Hi, I’m Sipp and I first want to say Thank YOU for reading, and for your attention.
I’m a big fan of Gary Vaynerchuk, the human. I‘m fortunate to have connected with him as our paths have crossed a couple times, and I actually wrote an article in 2018 on Gary’s early years online and how many of his core principles then (when literally NO ONE was listening) still applied to business and life, a decade later. (fun fact: most of them are STILL relevant in 2021)
I had so much fun writing that article:
that I’m expanding on that format. This is the debut of ‘Punchlines’.
What are Punchlines?
“Punchlines” are my favorite takeaways, perspectives, and summations, from rad humans doing interesting work.
Taking notes helps me better retain what I read, watch, or learn through conversation. Writing to share (and teach) helps cement information even further. Plus, this is a lot of d*mn fun for me to put my unique lens on, and highlight interesting work that other rad humans are putting into the world. So consider this the debut article for an interesting experiment that I hope becomes a successful evolution.
And, it’s only right that I start with my pal Gary Vaynerchuk.
Gary, THANK YOU for all you do, always.
In this edition, I re-watched season 1 of #TeaWithGaryVee and am sharing 16 punchlines with you.
Why 16? This is my opportunity to introduce myself, and I wanted to do it in a way that would pay homage to hip-hop and classic bars, battles, and freestyles — my first 16.
Throughout the season, Gary talks about life during COVID-19, social media strategies and business ideations, combatting negativity, finding what you’re good at, how to start or build momentum in whatever project you’re working on, and so much more. I included plenty of clickable links throughout and share tactical advice you can walk away with.
Now, without further ado:
Punchlines: ‘TeaWithGaryVee’ Edition
Punchline #1 — Listening is a simple superpower
Active listening refers to a pattern of listening that keeps us engaged with another human — primarily in a positive way. It is paying attention while someone else speaks, reflecting on what they say, understanding nuance and context, and paraphrasing back accurately. We do this to make others feel heard and valued. It is manual, and granular, and specific, and it takes as long as it takes.
Gary is so good at this. He pays attention, internalizes to understand context, and paraphrases to confirm specifics — because he cares about tailoring a reply that will be specific to the guest. Even taking it a step further, you’ll hear him let silence linger to allow for the guest to expand, and looks for ways to get beyond the surface-level question. It’s amazing to see what listening and individualized conversation through a lens of empathy can do to unlock all participants (including the viewing audience),
WalkAwayWith: It’s commonplace to listen to respond. Listening to understand, however, is a simple superpower —one people will gravitate toward.
Think about the last year and how exhausting it’s been on so many levels for you and your loved ones. Now think about the best conversations you had; the ones with the most positive impacts. They likely included someone who listened or offered some support, right? So if you’re in a good place to be an ear or provide your perspective when asked, know that you can make a positive world of difference in someone else’s world — in a simple way.
Punchline #2 — Say it again!!!
When I first started creating content, I remember worrying that I’d run out of ideas to talk about or that people would not want to hear me talk about the same types of topics repeatedly.
This show is such a great reminder of how wrong I was: the callers, comments, real-time reactions, and overall response to this show are all the proof we need. There are so many ways to tailor examples to be situation-specific — and continue to provide immense value to an audience.
Even #TeaWithGaryVee is reminiscent of the smash internet hit (and subsequent book) that was The #AskGaryVee Showwww (a nod to India). And many of the people tuning into sip tea with Gary Vee could likely have their questions answered via watching those classic AGV episodes. But, there’s significant value in the fresh delivery. And Gary found a format where he really shines: live Q & A — similar to how he ends his speaking events.
WalkAwayWith: Find your intersection of:
interest x knowledgeable topic x communication method.
(Using this article as an example: I’m interested in Gary, knowledgeable on the show, working on effective communication via writing)
If you are good with individualized strategic or tactical advice, showcase your core philosophies and share the many ways that it fits into your everyday life, even if it’s around as small number of topics you have expertise in. Your beliefs remain, but the examples you can share and application in any situation can vary daily— giving you fresh opportunity to say it again!!!
Punchline #3 — “Can’t needs to be a creator, Dwelling needs to be a DOer”
We all want to present our projects, our businesses, or the best versions of ourselves, to make an ideal first impression with an audience. But a good first impression is just that — an introduction. The real magic happens when we get people to genuinely care.
Gary says, “getting people to give a f*** is your game.”
How?
Getting people invested in your story via daily content (not daily perfect content).
