In this episode of Tea with GaryVee, Gary answers a crucial question from a creator struggling to sell a book despite hitting 10K views per video and one viral hit near a million. Gary breaks down the disconnect between views and conversions, and shares one of the most important business lessons of his career: the power of 1:1 community building.

You’ll also hear:

• How Gary’s personal DM strategy from 2007–2011 changed his life

• Why high views don’t always equal sales and how to fix it

• Lessons from the VeeFriends launch and early Wine Library days

• Advice for creators trying to turn attention into action

Whether you’re a founder, creator, or just trying to figure out social media marketing, this episode is packed with practical gems.

What a conversation! In this episode of OGs of Playmaker Original presented by DraftKings, I sit down for an unfiltered, wide-ranging talk about where I came from, what shaped me, and why I see the world the way I do today.

We go deep on my childhood as an immigrant kid from the USSR, growing up in Queens and New Jersey, and how the adversity I faced gave me a hunger that shaped my whole career. I share stories about building my dad’s liquor store into a $60M wine business, spotting the early days of YouTube, and the lessons I learned (and big misses!) as an angel investor in companies like Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and yes, even Uber.

We also dive into how I read culture, stay ahead of trends, and why mixing up your circle is the secret sauce to learning and winning long-term. And of course, we chop it up about the Knicks, Jets, and how New York sports fandom is religion for me.

This one’s raw, real, and packed with mindset shifts for anyone who wants to build, bet on themselves, and stay hungry.

Today's video is a Q&A I did during the Grow With Video Summit, organized by Think Media. I answer a bunch of interesting content creation and social media questions including:

0:00 Intro

1:05 What are the current trends to grow on social media?

4:48 What qualities do you look for in collaborators?

6:03 How can I promote my credentials effectively without coming across as bragging?

8:15 How often do I email my list?

9:44 How to market a new kids YouTube channel in 2024?

11:54 How to overcome content creation burnout?

14:14 How to attract clients who have tax problems?

15:37 How can businesses optimize for AI search?

16:22 How do you stay focused amid distractions?

17:44 How to balance family & career alongside YouTube entrepreneurship?

21:04 How to build a brand focused on gaming, personal development, and overcoming physical disabilities?

22:18 How important is posting on other platforms for a YouTube creator?

23:15 How to establish yourself as an expert in a niche?

Hope you enjoy!

Today’s episode is an absolute 🔥 masterclass for anyone trying to grow a business without excuses. I’m coming to you live from NYC, hyped for Game 4 at the Garden, but even more hyped about the energy in this Q&A. We talk live selling, building a brand from zero dollars, balancing dreams with practicality, and why trust is your best business strategy.

💡 Whether you're 22 and crushing it on Whatnot, launching your first catering biz, or leading a company culture—this episode has gems for every level of the game.

We talk about:

• The $2M Whatnot seller and why she shouldn’t stop now

• How to build a business when you have $0 and no experience

• Why telling people not to hire you builds trust & drives sales

• The power of personal brand (and how to post about burritos and your business)

• How I coach my leadership team at VaynerMedia (yes, including firings)

• My playbook for LinkedIn content that actually lands you business

• How to get your first clients using your phone contacts & courage

• Advice for entrepreneurs with skeptical spouses

• A no-BS rant on negativity vs. hope

I’ve been shouting this from the rooftops: live social shopping is about to explode—and in this episode, I sit down with someone who’s actually doing it at scale. David Rawlinson, CEO of QVC Group, joins me to break down how one of the OGs of commerce + entertainment is going all-in on the next retail revolution.

We talk about what’s happening with TikTok Shop, why America is behind China in social shopping, how QVC is reinventing itself, and how creators, entrepreneurs, and even “garage sale” sellers can win big in this space. This isn’t just theory—this is real strategy for where attention, commerce, and community are all headed.

💥 If you’re a business owner, marketer, influencer, or just curious about where buying behavior is going… you NEED to hear this.

In this raw, unfiltered deep-dive with AdAge, I break down what makes VaynerMedia and VaynerX different — and why kindness, culture, and conviction are more powerful than any viral TV spot.

