← The GaryVee Audio Experience
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- [00:00]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Right now, we're in a time in society where, unfortunately, a lot of people's lives are going to be much shittier because they decided to believe someone who's spewing hate. Every one of us have been affected by someone else's words, you know, insane. That is. Yeah, that's why I keep yapping. Whether it was your grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother, sister, best friend, or someone you admire, every one of you right now can. Everyone who's watching can recall something right now that was said that had an impact on them.
- [00:24]
Podcast Host
What did?
- [00:25]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Gandhi or Martin Luther King? What are these people? It was words, brother. Fucking words matter because you change someone's perspective, by the way, whether pro or con. This is the GaryVee audio experience.
- [00:38]
Podcast Host
Thank you so much for coming in.
- [00:39]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Thanks for having me.
- [00:40]
Podcast Host
I've always been a fan, but when I found out that you liked wrestling, it was like that scene from Stepbrothers.
- [00:45]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Did we just become best friends? Yep. It's real. Anytime you have, like, a passion. I mean, if I literally see someone wearing a Jets hat or, like, hoodie, it happened the other day in the city. It's scary how the instant connection is. And if I saw someone wearing a 1980s retro Roddy Roddy Piper T shirt, I would get fire, too. It's just the way the world works.
- [01:05]
Podcast Host
I saw a guy wearing a rock shirt recently, and I said, where'd you get that shirt from? It doesn't matter where you got that shirt from.
- [01:12]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Did he do that? No, I didn't do that. Got it, got it, got it. That's so good.
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Podcast Host
Where does it go back to for you?
- [01:18]
Sponsor/Ad Voice
When.
- [01:18]
Podcast Host
When did you start to become a wrestling fan?
- [01:20]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I'm actually trying to think about it. I mean, I'm 50, so I was fully caught up, like, you know, Hogan beating Chic in Madison Square Garden. That's a very early memory. I was. WrestleMania 2 was something I was excited for. Knew it was coming underneath that. It gets a little blurry of where I sat with WrestleMania 1. I was super aware, like, the whole Cyndi Lauper MTV interaction. So I would say, you know, anyone of my age, you know, I was an immigrant. I was, you know, ironically, a very big father figure to me was my dad's. But the way my dad and grandma, like, the way our family worked. He was only eight years younger than his uncle, and I'm eight years younger than his son. He passed away. But a very big influence in my life was a gentleman by the name of Misha Shifrin, who, like, because my dad Worked all the time, would go to my games and was a very big part of my childhood. He watched wrestling when we first came to America and thought it was real and thought it was like epic. But I don't really remember that. That was more through the stories he told me and my mom told me. But I'm definitely an 84, 85 in that era. I remember when Macho man beat Tito Santana for the Intercontinental title. That was massive for me. I remember when he came to the wwf. I will reference it as WWF everyone. Fair enough. Quite a bit in here, but I'll try to be politically correct with E. But yeah, it was really 84, 85, you know, I don't really remember 83. Like I watched old stuff, old VHS tapes later. But wrestling first hit when I was
- [03:00]
Podcast Host
9 or 10. Who was your guy growing up?
- [03:03]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Macho Man. I was very. I very much like the underdog. Macho man was huge for me. The way they entered him into the WWF was like all the managers wanted him, right? And then he said, and my manager's Elizabeth and she comes out and like I was getting the age where I'm like, oh, that's a pretty girl.
- [03:20]
Podcast Host
I love how everyone can do a
- [03:21]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Macho Man Y everyone can do a Macho Man. And so Macho man was my guy when, like I grew up a four sport fan. Rangers, Knicks, Yankees, Jets. And I didn't win my first championship into 94 when I was 18, senior year high school when the Rangers won the cup. And the reason I was okay with that was Macho man winning the tournament for the heavyweight title was the biggest thing of my childhood. That was my first championship. So I was huge. Macho man over everyone, even when he was a bad guy. When he beat Tito Santana for the title, that was massive for me. I was like all proud in school. My guy. So it was weird. It was a bad guy when he first came and. But there was just his charisma, you know, the way they brought him into the WWF. That was an incredible era of how Mr. Perfect or Razor Ramon and obviously before that, Macho man and everybody Billy Jack Hayes. I remember Bad News Brown. Like what, what Vince had in that era of introducing someone for weeks before they got into the ring. By the time Macho man wrestled the first match I ever saw him wrestle, I was already hook, line and sinker.
- [04:31]
Podcast Host
It was the beauty of the vignettes back then. Yeah, like I'm sure you remember the Mr. Perfect.
- [04:36]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Well, that's, that's why I referenced it, right? Like there's nothing like that. That was the apex. But Razor Roon was big, too. Like, I was like, who's this guy? You know? But Macho man was kind of, it was, you know, the whole like, you know, I'll never forget that interview you did with by the poolside with Mean Jean. He's like, there's a plane going. Plane. I'm not on. It means you like, like it was just a different. He was a superhero to me. And obviously that was pre Internet, 36 channels if you were bougie and had cable. And I watched a lot of like those late night show. I don't remember if it was on TNT or USA. Vince McMahon interviewing yeah. And I remember Macho Man's interview there. So I was a huge Macho man guy. And I never, ever, ever had another one that was close. I was very into Y2J. I was into Jericho. That probably would be the closest in that attitude era, kind of. But he was like a two to Macho Man's ten. Macho man was my number one guy forever.
- [05:32]
Podcast Host
And then Jericho's still doing it.
- [05:33]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I know. It's crazy.
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Podcast Host
Still doing it.
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Gary Vaynerchuk
He's amazing.
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Podcast Host
What do you think it is about pro wrestling that makes people such fanatics of it?
- [05:41]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Oh, it's storytelling, you know, it's why people love movies. It's why people love cartoons. It's why people love Spider man and Superman and Mickey Mouse and the Care Bears. It is the human storytelling, you know, and to me it's the framework of sports. Meaning. I think Vince McMahon is much more similar to David Stern and Dana White than people realize. The only difference is, and he's close to Walt Disney and Jim Henson. Like he blended characters and humans in a way that good sports, you know, Steph Curry, for my son, he's a hero, like a little guy. He can do it. Caitlin Clark, there's, you know, like athletes when they're at the apex. Jordan. We were talking about your Jordans on the way here.
- [06:28]
Podcast Host
You said you'll never wear Jordans.
- [06:29]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I never have because I'm a Knicks fan. They're superheroes and wrestlers are superheroes. You know, there's like maybe the greatest superhero of my life, of my childhood was Hulk Hogan. He was everyone's superhero. And so they're superheroes. Their stories, their soap operas, which Novellos. They're like story arcs are perfect and you know, this and everybody listening to this podcast, when they're good, there's nothing better.
- [07:00]
Podcast Host
Yes.
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Gary Vaynerchuk
And when they're bad, you're just waiting for them to get good. Yeah, Right. That's why there's been different eras of wrestling.
- [07:05]
Podcast Host
I feel like I was so inspired growing up, like, in those formidable years, especially in high school, by, like, the promos I saw, the characters I saw on tv. Like, I was coming into being a teenager during the attitude era.
- [07:17]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah.
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Podcast Host
How much of what you do in the way you speak now is inspired by the wrestling you saw growing up?
- [07:23]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Clearly, you've done your homework. Because I've said this out loud. I really do believe that one of the reasons I popped as a content creator is because, like, when I. Early in my career, when I was starting to speak on stages, you know, I was an Internet personality. So the, like, this is very early. I'm talking 2007, 8, 9, 10. And they would ask me to cut a promo. Like, you know, they'd be like, hey, I'm gonna be in Montreal speaking Da da. And like, as. Like, I didn't even know I was doing it. But every time I would submit them, they're like, that's amazing. This and that. And then finally, like, three years later, might've been drock. When I first started really filming, he's like. Like, he's like. He would have the bullet and Bryce, you know, this. We do this now. It's like, hey, you gotta make this thing. You're gonna be in St. Louis. And it would literally be like, this Thursday night at the Civic Center. I'm gonna take you down. Means there was an element of, like, me doing a promo cut. I know that Macho man and Richard Pryor are deeply ingrained into how I do public speaking and Internet videos, and very influential.
- [08:25]
Podcast Host
I think any great speaker is, like, taking people on this journey. Right. It's the lows of the lows, the highs of the highs. When you get excited, that's a wrestling promo.
- [08:33]
Gary Vaynerchuk
100. I'm very affected by wrestling promos. I mean, I. You know, I. It was. It might have been. I might have liked the promos more than the matches. It was so big.
- [08:45]
Podcast Host
When you were doing a lot of the Rant style videos.
- [08:47]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes.
- [08:48]
Podcast Host
Those to me, felt like a heel.
- [08:50]
Gary Vaynerchuk
100%. Yeah. Yeah. And to me, like, you don't even realize it when it's happening, and then you realize it, and then you're like. Then you're almost trying to not be a caricature of yourself. But, yeah, those are. My early content is incredibly inspired by wrestling content.
- [09:08]
Podcast Host
You put out a video titled why Bret Hart is a Better Businessman than you.
- [09:12]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes.
- [09:12]
Podcast Host
Why is Bret Hart a better businessman?
