Summary of "The Harsh Truth About Why Your Content Isn’t Growing | Tea w GaryVee Ep. 70"

Released on March 20, 2025, "The Harsh Truth About Why Your Content Isn’t Growing" is the 70th episode of Tea with GaryVee, hosted by entrepreneur and marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk. In this episode, Gary addresses a series of listener questions, providing candid, no-nonsense advice on various aspects of business, content creation, and personal development. Below is a detailed breakdown of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

1. Maximizing Job Applications for Recent Graduates

Questioner: Braden
Timestamp: [00:13]

Key Points:

• Quantity Over Quality: Gary emphasizes the importance of applying to a high volume of jobs when searching for employment. He criticizes applicants who apply to only a handful of positions, urging them to broaden their efforts.

  "You need to be applying to 30 jobs a day. A lot of people... like, six different jobs. I've done a lot." — GaryVee ([00:26])

• Alternative Work Opportunities: He suggests exploring unconventional job platforms like Craigslist for day-to-day work to build skills and gain immediate income.

• Proactive Networking: Gary recommends leveraging personal networks extensively, advising listeners to reach out individually to acquaintances and former classmates to promote their job search.

2. Growing a Local Podcast

Questioner: Jamie Johnson
Timestamp: [01:25]

Key Points:

• Groundwork Promotion: Gary advises Jamie to personally share her podcast with everyone in her local area through direct messaging and networking.

  "Take the link to your podcast and text every person in your phone that lives locally." — GaryVee ([02:13])

• Targeted Advertising: He recommends using Facebook ads with a highly specific geographic focus (e.g., within a 10-mile radius) to build a local listener base.

  "Run ads that are very specific... 10, 20 mile. You can target by mile radius Facebook ads." — GaryVee ([03:50])

• Engaging Potential Guests and Listeners: Instead of featuring company executives, Gary suggests inviting potential clients and local business owners to be guests, thereby attracting a more relevant audience.

  "Ask the people that you're trying to get business from to be your guest." — GaryVee ([05:27])

3. Utilizing Live Social Shopping for Service-Based Businesses

Questioner: Seth
Timestamp: [06:28]

Key Points:

• Commerce Tainment Concept: Gary introduces the idea of "commerce tainment," blending commerce with entertainment, and discusses its applicability beyond product-based businesses.

  "There is something that is going to happen out there called commerce tainment." — GaryVee ([06:28])

• Content Adaptation for Services: He suggests adapting live shopping strategies by focusing on storytelling and showcasing expertise rather than directly selling products.

  "I think you need to make a deck or a full pledge video or a presentation of how you story told and why it worked." — GaryVee ([07:40])

• Authentic Engagement: Gary encourages leveraging personal narratives and consistent content creation to build a loyal audience that resonates with the service offered.

4. Leveraging Viral Moments Without Compromising Integrity

Questioner: Aaron
Timestamp: [06:53]

Key Points:

• Focus on Storytelling: Gary advises Aaron to concentrate on the storytelling aspect that made his experience semi-viral, rather than solely seeking tangible outcomes from the opportunity.

  "The opportunity is a silly one, though. I think you need to learn from how you created the opportunity more than the opportunity itself." — GaryVee ([07:27])

• Persistence and Documentation: He encourages Aaron to continue attending events and documenting his experiences, emphasizing that persistence will eventually lead to desired outcomes.

  "Just keep going to games and documenting, and eventually it'll happen." — GaryVee ([10:03])

• Content Value over Immediate Gain: Gary underscores the importance of providing value through content, which in turn attracts meaningful opportunities and connections.

5. Staying Motivated as a Multi-Business Entrepreneur and Homeschooling Parent

Questioner: Cheyenne
Timestamp: [11:15]

Key Points:

• Resilience Amid Challenges: Gary acknowledges the immense challenges Cheyenne faces but underscores the importance of perseverance and accountability.

  "Life is hard sometimes and that's good." — GaryVee ([16:14])

• Delegation and Hiring: He addresses Cheyenne's hesitation to hire by questioning the underlying reasons, encouraging her to overcome fear and seek assistance to manage her workload effectively.

• Exploring Nonprofit Involvement: Gary suggests alternative avenues for Cheyenne to satisfy her passion for nonprofits, such as joining boards or volunteering, which can provide fulfillment without the immediate commitment of a full-time role.

