Gary Vaynerchuk
Businessman, family man, and CEO of VaynerMedia
Discussion
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Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee · CEO
Hi I'm Gary - I've been building business all my life. Starting in my 20's I grew the family business, a liquor store, from $3million to $45 million in 5 years by launching WineLibrary.com, one of America's first wine e-commerce businesses. Then in 2009 I co-founded VaynerMedia, a social first digital library helping brands market in the year we live in. Currently I'm an Angel investor and Advisor to some of the most successful tech startups and have invested in more than 50 including Twitter, Tumblr, Medium and Uber. Last year I decided to launch a $25 million seed fund, VaynerRSE, to continue investing. Ask me anything!
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Ryan Hoover
@rrhoover · Founder, Product Hunt
You've invested in over 50 startups (Product Hunt included 🙏) and I'm sure you've passed on companies that turned out to be wildly successful. Which one do you most regret not investing in?
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Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee · CEO
@rrhoover Uber Angel...I got in later but missed the Angel and Travis was such a dear friend, I wasnt as liquid then and it really bugs me, also Pinterest ar 200 m, I was on it, it was something I loved but dragged my feet
Darrin Malone
@darrinmalone · little engine inc, President
@rrhoover Man... not to take the spotlight off Gary... but THANK you for Producthunt. So simple and so helpful for a small agency like mine!
Doug Astor
@theezaven · product hunter-gatherer
@rrhoover nice product improvement - love the red background on the maker name and the blinking red light next to Live Now!
Shannon Clarke
@sajclarke · Electrical Engineer & Software Developer
@garyvee Everyone says they missed out on Uber and the media constantly tries to paint Travis as an asshole - Good to see that he has a lot of close friends who vouch for him otherwise
ilya movshovich
@ilyamov · Focus on ideas that change the world!
@rrhoover I'm guessing that would be @Uber from what I've heard @garyvee say :-) http://www.businessinsider.com/g... Any others besides Uber?
Jeff
@jefferysierra · Co-Owner, President
What are three things every entrepreneur should be thinking of on a daily basis?
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Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee · CEO
@jefferysierra
#1 Their Legacy
#2 The lack of time
#3 The enormous amount of time and applying patience to every decision and execution
I am aware number 2 and 3 are contradictions - ;)
Ryan Hoover
@rrhoover · Founder, Product Hunt
This video legacy from 2008 (!!!) sticks with me to today:
Andrea Sanchez
@andrea_sanchez
John Exley
@johnexley · Sales, Yieldmo
@garyvee Is there a difference in the % ownership you take (on average) when you write a personal check as an angel investor versus when you become an advisor to a particular startup? And, when you're interested in a particular founder/company and want to help, how you decide between investing through VaynerRSE, versus writing a personal angel check, versus becoming an Advisor?
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Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee · CEO
@johnexley NOW I only can ( CAN ) do VaynerRSE...it precludes me from personal unless my LP and team sign off but I never want to create that situation
Matt_DuBois
@matt_dubois · Materials Coordinator, IPS Learning
@garyvee What advice have you given or would you give Casey Neistat on being successful with his company and app Beme?
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Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee · CEO
@matt_dubois to focus on the balance between your vision and the community feedback
Jeff Needles
@jsneedles · BI @ Meerkat & Maker of Things
@garyvee I need some wisdom! You've worked with all kinds of people... If you work with a crappy/toxic person, but have to make it work. What do you do?
Niv Dror
@nivo0o0 · Writer/Social Editor @ProductHunt
@jsneedles Jeff we will work it out 😖
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Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee · CEO
@jsneedles I dont make it work...get out or get them out - PERIOD...you dont have to do anything ;)
Jeff Needles
@jsneedles · BI @ Meerkat & Maker of Things
@garyvee Thanks! You rock. Still waiting on the #MeerChat 😘
Sean McCabe
@seanwes · seanwes
@jsneedles If you're interested in more detail, Gary just answered this question yesterday: https://youtu.be/NpiPc3gPeYY?t=2...
David McGraw
@xmcgraw · Founder • Builder • U.S. Marine Veteran
@garyvee Amen to that. Life is way too short. If they just refuse to grow, learn, or be part of a team, it's time to change the scene. Bad fit. Move on.
Erik Torenberg
@eriktorenberg · Former Product Hunt
Gary - You have so many accomplishments and so much to be proud of. What's something you're _not_ proud of, professionally or personally? (sometimes it's helpful to that society's heroes have hangups too)
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Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee · CEO
@eriktorenberg That I didnt invest enough time in my marriages first 5 years, lizzie and I had a lot of time together before kids and I left 2 vacatins of year and 10 weekends a year on the table and chose to work instead, I hate myself for it and regret it
Sean McCabe
@seanwes · seanwes
Big #AskGaryVee fan. What is the most important thing to understand in order to be able to get from six figures a year to seven figures?
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Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee · CEO
@seanwes big picture things, patience, empowering others, understanding that 99% of things dont matter, biz dev chops to create leverage
Sean McCabe
@seanwes · seanwes
@garyvee I'm writing these down and looking at them every day. Thanks a million!
Danielle Newnham
@daniellenewnham · Founder, The Junto Network. Author
If you had to choose one, what single quality do you think sets you, and other very successful entrepreneurs apart?
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Gary Vaynerchuk
@garyvee · CEO
@daniellenewnham for me its Work Ethic but for many others its a ton of different things ..empthy and salesmenship are up there for me too