Whether you’re building a business, a brand, or a life — this one’s for you. 💥

We talk about:

• Why “TV-first” thinking is killing creativity 🧠

• How I built VaynerX like a startup, not a holding company

• My real take on AI, influencers & the future of marketing

• The secret behind our Honey Empire culture 🍯

• Why BeFriends is my most personal, creative project ever

• The myth of trends — and why they actually matter

• What kind of clients we actually want to work with (yes, I said it)

• How my lemonade stand taught me everything I needed to know

If you care about brand building, leadership, or marketing in the year we actually live in — this episode will hit hard.

Listen now and tell a friend who needs to hear it.

Too many people are stuck trying to be perfect—but perfection is a trap. The truth? Being wrong isn’t a failure… it’s a feature of being human.

In this special MicroVee for Juneteenth, I talk about the power of changing your mind, the myth of always having it together, and why letting go of judgment—especially from others—is the ultimate freedom.

We talk about:

• 💥 Why being wrong is not a weakness

• 🔁 How to adapt quickly without shame

• 🧩 The danger of living for someone else’s opinion

• 🛑 Why saying “I changed my mind” is a superpower

This one’s for anyone stuck in self-judgment or afraid to pivot. Let go of the pressure, honor your process, and live your truth.

If you're stuck in a job you hate, hiding from your dreams, or blaming your parents for the way your life turned out—this one’s going to hit different.

I sat down with the brilliant Liz Moody for one of the most raw, honest, and practical conversations I’ve had in a minute. We covered everything from accountability and AI to why your fear of judgment is holding you back from your next chapter.

📌 This is not just about motivation—it's about action. If you're sick of living someone else's version of success and ready to get real with yourself, listen up.

👥 Who this episode is for:

• Anyone afraid to start because of judgment

• Parents unknowingly holding their kids back

• Creators, entrepreneurs, and dreamers feeling stuck

• People overwhelmed by AI, comparison, or burnout

🎯 We talk about:

• Why you're probably living based on someone else’s opinions

• The power of putting yourself “on blast” publicly

• Why AI doesn’t kill creativity—laziness does

• What most people get wrong about social media

• How I screwed up candor at Vayner and what I did to fix it

• The #1 poison worse than failure: regret

• My real morning routine (hint: no ice baths)

• The 8 Mile Rule and why owning your flaws makes you unstoppable

💥 Whether you're 22 or 62, this episode is your call to get brutally honest with yourself and take one small but powerful action.

🎧 Press play and let’s get real about what’s stopping you.

Think more money means more happiness? Think again.

In this episode, I go all in on one of the most misunderstood ideas out there — that success, fame, or financial wins automatically lead to fulfillment. Spoiler alert: they don’t.

Whether you're on the come-up or already living with some wins, this episode will challenge how you define “success.” I talk about keeping life simple, the emotional toll of chasing more, and how gratitude and perspective are the real ROI.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the pressure to keep climbing — or you're scared of what happens if you lose what you’ve built — this one's for you.

We talk about:

• 💡 Why keeping it simple beats chasing clout

• 🧠 How happiness before the money is the real secret

• 💸 Why “more” doesn’t mean “better”

• 🫂 What really matters when life gets real

• 🎯 Why losing something is scarier than never having it

• 💬 The danger of defining happiness through other people’s lenses

This is one of those episodes I want every young entrepreneur, creator, and dreamer to hear. If you’re in your head about money, status, or pressure from the outside world… take a breath and press play.

I gave this keynote at the NAC Success Resources event in 2019 — and I went deep on the real shit that holds people back. It’s not lack of resources. It’s not bad luck. It’s entitlement, insecurity, and the need to impress others instead of doing what actually makes you happy.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re stuck or not moving fast enough, this episode is a wake-up call. I break down the 5 core pieces of value that I believe will unlock your path to success — and most of them have nothing to do with business tactics and everything to do with mindset.

Whether you’re just starting or scaling, this talk will push you to get brutally honest with yourself and start executing.

👇 We talk about:

• Why accountability is the gateway to happiness

• How entitlement is sabotaging your growth

• What I learned from immigrants about money

• The illusion of success on social media

• Building businesses around what you love

• Why you need to stop buying dumb sh*t 💳

• Crushing it on LinkedIn and Instagram with $0

• Why losing early builds you up later

• The real ROI of patience and long-term execution

🧠 This isn’t just motivation — this is a blueprint. Let’s go.

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📌 @garyveeaudioexperience

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