The Reason You Feel Stuck — And How to Get Out of It

Summary

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The GaryVee Audio Experience

Episode: The Reason You Feel Stuck — And How to Get Out of It

Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Gary Vaynerchuk

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Overview

In this high-energy episode, Gary Vaynerchuk tackles real-world questions from entrepreneurs and viewers in a live, interactive format. He dispels myths about hustle culture, shares practical business and life advice, and drives home the importance of accountability, optimism, and content creation in the digital age. The show is marked by Gary's signature blend of blunt honesty, encouragement, and humor, as he helps people break through feelings of being "stuck," both professionally and personally.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Real Reason People Feel Stuck at Work

• Quality Over Quantity: Gary dismisses the notion that long hours equal hard work, emphasizing effectiveness over duration.
  • Quote: "I don't care how many hours you work. I care that you don't bull crap it when you're working." (00:00)
• Avoiding Excuses and Wasted Time: Condemns “bullshit meetings” and urges listeners to focus when it’s time to work and switch off when it’s time to rest or play.

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2. Growing a Business and Increasing Online Sales

• Content Is King: For new entrepreneurs (e.g., Christmas light business), Gary stresses the importance of constant content creation and experimentation.

  • Tips: Post daily, test thumbnails and hooks, include your URL, go live regularly on TikTok.
  • Quote: "You gotta try different things... Go live like I am now." (00:38)

• TikTok Affiliate Marketing: He explains how creators can make money via TikTok’s affiliate program, even without owning products.

  • Quote: "Make content, make money, make content, make money, make content, make money." (07:05)

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3. Building Confidence and Overcoming Insecurity

• Practice Public Speaking: To get better, simply practice—take free gigs and work your way up.
  • Quote: "It's practice, Allen Iverson. The way I got better at public speaking was doing public speaking events for free." (01:28)
• Facing Fear in Creation: When Lydia (viewer) worries about judgment, Gary confronts her directly:
  • Quote: "There's nothing to be. What are you scared of? Someone's gonna say you're ugly? Someone's gonna say it's stupid? Like what are we actually scared of?" (11:23)
• On Loving Yourself: Challenges listeners to embody what they preach, especially about self-love.
  • Quote: "If you're trying to teach people to love themselves more, why don't we start with yourself?" (12:52)

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4. Financial Discipline & Credit Cards

• Distinguishes tools from habits—credit cards are great for the disciplined, terrible for the insecure.
  • Quote: "Credit cards are remarkable for people that are disciplined, and they're terrible for people who are not." (02:15)
• Underlines how purchasing to impress others signals insecurity, not financial acumen.

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5. Work-Life Balance: Over-communication and Acceptance

• Advises entrepreneurs to communicate openly with partners about shifting priorities and to let go of the idea of a universal “balance.”
  • Quote: "There is no perfect. There is no balance. Who’s this God of balance?" (03:48)

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6. The Power of Mindset: AO (Accountability & Optimism)

• Tells listeners to choose how they see the world—light or dark is a choice.
  • Quote: "You are literally in control of seeing light. No matter what the outside noise is. You're in control." (05:16)

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7. Finding Motivation When the Business Fades

• Take breaks or delegate disliked tasks. Invest business profits into hiring help rather than using them for lifestyle upgrades.
• Quote: "Options, my friend, is the real flex." (17:00)
• Stresses the value of being “silly and childish” to reignite enjoyment and creativity.
  • Quote: "We need more silly. You need more games, you need more ha ha ha." (15:06)

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8. Content Creation & Accountability

• Debunks the myth that you need a big team to succeed; he built his presence solo for years.
  • Quote: "I made content from 2006 to 2014 with zero team. Your excuses don't work with me." (17:33)
• Still writes his own social copy—shows WhatsApp chats with the team as proof.
  • (19:13–19:36)

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9. Alternative Paths: College, Day Trading, Skilled Trades

• If parents pay for college, they have a say; if not, let kids choose. Critiques parents who pressure children to take on student debt for their ego.
  • Quote: "If you're not paying for college, you can't tell your kids to go to college." (25:14)
• Highlights the growing earning potential for trades like electricians, especially with the AI/data center boom.

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10. Procrastination & Insecurity

• Most procrastination stems from insecurity or genuine indifference.
  • Quote: "You have to understand that procrastination is completely grounded in insecurity or indifference." (23:23)

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11. Adapting to Platform Shifts & Algorithms

• Encourages creators to go live, adapt to algorithmic changes, and reinvent their approach to regain visibility and community.