- [09:15]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Than someone, you know, if I recall that article and that, that moment, you know, the excellence of execution. Execution to me is everything. You know, so many of you right now that are watching, you're really creative, you have ideas, you know, like. And you see other people like, oh, I had that idea. Like, that's nice. But like, you've got to actually do it. And you know, everybody watching here, regardless, you know, I know Brett's popularity or like people's point of view on Brett, you know, these days is kind of like a little more mixed. But I'm a huge fan. My sister was a huge fan of Bret Hart. She thought he was super cute in those days. We watched a lot of wrestling. My sister's behind the camera, everyone. And he was unbelievable in the ring. We all know that there's no one. No matter if you like Bret or the shit he talks about these days, everyone knows exactly what kind of wrestler he was. And I think that's business too, like for what you do for a living, you know, wrestling, a lot of people know wrestling. You have gift of gab. A lot of people have give the gab being disciplined. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, the Ask team set up. Like, it's all fucking execution. And so I wanted to write that article because I'm always looking for ways to integrate wrestling if I can. And, and I do think people underestimate that. Execution's the punchline. All the best ideas in the world have never been executed because the human that came up with it was unable to execute it.
- [10:40]
Podcast Host
So two things on that. One, you can go back and watch any Bret Hart match versus anybody and you're like, damn, that's a great match that holds up to this day.
- [10:48]
Gary Vaynerchuk
They put everyone on so good. He was like, during the time when he was on, in the 80s, when he was tag team champion, a lot of the untelevised shows, like they would use Brett if, if Vince thought he had something visually like, like all the wrestlers we make fun of because they weren't great wrestlers. Ultimate Warrior Hogan, like, you know, the early kids that Vince tried to put on in the 80s house shows, untelevised, he would use Brett. This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50 page restoration block. Or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it, ready to make anything online make sense. There's no place Like Chrome Check responses setup required compatibility and availability various 18 study and play come together on a Windows 11 PC. And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the unreal college deal everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and a year of Xbox game. Pass ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller. Learn more@windows.com studentoffer while supplies last ends June 30th terms at aka Ms. College PC. Like, you know how good of a wrestler you have to be to make someone else that doesn't know how to look though, how know how to wrestle look good in front of everyone, that is an incredible skill. He's in the Mount Rushmore, in my opinion, just on that. If you care about not your emotions, but like the craft. And I. And I feel that way about entrepreneurship, a lot of people have a lot of opinions about entrepreneurship. A lot of people think they can do it, which I think is great. Everyone should try, in my opinion, to see if you are or you aren't. But when you get into depths of entrepreneurship. The reason I root for a lot of entrepreneurs in a world where I think a lot of people have envy and jealousy is I know how hard it is. And I know that, like, this concept of deploying luck, like, oh, they got lucky. You might get serendipitous timing might be on your side, but when people use lucky, that means they're weaponizing and trying to take things away from you. You know, back to wrestling. Terry Taylor could have picked Mr. Perfect. He had first choice. He chose Red Rooster. What a reference. Listen, I'm gonna impress your crowd friends. I don't know what you think about me, whether you like me, don't like me, but one thing you're gonna leave this podcast with, I'm like, oh, fuck. Gary knows way more about wrestling than I thought he did. Terry Taylor had first pick. He decided to be Red Rooster. If he picks Mr. Perfect, maybe we talk about him today different. We all know Terry Taylor was a great wrestler. Is that luck? Is that intuition? That's just serendipity. It's how life works out. But I hate when people weaponize luck to make themselves feel better and try to shit on someone who's put in a lot of work, which I admire. And so that's how I feel about Brett. Obviously, Brett had the luxury of growing up in a family that was very deep in wrestling culture. And so at a young age, you know, while Hogan was playing Music. In his teenage years, Brett was spending his thousandth hour in the ring. Of course he's going to be a better wrestler. I don't know. I think about those things a lot, and execution matters to me.
- [14:14]
Podcast Host
So the second point on that, when we're talking about execution, why, what do you think it is that keeps people from doing it? Is it they're comfortable where they are? Is it fear of the unknown?
- [14:25]
Gary Vaynerchuk
We could sit here for an hour and bring up the other ones. There's so much to it. The people fear judgment. So it's easier to stand on the sidelines and say everyone sucks than going on the field and sucking and having people tell you you suck.
- [14:43]
Podcast Host
The man in the arena, right?
- [14:44]
Gary Vaynerchuk
There's their childhood. They just, you know, like, sometimes people are trained their whole life to be comfortable. And, like, it's hard to get uncomfortable. Right? Hey, everybody. I 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. They'll make my mom super happy. Self awareness. Some people, like, look, I, you know, I really wish I was a professor. I wish I was a wrestler. Like, you know, like. But, like, some people don't have the skill sets. You don't have the athletic ability or the mobility or, like, you know, like, there's just a million things that go into it. I think a lot of it is grounded in insecurity. I think a lot of it's grounded in a poor perspective. I think a lot of stuff I talk about, whether it's patience or accountability, is grounded in these things that I think about. But there's a million different reasons why someone doesn't get in, but most of them are grounded in excuses. You know, podcasting. You put in the work. Like, there's a lot of people watching this show right now that actually know more about wrestling than you do.
- [15:47]
Podcast Host
It's true.
- [15:47]
Gary Vaynerchuk
It exists, for sure. But you've put in the work and, like, so there's the outcome, you know, and you've put in the work to educate. I'm sure when you really got even more serious, you became more educated about wrestling. You, at night, you research things. Like, I just think a lot of people also don't want it, you know, like, and I actually am going to throw you a curveball right now. I don't think people should be judged based on their ambition. I think people should be judged on the authenticity. Meaning, if you just want simplicity, if you don't want it if you think a better life is simple, which first of all you're going to find someone who is ambitious but agreeing with you. I think more people should live more simple lives. I think a lot of people put themselves in a rat race that they shouldn't be a part of and they're trying to go up to social norms. I always think about the stay at home father. I just wonder how many people in their soul right this second want to be a stay at home father but they don't think they can because we as society look down on that. Or someone who wants to live in a really, really, really rural town and like have a low cost life and enjoy their 5pm to 9pm they want to literally play softball after work, go to the bar softball and then watch wrestling and shoot the shit with their buddies. And that's like good. And I think that those people should feel more comfortable in their skin. I don't know, I just think self awareness. I think a lot of people don't go in because they don't want to go in because they can't deal with the heat or they don't want to deal with the heat because the heat's not worth it. And I respect all of that. But that's the answer.
- [17:27]
Podcast Host
I think there's a lot of people that try it. They make a video or they make a podcast or they post a video on YouTube and it gets seven views and then the next video gets eight and then the next video after that gets four and they go, well this isn't for me.
- [17:42]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Well a lot of people want to roll in the mud of like I tried but I couldn't. And they want your sympathy. They're addicted to, to sympathy. A lot of people live their lives to paint a picture that they tried but the system's fucked. So see and like take care of me financially, emotionally. And you know that's a, that's a really tough place to be. And I'm empathetic to that. But yeah, a lot of people are not willing to put in the work. I don't understand how people think, you know, it could be so easy. You know, I always use, you're in good shape. Like I look, I look at a lot of people, you know, a lot of real estate agents and, and physical and, and thank you. And personal trainers were two of the groups that first started popping up when I was making my content in 2006, 7, 8, 9. They were quick to jump in. And I was always fascinated by the personal trainers. Cause they would email Me and be like, like, I made four videos and nothing happened. I was like, dick, aren't you making content that says if you do four push ups, you're not gonna get fucking muscles? Like, if anyone should understand that this is fucking work and what is required, it's you. You're out there, you know, but then, like, you know, people are disciplined in some arenas and not in others, and we're all like that. And I'm not disciplined with what I eat and I'm incredibly disciplined in how I work. And so everyone's different.
- [19:14]
Podcast Host
But I remember you made a shift where, like your appearance, like working out
- [19:19]
Gary Vaynerchuk
and eating like, yeah, 12 years ago. It was a huge shift. I, like, I was. I mean, I. This was something I remember vividly. I was flying back from Houston after a speech. I was 38 and a half. I always like to say half because I'm like six, six and a half. I was 38 and a half. I had my head on the pillow. My back has always been bothering me. This, that. And I was like, like I had plenty of fat in my. And I was just like, this can't be good. Like, this is not going to work out. And I decided I wanted to get healthier. And I decided before our plane took off, I decided, at 40, I'm going to get serious. I'm going to. I think I had a breakthrough. I was like, you know, what if I hire someone full time? And I was at a point in my life where I could afford that. Now I'm like, I think that might work. I feel like I'm very accountable to others, not to myself. And I won't want to let my trainer down. And I was right. That was the insight, the breakthrough. And then halfway through the flight, I'm like, why am I waiting to 40? I'll start at 39. It was like, you know, May, June, it was around this time. I was like, my birthday's November. I'm like, I'm going to start. And by the time I landed, I was like, that's stupid. I'll start now. And I called Mike Vacanti, who is currently my trainer, who I had like 35 sessions with. He was the last person I tried to work out with. We had like 35 book sessions that I paid for. And I showed up to like three and I called him and said, hey. And he was busy and I knew he was doing well, so I didn't think it was him. I was like, hey, do you know a kid like you that can like, get rid of all Their clients travel with me and, like, work for me, just on me. And he's like, what about me? And I'm like, you will? He's like, yeah. And we met and he was my trainer for three years. Transformed my life. Then Jordan Tsai came in, worked with me for two, three years, and then Mike came back. And so, like, for the last 12 years, I've had the same two trainers full time. And it's transformed my life and fixed my. So many things, my Ql issues, my, you know, soft tissue. And I have so much more strength. And I'm really grateful that I. And by the way, going through that, addressing something that doesn't come natural to me. Like yesterday when I was in Springfield, Massachusetts for my son's basketball tournament, waking up early to go in the gym, like, I'd rather somebody come and rake my eyes out. That's how much I didn't want to do it. But the fact that I've gotten into a place in my life where I, like, fought through and was disciplined enough to do the right thing, that's what makes me think people can do anything. Because there are very few things that I thought I would be able to accomplish in my life that didn't come natural to me. At the bottom of that list would have been working out every day. But I've done it, and it makes me feel that other people can break through their hardest challenge, too.
