- On this episode I avunch a bunch, avunch a buncha?
I invite a bunch of VaynerMedia employees
to ask me some questions.
(intense music)
You ask questions and I answer them.
This is
The #AskGaryVee Show.
Hey everybody, this is Gary Vay-ner-chuk
and this is Episode 116 of the #AskGaryVee Show.
We are now back in a VaynerMedia conference room.
We decided to do a VaynerMedia episode.
When was the last episode that we did this on?
Anybody know the number?
- [Voiceover] 69. - 69?
Very good job.
Staphon wins the battle.
Where were you on that India?
- Sorry? (group laughs)
- Were you even around for Episode 69 yet?
- [India] I was, I think that was one of my best ones.
- And you didn't remember?
- [India] I guess not.
- Yeah, not a good job.
Thrilled that jury duty is over,
pumped to be doing the show
in front of a bunch of the VaynerMedia peeps,
which is exciting for me.
And so, India,
let's
get into
- [both] the show!
- Good job!
Good job, I'm proud of ya.
Alright, let's do it, who's up first?
You want me?
Alright, you're ready, this is all
go straight Zhang.
- Black and white right?
- Black and white baby very good!
Why don't you tell the Vayner Nation who you are
and then you get to fire away my friend.
- My name is Dave Zhang @drzhang on Twitter.
- (mumbles) nice! - Might as well do it.
- Don't worry Zhang,
if you watch the show it actually pops up here
it's gonna get linked up. - [Zhang] Ding!
- Yeah exactly.
(group laughs)
- My question for you Gary is
10 years from now,
- 10 years from now.
- what industry will be going through the most disruption?
So what is it going to be like
in the media industry 10 years from now?
- So, 10 years from now,
so first of all, and I like to say this a lot,
I don't think I'm Nostradamus.
I don't like to predict.
I will tell you this,
I'm gonna take your question in a different place
because I don't really, I mean, all of them,
which is really where I'm gonna go with this.
I think that Uber, Airbnb, you know,
these companies that are really disrupting markets.
Like the hotel industry is really disrupted by Airbnb.
If you're in the limo business,
your shit's in trouble because of Uber, right?
So, these companies
I think most of us, most of the people watching
think that these are anomalies, right?
We call them unicorns in the tech, VC world.
And I think people think they're so special.
I actually think they're the preview.
I think that every single company
that is in existence today,
that is not 100% software technology based first,
is massively vulnerable.
And I think 10 years might be a little bit too early
but if you told me 20, 30 years from now,
like E-com I think is much smaller than people realize
it only represents 12-13%
of all commerce transactions in the U.S.
That means it has, oh I don't know, 88% to go, right?
So I think there's a lot of industries,
I think on-demand dynamics, right?
Like laundromats are I think in deep shit
because I think I'm gonna press a button
and somebody's gonna do my laundry.
You look at what Shyp is doing and picking up people's stuff
and shipping it for them, which I think bodes poorly
for the FedEx store.
I think you can really kind of go on anything
that hasn't been disrupted by technology
really going that route.
And so, I think the last 10 years
so much has happened, right?
This didn't exist 10 years ago.
This literally didn't exist 10 years ago.
I think the next 10 years will stun people
and I think people are grossly misunderstanding
the exponential growth of technology and software
eating up our society and breaking the norms
that we're just accustomed to.
I'd also throw one other thing,
I think higher education I think is stunningly vulnerable.
And I don't think it will be disrupted in 10 years
but obviously we talked about this in a prior show,
I think once the parents stop caring
that their kids go to Harvard and Yale,
which I think is only one or two generations, again,
I think education is an interesting place to look at.
- Great, thank you, thanks. - Nice shirt, man.
- Cool man, let's go!
Why don't you clap for Zhang?
(applause)
- That feels more festive!
That feels more festive.
I like that.
Alright.
- [India] You can go next, yeah.
- Alright let's go, let's go, Molly.
- Hi!
- Hey Mol. - Hi Gary!
- How are ya? - How are ya?
I'm Molly.
Nice to meet you Vayner Nation.
(laughs)
- What is your question Molly?
- My question is I read an article
in the New York Times recently.
