The absolute best talk at South By Southwest is Gary Vaynerchuk’s. Last year, I captured all of his great quotes, and this year I’m doing it again. It’s sort of like a Bible for how to be successful. Vaynerchuk’s authenticity redefines the world.
The following is a combination of me furiously typing what Gary says, and some pictures I took at his presentation. I really hope you enjoy this.
I’m obsessed with then we draw lines in the sand, as people. Like when we say we aren’t going to do things. Like, “why the heck would I check in somewhere?” If someone gives you a f**king beer for checking in, you’re going to check in.
I think we are very quick to make asumptions about things we aren’t going to do.
No matter what you think you are right now, no matter what you think you do right now, every person is going to be in a couple of industries, and it’s coming fast and coming soon. And it’s called customer service.
The fact that anyone cares about what you have to say; that’s a big deal. People need to start taking this seriously.
Because everyone has an audience, the game is changing dramatically. Everyone has a voice.
Whip out your phone with purpose.
I don’t care if you build the greatest app of all time, your product is going to have a problem eventually if you don’t give a f**k.
Real dead and simple: companies don’t give a f**k. They don’t care about users enough. Like when somebody like Zappos gives a solid f**k, we go crazy. I think that caring is massively underrated.
Company: “How can I get more Twitter followers?”
Gary: “Why do you want Twitter followers?”
Company: (Uhhhh, so I can spam them)
Everyone is trying to be a 19-year-old dude. Everyone is trying to close too fast. Give it a little time. It’s so amazing what a soft sell can do.
The reason we love our parents is because they loved us first. Every single company should take this advice.
You have to do good first. That’s the only way you are gonna convert. Back in the day, when the douchebag gatekeepers controlled the market, it was hard to penetrate, but now we all broadcast. Word of mouth works now, much more than ever. @-reply every single person.
If you’re not recognizing the social trends right now, you are gonna miss out.
Experience and interaction has enormous value right now. People are not buying things for content now; there’s a lot of good quality content for free.
If you mug women at night, and you’re happy, do it. I’m serious. (I’m not). I want people to do what they love.
The Internet is 15 years old, hasn’t had sex yet, and is just getting started. This platform is so massive, and it was never practical about building a business about what you love when you have a real job.
There is a bunch of low-hanging fruit, and people are gonna start eating those grapes.
People ask, what am I driven by? I’m driven by gratitude. I was born in a sh*tty place. If my parents didn’t leave that place, one of three things would have happened to me: Jailed, killed, or one of those crazy Russian billionaires that was dominating. I’ve had a 30 year run with very little death in my family. I’m so grateful. To have this much support; is insanity. Then when you add a child, life gets so much better. I am so lucky. I almost think I’m a Jets fan to offset it.
I want to sit with 80 and 90-year-old people more than anyone. They have played this game before. Not one of them has told me, “I wish I had more money”. I feel bad for those people though because they didn’t have the out that we have. If you are sitting at SxSW right now, you are so lucky. You are way ahead of everyone.
There’s no “selling” people anymore. There are gonna be forced into the game anyway.
Love your family more than anything, and you always win.
Best wine if you’re stranded on a deserted island? 1982 Salon champagne
Agencies are playing politics to keep the client. If they spent 1/5th of that time being creative, and trying to make sh*t happen, they would be way more successful. I think what creative agencies need to is to be creative.
Work/life balance is the only challenge I’ll ever have. I’m addicted to the process. The second I make a decision, I’ve won. The process is the game. I’m never fearful of business ever, because once I’ve decided to do it, I’ve won. The only thing I’m ever scared of the health of my family and friends.
People make decisions, not f**king robots.