- [21:59]
Podcast Host
You just turned 50 last year.
- [22:00]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes.
- [22:01]
Podcast Host
How did that milestone change you, if
- [22:04]
Gary Vaynerchuk
at all didn't change me at all? Meant absolutely nothing. I love that. Yeah. I'd love to make up something for you and your viewers. Was a complete non event emotionally. Yeah. I don't really, you know, I can't even come up with something small. Like, yeah, it was. I didn't really think about that way
- [22:27]
Podcast Host
where, like, every day is another day or like, every birthday just, you know, it's another day.
- [22:31]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I don't love my birthday. It's really weird. It's. It's actually the thing that I have not figured out about myself in a world where I, like, love being known and love to be about my stuff and me and this stuff, I get very weird about my birthday. I, like, can't wait for it to be over. And I used to think it was because I was getting older, because I love life so much and this and that. There's something that feels very unearned about the attention of your birthday. That is the latest theory I have, which is like, I don't feel like I earned anything. So why Are we like doing anything about. I don't know. I don't know what it is. It's always, it's been going on now for 15 years or so. No, I live my life every day with gratitude, brother.
- [23:12]
Podcast Host
Me too.
- [23:13]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Like, real talk, I love life. Like, I really worry about myself in my older age. Like, I am concerned. I think about it quite a bit in the scheme of things of like, am I just so happy because I have so much life in front of me and like, when I'm 90, will I be like, fuck. Like, will I get sad? Like, I don't know, I hope not. And I. Maybe I'm talking it out to prepare myself, but like, I love life so much that, you know, whether it's my birthday or not my birthday, it's like a great day and I'm grateful for it. And, you know, I'm pretty joyful.
- [23:45]
Podcast Host
Do you have a number in mind that you want to hope that you get to age?
- [23:48]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah, 100.
- [23:50]
Podcast Host
That's it.
- [23:51]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I'd like more because I know modern medicine and all that, but like, like, if you put a pretty great, if you put a contract down that like I can get it, if I sign it, I would sign it. But I do think by the time I'm 150 years that everyone who's listening has no idea how good of life quality. People that can afford it, which I'll be one of a hundred can be. It's one of the reasons I started working out. One of the most interesting data points to me is life expectancy based on how strong your legs are and your glutes and everything. Because so many people fall in their 70s, 80s and 90s and so like, I mean, no one wants to do a leg day less than me. And by the way, I'm so grateful that both my trainers kept me on the leg day thing the whole time because, like, you're pretty bulky. Like, do you have shitty legs or you do legs, you're good. All right. Like, the weirdest guy in the gym is the guy who's like super top heavy with like no legs, chicken legs. Yeah, yeah. But I would take 100, I expect like 80 to 90 to be high quality. Obviously you have no control over like diseases and different things that nature. But like, especially with A.I. now, like, we're really starting to figure out how to like attack a lot of things. And I'm incredibly optimistic and I am curious with all the advancements, like, am I part of the last generation that doesn't live to 150 or 200, because we're getting close, which is. I'm really pissed. I'm going to be super pissed if I'm, like, 94. And it's like, breaking news. Everyone can live to 200 if you're under 70. I'm. I've actually been thinking about writing a movie about this. This is real, by the way. I've been thinking about this movie plot where the world announces that if you're under a certain age, you can live forever. And the story is basically about the people that are older than that number revolting. And, like, this really cool movie. But I'll work on it later.
- [25:42]
Podcast Host
Well, they say motion is lotion. Like, you move, and you're, you know, always, like, you move in your mind, doing things.
- [25:49]
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Right.
- [25:49]
Podcast Host
I feel like you'll become completely fine.
- [25:51]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. And then. And then I'm also fine with knowing that, like, you can't control it. Right. So many people are like, oh, I got to do this and this and this, and they think that's gonna. And then, like, we know of unlimited people who've done everything right. And unfortunately, the way their cells were structured, XYZ happens. And it's unfortunate. I'm at peace with anything, but I have incredible hope and optimism to enjoy it, because, man, I think life is really, really good. And I'm very aware that many don't. But I don't do the things that those people do, which is they get caught up in listening to people that pedal negativity and hate.
- [26:24]
Podcast Host
There's two words that always. You always come back to. Gratitude's a huge one. That's a massive one for me as well. Empathy is another one. Which one of those do you think is your superpower?
- [26:38]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I think empathy, more than gratitude, keeps me happy. But if you ask superpower. When you walk into any room and you can feel what other people are feeling, and I mean all of them, and then it almost becomes like, you know, what they're actually thinking. Like, do you know the reason I believe in, like, psychics and other random shit is cause I know I have something. You know, like, when you have extreme emotional intelligence, I don't think, like, I'm the greatest person gifted with the most weird traits. But I can tell you right now, in fact, I hate doing podcasts because I always interrupt people. And it's just because I really know what someone's gonna say. Like, it's this weird thing. And so I would say empathy, because I do think it's a very special gift. And empathy is different than compassion and Sympathy. Some people are incredibly compassionate. You know, they feel compassion for someone else. They feel for you. They're like, oh, I'm so sad that happened to you. But they can't feel you. When you can feel you become a good showman, you become a good salesman. Of course I'm good at sales. I know what to say to sell you. And I mean, if you just walked up right now and looked at my baseball cards at 15 years old, within a second or two, I know what to say to you.
- [27:46]
Podcast Host
Where does that come from?
- [27:48]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Fuck me. You know, I have no idea.
- [27:51]
Podcast Host
Wow.
- [27:52]
Gary Vaynerchuk
But it is really special. It's also, you know, it's funny, in my older age, it made me feel even better about myself because I was like, at some point, probably my 30s or maybe 40s, but I think 30s, I was like, wait a minute, I'm such a good person. I have this gift that could fucking be really bad. I could like really do bad shit. I could, like trick all of you into doing bad. Like, I could really build a fucked up cult and make everyone drink bad Kool Aid. And so you know it. I'm very grateful that I have it and I'm grateful that I was gifted, good intent. And I feel like I know what to do with it. And that's my day to day.
- [28:29]
Podcast Host
I feel like me and you together here is throwing a lot of positivity out there. But I've heard you talk about it as practical positivity, and I love that it's not just positivity for the sake of positivity.
- [28:39]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Oh, my God, I get so mad when people get like, triggered by my positivity.
- [28:43]
Podcast Host
Toxic positivity. I've heard it thrown around.
- [28:45]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I'm like, fine, yes, give it to me. I'm the toxic, you know, the toxic Avenger. That real fucking weird green guy with the green face and his eyes up here. I'm like, I'll look like that if that's who I am. Like, I'm all about toxic positivity. I mean, it is such a ludicrous. Anyone who weaponizes that word is called toxically cynical. Like, why can you be toxic positivity? But when you're cynical, dark person, you're keeping it real. Yeah. I don't buy it. I'm fine with it. Throw it at me. Like, I don't even know. The world is dramatically better when you're optimistic and positive, but you're practical about it.
- [29:32]
Podcast Host
And I think that that's what.
- [29:33]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes. I don't think, like, hey, everyone, just sit on Your fucking ass and cross your fingers and like, just hope for millions of dollars and it will drop it. Like, of course you have to be practical. Nothing happens without action. But yeah, you know, I choose to be practically optimistic about everything. I believe in it and I don't. It's not a focus group of one. I, for a living, watch the world. And I can tell you it's not super complicated that, like, the people that go through that lens. I always say this. In life, you find what you're looking for. If I decided to look for negativity, I can sit here right now and rattle off unlimited things. You know why? Because there's unlimited news and social media content about everything. They get negative in the world. My question is, are you looking for positivity? You know, like, if you're choosing to watch podcasts around extreme politics to the left and right, I have good news for you. You're going to be scared and unhappy if you watch something that talks about the missing link at Bad News Brown, you know, and the Rock and Roll Express, like, you'll smile and think back to your nostalgia and you'll be in a good mood.
- [30:40]
Podcast Host
This is that Tony Robbins thing he talks about where it's like, look around the room. Tell me all the green things that, that you see. Right. Look at all the green things. Close your eyes. Now tell me all the blue things you saw.
- [30:49]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah, of course. Life is what you're looking for.
- [30:51]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [30:52]
Gary Vaynerchuk
And like, if you're looking for negativity, that was in your DNA, that was in your parenting, that was in your circumstances, that was in the luck of the draw, but you're able to get out of it. And I think once you become accountable and realize you're capable, like, I always ask this. I'm like, at what age are you now a grownup? Like, at what age is it no longer everyone else's Fault? Is it 18? Is it 22? Is it 25? Is it 30? Is it 35? Is it, like, at what age? Because it's gotta be some age.
- [31:23]
Podcast Host
I think what's funny, because, yeah, cause you legally become an adult at 18, but you're like, I haven't figured anything out.
- [31:30]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah, I mean, like, at 18, you could literally go to a foreign country and fight a war. But, like, we have unlimited 35 year olds running around spending 100% of their time crying about mommy and daddy, you know, And I get it. And like, some people have some incredibly challenging circumstances. The problem is, like, everyone else has problems too. And so, like, you know, what are you trying to do like. Too many people want to just lay in their mud. They want to re up their mud. They want to re up their mud, you know, And I get it. Because people are hurt and they didn't have the emotional strength. It's just like, you know, I was not raised, nor did I have the DNA to go to the gym. And I really, really worked at it mentally for eight years before it finally tipped and it became a habit. And that's a lightweight, not important thing, but for many people, I always say this. If anyone in the world figured out your circumstance, then you can too. If anyone with a drug infested father and a mom that ran away on the second day got to a place where they worked through it and got to a productive, solid place, well, then you can too. In that extremely challenging circumstance. And I don't know why someone wouldn't choose hope. I don't understand why. Let me just stay in this dark place in perpetuity. And I know why. Because it's hard. It's fucking hard. But, like, everything good is hard.