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12. Opportunities in Adversity

• When faced with setbacks (job loss, health), Gary advises immediate, optimistic action—apply for jobs, start hustling online, or join emerging trades.
  • Quote: "Get another job. Apply to 57 jobs. Apply to jobs or start a side hustle. TikTok affiliate." (32:29)

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13. Optimism in a Pessimistic World

• Pushes radical personal agency: no one else is coming to save you.
  • Quote: "You help you. You are capable you... If you feel like you're crap... somebody else put that in your head." (26:28, 28:30)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Stuckness:
  "You either see light or you see dark. You are literally in control of seeing light." (05:44)
• On Excuses:
  "Your excuses are the least interesting. The only people that like your excuses are your mommy and losers." (17:33)
• On Loving Yourself:
  "If you're trying to teach people to love themselves more, why don't we start with yourself?" (12:52)
• On Silliness:
  "You need to be more silly. You need to play more games. Ride a bike, jump on a trampoline, go play pickup basketball." (16:02)
• On Content Creation:
  "If you do not social media market, you will not be discovered." (10:48)
• On Economic Shifts:
  "Electricians are about to be up. The electrician that 15 years ago made 130 a year is about to make 350 a year. Electricians are about to be up." (33:17)

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Key Timestamps

| Time | Topic / Quote | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Quality vs. quantity of work; “Work when you work, play when you play, rest when you rest.” | | 00:38 | How to increase reach and sales—focus on content, go live. | | 01:28 | Public speaking—“It’s practice, Allen Iverson.” | | 02:15 | Credit cards—Great for disciplined, terrible for insecure. | | 03:48 | No perfect work-life balance—let go of myth. | | 05:41 | Mindset: “You are literally in control of seeing light.” | | 07:05 | TikTok affiliate as a viable income stream. | | 10:48 | Social media marketing as a must—no excuses, content is discovery vector. | | 12:52 | On hypocrisy and self-love—“Stop being a hypocrite.” | | 15:06 | Need for more silliness and fun in entrepreneurship. | | 17:00 | Options in business as the “real flex.” | | 19:13 | Still writes own copy—busting myth of “big team,” showing WhatsApp. | | 23:23 | Procrastination rooted in insecurity or indifference. | | 25:14 | College advice: who’s paying decides. | | 26:28 | Gary’s why—personal agency, optimism in a dark world. | | 32:29 | Advice for getting laid off—act immediately, TikTok affiliate, job hunt. | | 33:17 | Trades are the future; electricians as the next hot profession. |

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Tone & Style

True to GaryVee’s brand: forthright, fast-paced, irreverent, practical, and relentlessly optimistic. Uses humor, tough love, and real-talk, never sugarcoating hard truths but always pushing listeners toward growth and action.

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a potent mix of real-time guidance, inspiration, and tactical advice, designed to shake listeners out of stagnation. Whether you’re hesitant to start, stuck in the grind, or searching for a new path after hardship, Gary’s message is unchanging: Take agency, ignore your own excuses, and start executing—today.

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Transcript

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I don't care how many hours you work. I care that you don't bull crap it when you're working. If today's a work day and you take a two and a half hour lunch and you're doom scrolling instead of working, that's the problem, not how many hours you worked. Work when you work, play when you play, rest when you rest. There's so many people. I go 13 hours a day. I'm like 13 whack hours. Wacky whack. You're whack with your 13 hours. You didn't do crap. You mailed it in, did a bunch of bullshit meetings. You're whack. This is the GaryVee audio experience.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 1]

Started a Christmas light business. Post content every day. How can I increase reach and ultimately sales?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

You've got to get better at content itself. Make sure that you have your URL in your profile. Everyone here should have the URL of their business where they're selling something. If they are selling something. If you have a business on your TikTok profile right now, you post on TikTok multiple times a day. You try different tactics. Pay attention to thumbnail, Pay attention to the first three seconds. There's a lot to pay attention to. To really win, to get virality and reach, you gotta try different things. You gotta try different tactics. You gotta mix it up. You gotta go live like I am now. How many people here have over a thousand followers on TikTok? Put a thousand in the chat. So all of you that have a thousand right now, that you just said all of you, all of you have to go live more often. It's unbelievable what this platform can do.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

Gee, how do I get better at public speaking?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Practice, Allen Iverson. It's practice. The way I got better at public speaking was doing public speaking events for free. I literally used to reach out to events you don't need to. Whoa, is that right?

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

Anyone can.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 1]

Anyone can go left.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

No more 1000. Everyone can go live. Suckers. No more excuses. No more thousand needed. Come on. Somebody says you need 50. We'll see. Everybody can go live now.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

It's a smaller number. It's not a thousand.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

That's incredible.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

What are your thoughts on credit cards?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Some people say they're good because you build credit. Other people, it's bad because they go into debt and they don't want you. Braden, what do you think about alcohol?

