Interviewer 2]

And that spreads over.

[Gary Vee]

It's still family business for me. Even though we're a corporation now. I run it and I live it and I feel it. Like, it's like a mom and pop thing.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay, now what does that mean to other people that are working at, you know, starting their companies? I have like a three person company, so we're trying to, you know, trying to make it the culture as we build it up. So I'm curious.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah, I mean, think rule one is like, don't be a dick. Like, nobody.

[Interviewer 1]

You got to work on that. Yeah, yeah.

[Gary Vee]

Like, it's real though. Like, like, you know what's funny about that? Like, I think you guys will appreciate this. Like, don't be insecure. The only reason people are assholes is because they're insecure. Like, yes, we're aware that, like, like, kudos to you that you're like at. Do you know a big of a deal it is to get the three employees. Like, I'm impressed by that. In reverse, don't do that. Like, don't think you're somebody. Like, humility is the fucking best. You know, like, be nice. Like over communicate at three people, at 10 people, at 20 people. Everybody should know you inside out. When we had 50 to 100 people, I knew everything about everybody. I knew everything about everything. Like, we were all fucking in it.

[Interviewer 2]

How many people are now here in the NY office?

[Gary Vee]

Since we're post Covid, we've out. We have. How many are supposed to be here? Yeah, like 1100. How many are here? 500. We don't have every day everyone in. Cause we're out of real estate. We have to like, address that next year.

[Interviewer 2]

Wow.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

That's gonna be crazy.

[Interviewer 1]

What Braden forgot to tell you is that it was at 6, but because he's being a dick.

[Interviewer 2]

Shut up. It was actually at 3. That's not true. This is bullshit.

[Gary Vee]

I would really say that you have to understand the following. The number one way to build something big is to make the first 10 employees family. Now, that doesn't mean over like. In fact, you should be firing a lot to get to 10. Cause you know you're hacking it when you're little.

[Interviewer 2]

Were you trying to find people early on that were specialists or Swiss army.

[Gary Vee]

Knives and then nobody knew anything about anything.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay.

[Gary Vee]

Back then, but now.

[Interviewer 2]

Let's use now today. Yeah. Is it specialist now? It's so big.

[Gary Vee]

But at the time, I was double fucked because I needed generalists. But nobody knew anything. I was just hiring kids and teaching them. I was paying people to teach them. If you talk to. If you literally, literally, literally. If you go to the people that worked at Vayner in 2011, 12, 13, deep down, they'll tell you, I fucking got lucky. I fucking got paid and I got paid. And this was 2012. People were getting paid 40k, 50k. It was a loan. Like those numbers. But they're like, I got paid to launch my career. Because by being at Vayner for those years, I became the expert of social. And look, I'm now the VP of this or the SVP. You go look at the LinkedIn profiles of the people that were here. 11, 12, 13, 14 people are CMOs of fucking Fortune 5000 companies. CMOs.

[Interviewer 2]

How would you seek out these great people that were at other companies to come help build what you wanted to build here and build this vision?

[Gary Vee]

Word of mouth of people as we started growing, like, we'd hire somebody from an agency if they were good. I'd be like, yo, who else is.

[Interviewer 2]

Like, you start to start to build it up.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 1]

And what's the cost of bringing on maybe A, B or C to your player versus spending the extra money and bringing on that a player who really knows their shit?

[Gary Vee]

It depends. For us, it was unique. Nobody knew. So I was looking for a personality, a work ethic. Yeah, A like homie like your brother and sister and cousin. In fact, everybody who was supposed to be an A player agency wise that I brought in all failed. They were too bougie. They were too in the old school. They were lazy. They were sizzle, not steak. I'm obsessed with being B player in like skill and like brain, firepower and a fucking down for the cause.

[Interviewer 2]

A for the cause, Yeah. I love that.

[Gary Vee]

You know what I mean?

[Interviewer 2]

Is it still right now, in your opinion, posting great content at scale? Is that the game? Is that what we're in?

[Gary Vee]

Yes.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay.