WalkAwayWith: Start where you are with what you have. You’ve likely heard this advice before but like Punchline #2, this is another relevant opportunity to say it again because it’s still valuable. And more importantly, as Gary notes, do not let something you can’t do, prevent you from doing.
If you’re writing a fiction book, you don’t have a product yet. But you do have the act of writing. You don’t have something tangible to hold, but you have access to an internet that allows you to put out content every day during the timeframe from concept to completion. So by the time the book does come out, people are invested and can’t wait to read it.
Don’t dwell that you can’t find or afford an illustrator, or that you can’t DO without a fancy studio. Can’t needs to be a creator, dwelling needs to be a doer. “No” needs to be a “yes”, and that’s how you get where you want to go.
Punchline #4 —If you actually love “IT”, you’re winning
If you’re wondering about being on the “right” career arc in life, start by asking yourself: “do I love what I do?”
Take a step back and frame what you’re doing in the context of do I love ‘IT’ (whatever thing you’re doing, building, launching) enough to trade my finite time on this earth for it, at this stage in my life. If no, then the good news is we’re fortunate enough to live in an era of adjusting life course at any age. You may have to sacrifice or make some lifestyle adjustments to accommodate, but if you trade something you don’t love for something you do, you still come out ahead.
WalkAwayWith:
If you do love “IT”, go ALL IN on your target audience. Forget about what Competitor X is doing. Ignore the debate of whether you’re “cut out” for it or not.
There’s always going to be someone doing better and somebody doing worse. Some that make significant money and no time to spend it. Some that make less money but wake up and get to work on what they love.
Instead, spend every minute asking, understanding, and working to go all in on your story. You’re happy. Your audience is happy. You love “IT’. You’re winning!
Punchline #5 — Get comfortable with the uncomfortable
As always, shoutout the #5. IYKYK
I wanted to highlight Gary’s encouragement of doing uncomfortable things because I believe in its power of preparation.
As Gary notes, “this whole thing, [this last year+] in the macro, has been uncomfortable.” We’re worried what a family member’s going to think. We think we’re not good looking enough. We anxiously wonder “who’s going to care what I have to say?”
All of this drives discomfort but we’re going through a time that gives us opportunity to realize that:
a) for some, we have no choice but to DO
b) there is no reason to worry about someone else’s opinion
c) insecurity holds us back
d) everybody is actually nosy as sh*t. Go f***ing MAKE — THE END
WalkAwayWith: “The ability to be uncomfortable but be practical, is one of the most important capabilities of an entrepreneur, and a leader.”
— Gary Vaynerchuk
Punchline #6 — Shoot your shot
Gary notes that life is about opportunities, and giving them to others wherever possible. Figuring out what we’re good at or putting in the reps to become good at something we want to be known for, then creating framework to take shots can pay off in a big way.
WalkAwayWith:
As you know, ideas are sh*t without execution.Ideating something or thinking we’re good at something vs. showcasing we’re good at something are two very different things.
Have self-awareness and understand what value you can bring. Then put yourself out there. You may even land your dream job.
Take chances. Find opportunities. Showcase yourself. Ask. You can’t make a basket if you’re holding the ball.
So, let it go — straight and with purpose — shoot your shot.
Punchline #7 — Create, Engage, Repeat
The internet, in it’s current form, has all-but-eliminated proverbial “gatekeepers” like MTV used to be. Fans have more direct access to their favorite artists and creators and inversely, artists and creators have more opportunity to “wow” their fans.
WalkAwayWith:
First, if you’re a music artist, go all in on the TikTok framework because it’s so music-oriented. On any given day you can have the number one hit in the world and launchpad yourself to a global audience —like Twista, make you an overnight celebrity.
Second, go live regularly and jam with fans. Exclusive sneakpeaks, acoustic sessions, concerts that only a certain group can get into (TikTok fans only concert, etc..) and gamification to make it fun. Have fans do a certain act and in return, they get a code that lets them into secret show or stream.
Third, scale the unscalable. As Gary notes, “every second you can muster, engaging one-on-one with a fan, is like the greatest deposit you’ll ever put down.” Imagine younger you getting a DM or reply or individualized response from your favorite artist — it would only strengthen the adoration and appreciation you have for them. Reply like crazy, use pictures and tailored video to remove unnecessary “mystique”, and create deeper fans.
See “The Rickey Henderson Effect”
Make music and wink at people — create, engage, repeat.
Punchline #8 — Social media changes, we evolve; adapt, embrace, crush
Gary had a fantastic conversation with a former college basketball player, who is verified on Instagram, and wanted to know how to replicate that success across all of social.