What do you think about swords?

What do you think about needles? Gotta use them, right? You know, what do you think about, like, you know, that's it, man? What do I think about credit cards? I mean, credit cards are very simple. They're remarkable for people that are disciplined, and they're terrible for people that are not disciplined. I don't think credit cards are the issue. I think people that buy things, they don't need to impress people. They don't like to close the gap of the insecurities in their heart are the problem.

The end.

The end.

I mean, what people do? You know, back in the day, people thought freedom was a problem. We can't give people too much freedom.

But Pablo, right, Like, it's like freedom, Freedom was the problem. Look at those hands. Freedom, right? Can't give people freedom. It's how you use it. Some people use freedom to go directly to jail, monopoly. Other people use freedom to build empires. Friends, we need more ao. We need more accountability and optimism. Who knows what AO means in here? Who's been part of this journey?

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

Any advice for balancing work and relationships.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

For entrepreneurs to not beat yourself up to over communicate with your partner in the relationship and know that some, you know, this weekend, for example, I think I'm gonna be really locked into my relationship and Mona and I are excited about, like, really just hanging. And next weekend I might have to fly to Dubai for a meeting.

I don't know. Like, there is no perfect. There is no balance. Whose balance? Whose balance? Who's. Who's this God of balance? Charlie said, I'm no more around the bush. I am no more going to be around the bush. I'm going direct to it. My friends, who gets to decide balance? Who? Whose balance are you looking for? Friends? Who here has not seen me for more than two years? You're literally. This just showed up on your FYP and you have not seen me for two years? Put not seen for two. Say that right now. Not seen for two. I need to know. Look at this. This is why I'm doing this. Look how many people have not seen me for two years. Look at this, look at this, look at this, look at this. I've missed you. I miss you. Ao. All right, Charlie. Ao. We are ao. All right. Let's keep answering questions. I missed you too, Alex. I missed a lot of you. You fell off for two plus years. Thank you, Nano. I'm falling back on. Get on it. My life is right.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

Yeah.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Karano, Great to see you. Good to see you. Odie. Great to see all of you. I love you back. It's great to see all of you. I wish you nothing but the best. I hope I can answer Your question? I hope I can say something here in the next hour. You need to stay for this full hour, everybody, because it's going to get crazy. You need to stay for this full hour because it's going to be crazy. And mindset and Boogie and Sean and Vivian, Kai and Stephen and Steven and Kata and Taj and Spo and Cyr and Tina and Jose and Loop and Matty L and Omar and Josh and Marlboro and entrepreneur and Gigi all just joined. If you just got a call out from the join, let me know. Mindset, Mindset tips. I see. It's very simple. You either see light or you see dark. You are literally in control of seeing light. No matter what the outside noise is. You're in control court. Go ahead.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 1]

DD Gam Gam asks. I'm 50 years old, not overly tech savvy. Really need to make at least an extra 85 bucks a day.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

How selling on TikTok shop, sell stuff on this platform. Become a TikTok affiliate. How many people here know actually, this is a big one. How many people Here know what TikTok affiliate is? How many of you here know that you can make videos about products that you don't even own by being an affiliate making a piece of content about it and if people buy it, you get a percentage of the sale. How many people Here know about TikTok affiliate? How many people here know about TikTok affiliate? How Many people know?

I'm oh, somebody said, everybody, if you've made money on TikTok affiliate, please put the dollar amount right now. Just the straight dollar amount in the chat. I want to motivate people. Scroll it down. I want to see it. If you're an affiliate and you've made money, tell us how much money you've made so far as an affiliate. Look at this, look at this. $1377, $684 50,000 3. It's true. I'm telling you, people, people are not friends. Look up TikTok affiliate. Your AI bot Google. Look up TikTok affiliate. Get educated. How do I become a TikTok affiliate? Gary? Use an AI search or Google. It's not hard.

TikTok affiliate. Make content, make money, make content, make money, make content, make money. Learn how to be an affiliate. 85 bucks a day affiliate on TikTok live. Bang.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 1]

They could probably even just search it on TikTok.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Of course they can. Go to TikTok right now and just search affiliate. There's people who make videos that will teach you how to be an affiliate. Can you do this in Romania? Of course you can. I love Romania. I love it. I've been there five times.

How do I feel about Sauce Gardner growing into the Colts? I'm devastated. But you know who's not? Pablo. Pablo's not, but I am. Look at this. Right there. Look at that Sauce Gardner sign right there. You see it? Right next to my he man sign. There's Sauce. I don't know if you guys know this. My brother is actually Sauce Gardener's football agent. Let's get somebody on the screen here.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

Yes, I'm here. Can you hear me?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I can. Can you get your camera on? We doesn't see. We can invite you. Is it. Is your camera blocked?