- [33:00]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [33:00]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Everything good is hard.
- [33:01]
Podcast Host
Yeah. You went all in on social media and YouTube way before anybody saw it really happening. What made you make that decision?
- [33:11]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I'm, you know, back to extreme empathy. I have a very good read on what people are going to do before they know it. That's what I'm good at.
- [33:17]
Podcast Host
You're really good at reading trends.
- [33:19]
Gary Vaynerchuk
It's because I put in the work to pay attention and it comes natural to me. You know, some people can sing, some people can throw a baseball, some people can cook. Like, I can understand consumer trends. And then I put in work like. Like it's not. Like, again, I just sit there and like, I do the reading, I do the research, I pay attention. And it was very obvious to me that YouTube was gonna hit. I just kind of knew, like, it wasn't complicated. Even though there was no video platform on the Internet, people watched unlimited television. I was like, what's the fucking difference? It's just video. And so I'm very good at understanding things that are historically true. That substack Hannah's here in the background. Like, she was early on it. Like, of course it was like, people read. The people always ask me, gary, why do you write books? You're such a digital guy. I'm like, because people read them.
- [34:09]
Podcast Host
Isn't it interesting that you write books but don't read books?
- [34:13]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah, I mean, you know, there's some of the best head coaches of all time didn't play the sport. Like, I don't think I need to read books to be able to write books that are commercially successful.
- [34:23]
Podcast Host
But I'm saying the inverse of that. It's amazing that you've written so many books that have inspired so many people and you're like, yeah, I'm just not really a reader.
- [34:30]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Well. Cause I don't have reading comprehension. Like when you completely waste your time reading anything, I mean, Hanako from the Befriends team just texted me something. It was three sentences. I was walking with my sister just now and I was like, I don't understand. I called her and I was laughing because I thought about it while I was calling. I'm like, 99.9% of people would understand this in one second. And in fact, it saves reading, saves people a lot of time. You know, I have to call a lot of five minute meetings because I don't understand what you wrote in this paragraph. You know, like, it's just not how my brain works and I'm comfortable with that.
- [35:03]
Podcast Host
I started my YouTube channel, my first YouTube channel in 2007, because I was working on TV. I was interviewing some of the biggest stars on the planet. And I'm like, man, unless you're watching TV in this city on this day, at this exact time, you're never going to see my interview with whoever it is. So I'm behind my boss's back. I created a YouTube channel under some other like name. And I started posting my interviews on there because I'm like, if you're a fan of this celebrity, this character, this band, you're going to want to find out about all these things they said in this interview. And that was early, early in the days of YouTube.
- [35:34]
Gary Vaynerchuk
YouTube was obvious to me. It took off so quickly. I remember when it sold for $1.7 billion and people were like, that's way too much money. That's crazy for everybody who's listening now everyone's a billionaire. Like, that was like me saying that something just sold for $78 trillion. It was such a big number. And it really, that sale changed my career because I read all about it in one of the articles that said angel investor Ron Conway was set to make XYZ amount of money. I had never heard that term. I googled what an angel investor was and decided that day in the liquor store that I was going to become an angel investor. And within a year, I invested in Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. So the YouTube sale was. YouTube was massive in my career. Not only did it change the Course of my life with wine Library tv. But its sale to Google and the articles written about it were the inspiration to why I wanted to become an investor.
- [36:29]
Podcast Host
And I think the stat now is like, whatever it sold for, they now make in like four days or something.
- [36:35]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Oh, yeah. It's like, it's one of the great acquisitions of all time.
- [36:38]
Podcast Host
What's been your best investment ever?
- [36:40]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Facebook.
- [36:42]
Podcast Host
Like how early were you in on Facebook?
- [36:44]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Early. I mean, probably two years before. It's. I, I mean, not in the angel round, but I invested in 07. It was years before it went public.
- [36:53]
Podcast Host
Wow.
- [36:55]
Gary Vaynerchuk
And I never sold a share.
- [36:56]
Podcast Host
Still to this day.
- [36:57]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Still to this day. Wow. I promised myself when I invested in it that I would hold on to it until Mark was no longer there, because I just knew he would. The thing I knew about Mark early on was a skill that I have, which is he would adapt to the consumer behavior. And he's, he's absolutely proven that to be true. And that was a very good hypothesis of mine. A lot of my friends who were early at Facebook, it opened at $42 a share. When you work at a company, everybody pre IPO, you can't sell your stock for the first six months. Usually the six month mark of Facebook, the stock went down from 42 to $19. Many of my friends sold at 19 because they were all in their 20s and 30s and they stayed a lot more than I had. They were employees even though I invested. And. But I mean, It's, I mean, that's $600 a share now it's 30x. And when you sold, you know, $50 million worth of stock, you know, and it changed your life as a 30 year old. That was amazing. Except now it's, you know, 15 years later, like, wait, that's 1.5 billion. Starts to get really scary when you think about it.
- [38:03]
Podcast Host
You said you were a fan of four New York teams growing up. Jets, Rangers, Yankees and Knicks.
- [38:07]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes.
- [38:08]
Podcast Host
And I heard you say that you stopped being a Rangers fan after they won the cup in 1994.
- [38:12]
Gary Vaynerchuk
That's correct.
- [38:13]
Podcast Host
And then you stopped being a Yankees fan in 96 after they won the World Series.
- [38:17]
Gary Vaynerchuk
That is also true.
- [38:17]
Podcast Host
I know. You are a hardcore jets fan.
- [38:20]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes.
- [38:21]
Podcast Host
If the jets somehow get good, will you stop being a Jets fan if they win the Super Bowl?
- [38:27]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Well, before we go to the jets, the second we're filming, this is the Monday after the Knicks have found out they're playing Cleveland. So the Knicks are about to play Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals. There's a really nice chance that the Knicks will win this series.
- [38:41]
Podcast Host
Did you see Danhausen curse them, then uncurse them? This is a big reason why the Knicks are winning.
- [38:46]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes, I did see that, Danhausen, you know, and I do think the spurs are the only team that can beat the. I don't. I currently sit and think the Thunder would be too tough of a matchup for the Knicks in the Finals. But I think the spurs match up well with them and I think the Knicks match up well with the Spurs. Plus game three of the NBA Finals. For some unknown reason, I am going to San Antonio for a public speech and it's the first time I'll ever be in San Antonio, which is interesting. Which now I've decided. And by the way, that's game three of the NBA Finals, which means the spurs would be playing the Knicks in New York and I'd be missing the game. I've now decided that's a sign and that the spurs are going to stun the Thunder and the Knicks are going to make it. So the jets are on a planet by themselves because they're, they're a different thing. For me, the answer is I don't know. And because football is on Sundays and only 17 games, probably soon to be 18, my intuition, if I'm answering honestly, is that I would continue to root for them and be in it with a very different energy.
- [39:46]
Podcast Host
Look, I'm a Browns fan.
- [39:48]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes. Hard.
- [39:49]
Podcast Host
So, yes. Just as hard as being a Jets fan.
- [39:52]
Gary Vaynerchuk
The Knicks is the interesting one. And I would really like to find out here in the next six weeks,
- [39:57]
Podcast Host
do you still have aspirations to buy the jets one day?
- [40:00]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Forever? I mean, it's been there forever. It's been.
- [40:04]
Podcast Host
And is that just the pie in the sky goal that seems unachievable. So you'll just keep shooting at it.
- [40:08]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. At some level, I think later in my life, you know, at the time when I started thinking about it when I was a young kid, it was silly. I don't even know where it really came from. I don't know how I thought it as I, you know, and then my 20s and 30s, it was owning a sports team wasn't what it is today. Like the numbers were still achievable. Ish. In the last 15 years, 10 years, it's really changed. It's become like the most sought after thing.
- [40:38]
Podcast Host
Yeah. It's like a status symbol.
- [40:39]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. Which has made it challenging because they've gotten much more expensive. You know, it's kind of like, you know how like little kids have like A favorite doll or blanket, and they're like, they'll, like, take it to college. I think at some level, with my entrepreneurial journey, like, this, like, little I'm gonna buy the jets is almost like that little baby blanket. Like, it's been part of this whole journey with me. When I was selling baseball cards, I was like, one day I'm Gonna open all 100 baseball card stores and buy the Jets. Like, it's just. It's a very warm, personal, meaningful thing to me. And it's obviously changed in culture. When I used to say it, it didn't seem like a big deal. Like, yeah, it was a lot of money, but it was like, oh, that's interesting. Now it's different in culture, but it's not different to me.
- [41:28]
Podcast Host
Does the owner of the jets know that you want to buy the Jets?
- [41:30]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah, sure. No. Because I'm not in a position to buy it, and I think I wouldn't embarrass myself to have that conversation. You know, I'll have it when I really can do it. And the Johnson family has no interest in selling, it seems, which is good for me because I need way more time to amass the wealth to get there. And. And so that's where we're at.
- [41:54]
Podcast Host
You posted a video recently on social media that I loved so much, and it's this woman coming up to you saying, I know one day I'm going to be somebody. And you said, please look at my face. You're somebody now.
- [42:07]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yep.
- [42:08]
Podcast Host
Why do you think that hits so hard?