[Interviewer 1]

And what would you say to somebody who's like, I'm only dialed in great.

[Gary Vee]

And by the way, great content isn't judged by you, it's judged by the market. Organic views achieved, not. You spent money on paid media to amplify and like, it got 9 million views. I'm like, no, it didn't. You paid for 9 million views. It got is organic. And that's where people get fucked up. Go ahead.

[Interviewer 1]

You brought up that you have to be really good and dialed on every social media to be great. There's people who are like, really good and dialed on one, maybe two. Like you said Instagram and TikTok is the excuse of maybe we don't have enough time or we just don't get the other ones. Is that just an excuse? Like, you're just like, you just don't want to be that good.

[Gary Vee]

I mean, or you're content.

[Interviewer 1]

Sure.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah, you're making money, you're good. Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

But like, it. This is the like Zucks movie. Like, you know, what's better than a million dollars? A billion dollars? Like, if, like, okay, I'm glad you have a million followers on TikTok and Instagram. You know what else would be awesome? A million on LinkedIn and 2 million on fucking YouTube and 500,000 on fucking X and 750,000 on Snap. Like, why not?

[Interviewer 2]

What are your thoughts on his little speech that just came out talking about how they want to be one stop shop. They want you to come to meta and do everything for you. I'm just curious. I said, no, I know, but I'm saying as far as, like ad agency land goes, he's like, it felt like that video. He was like, I'm. We're going to do everything. And even though they still have people running their ads, I was just curious what your thoughts were if you saw what I'm talking about.

[Gary Vee]

No, I didn't see Mark Zuckerberg saying, I'm trying to put you out of business.

[Interviewer 2]

No, but he just made this video and I had saw like a lot of people on LinkedIn and marketing space were talking about this. They're like, how is this gonna affect agencies? I'm just kinda curious what your thoughts.

[Gary Vee]

Are that he should do that. Mark's job is to get every dollar for his company.

[Interviewer 2]

And the agencies will adapt the best ones.

[Gary Vee]

Yes. Which means there shouldn't be that many left.

[Interviewer 1]

Just Vayner.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah. Because I'm willing to sell hot dogs. Mark's job is to do that. And my job is to make sure I have a good company. And Meta's very important Facebook and Instagram. But so is event marketing. So is influencer marketing. So you know, like, so is being on top of culture. Like teaching brands that they should do brand deals with Siegelman Stables is worth is $100 million agency in itself. Right. Like, so I have to have. So we're a leader in culture strategy. Like do brands know that the Faze clan is about to have another moment? Cause they're building back up or don't they?

[Interviewer 2]

Probably not.

[Gary Vee]

Right?

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

There's also live social shopping.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah. Which you've been big on.

[Gary Vee]

Right. Meta's nowhere on that. Zuck should be doing that too. But they're all focused on AI now, as they should be. Live social shopping is a fucking pimple on the ass of AI. So what do I think about that? I think that makes sense to me and they should. And Google should be trying to do that. And like they're all fighting and we're all fighting. This is fucking entrepreneurship and business. What do I think about it? I think I'm not like everybody else that says, oh, they can't and that won't work. And fuck Facebook. And I don't think in those terms. Like, mazel tov. Good for you. I better fucking pay attention. Cause you guys aren't fucking around. And I better make sure that I have a ton of value. I have like 37 things I'm working on to offset what AI could do to us.

[Interviewer 2]

Like actually talk to me a little bit about that. Like, what are some of the things. Cause obviously I know you guys are integrating it if you can. If it's. Or like, I don't know.

[Gary Vee]

Of course. Focusing on things that are not AI oriented, experiential. Like, I think event marketing is massive cultural. I just gave you two of them. A third one is becoming JV departments. Meaning literally, Vaynert is half your marketing department. My employees. And the other half is your employees. And I train all the employees. So like literally becoming the marketing department for everyone. We call that Vaynerco Lab. It's very clever. Colab plus Colab.