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

I think so. I'm so sorry. Oh, my gosh.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry, don't worry, don't worry. We'll just talk here. What's your name? Where are you from?

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

My name is Lydia. I'm originally from Costa Rica. Central America, but I live in Canada right now.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Amazing. How are you?

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

I'm amazing right now. My heart is pounding. I've been following you for, like a month now. Long story short, last year.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Hold on, hold on. Just a month. Where did you discover me? I'm curious.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

So last year. This is a long story. Last year, my husband was making fun of me with my sister's boyfriend. You know who Gary. He is. He's the greatest. They were really teasing me a lot. And about a month ago, I was like, you know what? I really need to check this out because I'm down in the dumps about my projects, and you just really been kicking my butt, and I just moving forward with it. I mean, I. Sometimes I cry about it, but you know what? It is what it is. Keep going. I'm so sorry. I'm shaky. I'm so nervous.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

No, you're great. Don't worry.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

So my question for you is, I have a passion project that doesn't necessarily feed the greed monster in society. It's more about spiritual growth, and it's for children.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

Great.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Well, good news. The green monster of society. Money is fake. You don't need to feed it.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

And I think that's where I'm struggling, really keeping the belief in my project. So, long story short, again, I write storybooks for kids, and it's all for personal experience, and it teaches a story. Right. I'm. I'm Latin American, and I don't know if anybody, you know, can relate to this, but, like, there's always like hidden stories, things that like our elders tell us, we're sure it's true for all cultures.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

It is.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

I'm like, I'm at my Stix storybook and I recently launched on Kickstarter and I'm doing so poorly. I'm trying, you know, to hustle everything.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

You need to make social media content. You need to. How many TikToks a day are you posting? If at all?

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

That's where I'm struggling and that's why I've been following you so much more. I'm trying to get the fizness registered. I'm just hustling hard.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

It's. Listen to me, listen to me, listen to me. It's about TikTok content.

Like you have to post every day. Read it, read an excerpt from it. If you're scared to be on camera, show your hands on the camera, reading the book, you know, like this. Like there's so many things you can do.

But if you do not, if you do not social media market, you will not be discovered.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

I'm trying, trying to do that now. I just ordered like a bunch of stuff, like a little tripod, a microphone to be.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

You'll, you'll appreciate this. It's, it's, it's, it's not about the stuff.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

I agree, I agree. I just want to be able to have at least decent audio for children to be able to.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

The audio, the audio on your iPhone is remarkable. Is it? It is. What you're doing is you're subconsciously doing all the things, anything to avoid actually doing it.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

You're right. You're absolutely.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I know I'm right. I know I'm right. There's nothing to be. What are you scared of? Someone's gonna say you're ugly. Someone's gonna say it's stupid. Like what are we actually scared of? What do you think?

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

I think I'm scared of actually making something out of this project and not being able to sustain it because it's a one woman show at the moment.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I see. So you're literally actually scared of somewhat getting micro success because then you'll be drowning.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

Yes.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

But you're not scared of it not doing anything?

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

No, I'm like, I've done book signings.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Social media content at scale. What's stopping us?

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

I think it's just my time. My time and just.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

What are you doing here watching me then? You should, you could. What are you doing here right now? If you have time to watch Me at the moment. Sister, I love you with all my heart. You are avoiding this out of insecurity.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

I agree. I agree 100%.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

There's nothing's gonna happen. I fail every day. Everybody in this chat has failed. Hey, chat, everybody. Let me know if you failed. Put it in the chat, Sister. Whose judgment are you worried about? I need to hear this from you. Whose judgment are you worried about when you fail?

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

Myself.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Well, great. You need to start loving yourself more.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

Absolutely. Absolutely. And. And that's what my project is all about. Right.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Well, then, Then, then, then. I'm sorry to interrupt you. Then stop being a hypocrite. If you're trying to teach people to love themselves more, why don't we start with yourself?

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

You're right. You're absolutely right.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Please use this serendipity. I mean, there's thousands of thousands of people that try to get on this show. We randomly pick you. Please use this as a sign from God that it is time to stop bullcrapping. You are bullcrapping the crap out of me.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

You're absolutely right. And I think I just needed to hear it live review in front of a bunch of people.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

That's right.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

100%.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

That's right, everybody. DM Little orange hat. And tell her to stop bull crapping the bull crap.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

Thank you so much.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Love you. Good luck to you. You have to do this. Don't be scared. Everybody else sucks too.