It’s a smart question, as people wonder, “how do I navigate organic reach decline?”
The answer is surprisingly simple: document > creating; cross-promote channels; post more, worry less.
We can complain about platform changes and watch them change anyway. Or we can understand that platforms change, and we change.
Then look at “here’s how we capitalize…”
I love the analogies that Gary uses:
— someone that was cool in middle school, gets to high school, and doesn’t have same clout.
— Dane Cook and Tila Tequila dominated MySpace, but where are they now?
— Being a contestant on American Idol season 2 & 3 meant you were a celebrity; now, not as much
Gary did 1000 shows about wine, then when he wanted to start talking about business, he had to essentially “start over.” Which this basketball player is now trying to figure out.
The entire game is based on what we put out, and if we’re not putting out main feed posts, we’re not talking. If we’re not talking, we’re not being heard. If we’re not being heard, we can’t build attraction, connection, and community.
WalkAwayWith:
DO use your dominant platform to cross-promote to other networks.
DO NOT start sentences on social media predicated on “will this get me likes?” That’s outside validation, and our focus is inside our own head, heart, and happiness.
Gary says, “everyone’s in high school, even when they leave it.” To leave is to understand that social media changes, we evolve; adapt, embrace, crush.
Punchline #9 — If it’s a dream, you should be willing to…
Between conversations, Gary regularly shares extended thoughts, and passionate pleas. One such plea stood out to me, coming out of a conversation around getting a side job to pay for you to “chase your dream for a long time.”
He mentions how people will talk about dreams but jump into it with no money, no savings, and no reserves. Then they have to quit after 5 weeks because miraculously they didn’t “become Kevin Hart after posting 2 videos about humor.”
He explains that people can get a basic job, especially one that lets you be on your phone, so long as you’re taking care of all inbound inquires[and primary roles and responsibilities], get roommates, save money, and live well below your means so you can work on your dream.
Yeah you sacrifice. Yeah, it’s not “cool.” But, it’s supposedly your DREAM!
WalkAwayWith:
“If it’s a ****ing dream, you should bleed out of your eyes.
If it’s a ****ing dream, you should sweat for a decade. It’s a ****ing dream!! People think dreams are being handed out like candy?!”
— Gary Vaynerchuk
Punchline #10 — Everybody else sucks too
This is for everybody:
You don’t like your nose, or your voice, or that you put on 15+ lbs during this last year? You feel dumb about a particular topic? Everybody’s got sh*t. Everyone has faults. Everyone has baggage. For many you just can’t see it because of how it manifests or it happened in the past.
WalkAwayWith: You want to get really happy?
Know this: Everybody else sucks too.
Punchline #11 — The answer is BOTH
Gustavo asks, “Should I double down on one niche area of expertise, like real estate, for open up other niche areas?”
Naturally, Gary answers: both. And adds, “when people expand, they often times forget the thing that got them there.”
He then gives an example, “if you have 100 beings to deploy going forward, make 70 of those beings go on in real estate, cause it’s working and you haven’t extracted all the value yet. Then take 30 and go into flooring, or insurance, or small business; or whatever you think is right.”
WalkAwayWith:
When it comes to creating content, people care less about production and more about substance. It’s not one at the expense of the other. It’s one complimenting the other. Use that filter to decide if you should post to IG or TikTok. Do both, bring value, watch what happens.
Punchline #12 — We should start loving our haters
This interview with Kristin started out with side-hustle advice and then the conversation takes an interesting turn.
Gary uses example of going from wine talk to business talk and people jumped into his mentions saying, “stay in your lane, wine guy.”
Kristin quips, “I’m sure those people hating in the comments, are still hating in the comments.”
Then Gary drops a gem:
“Hate is the bi-product of someone who is unhappy with their own life. We should stop hating our haters, and we should start loving our haters.”
WalkAwayWith:
If you create content online, at some point, you’re inevitably going to attract haters. Instead of leaning into the “if you don’t have haters then you’re not doing something right” street talk, showcase compassion. As Gary puts it: “these are people with deep insecurity, bad parenting, unlucky circumstances, and the pain, to really want to go to somebody’s account and try to make them feel awful too.”
We could just “block and delete” the hate. But the value is in going to a higher place, having empathy and wanting better for the other person.
The magic is in not dropping to their level, but rather lifting them up to yours.
Punchline #13 — Humility is an unlock
Gary and Ginger covered a variety of topics, but it was how to have humility that stood out.
Ginger discusses creating content that will resonate with her audience, but brings up worry around people asking how they can live up to or replicate what she’s doing.