- Is that a newspaper?
- It is a newspaper, but my Mom sent it to me on Facebook.
- Amazing.
- So, it was called 'No Time To Be Nice At Work'
and it was all about how the workplace is becoming
a hostile environment now because people aren't civil
to one another because of a bunch of external factors.
They're focused on a bunch of other different things.
- Like what?
- So people aren't nice to each other
because the pressure of day-to-day tasks,
they're thinking about something else
when they're in a conversation with somebody.
- OK.
- How do you find--
- What was the point of the article,
like what was it trying to say?
- It was trying to say that
there's always time to kind of like
take a deep breath and say hi, how are you, to somebody,
which I think you do a really good job of.
- Okay.
- So how do you find the time to focus?
We're having a conversation right now,
this is a great example, but how do you find the time
to focus, be nice to people, stay in the moment,
that kind of thing?
- How do I personally?
- Yes, you personally.
- You know I don't think I really have any other gear.
I truly believe like DNA
and the way you were brought up is real.
I truly look around this room
and there's different levels of being a nice person
in this room, it's just real.
It's just a real thing, right?
For me, it's super easy.
So here's what I would say, I think that one thing I like
to say a lot is money and micro-fame or real fame
doesn't change a person, it just exposes a person.
So the amount of people that write me emails
or see me in the street like, "wow you're...", they'll like
send a tweet after they take a selfie with me in the street
and they're like, "Wow, Gary Vee's a really nice guy!"
Like, you actually get credit for being a nice person
the more exposure you get.
Which I think is silly.
Which I think is kind of just a weird kind of dynamic.
So, I think that falls in the same realm as your question
which is, you know, I don't think external things
in the world, like 24/7 world,
I don't think anything's really changed.
I don't think Gertrude is nicer or meaner
because it's 2013 and not 1955 anymore, right?
I really don't think that, I just think Gertrude's a (beep)
and like decided not to be nice
just like she wouldn't have been nice 30 years ago.
And so, for me, I don't even know any other Gary.
As a matter of fact, I'm probably a little bit weird
the other way, which is I'm so uncomfortable
with negativity and angst, things of that nature,
that I attack it in reverse.
A lot of my day is taken up trying
to make sure that's contained and not happening.
So, it's just my default.
I think there's a lot of value in it.
I'm stunned how many people undervalue
a head-nod or a "hey".
For me, because as you guys know I'm running around so much,
so much of my stuff is like a wink or a smile or a,
it's just I don't have the time, but it's so nice.
I think people really value effort, and intent.
And I think you can get away with doing
so much of that stuff, with such little stuff, right?
And so, for me it's easy because my parents had sex
at the right moment to give me my DNA.
- [Kim] (applause)
- Thank you, Kim.
And, - (laughter)
and my Mom really parented me in a way
to really value other people
and all that kind of stuff.
And so, I just haven't known any different.
I love that I get like extra credit for it now-a-days
because a couple people follow me on social media.
But, for me there's, ya know,
and more importantly, and I think you know this, and I think
a lot of you know this and some of you don't know this,
but it's what's more interesting to me is I believe in it
so much the level of which I'm forcing it down below me,
not just leading by example but being pretty upfront
with senior leadership of how much it matters to me
is I think helps our company.
- For sure.
- Cool. - It does.
- Thanks Mol.
- [Group] (applause)
- How are you brother? - Good, how about yourself?
- Good how about yourself?
- I'm well!
- I'm Merv.
Fantasy Sports, the daily fantasy sports market
is blowing up lately.
Draft Kings bought by Disney.
FanDuel, partnering with NBC Sports.
How do you think that changes the game for us
as fans and as marketers?
Does it shift us more to being fans of players
instead of teams, and is loyalty gone? - Ugh, Merv.
That's a good question!
So, if Tom Brady's leg fell off his body today in the news,
I'd be happy, right?
I'm more than happy to say that.
I understand how that's disgusting as a human being,
but it's the truth.
So I'm just telling the truth.
If tomorrow Tom Brady got traded to the Jets,
I would love him with all my heart.
So you're talking to somebody who completely and utterly
100% all in, only roots for the logo, not the player.