Stop putting everybody on a pedestal. Don't put me on a pedestal. Don't put. Don't put the biggest children's author, not Jim Henson. Don't put anybody on a pedestal. You can do this. If you want to help people, then you need to help people, not talk about helping people.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

You're right. You're absolutely right.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Good. I love you.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

Thank you so much.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Bye Bye. Hey, everybody. Hope you're enjoying the podcast right now. Make sure you follow the podcast. That's why I'm interrupting. Let's keep going on this show, but follow the podcast. It'll make my mom super happy.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

What do you do when you've lost love slash motivation for your current business?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Take a break, little vacation, sometimes. Hire somebody to help you offload some of the responsibilities. A lot of people love their business. They've lost motivation because their business now makes them do three to four things every day that they don't like about their business. You've got to hire people to take the things you don't like there. If I had to be the CFO of this company, I quit. So For a lot of you. Listen to me. Thank you. Dance. I like being funny. I like having fun. I think a lot of us have to be more childish. I'll get back to this question, but let me just rant on this. I need all of you to be a little bit more silly. This is gonna be a platform I talk about in 2026. We need more silly. You need more games, you need more ha ha ha. Like, we need this. Like, I'm telling you, I'm telling you this may, this might surprise a lot of you, but I love when people like in the chat. I'm being silly here, right? One of the good things about TikTok Live that I like so much. I love TikTok Live is that I'm a little more silly in this environment than, let's say, tea with Gary Vee Wright. I actually think this is an important thing that I want to teach all of you. Like, a lot of people are like, this guy fell off. You're being so silly. You're supposed to be a big time businessman. You could be a big time businessman and be ridiculous.

You're allowed, you know, like, you could do that. Look at me.

And like, I don't get it. Like, I don't get that people don't see this. We need more silliness. We need more silliness. You need to be more silly. You need to play more games. You need to ride a bike. This weekend, in fact, who's ready to take the challenge that tomorrow you're going to do something a little more childish? Ride a bike, jump on a trampoline, go play pickup basketball. In a while.

Something, man. Just a little more ha ha. A little more ha ha. You know what this world needs? A lot less wah wah and. And a lot more ha ha. Little more ha ha. A little more joy, a little more childish, a little more silly. And a lot less crying. Yes. No, more pills is exactly right. Less pills, more throwing snowballs at each other's faces. Real talk. Real talk. So anyway, people, too many people love their business, but they get into, you know, three or four things that they don't like to do. And so they need to take the monies and put it back into the business. Too many people here, Sid, want a business to take the money to buy a scarf or a new car or a rolly. They need. When you make money in a business, you need to put it back into business for employees so that you can have options.

Options, my friend, is the real flex.

Options.

Nobody in this room sitting with me Right now had the option to be like, I'm not doing anything today. Cause they work here. I could have. I don't. It's this weird, twisted thing where I might have the least options, you know? So I gotta be careful here and educate everybody. But anyway, it's good to see you. Yes. I don't know if I'll be in the next Tron, but it was, yes, everybody. I am in the new Tron movie. If you saw that, let me know. If you saw me in the first scene of Tron. How do I create options and business options? By hiring employees with the money. And if you don't have the money, well, then you gotta get the money first. You gotta eat the crow. Everyone's like, gary, it's so easy for you to make content. You have a team. You have a team. It's so easy for you. You have a team, Suckers. I didn't have a team. I made content from 2006 to 2014 with zero team. Your excuses don't work with me. I didn't have a team for eight years. What do you want from me? I didn't have a team for eight years. Make content every day. Not actually in that 2011-14. I was kind of quiet building vayner. But I make content. I make content. I make content with zero team. Don't use excuses on me. Your excuses are not interesting. Your excuses are only. I'm a winner. Your excuses are the least interesting. The only people that like your excuses are your mommy and losers. Because they want. And by the way, do you know why they like your excuses, Charlie? Cause they can't wait for you to be done complaining. Cause it's their turn. Oh, Braden. Yeah. Your boss sucks. Sid's the worst. All right. Let me tell you, my aunt, she's a bitch. You just lose on lose on lose on lose on lose with each other. A complaining circle jerk. Yes. Tring.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

Nothing.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

Nothing.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

You see it?