[Interviewer 1]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Gary Vee]

So we do that for a lot of clients. So if we're. We're your marketing department and we all use AI, so like whatever, you know, tons of things.

[Interviewer 1]

What about being in the culture? Like, you just brought up Faze clan, right? Do you think AI will ever get to a point where it's like it can detect other or do you just kind of gotta be in the weeds?

[Gary Vee]

Of course it can detect it. You can literally go to ChatGPT right now and be like. Like which IRL live streamers are most popping off? Not name Kai Sinet and Aiden Ross. Like, AI is my partner in this work because just information. I still have to be smart enough to prompt engineer. I still have to know who the fuck Kai Sinette and fucking Aiden Ross is to ask that question. Yeah, kids know that shit. CMOs don't know that shit.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah, 100%. Early days, when you were in these meetings and you're pitching them, what would you say when you're batting against companies that were much bigger than you guys?

[Gary Vee]

I didn't even think about them. We were charging $5,000 a month. We were trying to get 60,000 a year. When the companies that I've now got become bigger than were getting paid 8 million a year.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay, what does it look like now? If a company comes to you, what are you trying to do for them? Like, what is the pitch that you would like? In a perfect world, they pick everything. They're like, we want to do it all. What does that look like?

[Gary Vee]

Basically, our thesis is very simple. I do not want you to waste money on marketing anymore, either on the media side or the creative side. Here is how you should do that. You should work with us. The end.

[Interviewer 2]

Straight and simple. To the point.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah, straight and simple. If. To your point, if they're like, all right, Gary, but we can't do everything with you. I'm like, give me social, creative and media. Because that is the game.

[Interviewer 2]

Still all social media.

[Gary Vee]

It's not even. But you have to understand, for Fortune 5000, it's just becoming social. Yeah, they're just starting, just starting to realize more on social. That's right.

[Interviewer 1]

You're obviously talking about content at scale. That's how you win. But if you don't have a great strategy, do you think that content at scale just leads to quicker failure?

[Gary Vee]

You're just like, sure, but strategy comes in shapes and sizes.

[Interviewer 1]

Sure.

[Gary Vee]

Like what's my strategy with befriends. My strategy with veefriends is to get every single human being on earth to know what veefriends are. Right?

[Interviewer 2]

So like, and you talked about that, you said you're like, I'm willing to do 9, 10, 11 people. I don't care. I will.

[Interviewer 1]

Yeah, we love that YouTube video.

[Interviewer 2]

You're like, I'm like, I'm fight for these five or 10 people today.

[Interviewer 1]

I'm getting 14 new fans.

[Gary Vee]

You know, that's real shit to me. So like, what's my strategy? My strategy is scaled awareness. You know, that's very broad underneath that. It's like, okay, I know I can crush with 15 to 45 year old dudes. Cause that's my demo collectors. It all gets nuanced underneath there. But yeah, I mean, if you don't know what the fuck you're doing, you've lost. But strategy comes in all shapes and sizes. Macro. What are you trying to accomplish? Most corporations don't have strategy cause they're just trying to hit numbers to not get fired or entrepreneurs and creators are the reverse. They're just trying to make money fast.

[Interviewer 2]

God, it's so interesting. It's such an interesting game that people are playing.

[Gary Vee]

You brought up a niche and everyone's doing it. And that's like. And I'm right. Yeah, like, you know what I mean? Like, by the way, some people will make fast money, but fast money is vulnerable. Have you seen other 25 year old dudes make fast money? Yeah, they go into a bad place, they fuck like crazy, they buy dumb shit like crazy. And then they're 28 and in a ditch mentally.

[Interviewer 2]

Mm.

[Gary Vee]

I don't want that for my boy. Like, I like it up front. Like it's fun for a second, but like that fun goes away quick. People don't get it. People don't get it. By the way, I think sometimes people think I don't get it. They're like, you don't wanna have fun. I'm like, that's not what I'm saying. In fact, for all the dudes that are listening, if you go nice and slow and build it properly, you will have unlimited fun.