Video games, sports memorabilia, and now more than ever,
Fantasy Sports has clearly created a culture.
I had a family event, unfortunately a negative family event,
Liz's 99-year-old Grandmother passed away,
we had a ceremony, and Liz's cousin was there, he's young.
And he's a Seahawks fan.
And we're sitting in the living room and Sports Center
comes up and Peyton Manning comes up
and he's like, "Yeah, Peyton!"
He's like nine or 11.
"Yeah Peyton Manning, the man, I love you Peyton Manning!"
And I looked at him and said,
"You're a (beep) Seahawks fan!
"Like, you played each other in the Super Bowl."
He's like, "Yeah, but I love Peyton Manning,
fantasy, five-touch --"
I was like this sucks.
I hate the culture -- like for me
by the way, this whole show for 116 episodes
I say, "Don't be romantic, don't be romantic
don't be romantic."
And that's because I think this is
like it's a very deadly sin.
In sports, I am outrageously romantic.
It's the one place where I think
I'm the worst version of myself.
And it is stunning for me
how much I hate player culture
where like you are a Giants fan,
but you like a Cowboy player?
It makes no sense to me.
I've been in environments, one of the great things that has
ever happened to me on this issue was, I was at a sports bar
before a Jets game, because I can never be in a bar setting
for a Jets game, but before a Jets game,
there was Giants fan wearing an Eli Manning Jersey
and the Giants were killing the Eagles.
And a random touch-down by DeSean Jackson happens
and the Giants fan goes, "Yeah!"
And I looked at him and said, "You are a piece of (beep)."
I'm like how in the world did he --
He's like, "DeSean's on my fantasy team."
So, this was a game several years ago
where the Eagles had a furious come-back in the 4th quarter,
and DeSean Jackson had the kick-off and scored
and the Eagles came back and won that game
after being down by like three touchdowns.
I was so happy.
A happiness that I can't even explain that
that guy got it stuck to him for cheering for a fantasy
thing over his favorite football team.
But that's something I'm romantic about,
so how do I think?
I think most of the kids these days
and even the grownups are getting re-wired
to be more player-centric.
I think that's really dangerous for the leagues.
You wanna talk about something that could happen
in 10 to 20 to 30 years?
I truly believe before I die,
the five to 15 most influential athletes within a league
will go out and start a separate league, and pull it off.
Before I die.
I believe that will happen.
And I think that's super interesting.
Tie in question one to question three on this episode.
Because I think that they're
gaining disproportionate leverage.
The cost of entry, of distribution TV rights is changing.
And I think there will be smart business people
that will come in and pay them to go start that league
and change the dynamics. - Sure.
- I think it's a very slippery slope for the leagues
to go down this path.
But they will because the money is short-term
and they'll take it.
Cool man, thanks for your question.
- [Group] (applause)
- Hey!
- [Kim] Hi Gary! - How are ya?
- Good how are you? - Good.
- Kim Francis, month two at VaynerMedia.
- Yes, Merv, you're also month what, one,
- [Merv] One and a half. - two, one and a half?
- Some newbies on the show!
- Yes, absolutely.
So one of things that I love the most about being here
is the hustle way of life.
I think it's amazing.
- Okay.
- What are your suggestions when working with external
partners, who you gotta work with to get the job done,
who don't share your hustle?
- You mean like the rest of the entire world?
- Yes, them. Exactly.
- From an agency dynamic, we're stuck, right?
You wanna look good in the sandbox
which for people that don't understand, you work with
a brand and you've got four, five, six, three
different agency partners and it's important that
what a brand hates that we work with is when the agencies
are playing politics with each other because
their assumption is that we as Vayner, are trying to get the
money of this person, and that makes sense.
That's a cynical point of view,
that's the right point of view
by the way, 90% of the time.
And so, I, and you may not fully know this but some of the
people that have been here a little bit longer,
I'm actually very aggressive, like don't go down that route,
we'll get ours by just showing what we're about.
But it makes it frustrating for all of you
that are in the trenches
because I'm probably taking, I'm probably pushing it
even too far of like "be nice to everybody",
even though they suck.
Or you think they suck.