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

I do see it.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yeah. Because all of us have friends and family that are in it. I mean, I got very fortunate. I had a mom and dad that were so opposite. I'm like, well, here's the world. It's this or that. I got very fortunate. Got to see very different things. I'm like, I see now.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

I was. I was just going to follow up on that.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Go ahead.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

The options thing is, like, you still write post copy for. For every post that goes up.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yeah.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

And I think a lot of people, even today when you tell them that.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Let me. Let me show you guys. Here's my phone. Check this out. Here is literally my WhatsApp group with the team. The post I just posted, see if I can get it to focus. The post I just posted on a different platform. Like, there's the copy. Like, you know, like, here it is. That's me. You know what WhatsApp looks like? That's me. That's me. I do it, I write it. I'm in it.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

G, what are your thoughts on faceless accounts?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I'm a fan. I like a good faceless account. Like, by the way, I could be doing all of what I'm doing right now right here. Be like, all right, guys. And you could really do. Watch this. I'll do the whole show like this. You look better now. Thank you so much, Linda. I still have the dark eyes. I'm European. But thank you for saying I look good. Thank you. I like a good faceless account. I've been jamming on bass, my friend. I've been jamming on it. I'm there. It's Gary Ve there too. You're awesome. What are your thoughts on pedicures? Clearly, my thoughts are not very real. I'm a nail biter. Not a fan of pedicures, but fan for other people. Clearly I need to do it. I don't do it. I like, you know. So what do I think of faceless accounts? I think anything is possible. I think everything is possible. Anything can work for you. It can work for you. It can work for you. It can work for you. Things can work for you. Go ahead, train.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

Crohn's disease slows me down from going hard all the time. Frustrates me. What are your thoughts?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

My thoughts are, my brother AJ has Crohn's disease. My brother AJ is on the Crohn's and Colitis foundation. My brother goes hard and when he has a clear Crohn's flare up or he's not feeling great, he goes and rests. My friends, no one goes hard 24, seven. You shouldn't go hard 24, seven. I'm a fan of sleep. I'm a fan of vacation. I'm a fan of checking out. Don't put going hard on a pedestal. Go hard when you're playing. Rest when you're resting. I don't care how many hours you work. I care that you don't bullcrap it when you're working. If today's a work day and you take a two and a half hour lunch and you're doom scrolling instead of working, that's the problem. Not how many hours you worked? Work when you work, play when you play, rest when you rest. There's so many people. I go 13 hours a day. I'm like, 13 whack hours. Wacky whack. You're whack with your 13 hours. You didn't do crap. You mailed it in, did a bunch of bullshit meetings. You're whack. And by the way, if you're going hard, 12 hour days, you're lucky. Means you love it. I go hard. I go real hard. I literally flew to utah yesterday at 2pm for.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

Flew.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Did meetings on the entire flight. Right. Train.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

Yes.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Train was editing. We were all working.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

I did pass out, though, like at night.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

What happened? Train.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

I did. I did pass out at night. I was trying to keep up. As you said before, you can't keep up yet.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yeah, you need it. I. I rested.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

Yeah, I rested.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

It's good. And you should rest, brother. We were. It was two in the morning, right? We went hard. Go ahead, Braden. What are your thoughts on gambling? Some people have careers or careers out of this.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

Like, what are your thoughts on gambling?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I think almost everyone loses and they're small group or real professionals that know what they're doing. What do I think of gambling? I think it's entertainment. I think you're paying to be entertained, but you're losing. But that's good. Like, some people spend $190, the amount of people in this beautiful city that are going to go spend 400 bucks tonight for a nice dinner and conversation. That's for entertainment. Somebody else wants to bet 400 on the money line on some college football game tonight and they'll be entertained. As long as you know it's entertainment. Let's. Like gamblers. The house always wins. Just going to tell you a secret. The house always wins. Gamblers, I just got something for you. The house always wins. You will always lose. You will always lose. You will always lose.

I'm not against it. Nice little six team parlay to entertain you on a night that's boring. 13 bucks to win 4,000. Knock yourself out. But you just spent 13 bucks to be entertained on six games you didn't care about. But I think it's fine. But you lose when you gamble. Everybody cool? Let's keep it going.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

Yes, Charlie, I'm feeling a big chair spin coming. But someone asked earlier.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

You don't want me to. I'm about to be around the. I don't want to be around the bush.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

How do I stop procrastinating?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

No, I'M not gonna spin on this. Like, look, you have to understand that procrastination is completely grounded in insecurity or indifference. Or sometimes, like, for example, there's things I have to do, like, hey, gotta hang this picture on the wall, right? And like, I procrastinate that. That's not because I'm insecure of how good I hang a picture. It's because no one gives a crap about the pic. I don't care about hanging this picture.

So it's either. It's either insecurity. I'm not posting because I'm procrastinating. No, you're not. You're scared of getting three views or you're indifferent and it doesn't matter. You know what I mean?