[Interviewer 2]

100%. You said. There was a video nine years ago that Costas pulled up and it was about like college graduation. We both had seen it. College people are getting ready to graduate right now.

[Gary Vee]

I was wearing a white T shirt in that one.

[Interviewer 1]

That was my first video I ever came across.

[Gary Vee]

By the way, you and many. That was in the parking lot. I Was like, drock, stop. I just had a fucking jolt. Like one of those moments. I knew it while I was making it, I'm like, this is gonna change shit for me. And it did. It was one of my most viral videos of all time.

[Interviewer 2]

What would you say to these college seniors getting ready to graduate right now?

[Gary Vee]

Same shit.

[Interviewer 2]

Same shit.

[Gary Vee]

By the way, I ran that video the other day and everyone's like, this is so Rose. Because it's true. Which is for everyone who hasn't seen it, 22 to 30 is when you go high risk and dream. Everybody tells you that now you're grown, go get a real job. That's insane. 23 year old dudes and ladies is when you can have four roommates and eat ramen and you have no kids or spouse to worry about and mommy and daddy are still kind of around kind of something, you know what I'm saying? Meaning, like, even if they're not financially helping you, which they shouldn't be, but I know a lot of you get paid by your parents. Even though you're grown, they're at least there, you know what I mean? They're at least you could crash it. Like, at least you could live. Like, I see no downside in living with your parents at 25 to chase your dream. You want to be a fucking actor, you want to be a fucking, you know, you want to be a fucking influencer. 22 to 30 is when you go crazy high risk after now, if you do it on your own dime, if mommy and daddy are paying for everything, then you're a fucking loser. But if you do it on your own two feet, living humbly, going hard, then at 30, if you didn't pull it off, if you didn't become fucking Brad Pitt, if you didn't become Mr. Beast, if you didn't become fucking Zucks, then you go work for an insurance company. People have it so wrong. 22 to 30 should be when you go crazy.

[Interviewer 2]

Now that video was, it was, I called Babin when I was quitting my job at the Lakers and I was like, I need some advice. And he's like, you've called me last year the same time. You know what you got to do. And I had seen your video recently when I was quitting like a year ago. And it was, it's crazy because obviously we never met and like the impact you can have on someone from never even seeing them is nuts. I feel like with social media that.

[Gary Vee]

Sentence that you just delivered is single handedly why I continue to make content. If that sentence wasn't the biggest thing I believe in in the world. I would never be a public figure. Just to remind you, like, that's not what I was chasing. I was 31 and I was like, I better make some wine videos to sell wine. This YouTube thing is the next email. Google AdWords website. I was just following what I'd always done. 97. I launched a website that was insane. 98, I'm email marketing. What? Everything was direct mail, newspaper and catalogs. 2001, I bet the farm on Google AdWords. What didn't exist one minute ago. 2003, blogging comes along. Oh, fuck. I can't write. I had to sit on my hands. It was devastating. 2003 to 2005 was the toughest time for me in my career. It was like.

[Interviewer 2]

It was like three to five.

[Gary Vee]

Three to five. Blogging had exploded. I knew it was gonna be huge, but I couldn't write, hey, man, if.

[Interviewer 2]

You had chat in your corner.

[Gary Vee]

But how cool is that, right?

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah, that's good.

[Gary Vee]

The one chapter when there was something that was happening in my entire career that I wasn't on, it was blogging. That's why I went so hard on vlogging, because I was like, video, I can do.

[Interviewer 1]

You can do video, I can talk, I just can't write.

[Gary Vee]

That was it. And I had no money back then. I couldn't hire someone to write for me.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah. You briefly mentioned it earlier about changing up your YouTube strategy. So now I'm curious. Going into these next 612 months, what do you think is the most important thing that you need to be focusing on for Gary Vee?

[Gary Vee]

Overall.

[Interviewer 2]

Let's go overall.

[Gary Vee]

Let me go with overall. You're gonna really be blown away by my first answer, actually going back to being Gary Vee.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay.