- [42:12]
Gary Vaynerchuk
It's something I believe in so much, and I believe it hits so hard because the world is really confused right now. We have never been more materialistic. We have never been more status symbol. We have never been more how many followers you have, how much money you have, what things you have to justify who you are. We've never been more detached from simplicity, you know, And I just. I'm really sad about that. And I want to be a beacon of changing the conversation. I'm aware that I'm successful and things of that nature, but it's not my identity. It's not how I get my validation. I like being a good entrepreneur, but I don't think it's what makes me me. And, you know, it was a very simple interaction. She actually snuck out. It was really funny where that was filmed. It's what's fun about vlogging. She snuck out like it was giving a talk. I was just about to go in the car. She snuck out, and the bodyguards wanted to stop her. And I was like, no, no, let her come. And we had this moment, and I knew it when it happened. Like, I got in the car, I'm like, ooh, that might be good, because I felt it, but it was very natural. And it's what I believe. And I think it hit so hard. Cause it's the truth. And right now, everyone's confused.
- [43:31]
Podcast Host
Instead of people taking their validation from. From the amount of followers that they have or the amount of money they make or the house they live in or the car they drive, should that validation be coming from being a great father, being a great friend, being a great mother, being whatever it happens to be? Is that where people should be looking?
- [43:49]
Gary Vaynerchuk
All of those sounded great. Being a nice neighbor, contributing to another human being. I mean, we can sit here for an hour and bring up a million things that we all think are good attributes of a human being. Yes. To any of the things you said and many others.
- [44:07]
Podcast Host
You had another one that hit because I'm a fairly new father.
- [44:10]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. Congrats.
- [44:10]
Podcast Host
Thank you. My daughter's 3. My son is about a year and a half. And this woman was talking to you about how do you shield your kids from the dangers of the Internet?
- [44:21]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes.
- [44:22]
Podcast Host
And you said the number one most important thing is you gotta build their self esteem.
- [44:25]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes.
- [44:26]
Podcast Host
How do you do that?
- [44:29]
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- [44:58]
Gary Vaynerchuk
So good. So good, so good.
- [45:01]
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- [45:26]
Gary Vaynerchuk
You know, I think everyone's different. You know, I have two children. They're different. I'm one of three. We're all different. You know, I think there's. It's a very nuanced question, but I can tell you. Let's first go to the first part. Parents try to focus on the sink not the. Well, you can't be there with your kids every time. You're not gonna be at that party where people pull out cocaine for the first time. You're not gonna be there where their drunk buddy is like, I'll drive. And you need them to step up and say, no, you can't be there when everyone's jumping off a cliff, you know, on a trip and it's kind of dangerous and like they decide yes or no, like you can't be there, you know. You know, like this whole world we live in now, like, you know, I can't get over the fact that there are like 27 year old men walking around earth that have their parents following them on the phone. And you have moms like calling 27 year old men on Wednesday night being like, honey, you should go back home. Why are you out? Like, you can't parent forever. And so the only thing you can do is instill the characteristics that will allow them to make good decisions. So what I was telling that woman, it was in Romania, I'll remember that moment forever too. I was like, listen, you can block their phone. And you know this, you were a teenager once. When we're all teenagers, anything our parents tell us we can't makes you want it more, right? And so, you know, we, you know, I knew unlimited kids from my high school and then in college who were really the byproduct of strict parents. And they literally went to college and within the first 30 days fucking did drugs, alcohol and hoard it up like no one's fucking business because it was all suppressed. And then you had parents and my sister and I didn't grow up with this or my brother. Like my parent mom was very like, no alcohol this and that. But then we had friends that we would always marvel about it where like they would like let their kids drink senior year of high school as long as it was in their home. And a lot of, I watched a lot of those kids have much better relationships with alcohol and things of that nature. And so you gotta find a fine line. But I think it is simplicity. I think it is real. You know, I think one thing that parents should watch out for is shaming anything, you know, Like, I think that becomes something you want to pay attention to. I also think what you're cheering for amongst your kid, like if the number one thing you're clapping for and giving trophies to your kids for is getting straight A's, I have bad news, that's a fucking bad formula. Cause you're telling your child to conform to a subjective machine every three months, which is why so many people go into companies and just work for their review. Like, you've gotta be more well rounded than one dimensional. If you only cheer for your kid, the only thing you tell your kid, the only thing you tell your kid about positive reinforcement is how good they are at a sport. And then they eventually, you know, like 99.999% of people do not make it to the NBA. Well, what is that kid left with? So I think it's important to think about what you cheer, what you shame. And I think the other thing is I think you gotta tell your kids the truth. You know, like, there's an age where your child starts to know that you're full of shit. And it. And I think you have to be very thoughtful about that. And that comes to mind. But listen, it's the hardest job on earth. Everybody, everybody, everybody. No matter how I talk about this all the time, how much I admire my mom, I can rattle off things she didn't do. Like, every kid is gonna play Monday morning quarterback with their parents. You just wanna get them into a place where they're strong enough to be accountable and say, okay, my mom and dad did this wrong. I'm gonna do better. And then you wanna find balance. Cause I think right now we have a parenting generation that overcorrected for what their parents did and went too far the other route. And it's like, listen, it's really hard to find the middle.
- [49:28]
Podcast Host
We've talked about a few of your
- [49:30]
Gary Vaynerchuk
videos that went viral.
- [49:31]
Podcast Host
You've had many of them. Do you think that one piece of content has the ability to change someone's life slash, career?
- [49:38]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Of course. That's what, that's what the whole world's about. That's everyone's life. You know, there's seven of us in this room, and there'll be millions that watch us over the next 50 years. Every one of us have been affected by someone else's words, you know, insane. That is. Yeah, that's why I keep yapping.
- [49:55]
Podcast Host
I've heard you say that, like one sentence from a podcast, boom. Can change somebody's life.
- [50:00]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I'm literally. I'm literally looking at the five people behind the camera right now. Whether it was your grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother, sister, best friend, or someone you admire, every one of you right now can. Everyone who's watching can recall something right now that was said that had an impact on them. Why do. What did Gandhi or Martin Luther King or any of the, like, you Know, like, what did these people do? It was words, brother. Fucking words matter because you change someone's perspective, by the way, whether pro or con.
- [50:31]
Podcast Host
Sure.
- [50:32]
Gary Vaynerchuk
This is why words are dangerous, too. There are a lot of people right now. We're in a time in society where, unfortunately, a lot of people's lives are gonna be much shittier because they decided to believe someone who's spewing hate. Their whole life will be shittier. Like, if they grew up 40 years earlier and nobody was talking that jargon, they would have lived a different life. But right now, they're sitting in their head mad at someone they've never met because someone put something in their mind that they believed. So I just choose to go the other side and try to make it positive. Because life is positive. If you decide it's positive, what was
- [51:06]
Podcast Host
the sentence to change your life?
- [51:08]
Gary Vaynerchuk
You know, that's a good question. I would say. I want to really give this a real thought. You know, I'm gonna give you a real answer. And it's blurry because it was reinforced. But my mother, early on in my life, and again, I probably am saying this because my sister's here with me. She rarely travels with me, but, like, I very much remember as a child, my mom telling me, like, I was responsible for my sister. Like that, you know, it was just very, very early. Like, my mom was instilling a lot of things into me. Like, you're the example. You're in charge of. Something happens. You.
- [51:49]
Podcast Host
How much older are you than her?
- [51:50]
Gary Vaynerchuk
3 and a half years. And it happened at a very young age. And listen, my mom was the byproduct of very, very challenging circumstances. And I've said this publicly now for a while, I've come to realize my childhood was shaped by my fear that my parents were gonna die. My mom lost her mom at 5. My dad lost his dad at 15. And it was the soundtrack of my youth. I was scared of it. You know, there was one time. You know, I'm so glad smartphones exist. I really wish I grew up in that era, because I know how everyone shits on it. Let me tell you right now, for all the shitting on smartphones, one of the most traumatic events of my life was when I was babysitting my brother and sister when I was probably 13 or 4, probably 14, maybe 15, but 14, I think. And my mom went somewhere, and there was a massive accident on the highway that made her super late. And I forced my sister to go on the porch with me and pray. I don't know why we had to do it outside. But, like, think about that level of fear that is not a normal child's thinking. Maybe if your mom's, like, an hour late and whatever. But, like, I really thought it was over and, like. Like, it was just such a current. In fact, I think my life is grounded on gratitude in my adulthood because I made it to 18 and they were both there, and they're still here, thank God. And. But, yes, I would say the conversations I had with my mother when I was 6, 7, 8, 9. Of, like, you're the oldest, you're the. You know, shaped me quite a bit.
- [53:26]
Podcast Host
I'm gonna bring it back around to wrestling here.
- [53:28]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Thank God.
- [53:29]
Podcast Host
You were at WrestleMania 35. Yes, I was at WrestleMania 35.
- [53:32]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes.
- [53:33]
Podcast Host
It was, like, the longest WrestleMania ever. Which WrestleManias have you been to?
- [53:37]
Gary Vaynerchuk
The first WrestleMania I went to, and I need everybody right now, because this is a wrestling crew, to go back if you have this footage. I went to the. What's the WrestleMania that. Mike Tyson in Boston. You know what number that is? That was 98.
- [53:49]
Podcast Host
14, I think.
- [53:51]
Gary Vaynerchuk
So that was the first WrestleMania I went to. Yeah, take a look.
- [53:54]
Podcast Host
Yeah, let's just. We have all.