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

G, Any advice you have for a comic artist to stand out in 2026.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Comic artists. Yes. Going live, literally on TikTok. And while you're drawing, go live. Like, go live while you're drawing. Like, why you're cooking, everybody. Going live is real. Going live is real. Florina, thank you for being back. Flex, thank you for being back. It's so good to see so many of you. You know, the algorithms these last 2, 3, 4 years keep sending you kind of like what you're in. So going live here lets me restart with a lot of people. How many of you are back now with me? And you're sad you left? I just stopped showing up in your feed and, you know, it's just life and you started maybe following someone else. That was fulfilling. Like, how many are you sad that you left, but you're back? Say sad. Say sad in the chat. If you're sad that you left, but you're pumped that you're back. Sad but pumped. You're sad that you left. You're like, where'd you go? I forgot your positive, practical, optimistic, real life advice, Gary, that I liked so much during COVID You're sad that you left. You're like, wait a minute, that's right. I forgot about you, my guy. But you're happy. You're back. You're happy.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

What can I tell my boys who want to chase the rich day trading dream instead of college?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Well, listen, I'm not an advocate for college when you collect debt. So if you're paying for your boys college and you want them to go to college and you're paying for it, not them collecting debt, you should tell them that they should go enjoy their vacation because hooking up and hanging out is fun and they'll have plenty of time to make money at 22. But if you're pushing your boys to go to college and collect debt because you think college is important and it makes you feel good that your boys went to college amongst your friends and they're out there trying to get their hustle, well, then you need to shut your mouth. Parents, if you pay for college, then you can encourage your kids to go because you want them to go. But parents, if you want them to go because it makes your self esteem feel good, but you're asking your child to take on debt, but she or he is capable of making paper, you need to shut your mouth. There's a really important thing that my dad used to tell me was one of his favorite sayings. And he said it in Russian, but it translates to, whoever's paying for the music gets to pick the song. Parents, if you're not paying for college, you can't tell your kids to go to college. And kids, if your parents aren't paying for college, you can't make them make you go.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

Someone asked, what are you doing this for?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I'm doing this because I love where my soul and brain is at on society in a world of darkness and pessimism and everybody being scared about new new mayors and governors and presidents and bosses and AI is going to take our job. As the world continues to scare you and tell you that you're not capable. And here's what you should be scared of. But I uniquely the politician can save you. I'm telling you that there is nothing but opportunity. There is unbelievable optimism. Here's how you get happy, here's how you make money. And I'm telling you I can't help you. I can't. But you can help you. And I'm motivated by that, brother. I'm excited about that. I need that for people. I need people to understand. I need all 15, 60 of you to understand that you are uncomfortably, uncomfortably capable. I love building community. I love when people become friends, right? I love when people become friends. And very honestly, I can't wait to do this every day so that ducks are on my head and that everybody here becomes friends. Fat Tony, I'm sad you feel that, but I wish you nothing but good. Nothing but good, right? Like again, the cynicism. The cynicism and darkness. Everybody so beat up has have been so let down by these people that are going to help them. You help you. You help you. You are capable you. And I love doing random business advice and I love talking about Wiffle ball. I'm in the wiffle ball league. And I just want people to win. Why not? You know, my mom raised me in a positive, accountable, practical way. And honestly, most of all, I want these 1500 people to get out of wah wah. And I want them to get into ha ha. I want them to stop pointing fingers and I want them to start pointing thumbs and I want them to dominate because they're capable. Because you're capable if you feel like you're crap. If you do not like yourself, somebody else put that in your head. I need you all to hear this. How many people right now, how many people right now just feel like they suck, say suck in the chat? Just let's be vulnerable. Like, how many people are like, yo, I suck. I lost my job, I can't keep a boyfriend. Like, whatever it is you think you suck, like, you're allowed. A lot of people do. Many should be answering suck right now because I see it every day. Little bit, right? Like, and so, like, I need people, I need people to understand that that voice that is telling you that you're not good, that was instilled in you by somebody else that was insecure. Get that voice out of your head. Let's do it. Who's got a question?

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

Mike Cesario, creator of Liquid Death, worked for you.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

How close did he work with you before?

