What’s the ROI of Your Mother? 

Summary

Podcast Summary: The GaryVee Audio Experience

Episode: What’s the ROI of Your Mother?
Host: Gary Vaynerchuk
Date: May 10, 2026

---

Episode Overview

In this candid and memorable episode, Gary Vaynerchuk explores the true meaning of ROI (Return on Investment) as it relates not only to marketing but also to life—drawing a compelling parallel between measuring business outcomes and the immeasurable impact of his mother on his success. Using an iconic story from his career, Gary dives deep into themes of upbringing, gratitude, and the intangible contributions that shape our character and our achievements.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The ROI of Social Media vs. The ROI of a Mother

• Gary recounts a high-stakes exchange with a conservative CMO who persistently pushes him to define the ROI of social media.
  • He explains that though metrics like engagement and clicks are commonly discussed, genuine purchase intent and actual impact matter more.

    “It doesn't matter how many fans and Twitter followers you have, it's how many of them are going to buy something and give a fuck.” (Gary, 00:56)

• Gary challenges the CMO's logic by asking:

  “Can you give me the ROI of television and print? ...Can you guarantee me that somebody's looking at the ad on page 139? Because you can't.” (Gary, 01:18)

• Ultimately, frustrated by the persistence, Gary delivers his now-classic zinger:

  “So I look at her and go, what's the ROI of your mother?” (Gary, 01:42)

  • He clarifies he doesn’t mean it as a joke, but to illustrate that certain foundational influences aren’t quantifiable yet are essential:

    “The ROI of my mother is everything. The reason I'm going to buy a multi-billion dollar sports franchise is because of my mother.” (Gary, 01:55)

• Gary argues that much like love or trust, some of the most significant contributors to success cannot be plotted on a spreadsheet.

2. Personal Stories about Gary’s Mother

• First memory with his mother:
  • Gary shares a vivid memory of being three years old and burning himself with hot tea soon after arriving in America.

    “I poured hot tea on myself when I was three when we first came to America... I think that's really kind of my first memory. And she was there, of course, every second.” (Gary, 03:09)

• Formative bond:
  • Gary was intensely attached to his mom—so much so that as a toddler, he’d refuse to budge or calm down until she returned home.

    “My aunt trying to watch me when I was like 2 after my mom—like was literally with me every second of my life and me losing my fucking mind... Incredibly close and like very attached.” (Gary, 04:11)

3. Parenting, Discipline, and Self-Esteem

• His mother was skilled at balancing warmth and sternness. Even when disciplining, she made her disappointment felt without anger:

  “When I'm upset or something bad happens, I don't explode and make it nasty... it's almost like you're more upset 'cause you let me down than like, you're scared of me. I think she had that.” (Gary, 05:09)

• Gary credits his self-esteem and business confidence to the love and belief instilled by his mother, referencing stories like getting a mullet in sixth grade and being reassured of his potential regardless.

4. The Immigrant Mentality and Sacrifice

• Gary reflects on his awareness of the sacrifices his mother made as an immigrant:

  “Immigrant kids know sacrifices more than not immigrant kids. I think it's in the culture... immigrant parents talk about sacrificing more than american parents. They're like, I sacrificed everything for you. Awesome. Thank you.” (Gary, 06:14)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On immeasurable impact:

  "I can't show you in data the ROI of my mother, but I promise you it's all of it." (Gary, 02:41)

• On parental influence:

  “The way she parented me... is the reason I have the ability, the confidence and absolute wherewithal to execute the businesses that I'm building.” (Gary, 01:59)

• On discipline with empathy:

  “You guys see when I'm upset or something bad happens, I don't explode and make it nasty... I think I took that from her.” (Gary, 05:08)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:31 - 02:41: The "ROI" anecdote with the CMO and Gary's iconic mother analogy
• 03:03 - 03:49: First memory of his mother and early hardship
• 04:05 - 04:45: Early attachment and unconditional love
• 05:01 - 05:43: Receiving discipline with warmth
• 06:14: Realizing parental sacrifice as an immigrant child

---

Conclusion

GaryVee’s “What’s the ROI of Your Mother?” is a heartfelt, thought-provoking episode that challenges the audience to recognize the intangible drivers of success, both in business and in life. Gary blends personal storytelling with sharp critique of measurement-obsessed business culture, ultimately reminding listeners that some of the greatest returns come from the things and people that can’t be quantified.