[Gary Vee]

I've been checked out of Gary V. Land for two years. I've been head down Vayner x v Friends. In fact, even doing this podcast is me coming back.

[Interviewer 2]

Come on, let's go.

[Gary Vee]

Even. What? You guys clearly like DailyVee being back. Like, I hadn't done that in years post Labor Day. I'm rising like a phoenix. I'm doing tea with Gary Vee every day. I'm doing a new podcast show. I'm doing IRL streaming every day.

[Interviewer 2]

Twitch.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay.

[Gary Vee]

I'm gonna be on tons of podcasts. I'm gonna be fucking everywhere.

[Interviewer 2]

I love it.

[Gary Vee]

So the entire answer to your question is coming back to being primary Gary Vee. Secondarily, I am the godfather, architect of the document. Don't create. Right. So that was like such breakthrough ideas, right? Like film everything and right. 2026, Gary is produced with purpose and document. Don't create. So in 2026, I will make content around something I care about. I care about AI influencers. Instead of random clips of me mentioning it, we're gonna make a proper 12 minute video where I really make a.

[Interviewer 2]

Fucking video with the AI influencer topic. Do you feel like I know all of us here have seen a video and it's been an AI person. We haven't known it.

[Gary Vee]

Yes.

[Interviewer 2]

But let me ask you this. In like a few months, do you feel like, you know, maybe the verification badge will be blue with a green if you're a real person, maybe. And do you think that when that happens, that as soon as you see that green thing or like purple thing, if it's AI person, do you feel like that starts to happen where people just swipe right by?

[Gary Vee]

No.

[Interviewer 2]

You don't think so?

[Gary Vee]

No.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay. Why?

[Gary Vee]

Because I think we just care about liking shit. As humans go deeper on that, I think 50 to 60% in year one of that world, if that was true, would completely swipe by it. Cause they have an ideology.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah, agreed.

[Gary Vee]

And I think the other 30 to 40% would be like, I don't give a fuck. That person's hot. Or that was interesting. Or I'm curious about that belt. Or I laugh at the same jokes. They're not gonna give a fuck. I don't give a fuck.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 1]

Would you confirm?

[Gary Vee]

How about that?

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

Like, guys, most of the content we consume is not just about the human being. The fuck are you watching Star wars for? That's acting.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

Why are you reading information? Those are words. I don't give a f. People are over ideologic. The delivery mechanism. I don't care if it's you or you that decided to make an AI squirrel to tell me about how to share.

[Interviewer 2]

So our whole thing is like the 505 pod. We're rocks. Like, our listeners are all rocks. You think we should make a little rock that talks and he's like telling information about the videos and shit?

[Gary Vee]

I do and I'll tell you why.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay, good.

[Gary Vee]

That intellectual property is worth more.

[Interviewer 2]

I own the one handed crack, by the way. I do own that. I own 505rocks.com too.

[Interviewer 1]

Yeah, I love it.

[Interviewer 2]

Not a bunch of random ones with rock in it.

[Interviewer 1]

I want to take it back to an old, another old YouTube video that you made. And it was about when you turned 32. On your 32 birthday. On your 32nd birthday you said I fucking hate the number 32. I thought it was so funny. You're like, 32 sucks. It's the first number that gets cut off the calendar. Like fuck that. But in that video you had a real like sense of discernment where you're like I'm just not where I want to be yet. And it almost felt like the conversations you've had with so many people saying you're so young, patience, practice that in that moment it almost felt like you had the opposite mindset of like I'm 32, fuck, I'm getting older, I still have so much that I need to accomplish.