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

And wondering if you saw something in.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Him you'll see in others because he built a big companies, Mike worked in the LA office as a creative lead. Every time he popped up, we did not live, we did not work very close to each other. Every time he popped up on the radar, it was very clear that he was a marketing savant in campaign work. But I didn't know he was going to be a big entrepreneur. When he emailed me and said he was leaving Vayner to start a business, I invested in the company. I was one of the first, if not the first check in Liquid Death. I'm the first investor, likely because he emailed me and said, I'm leaving. Would you like to invest? And I said yes. But did I think he was going to build Liquid Death to what it is now? Absolutely not. I had no idea. I did not know that he had that entrepreneurial capability. And it makes me incredibly proud that he's walked through the halls of Vayner. And I'm happy for him. He's a good dude, works hard, very creative. Got a lot of love for Mike.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

How did you get started with live shopping?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I've been selling stuff since lemonade. When one answer could be 1983, selling lemonade and always being about selling another one is I pay attention to trends. I was aware that live shopping was crushing in China. And so when new platforms showed up and when TikTok started to have live shopping, I was starting to play with it and watch people win with it. And so I love paying attention. I love paying attention. Micro dramas. Who knows what a micro drama is? Say micro drama in the chat. Who has no idea? Say no idea. I got 50. Got 1600 of you. Say micro drama if you know what it is. Say no idea. I expect most to say no idea. I expect most to say no idea. Don't lie. Right? So look, almost everyone says I don't know what micro dramas are. I do. And you know, this court micro dramas is not necessarily for my demo of content creation. I don't pay attention to just what I consume. I pay attention to what you guys consume. The world consumes. I consume what you consume. I'm the consumer of what 8.3 billion people consume. I know about microdramas. There are people literally in the business of drama and. And have no idea. Now, everybody who said no idea, everybody who said no idea, search microdrama in TikTok right now. You're about to find out. Best life advice for a father of three that just learned to walk again after a bad motorcycle accident. First of all, you're a tremendous inspiration. Did you get the name or not really? It was Garrett. Garrett.

[Team Member/Viewer 3]

Garrett.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Garrett, you're an inspiration. Everybody say, garrett, you're an inspiration in here. Everybody say, garrett, you're an inspiration. Because you are Garrett. Thank you so much for the inspiration. What's my advice? You got this. The fact that you are already walking after this tough of an accident with three kids, you're an inspiration, my guy. What do I think? I think you should go live and tell your story. I think you should make content. I think that's the world we're living in. Gary. I have shared my story online. Do it more, Garrett. Do it more. Do it more. And try to become an affiliate. Everybody become a TikTok affiliate. It is remarkable. I'm about to change someone's life. Become a TikTok affiliate. I'm about to change someone's life. Become a TikTok affiliate. Give me a question 41.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 2]

Just got laid off from my job. First time after 10 years of employment. Could you give me some advice?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Apply to a bunch of jobs. There's no crying in baseball. They used to say, like, what advice do you want? You got fired. Get another job. Apply to 57 jobs. Apply to jobs or start a side hustle. TikTok affiliate. If you do not know what TikTok affiliate is, how many TikTok affiliates are in here? How much money have you made since the end of the summer? In the last three months, say affiliate and put a dollar amount. And don't troll. Don't make it up. Just show people how real this is. Become a TikTok affiliate or apply to jobs. I applied to job. I literally applied to jobs. 1300 jobs, got 10 interviews. That's right. Hustle work. What, are you going to lay on the couch and dwell? What, are you going to watch me on here and cry? No way. We're at it. We're going at it.

[Entrepreneur/Viewer 1]

Be a TikTok affiliate. You just need 5,000 followers. That's the only requirement. So you have to post content.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Post.

[Lydia (Viewer from Canada)]

Go arc. Got it.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Thank you. Court everybody. 5,000 followers to be a TikTok affiliate. How many people here have 5,000 followers or more? Put 5,000 affiliate. 10,000. Changed my life. 17,000 for Jerry affiliate. 85 bucks for Val. And that matters. Mad Mike Chillin says join the trades. He's right. Huge opportunity for electricians. Huge opportunity for contractors. The amount of data centers we have to build for AI. Electricians are about to get crunk. Electricians are going to be in the clubs. Like, get ready for the clubs. It's not going to be financing bros anymore. It's going to be blue collar electricians from Queens. From Queens. They're going to be in the club copping bottles. Electricians era is up. If you don't believe me, go search it. Electricians are about to be up. The electrician that 15 years ago made 130 a year is about to make 350 a year. Electricians are about to be up. Courtney. Queens in the clubs, in the city. Bridges and tunnels forever. Bridges and tunnels forever. Jersey boys from union coming to the city pulling baddies because they got paper because they electrician during the day. That's the era we're going into. Big shout out to electricians. Yeah, man. I love the energy in the room too. There's something about this format that gets me hyped. This is like tea with Gary. This is like energy drink with Gary Vee. This is not tea with Gary Vee. This is any. This is energy with Gary Vee, everybody. If you enjoyed this podcast, please go back and look at the prior episodes. They're loaded. I appreciate your attention and thanks for being part of this journey. See you later.