Gary replies with, “don’t take yourself that serious, humility is the unlock.”
WalkAwayWith:
Good news: no one is thinking about us the way we sometimes convince ourselves they are. Don’t let ego tell you otherwise.
Gary shares that he has grand ambitions to win everything in life, build empires after 70, win Super Bowls, and buy (and rename) islands.
All this while understanding that nobody “gives a ****”.
“When we can simultaneously see that we’re the most special and not special at all, life gets really good.”
- Gary Vaynerchuk
We’re special to ourselves and our circle. In a broader sense, people are too worried about their own situation to even think about us.
The key is in not letting ego put us on a pedestal that we’re any better than others.
Life can be long and rewarding when we enjoy the process of living up to our own ambitions. Keep going, keep experimenting, ground yourself in humility, and unlock the best version of you.
Punchline #14 — Grow through collaboration
Okay, so you’ve created content, you’re building an audience from the ground up, now what? The answer: collaboration.
WalkAwayWith:
Something as simple as video chatting over tea or coffee creates a comfortable setting for genuine conversation.
That conversation leads to more content creation opportunities which lead to introductions to new audiences, and and so on.
Find others in similar or interesting spaces or reach out to content creators that you watch. These people aren’t “competition”, but rather opportunities for convo and cross-pollination.
The whole process starts with asking and being okay with “no” or not even getting a response. It becomes a numbers game of no… until yes.
Eventually collaboration can lead to $trategic partnership deals that fit both sides.
Smart execution with other relevant creators & brands can lead to new audience, additional exposure, interesting opportunities. Ultimately everyone can grow through collaboration.
Punchline #15 — Don’t fake the funk
If you have grand ambitions to create a brand, one of your key vulnerabilities will be embellishing your story for the sake of a “good story”. Or, by distancing yourself from “the past” because you don’t want to be associated with it.
WalkAwayWith:
You can absolutely win if you don’t BS people. Your story IS the story, period.
Andrew opening up about overcoming a heroin addiction was brave. It’s an amazing human feat, and he’s an amazing human for it. But like many of us struggle with, he was worried about his “brand” being associated with negatives from the past.
There’s more power in the real story of overcoming a disease because that’s something more people can relate to or aspire to do. It’s +EV for brand because you’re going to attract more people that connect to you at a human level — not just a superficial highlight-reel level.
Make your “demon” and your past a pillar you stand on. Get it out of the shadows and into the open and give yourself more opportunity to stave it off in the forever game of life.
People will support and gravitate to someone who has been through some sh*t and was transparent about it. Openly working to overcome and bounce back is a feel-good redemption story that we love. People are wildly forgiving. Internally, you may see stigma; externally, we see strength — so long as it’s anchored in truth.
“Shadow’s are heavy, and lies, secrets slow you down because you have to keep up with all of them.”
— Gary Vaynerchuk
It forces you to think, and waste time on keeping up appearances. You sabotage your own upside because you fear being exposed. The truth is so much more relatable, powerful, and can create blueprint for those going through similar issues. Embrace the “junk”, and don’t fake the funk.
Punchline #16 — Cheers to Team GaryVee!
Gary often talks about surrounding yourself with the right people, and adding winners everywhere you can. Gary had done that because TeamGaryVee is simply amazing. Dustin, Zain, Seth — everyone from Andy & across the board. So many talented people working behind the scenes to help produce a consistently excellent product. They are absolute stars. Period.
WalkAwayWith:
Thank You TeamGaryVee! Thank you for being helpful, kind, and for all the hard work to bring a gem-filled [free] video show to the global audience.
If y‘all haven’t done so yet, I’d invite you to:
raise your coffee or tea, along with me, and say “Cheers to TeamGaryVee!”
BONUS for all of you who read this far: the beloved show is coming back
We know Gary loves doing the show. We know the community loves the show.
We know the team producing it behind the scenes is an all-star cast.
All will soon be rewarded, as it’s coming back soon.
(h/t to @GingerBeloved)
WalkAwayWith:
Make sure you’re in the VeeFriends discord channel. Check the Announcements as ALL guests will be selected from the discord community and you can still submit your application to be on the show, via that channel. Plus, the community is awesome!
Again, thank you for reading. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
If you liked this edition, consider sharing with one person you appreciate and think could find value in it. (If you’re reading this from someone sending to you, the person who sent it values you! Keep them in your life :)
As always, love yourself first, have daily gratitude, put good into the world, think bigger, see the obstacles as the way, and keep doing the doing.
Love and appreciate y’all.
Sipp