[Gary Vee]

It was actually different but it's a good observation and I'm sure there's some percentage. But I was there and I know not really what was going on with that kid that you saw was that was the pre dawn of me being the 34 year old version Gary Vee coming all out. I was stuck with the situation I had with my Dad. I was 32 and I was like fuck man, I just spent a decade building this massive business and gave up my personal time. When I tell you I did nothing Fun in my 20s I did nothing fun. I like maintained girlfriends just to literally almost have someone there. When I came home I was in a place where I was so obsessed with putting my parents on which was awesome. To about 30. And then I was like to 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, that era. I was like fuck man, I gotta get going. But it wasn't out of like me being impatient, it was about me being overly patient. And what you saw in that video or felt was I was already like I'm coming. Like I already like. In fact notice in this interview I said I didn't make business content do until 34. But to your point, there were a couple of stagglers of those one off videos. Garyvee180 or like Ustream Video. There's like this period between 30 and 34 where I made these one off. There's like 13 of them. Yeah, these one off videos that were not about wine. And that guy was starting the process of me going to what you know today and that's what you felt.

[Interviewer 1]

Gotcha. I just thought it was so interesting.

[Gary Vee]

Cause and by the way, do not mix up patience with hunger and ambition. I am hungry as fuck. I'm ambitious as fuck. That's what you saw in that kid's eyes. You can be both. I think people when they hear me say Be patient. They hear me say, be lazy and complacent. There's a reason that they're not the same words. Go to the fucking dictionary. Patience, complacency and laziness are not defined the same way. I believe the friction between ultimate hunger and fire and actual patience leads to the greatest fucking bridge. And I think a lot of motherfuckers that hear me are like, he's saying for me to be complacent or yeah, I don't have to work yet. I'm not saying that. Work your fucking dick off. But don't judge yourself when you only get nine views.

[Interviewer 2]

Absolutely.

[Gary Vee]

And don't have envy and jealousy of some 27 year old who's got 10 million that has nothing. Guys, every 26 to 29 year old that has a ton more money, fame and success than you has nothing to do with you. Literally nothing. Nothing. None of those people are taking away your opportunity. It's you versus you.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah, we can all get a slice of the pie.

[Gary Vee]

The pie is unlimited. Endless.

[Interviewer 2]

Endless.

[Gary Vee]

It's infinite. I hate when people are like, oh, that guy's taking, like that guy got my spot or that guy copied my content. I'm like, motherfucker, you copied someone else's content. What the fuck are you talking about? People are always like, I'm like, motherfucker. You know how many Gary Vees are out there?

[Interviewer 2]

There's so many.

[Gary Vee]

Like the whole game.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah, yeah.

[Gary Vee]

Not because I'm brilliant, I just happen to be there first.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah.

[Gary Vee]

That's all. There was plenty of Gary Vee's before me. They just did it on radio or television. Like, like, you know, just the way it worked out.

[Interviewer 2]

Absolutely.

[Gary Vee]

I watched people use. You know what's worked for me is I make up shit. I'm so weird. My reading comprehension's so bad. My, my. I, I am like so weird in that. Like, I know, but I don't know the actual way to say it. And so I came up with so much my own vernacular. And then I just watch people like use that vernacular. But I don't sit around like all these fuckers. Everyone said like, oh, I watch people. The TikTok ification of like, you know, like, stuff like that. I don't get upset. I'm flattered.

[Interviewer 1]

Yeah, you're like, let's go.

[Gary Vee]

I'm flatter.

[Interviewer 1]

You're like the homie that you hang around and you just start picking up on their jargon.

[Gary Vee]

By the way, in real life, I'm that person.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah, yeah.

[Gary Vee]

I started for. And by the Way I started saying heard instead of got it now, like, just all my whole world, everyone's like, heard. And everybody comes into it. They're like, what is this shit? I'm like, but by the way, I do not believe I was the person that invented heard. I'm sure I subconsciously heard someone say it. Like, the audacity to think you're the one. By the way, when I said earlier, everyone's like, but Gary Vee's a Ze Frank or a rocket. Boom. Or even a Dane cook and Tila tequila. Throw it back, right? So, like, I don't think I invented anything. I think I've added my variation, like we've all have, because I'm uniquely me. But, man, people are audacious out here. Insecure.

[Interviewer 2]

They really are.

[Gary Vee]

They really are. Like, I watch everybody move because I spend a lot of time watching people move. I'm at events where I'm, like, staying in line because I don't even give a fuck. And, like, people going in front line. Like, I have 80,000 TikTok followers. I'm like, man, people are fucking emotionally broke.