Transcript

[Schwab Announcer]

Trading at Schwab is now powered by Ameritrade, bringing you an expanding library of education with even more ways to sharpen your trading skills. Access new online courses, insightful webcasts, articles, engaging videos and more, all curated just for traders. Plus guided learning paths with content designed to fit your unique interests. No sifting to find exactly what you need so you can spend your time learning to trade brilliantly. Learn [e-mail] trading I was in the

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

room with a very conservative CMO and she was really drilling me. She was like, but what's the ROI of social media? And I'm giving her my best stuff. For example, if you want some best stuff, go look at what your engagement rate is on your Facebook page. You have a certain amount of fans and then you have a post, go look at the number. Is it 0.01? Is it 0.02? It doesn't matter how many fans and Twitter followers you have, it's how many of them are going to buy something

and give a fuck.

So she's drilling me and I'm giving her some really good metrics, at least for a 2011 world. And she's pushing and I know why. She works in a conservative company and the more conservative she comes across, the more likely she'll be the CEO. I get it, I'm fine. But she's pushing and pushing and finally I look at her and I go, she's like, but, Gary, what's the roi? And I'm like, duh, duh. She's like, but what's the real ROI of social media? And I'm doing my normal thing, like, can you give me the ROI of television and print? Because I love that you spend a shitload of money on Vogue and you're buying the subscription, but can you guarantee me that somebody's looking at the ad on page 139? Because you can't. And I'm giving her everything I've got and she's still punching me directly in the throat. So I had to pull it out. She goes, what's the ROI of social media? What's the ROI of social media'? So I look at her and go, what's the ROI of your mother? This is the GaryVee audio experience. She said, excuse me? I said, oh. I said, I have no interest in making a mother joke and I'm not making fun of you, but let me explain one thing to you. The ROI of my mother is everything. The reason I'm going to buy a multi billion dollar sports franchise is because of my mother. My mother, the way she parented me, which oh by the way is perfectly is the reason I have the ability, the confidence and absolute wherewithal to execute the businesses that I'm building. However, my friends at Inc 500, I cannot come to you with slides and, and put them on those screens and say over here, click. In sixth grade when I got a mullet, you know, and my mom said I was gorgeous and beautiful and I could do anything, well, that was building self esteem. And so what I did with that on the next slide is, you'll see here I sold a couple more cases of wine in 1994 because of that self esteem which led to this. And now I can't show you, I can't show you in data the ROI of my mother, but I promise you it's all of it.

[Interviewer]

Your mom, what's the first memory you have with her? Do you remember how old were you? Or was it in Queen?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I think my first memory was when

I

poured hot tea on myself. A story I haven't told much in my life. I poured hot tea on myself when I was three when we first came to America and burnt my skin and went to the hospital in Rico park and spent two days there or one day or three days. Luckily no scarring, but could have been really nasty. I think that's really kind of my first memory. And she was there of course, every second. Yeah, of course. But that's like where my memories start to begin. I would say that it's like when I think about living, I remember my grandpa, my great grandpa quite a bit during that time when we lived in Queens. But yes, I remember that incident quite a bit.

[Interviewer]

Was it then or at what point did you really start to feel that her talking about her unconditional love. When did that really?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Well, I mean I. Oh, probably in my late teens. And you know when you really understood it right? Like you're just living as a child, you know. But I was incredibly close to my mom. Like there's really funny stories of like my aunt trying to watch me when I was like 2 after my mom like like was literally with me every second of my life and me losing my fucking mind like would not leave the window until she got home. Just looked outside when's my. Like we're incredibly close and like very attached to each other. I was very attached to my mom. It was like spent every second with

[Interviewer]

her when you made a mistake as a kid or failed or did something wrong. Yes, you've said that she was really good at balancing the warmth with sternness, Whether it was grounding for the grades. Right.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Well, I think when I was doing something wrong, there was not that much warmth with it. She was good that every minute was warmth. I mean, even you two have been here for a second, and definitely trane who's been here for a few minutes. You guys see when I'm upset or something bad happens, I don't explode and make it nasty. Like, I get my point across, but it's like, you know, it's almost like you're more upset cause you let me down than like, you're scared of me. I think she had that. I think I took that from her. You know, though, I mean, like, when I really pushed her buttons, like she could get there.

[Interviewer]

What did you come to understand as an adult that maybe you didn't as a kid that she did for you and your whole family? What sacrifices did she make that you maybe didn't understand until, you know, you left home for school or you started to build vayner?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I'm sorry, what are some.

[Interviewer]

Some things that you didn't realize she did as far as sacrifices for you and your family until you got older?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

The reality is that I always knew this sacrifices. Immigrant kids know sacrifices more than not immigrant kids. I think it's in the culture, like, also immigrant parents talk about sacrificing more than american parents. They're like, I sacrificed everything for you. Awesome. Thank you.