- I don't think they suck, I just said
they don't hustle. - I get it, I think everyone sucks.
And so, I think that
it's a balancing act.
It's a really fine, tight rope.
I think letting your work speak for itself
is a very smart strategy.
I think the truth is undefeated.
Meaning, I do think eventually the truth bubbles up right?
Now, you may have a flawed judge of the truth.
Like there's a human being that runs that brand
that may not see it, maybe tricked,
may have too much romance for the prior world.
Or logos over team players.
And so, I think you have to assess who the judge and jury is
number one because that's just the real game.
I think you need to build a relationship, for real,
outside of what's happening in the room with those people.
Because let's not forget they're just humans that work for
a company, and I have found that a lot of times
they realize they stink too.
Because maybe their company stinks
and at least that gets you aligned where you're not mad
at the person, you're mad at a logo.
Which I think often times takes a lot of venom
out of the situation, makes it all more palpable.
I think what it comes down to
is good old-fashioned communication, on all levels.
Your own team.
As somebody who's a little more senior.
One of the things that we struggle with here at Vayner
is the youngsters don't fully get it all the way
they haven't been through it.
So they're looking just at the narrow
like this project isn't done at Thursday at 4, they stink!
There's a lot more going on than that.
So I think communication with your team, to the side,
the different players, the client.
Just communication, communication, communication.
- I like it, thank you! - Cool, you got it.
- [Group] (applause)
- Very selfish question I would say.
I'm just kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding.
I'm not moving DRock.
- How's it going Gary?
- You move mother (beep). - [Group] (laughs)
- Vayner Nation, my name's Jody Gowen, nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you. - I've already met you.
Alright so, we talk a lot about press and the pros and cons
of getting press, but even in like bad press situations
someone, like some troll will always bring up the argument
like, "Well, at least we're talking about it, right?"
- Right, the thought of all press is good press?
- Yeah, what's your thoughts on that, agree or disagree?
- Fundamentally disagree.
Like if somebody said you're a murderer and a child molester
if you think that's good, if you think that's good press,
you're out of your (beep) mind, right?
So like the thought that all press
is good press is ludicrous.
Everything matters contextually.
It's the same reason I feel crazy about media in our world.
Everybody thinks all impressions are equal.
They're not, like the content matters.
Like the way people feel about you matters.
If they think, I'm adamantly against that
and I think that's, I think the people that say
all press is good press are people that get bad press.
Like, I really do.
I can't wrap my head around bad press being a good thing.
Like. how?
That completely does the thing that pisses me the most off
about media, it takes the context out of the equation.
Well you still reached 11 million people.
Like really?
Donald Trump's getting a (beep)-load of press right now,
do we think that's good?
Who could possibly think that's good?
That's a crazy thought.
And so, I think that's a massive misnomer.
And I'm very disrespectful to anybody that believes
that to be true, Jody.
- Alright, thank you!
- You got it.
- [Group] (applause)
- Didn't think child molester
was gonna get dropped on this episode.
We have a bonus question, let's go.
Why is Allison the bonus question?
- [India] Because it's fun. - OK.
- Because it's my only question I'm scheduling a one-on-one.
- Got it! - [Group] (laughs)
- I'm Allison, I'm very nervous.
I don't really know, I have no idea what I'm about to ask
or what's gonna come out of my mouth.
- I'm excited, I love improv.
- Shoot, oh my gosh.
What was either your first
or your most embarrassing screen name?
- Oh! - [Group] (laughs)
One of my AOL chat names way back in the day
was GeeNutz with a Z.
- (laughs)
- G-E-E N-U-T-Z.
- (laughs)
- That one is a good one.
That is your answer Allison.
Not bad for an improvisation.
Good job, awesome. - Yeah it's great.
Let's clap that up. - [Group] (applause)
Is that it, India, that's it?
Oh man, appreciate the live audience.
Give a little camera action for everybody.
I appreciate it guys,
hope you guys all have a good Fourth of July.
GeeNutz signing off for the Fourth of July,
question of the day, how badly do you wanna work here?
You keep asking questions, I'll keep answering them.
Thanks guys. - [Group] (applause)