- [53:55]
Gary Vaynerchuk
It was in Boston. It was a 1998 WrestleMania 14. Thank you. So that's the first WrestleMania during the dumpster tag team match. Iconic, everybody. If you go to the dumpster tag team match, this is the era of, like, everyone has a sign. It's in Boston. The jets just stole Curtis Martin from the Patriots. And. And I get a Curtis Martin jets jersey, and I bring it to the arena, and I had a sign that said jets, like a Jet sign. And during the dubs match, I walk down and I hang it up there, and I'm literally in WrestleMania with my jetsign in the aisle. Please someone clip that and post it on Social. I like to have it.
- [54:33]
Podcast Host
Troy will be all over this.
- [54:34]
Gary Vaynerchuk
So that was the first WrestleMania I've been to. Then I was one at the Meadowlands in 18 or 19. Right. And then I was in Philly, and that's 35. Yep. And then 40 was amazing.
- [54:47]
Podcast Host
Oh, my gosh. Like, that's going to be the benchmark for people who are relatively new wrestling fans.
- [54:52]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah.
- [54:52]
Podcast Host
And they got to see WrestleMania 40. When they're two, three, four, five years into being a wrestling fan, they're going to think that every WrestleMania needs to be that good.
- [55:00]
Gary Vaynerchuk
So I think I've been to three or four. I wish I'd been to more, but, like, I tend to work and I'm busy. But I. WrestleMania 4 is, like, my life. It's one of the best days of my life when Macho man wins that title. It's like, even right now, the chemicals are going through my body. Like, when Hogan. And, you know, I. You know, it was right around the time where I kind of, like, was like, okay, this is, like, fake. Ish. Maybe, like, you know, you're still in that. You know, this is a long time ago. I could feel he was gonna win it. Which also reared its head the next year, where I feared he was gonna lose it to Hogan in WrestleMania 5. I'm still mad at Hogan for that. May he rest in peace. Macho Man's the one person I regret not meeting in my life.
- [55:49]
Podcast Host
Wow.
- [55:50]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. When he died, I was. I felt like I was gonna meet anyone and everyone I ever wanted to. I always believed in myself. I knew my life was gonna be a certain way. That one really hurt. That one really hurt. He was such a big deal for me.
- [56:05]
Podcast Host
Who's on your wrestling Mount Rushmore?
- [56:08]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Damn. I should have been more prepared for this. This is such a cliche question. I don't know how this, like, wasn't in my Macho man mine or who I think the four most important wrestlers are of all time.
- [56:18]
Podcast Host
It's yours.
- [56:18]
Gary Vaynerchuk
You're the one sitting across my favorite. My. My Mount Rushmore. I'm gonna go with the Mount Rushmore because I don't even know if I. I don't really. I'm pretty funny. Like, I love Macho man, and I gave Y2K some. You know, Excuse me. I gave Jericho some love. But, like, after that, it's like, I loved the British Bulldogs. Like, the British Bulldogs as a tag team was very big for me. My Mount Rushmore is Barry Horowitz. Steve Lombardi, you're going with all the jobbers. Iron Mike Sharp, enhancement guys. Those guys deserved a lot of credit. They built up the guys. But I would say Brooklyn Brawler was a fantastic. Lombardi was the best. I'm sure he's awesome. I think the Mount Rushmore of wrestling is Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and I gotta give one to the Attitude era. I will go with. Believe it or not, I'm gonna go with the Undertaker. Actually. I know Rock and Austin and Bret, Hart and Michaels, but I think those. I don't think people understand. Andre the Giant carried wrestling through the seventies. And Bruno Sammarti. Yeah. And remember, it was regional, and when he would go, like, I just think he's just all time. I mean, he just I'm devastated. And I watch a lot of clips where people do their Mount Rushmore. Andre should be in everyone. And Hogan changed everything.
- [57:53]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [57:54]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Like you.
- [57:54]
Podcast Host
He made it mainstream.
- [57:55]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. And then Flair. When you say flair, you're also giving love to Michaels and Bret Hart and Ricky Steamboat. Like, great wrestler. He was a great wrestler. And then obviously pop culture and like, you know, I mean, the guy literally used to cut promos and be like, we're gonna be Atlanta. Like, he would literally cut wrestling promos to tell all the groupie girls where they were gonna be that night. They're like, we're gonna be in Atlanta tonight at 8:30 in the. Like, literally. And when I was growing up wcw, you know, nwa, like, that was grown up shit. Whereas WWF was for the kids. So, like, as I was getting older, 12, 13, I'm like, ooh, that's a little, you know. And then, so I don't know how Andre and Hogan. And again, I love macho man 10,000 times more than both of them combined. But I don't know if we're actually gonna do the actual debate of Mount Rushmore, how you can't understand that those two have to be there. And then Flair. Look, Harley Race, I think is like, really lost in history. Like, what a massively important champion he was. And then it becomes regional, right? Like, if you grew up in Texas and you don't say one of the Von Erichs, you're a bad person. And if you grew up, right, and if you're from the Midwest and Minnesota,
- [59:12]
Podcast Host
if you don't immediately say, Bret Hart's
- [59:14]
Gary Vaynerchuk
the greatest horse and he deserves it. And like, and Garnet, you know, and that whole, you know, But. And then I start thinking about weird things like, you know, like Gorilla Monsoon, like, let me give you some weird. Now I'm just getting nerdy. Like our generation, Gorilla Monsoon was the announcer. Ross. All these guys now, but like, Gorilla Monsoon was him. And Jesse Ventura and McMahon would get in there, by the way, when I got older and was like, fucking, what a genius Vince McMahon is. Not only would he create the league, but then he was the announcer. So he could tell you what the fuck you needed to think. He was NAR. I told my brother AJ when we started VaynerMedia, literally. He asked me, he's like, any advice? I'll never forget, it was day one. Even though we hung out every day and worked together, it was kind of day one of our company. And he said, any advice in marketing? And I said, just tell America what to think. And it Will work. Which has really been weird to see play out in politics, but it's what Vince did. He's like, this guy's really scary. I'm like, ooh, this guy's really scary. And that's what he wanted us to think. But there's, you know, superstar Billy Graham, Bruno, that whole crew, Ivan Koloff, you know, then you go into wcw, you go to this thing, and there's just some really big people that deserve a lot of credit. And it's so fun to debate this, but Andre and Hogan and I don't know how you don't have them. And I would say Flair is right there. And then I think it gets blurry. So many people younger than me are going to go Austin and the Rock. And the reason I put Undertaker in there is I think Undertaker continuity. Undertaker is the bridge.
- [60:51]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [60:51]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Right. Tuesday in Texas. Right. Tuesday in Texas with Hogan all the way through being like, so important during the Attitude era. And then even post. Right. You know, Undertaker's there. And Tuesday in Texas with Hogan. And he's there after Austin and Rock.
- [61:07]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [61:07]
Gary Vaynerchuk
And I think that longevity and at the level. And then even like losing the Lesnar and wrestle, like. Like, he did everything right.
- [61:14]
Podcast Host
He's there till the boneyard match in 2020, WrestleMania 36, you know, he's there through all of the important.
- [61:21]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I think that. I think that Undertaker, I actually think will. You know, I think about this a lot. Politicians, businessmen and women, people in pop culture, entrepreneurs. I actually think I live my life this way. I think some people get even more flowers after they're gone and get more understood. I think Undertaker will continue over time, get more and more credit. Because when someone's watching this long after we're gone and they haven't seen anyone because we're all recency bias. Like, for me, it's my guys. Like, I think Big John Stud matters.
- [61:57]
Podcast Host
That's. Cause nostalgia's a hell of a drug.
- [61:59]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. And you also saw it. I got to see Big John Studd move around the ring when he was still healthy as a massive dude. You know, that to me is like the way that your era saw Big Show. And like, how does that guy be so athletic? I mean, Big show fucking did a drop kick off the top rope. That's crazy to me how athletic. But like, you. You get. You know, this is back to the basketball argument. The amount of kids that argue Magic and Bird and Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem, but never watch them play and watch some highlights. Everybody looks great in Their highlights. What about in their day to day mundane. And so I don't know. I think Undertaker is going to get a lot of love. This is as like time goes on.
- [62:43]
Podcast Host
Who do you think is a completely underrated wrestler?
- [62:47]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Wrestler?
- [62:47]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [62:48]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Macho Man, Randy Savage. I'll tell you why. Because as a wrestler I will say right now that if you do not think that Ricky the Dragon, Steamboat Macho man, Randy Savage, WrestleMania 3 is not a top 2, 3, 4 match of all time. I have bad news for you. And this is just with love. You do not know what the fuck wrestling's about. I really believe this.
- [63:10]
Podcast Host
It's hard to argue with that. That's such a good match. Way ahead of its time.
- [63:13]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Macho man was. Do you know? I think he is more charismatic than Bret Hart. You know, I think about Shawn Michaels as Macho Man a lot like a modern macho. Like as a wrestler, you know he
- [63:31]
Podcast Host
said that he was inspired. His. The stuff he wore to the ring was inspired by Macho Man.
- [63:35]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I didn't know that. Yeah, it's funny just being a. But not as deep as like so many people watching or you like. I feel Shawn Michaels a lot in Macho man. Cause it's a great wrestler and a great showman. Bret was a different. Brett was cool and like his promos were a certain way. Macho man could like Macho man became famous, right. Like Slim Jim commercials. He would do the Arsenio hall. Like he was famous and he was a technically strong wrestler and he could
- [64:05]
Podcast Host
work as a baby face, he could work great as a heel.
- [64:08]
Gary Vaynerchuk
But that's just me giving Macho man flowers. Let me give you some good ones. I think, I do think Curt Henning is underrated.
- [64:15]
Podcast Host
Crazy to think he never won a title in a major company. World title on a major company. He.