  "Start small. You can volunteer or join a board for a little while." — GaryVee ([16:14])

6. Distinguishing Optimism from Denial

Questioner: Braden
Timestamp: [17:00]

Key Points:

• Role of Humility and Self-Awareness: Gary defines the boundary between optimism and denial as being influenced by humility and self-awareness. Without these, optimism can border on delusion.

  "If one lacks humility and self-awareness, they become delusional. If they have humility and self-awareness, it becomes optimism." — GaryVee ([17:00])

• Feedback from Trusted Sources: He recommends seeking honest feedback from a selected group of positive and practical friends to gauge whether one's outlook is optimistic or delusional.

  "Find your five most practical positive friends and ask them what they think about your idea." — GaryVee ([17:00])

7. Building a Social Media Presence as a Chiropractic Student

Questioner: Patrick
Timestamp: [18:44]

Key Points:

• Journey Documentation: Gary suggests that Patrick document his journey to becoming an accredited chiropractor, creating a narrative that followers can engage with until he can legally perform adjustments.

• Caution Against AI Avatars: While acknowledging Patrick's idea of using an AI version of himself, Gary expresses skepticism about its effectiveness and cost-efficiency, ultimately encouraging Patrick to engage authentically.

  "Nobody's gonna give a I think nobody, nobody." — GaryVee ([19:50])

• Quality Over Quantity in Ads: Gary highlights the importance of targeting high-value customers through well-crafted ads rather than aiming for mass reach, which may attract less committed clients.

  "The creative is the variable. So it sounds like he was running ads just to get as many people as possible, yet they weren't as high value." — GaryVee ([24:07])

8. The Future of Influencer Careers

Questioner: Braden
Timestamp: [24:27]

Key Points:

• Sustained Growth of Influencers: Gary affirms that influencer careers are not only viable but will continue to grow, becoming more ingrained in the business landscape.

  "Influencers are only going to grow... Everyone's gonna be famous to 15 people." — GaryVee ([24:27])

• Long-Tail Fame: He introduces the concept of "long tail" fame, where micro-influencers cater to niche audiences, ensuring sustained relevance and income potential.

9. Live Social Shopping for High-End Photography Services

Questioner: Viviana
Timestamp: [25:24]

Key Points:

• Suitability of Services for Live Shopping: Gary explains that live social shopping is better suited for product-based businesses rather than service-oriented ones like photography.

  "Services don't work as well on live social shopping as items." — GaryVee ([25:48])

• Alternative Revenue Streams: He suggests that Viviana could leverage live shopping by selling related products, such as camera equipment or photography prints, to complement her services and showcase expertise.

  "You may want to start selling camera equipment. You may take photography of landscape and sell prints and original photos." — GaryVee ([26:32])

10. Improving Visibility for Daily Vlog Content

Questioner: Drew
Timestamp: [27:28]

Key Points:

• Content Quality and Value: Gary bluntly states that the lack of views is likely due to the content not resonating with the audience, urging Drew to enhance the quality and value of his videos.

  "It's not too saturated. You just stink." — GaryVee ([27:28])

• Audience-Centric Approach: He emphasizes the necessity of focusing on the audience's needs and interests, rather than seeking fame for its own sake.

  "How about actually giving a shit about the audience, right? How about caring about the audience?" — GaryVee ([27:58])

• Constructive Criticism: Gary advises embracing honest self-assessment and being open to change, rather than blaming external factors like algorithms or personal circumstances.

  "When you blame the algorithm... you're a fucking loser." — GaryVee ([28:00])

Concluding Insights

Throughout the episode, Gary Vaynerchuk maintains his characteristic forthrightness, delivering tough love to his listeners while providing actionable advice. The overarching theme revolves around accountability, perseverance, and the necessity of aligning one's efforts with genuine value creation for the audience. Whether addressing job searches, podcast growth, or content creation challenges, Gary consistently underscores the importance of hard work, strategic planning, and authentic engagement.

Notable Closing Remarks:

"How about giving a shit about the audience? How about trying to provide value to the audience?" — GaryVee ([27:58])

"You're chiseling like on these settings. I'm being tight because I want to bring value to everybody." — GaryVee ([20:31])

Gary concludes the episode by reiterating his commitment to delivering value, signaling more in-depth and extended content in future episodes.

Final Thoughts:
This episode serves as a candid exploration of the hurdles faced by individuals striving for growth in various facets of their personal and professional lives. Gary Vaynerchuk's unapologetic approach challenges listeners to confront their limitations, rethink their strategies, and prioritize authentic value creation over superficial metrics of success.