[Interviewer 2]

Mm.

[Gary Vee]

Lack of humility is destroying a generation.

[Interviewer 1]

Yeah.

[Interviewer 2]

100P. Well, you're doing good getting them back on it with your content. So I have two more for you. We're gonna get you out of here on time.

[Gary Vee]

Thank you, brother.

[Interviewer 2]

I want to know about the platforms you want to spend the most attention on right now. Like, what are they? List them for me.

[Gary Vee]

That's a really good question. Me or what I want all of you to do? Cause me, me, I already alluded to. I've gotta get much more serious of my YouTube and my podcast because I've come those require production and more meaningful thought. I took my social media excellence and I bled it into my YouTube proper and podcast. And that hurt me there. So I, Gary, have to do better at that in a world where many of you got that right. So I've gotta do better with that in 26.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay.

[Gary Vee]

And live streaming.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay. Give me the other platforms real quick for other people.

[Gary Vee]

Other people. It is a Facebook. Facebook, Facebook, LinkedIn, LinkedIn, LinkedIn. YouTube.

[Interviewer 2]

Shorts still shorts. Okay.

[Gary Vee]

Shorts. Snap Spotlight is a monster for people.

[Interviewer 2]

Really?

[Gary Vee]

Yeah. Cause no one's fucking with it and there's a lot of attention there. Okay, here's how it works. An 18 year old that you're all trying to get on TikTok and Instagram, they're messaging on Snap. They're not looking at Spotlight often, but just enough that there's so much attention There. And no one's fucking there.

[Interviewer 2]

Wow. Okay. I love it.

[Gary Vee]

Twitter X is a monster monster. And a lot more people should be irl ing. And then finally, here's a good one, actually. I'm so glad I would have not. I'm so pumped right now. Okay, everyone who's listening, this kind of audience, all of you have to give a real try. Oh, this is gonna be so good. Ready? Many of you who are listening right now will never become me, and you're trying to be. And I don't say that because I think I'm cool. I'm gonna say something important. Many people listening right now are destined to be hundreds of thousands of followers, not tens of millions, which is still remarkable. But a lot of people here who are trying to have millions or tens of millions or hundreds of millions and are destined to fall short and will not win and then have to get regular jobs. If they start live social shopping will be able to make millions of dollars selling stuff on whatnot and TikTok shop and all the future platforms. So I think there's a whole group. I think 80% of the people listening right now are 43k, 113k, 400k will never get to, like, the millions of dollars a year they're trying to get to being just an influencer, but actually have salesmanship in you. If you've ever sold Blow Pops or candy or T shirts or DVDs. If you sell and you're an influencer, immediately get your ass to whatnot and TikTok shop and start selling shit.

[Interviewer 2]

Selling things that, like, you buy on TikTok shop and then.

[Gary Vee]

Right.

[Interviewer 2]

Is that what you're saying?

[Gary Vee]

Well, that's affiliate.

[Interviewer 2]

Okay, you're saying, like, build your brand off of that and then.

[Gary Vee]

Yeah, like, I'm saying, like, for you, like, you guys should literally sell a pet. Rock on. What? Not in TikTok shop and just see how it goes.

[Interviewer 2]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Gary Vee]

I don't know if you guys are salesmen or not, but there are a lot of people listening right now, like.

[Interviewer 2]

Ice to an igloo.

[Gary Vee]

You know who's a good demo for this? Pretty girl culture. Pretty girl culture. A lot. You know, you look at pharmaceutical sales and real estate, there's a lot of young women right now who are attractive and, like, they feel like that's gonna get them there and it needs more. But they happened to be good at sales. And there was a whole generation pre Internet that those pretty girls went into real estate and pharmaceutical sales. I think a lot of these girls are not going to get to that place. And instead of going onlyfans, because that's the easy way, I think the other thing to consider is live social shopping.

[Interviewer 2]

I love it.