- [64:20]
Gary Vaynerchuk
He was very underrated, I think. You know. You know who I think was underrated? I think Big Boss man was underrated. I think like there were some heels that came along that really mattered. I was a big fan of Bad News Brown. Abdullah the Butcher.
- [64:40]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [64:41]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I think Abdullah the Butcher deserves more credit for what he represented. Similar to Andre, he was traveling. Rick Rude. I think Rick Rude's underrated. I think Rick Rude, first of all, his physique was so ahead of its time.
- [64:54]
Podcast Host
Yes.
- [64:55]
Gary Vaynerchuk
And just the way he healed when he used to have like the. Those. The tights with the faces, I think. And he was really, really strong down in, you know, when he was wrestling Ultimate Warrior, when the Ultimate Warrior was Dingo Warrior prior to Them both coming. Dibiase, I think, I think Ted is a little bit underrated in a real way. Davey Boy Smith, I think is doesn't have the flowers he deserves for. I mean the British Bulldogs is. Was such an important tag team, you know, so some of those guys stand out. I thought Orndorff deserves a little more credit. He was really instrumental in those early days. Yeah, again, physique, pile driver executed it well. Did you know that's a tough move. People get hurt, as you know from that move. And I thought he did that well, you know, some people.
- [65:53]
Podcast Host
What's your all time favorite match?
- [65:55]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I already said it. No, quite. I mean, even though at Devast I cried like a baby. I still hate George the Animal Steel. I still hate George the Animal Steel. And he had a green tongue and I'm a huge jets fan. So I liked him right away because he had a green tongue and that associated. What a great wrestler he was, by the way. So good and his longevity. You know, that's my favorite match. I would also say that.
- [66:18]
Podcast Host
Wait, which one?
- [66:19]
Gary Vaynerchuk
WrestleMania 3, Steamboat. You know, that is. That is the match. You know who I liked a lot. It's a little blurry for me because it was my brother's era. And A.J. had a funny one. He's 11 years younger than me. You're 43. He's 39. And he was into it early because of me. So he was like before the attitude era, he was in that middle thing.
- [66:43]
Podcast Host
Sure, there were some rough years.
- [66:45]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Duke the Dumpster, Drozee and Haku. Repo man, who was Demolition. Right.
- [66:50]
Podcast Host
Who was also. Yeah, yeah,
- [66:55]
Gary Vaynerchuk
and Tatanka. And like they tried all these weird guys, you know.
- [67:00]
Podcast Host
Well, super character based.
- [67:02]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Right, super character. Well, cause Doink was so big.
- [67:05]
Podcast Host
Right.
- [67:06]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Doink the Clown.
- [67:07]
Podcast Host
Then WCW started doing some stuff that was a little more reality based in the nwo and I think WWF went oh well.
- [67:14]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Nwo, as you know, was a story plot from Japan.
- [67:18]
Podcast Host
Yes.
- [67:19]
Gary Vaynerchuk
And that was just a good. You know, Bishop, who I love, just did a great job of taking something that worked elsewhere and made it his own. That's the. That is the greatest storyline of our last 50 years.
- [67:29]
Podcast Host
Oh, it's so good. So no one expected Hogan, even though it was like whose side is he on? As he was walking out. It's like, what do you mean whose side is he on?
- [67:39]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah, Hogan, you know, the documentary shed some light on this recently. Like Hogan felt the heat. He knew it was time. Like makes sense. It always happens. By the way. It's how I root for things like, I love a good underdog. Golden State warriors sucked when I was a kid, so when they were coming up with Steph and Clay, I was rooting for them. By the time they won their second championship, I was rooting fully against them. You know, it's just kind of like how when you don't care, you'll always gravitate towards the underdog.
- [68:06]
Podcast Host
I feel like that's happened in your career. People were rooting for you, and then you became popular, famous, I'm sure.
- [68:13]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. I mean, I think.
- [68:14]
Podcast Host
I don't know if I can relate anymore.
- [68:15]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. And I think. I think that's right. I think there's some truth to that, you know, I mean, I think it's just natural, right? Like, we always love a good Britney's back, bitch. Right? Like, we'll build up Britney, then we'll tear her down, and then we just can't wait for Britney to come back. It's the general public will do that. We in America, we will cheer for the rise. And then when it gets Taylor Swift, right? Like, everyone cheered. Then it gets to the Whiteheme. We're like, fuck that. Tear down. And then after a little while, we're like, no, no, no, bring it back. I mean, it's just what we do in pop culture. Boy bands. We love the Backstreet Boys. Then we're like, they're corny. And now we're like, yay, they're back. You know, like, it's just what we do in society. So, yeah, I think the more notoriety, the more awareness, fame you have, it comes along with the territory, you know? Like, people love their band when no one knows it. Then the band gets big and then they, like, you know. Oh, well, I knew Green Day when they were playing a thousand people. Now that they're playing stadiums, like, fuck you. Like, it's just. It's just what we do. Can we talk more nerd wrestling stuff?
- [69:13]
Podcast Host
You have a lot of wrestling.
- [69:15]
Gary Vaynerchuk
We haven't talked about Jake the Snake Roberts yet. The Missing Link. I've got, like, Spitting the Killer Con. Like, I got some stuff that I want to get off my chest here.
- [69:22]
Podcast Host
You have a lot of great wrestling collectibles that we see in the background in your office. A lot of lgn. You got the Winged Eagle cut in half. Why is it cut in half?
- [69:31]
Gary Vaynerchuk
There was a. What is it? What is the name of their channel? A really great YouTube channel. Father and Son.
- [69:37]
Podcast Host
Will it cut or they're looking on the inside.
- [69:40]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah, yeah, yeah. They're the best they did that for me. Yeah. Yeah.
- [69:43]
Podcast Host
Do you have a wrestling piece of memorabilia or collectible that you're super proud of?
- [69:49]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I just bought it.
- [69:51]
Podcast Host
Okay.
- [69:51]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I just bought A. So LJNs are my favorite collectible, maybe period.
- [69:55]
Podcast Host
That's a huge.
- [69:56]
Gary Vaynerchuk
And I mean, I'm a huge sports card guy, but, like, maybe my favorite thing. And again, probably because my sister's here, like, she knows. We had this one holiday where our brother was about to be born, and our mom was very frugal. We were immigrants, but this one holiday, she just went ham. And we got everything. She got, like, the Barbie stuff, I got the wrestling stuff. And we always think about it, and. But in general, the LJN wrestling figure is everything to me. Like, it is everything to me. I just bought. So I don't know if you know this in the LJNs, when you bought them, it came with a poster.
- [70:31]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [70:31]
Gary Vaynerchuk
And it's just like, you know, my sister might not even know this because I would lose things immediately when I would get a new toy. The second Star wars was my first love. When I would get a Star wars action figure, the lightsaber, I would literally lose it within two hours. Within two hours, I had to go to my mom's kitchen and be like, mom, do you have toothpicks? Because I had to use the toothpick as the lightsaber. Same with the wrestling figures. That poster would be gone in a second. But the wrestling figures came with posters, and I don't know if you. Do you know them?
- [70:58]
Podcast Host
I remember.
- [70:59]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. It was very, like, drawn a certain way. Anyway, on heritage auctions a few weeks ago, the original art, like, the art that made the posters, went up for sale, and I bought a bunch. Mr. Fuji.
- [71:12]
Podcast Host
Oh, wow.
- [71:13]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Who I loved. I loved Mr. Fuji. I'm thinking about becoming a wrestling manager.
- [71:19]
Podcast Host
Is that right?
- [71:20]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. It's on my mind, by the way, just to pivot hard. I'm thinking that I need to hit up triple H and, like, I think I should have one stint as a manager.
- [71:29]
Podcast Host
Okay. Maybe next time. WrestleMania is in New York.
- [71:31]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I think I'm ready to do it. I think I should be Logan Paul's manager and maybe turn him. Good. He's still heel, right?
- [71:38]
Podcast Host
Oh, yeah. People hate Logan Paul. Hate the character of Logan Paul.
- [71:41]
Gary Vaynerchuk
He's going to. He's got to have an era where he turns good. Since I discovered him and in social media, I think it's a perfect plot.
- [71:49]
Podcast Host
You discovered Logan Paul?
- [71:50]
Gary Vaynerchuk
That's right. Like, look, I'm being dead serious. Logan Paul's First, I didn't listen. Logan was gonna get discovered.
- [71:56]
Podcast Host
That's a good line to say as a wrestling manager.
- [71:58]
Gary Vaynerchuk
No, I'm very aware. I discovered Logan Paul, and I'm gonna flip him. You know, I'm gonna bring him back
- [72:04]
Podcast Host
to the good side.
- [72:06]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I knew him long before the fame. Yeah. His first marketing campaigns were with VaynerMedia. Cause, truth be told, Jerome Jar, who was a Vine celebrity himself, discovered Logan. Put him in front of me, and I said, this kid's got it. And we put him in a Sour Patch Kids campaign. We did a contest called for Virgin Mobile, finding the next Vine Star, and he was the winner. But I bought these original drawings of the LJN posters, and I'm just besides myself, happy. I have a bunch of black cards. I have a ton of hasbro green cards. 1, 2, 3, kid, aka lightning kid. Yeah, what about.
- [72:51]
Podcast Host
I know you're deep into sports cards. Do you have any wrestling sports cards?
- [72:54]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah, I've. I have. I have Andre's Rookie, which is the hand cut, 1978, black and white. I have. I have one of the only PSA 10 Ric Flair rookies. I've got Macho Man, 85, tops. Rookie. I got Hogan. I think I have a Hogan PSA9,82. I have a bunch of the rocks, the Bumblebee Rock. University of Miami football card, perforated edges, Bumblebee, Tuna fish. Bumblebee Tuna Fish.
