#AskGaryVee

If you spend any time on social media (“And seriously, who doesn’t these days” – note from the subconscious), you’ve undoubtedly noticed one loud, controversial, and somewhat directly (and painfully) bold man, who constantly posts video clips, motivational posters, and whatnot. His videos are shot using both mobile and professional cameras, and he hosts celebrities from the business world. He delivers business-motivational-inspirational speeches to hundreds and hundreds of people and has built his own media empire. He’s painfully honest and brazen, some would even say arrogant and rude. He loves proving to people that anyone can make a few dollars in a short period of time, demonstrating this by showing up at a garage sale, finding a bargain, and then selling it for more. He’s also a wine connoisseur and a fan of the Jets.

I assume you already have an idea of whom I’m speaking.

Ladies and gentlemen… Gary Vaynerchuk.

“#AskGaryVee” is a popular show (you can find it on YouTube) where Gary answers various questions about business, social media, startups, and how to develop habits to build a (successful multi million-dollar) business.

The book “#AskGaryVee” compiles the most interesting questions and answers from the series, now in extended and elaborated versions.

Over more than 300 pages divided into 22 chapters, Gary responds directly and bluntly, without sugar-coating, to questions concerning a wide range of topics—from starting a business, advertising on Facebook, content on social networks, influencer marketing, gratitude, leadership, self-awareness, investing, management, family business, parenting…

What’s interesting is that Gary isn’t someone who just gives generalized advice. He often goes into details. If you’re at all interested in anything related to the business world, like founding companies, marketing, social media, etc., you’ll certainly find the book engaging.

Another interesting aspect is a recurring theme in Gary’s responses—that one should work hard and “break their back working.” But that’s just the kind of entrepreneur Gary is. He lives for his shows, employees, and projects, and devotes his remaining time to his family. Some might say Gary is an extreme workaholic, but hey, he sees it as pursuing higher goals. He dreams of buying the Jets, investing in the future, and tries to anticipate what’s worth investing in.

I won’t delve into the descriptions of the chapters themselves. Simply start with the part that interests you. The book is structured so that it can be read from any section (i.e., the questions posed to Gary). In my opinion, though, the first chapter (“Clouds and Dirt”) is a real hit.

Instead of concluding about the book itself, I’d like to share some thoughts about Gary Vaynerchuk. Some consider him an expert, someone who understands business quite well. Many view him as an arrogant, self-important bore, excessively exposed in the media. However, the fact remains that this man started almost from scratch, believed more in practical knowledge than in formal education (something he openly discusses). He has built his own little empire with over 800 employees, notable clients like “Pepsi”, “Toyota”, “SyFy”, “Johnson”, has loyal followers and admirers worldwide, several bestsellers under his belt, invests in various projects (among the first to invest in Twitter and Uber…smart moves 🙂), is a sought-after speaker, listed in Fortune’s “40 under 40”, etc…

All in all, the man may be loud, but his influence is undeniable.

Whether you agree with his views on the world and business or not, I think his books are worth reading. I definitely plan to read his book “Crush It” in the near future.

Question for dear readers: What do you think about Gary Vaynerchuk? A loudmouth or a real businessman?