- [73:23]
Podcast Host
There's a story behind that. My buddy Jamil loves to tell this because he's a Miami guy. It rained that day. So you. You got the entire team in this, like, perforated thing.
- [73:33]
Gary Vaynerchuk
It rained that day, so must have a bunch of them must have got fucked up.
- [73:36]
Podcast Host
But I think a lot of people were just using it as, like, protection from Marie.
- [73:38]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I know that story. That's crazy.
- [73:40]
Podcast Host
So that's why there's even less.
- [73:41]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I have a serious wrestling card collection. And. And. And I've. I have some weird stuff, like stickers, like, a lot of fun stuff. I also love, like, Nikita Koloff the Fan. You know, I love the Free Birds. And, like, I've picked up a bunch of memorabilia. I've been thinking about starting to collect old wrestling mags, because I used to really love those. I used to buy them in Krauser's on Oak Tree Road in Edison. And that's how I learned, you know, before ESPN started to air other wrestling, the AWA and the Texas League stuff, the only way I even knew other wrestlers existed outside of WWF was the magazines. You know, like, who's Dr. Death, Steve Williams, you know, like, I was like, who's that guy? And like the Blade Runners. The Ultimate Warrior and Sting were tag team champions, I think, in the uwf as the Blade Runners.
- [74:31]
Podcast Host
Yes.
- [74:31]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Like, Like, I had a lot of wrestling knowledge back then.
- [74:34]
Podcast Host
And you still do. Like, so you mentioned Jake the Snake Roberts. What a promo, bro.
- [74:42]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I was so scared of that snake. I'm still scared of that snake. Like, Damien Damian scared the fuck out of me. And when the. And when Earthquake sat on Damien and killed Damian, it's still one of the great wrestling. I loved Earthquake and Typhoon, the natural disasters.
- [74:58]
Podcast Host
Do you remember when Damian legitimately bit macho man?
- [75:02]
Gary Vaynerchuk
That's right, that's right.
- [75:03]
Podcast Host
Coming out of his arm.
- [75:05]
Gary Vaynerchuk
That era, you know what I remember that I rarely see people talk about is on Saturday night's main event, when Orndorff and Hogan both jumped out of the ring and landed at the same time and they called it a tie. Do you know this? That was a Saturday night's main event. Like, again, I wish the kids understood what the world was like pre Internet. Pre Internet. There was so limited information and stuff. Everything was a big event.
- [75:31]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [75:33]
Gary Vaynerchuk
I saw something online the other day that said like, 1985 was like the best year ever, like, for pop culture. And maybe it was Bill Simmons. They just rattled off that it was like Ghostbusters. It was just like. It was just like. And I was listening. I was like, man, that's right. And I was 10. I would tell you vfriend. I'm pretty sure the reason I created veefriends is how effected I was that I grew up in this iconic 80s pop culture IP. But like, Saturday night Spain event, you have to understand, with no Internet and no phone, you didn't know shit was happening.
- [76:06]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [76:07]
Gary Vaynerchuk
You'd just be watching TV and they'd be like, this week, Saturday night Spain event like this, like, you'd be stunned and pumped and you try to stay up late. Cause you were young and it was like aired late instead of snl. But that Hogan Orndorff match, I'll never forget. Because I thought Orndorff won, which was like stunning. But they both landed at the same time. I'll never forget that.
- [76:26]
Podcast Host
And then you would wait to get to school on Monday morning and talk all about it. Yes. And you would find your best friend who also loved wrestling. You'd be like, can you believe that?
- [76:35]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Correct. Whereas now my son, him and I were watching Ronda rousey win in 17 seconds on Netflix the other Night, and he's talking to a friend about it in a second. So there's no holding onto it. There was no that anticipation of, like, talking about on the bus, like. Yeah. I mean, those things are romantic to us. But I'll say this to everyone who's romanticizing. Technology always goes forward today. Like, one day my son's gonna be like, remember when it was just texting, not going into a time machine and showing Like. Like. Like it's gonna keep advancing.
- [77:05]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [77:05]
Gary Vaynerchuk
You know?
- [77:06]
Podcast Host
Yeah. And I say this all the time. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. But I think that recency bias also plays a big factor.
- [77:12]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Oh. It's why everyone's Mount Rushmore's are broken. I'm kidding. I'm kidding everyone. But it is true. Like, if you're of my era. And then, like, I learned, you know, I'm rapping about some wrestling here. I learned a lot of my wrestling. There was a Liz, I don't know if you know this. There was a guy who lived by Michael Gorell, like. Like, on the other side. He must have only been 10 or 15 years older than us. He was probably in his 20s, but he felt like he was 80 years old. But he was the one that taught me a lot about wrestling. He would wash his car, and we were just riding our bikes. He told me about Koloff dropping the knee on Bruno Sammartino, Madison Square Garden, and winning the title. And again, there's no Internet. There's no, like, you know, it was just like. And for him, he's. If he's still alive, I hope you are. And he's watching this. He's like, what are you talking about? Bruno's on the. Because even though I'm going old school, I can't go back to Bruno or further or, you know, you go back far enough, like, you know, you go into, like, Buddy Rogers. You go into, like. You can go very old school. Right? And then there's, like, Dusty Rhodes, and there's just, like, a lot of people to mention. It's hard to pick for.
- [78:22]
Podcast Host
I have loved talking wrestling with you, and I'm super respectful of your time. This has been amazing. Gratitude. Such a huge thing for you and your life. It's a massive thing for me in my life. I wake up every day, say out loud three things I'm grateful for, do the same thing. My wife and I do it before we go to bed. It's the last question I ask everybody at the end of every episode. So, Gary, what are three things you're
- [78:42]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Grateful for right now, I'm only grateful for the health of my family. Like, I do not comprehend anything else to be grateful for. Like, meaning I keep it so basic. I just want the people I love to be healthy. Like, you know, I can be grateful for a million things, but they all feel frivolous. And that level of simplicity is really real. I'm also grateful that the Knicks are in the Eastern Conference finals. I'm really happy about that.
- [79:17]
Podcast Host
By the time this airs, they may be in the NBA Finals.
- [79:19]
Gary Vaynerchuk
That would be. When is this airing?
- [79:20]
Podcast Host
Maybe like two ish weeks.
- [79:22]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Okay, good. They may be. Honestly, that has been the framework of my life. Like, I think it's important to go lower than that for fun. But if you're asking the truth, it's really hard for me to get excited about much outside of that. And I would say in that quiet, in that understanding, all the highlights, all the lowlights, all the fancy things, all the calm things, they're just all so secondary. I've not been able to live my life for a very long time now in any other way than thinking, okay, this thing or that thing, how much does it really matter if XYZ is happening? Which is ultimately somebody in my family's not in a good spot, health wise. So I am only grateful for that. It's the only thing worth being grateful for. And for me, with me, everybody else can do what they do, but for me, it's. It's how I see it.
- [80:12]
Podcast Host
I love that. I also want to thank you because randomly.
- [80:14]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yes, I remember no reason. For a very specific reason.
- [80:18]
Podcast Host
On December 8, 2022. Keep going. CVV. That's it.
- [80:23]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Can I tell you why I did that? This has been maybe the coolest chapter of my professional career. Probably around that time, maybe a couple years earlier, I'm like, oh my God, if I take one sec. So I'm consuming content.
- [80:38]
Podcast Host
Sure.
- [80:39]
Gary Vaynerchuk
If I see something I like, if I take one second and DM this person, they're gonna think it's cool. That was super. You know, that's not how I ever saw my life playing out. You know, I always just wanted to be a businessman. I never knew that people would know who I was. I wrote an article about this called the Rickey Henderson Rule. Rickey Henderson. When I was 10 years old, I went to a Yankee game and I thought he winked at me. And it meant everything to me. I've now come to realize he probably winked at a girl in the crowd. But I was sitting next to. But I mean, here I am, 40 years later, I can feel the way I felt when I thought Rickey Henderson winked at me. To feel that for you when you got. Do you remember?
- [81:23]
Podcast Host
Yeah, I remember.
- [81:24]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. It felt good. Yeah. By the way, did he carry me back to wrestling? When the Rock followed me, that meant something to me. Like, I know what it feels like. And so I want to scale positivity, and I don't do it frivolously. I want to do it for things that I think someone's emerging, someone's doing something interesting. I think people need. You know, I know it might be a. I know the game's hard, too. I know what people do when they make content. When it's not an easy game, it's so easy to quit. You talked about the cliche 1:1 video. 7, 9, 10. Almost everyone does that. Do you know how many get somewhere and then still give up, get to 150,000 followers, but then they get stale for six months and for some reason they stop and they never get back on. So I know that I don't know what is happening with you on the other side when I say that, or to the thousands that I've sent that message to, but I know the outcome can't be bad.
- [82:20]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [82:20]
Gary Vaynerchuk
You know, either they needed it as an extra boost to keep going or they think it's super cool. Or even if they don't think I'm cool, it's like, it's just nice. Like, even if it doesn't carry a lot of weight with them, who doesn't want to hear, like, you're doing a good job?
- [82:34]
Podcast Host
Yeah. The Rock always says this quote that I love. It's nice to be important. It's more important to be nice.
- [82:39]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Yeah. I mean, that's very real. I believe in that the most. It's a great quote.
- [82:45]
Podcast Host
So good. Gary Vee, thank you so much.
- [82:48]
Gary Vaynerchuk
Thanks for having me, 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.
- [82:57]
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- [83:28]
Gary Vaynerchuk
See you later.