Dr Mumbo

Just what is it like to get a one-on-one meeting with Gary Vaynerchuk?

Dr Mumbo has always subscribed to the view that meeting your idols usually tends to be fairly disappointing. However, being an open-minded person, he is prepared to be proved wrong when Taylor Swift does her next gig here in Singapore – should she want to bond over a beer.

But perhaps this recent post by 19-year-old Canadian fanboy Manu Goswami, outlining his meeting with marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk, proves that he should stick his guns on this one.

“When talking about Gary Vaynerchuk, where do you begin?” gushes Manu. “Do you start at the fact he’s currently one of the most influential online personalities or do you mention that he’s been in both Fortune and Crain’s 40 under 40 lists? Or maybe you mention that he’s started two multi-million dollar businesses and despite that, remains to date one of the most humble, gracious, and hardworking people you’ll ever meet.”

Given Vee once ordered netizens to “Fucking follow me, right now”, that raised a chuckle with Dr M.

So just how did Manu manage exactly to blag his way into the office of the most famous entrepreneur on the internet? Luckily for you dear reader, he tells us all:

“I continuously engaged with Gary’s social presence whether it be on Facebook, Twitter, Medium, Instagram, YouTube, or email. I sent him various emails, hell I even applied to be VaynerMedia’s Project Manager in NYC when I was 18. My point is this: Gary is right. You need to put in the effort to get whatever it is you want whether that be a job, a car, a house or even an interview.”

Clearly proving perseverance – or just being plain weird– pays off, Manu goes on to tell us: “After two years of following him in the online world, I got an email back from his assistant Garrett telling me that ‘Gary wants to chat with you for five minutes.’ Spoiler alert: it was literally five minutes. Gary doesn’t waste time, and not saying that talking to me is a waste of time (he said it wasn’t), but he could do a lot more than talk to a 19-year-old kid from Canada.”

Don’t be so hard on yourself Manu.

Manu continues to keep the reader on tenterhooks, relaying what he wore, what he drank and who he shared a lift with.

And then the moment of truth:

“After a few minutes, Gary came back, shook my hand, sat down, looked me in the eye and then just burst out laughing. He had obviously seen just how blown away I was to see him. We talked about many things from self-awareness to building a business to motivating yourself to social entrepreneurship. I noticed that Gary was very clear on what his view on things were and his ability to articulate his view was both persuasive and analytical. He listened very patiently and took an interest in whatever I say especially when I was talking about how Washington was and how working at the White House was. He even told me that the first time he met President Obama, he went up and said ‘what’s good Barack?’.”

A real shy and retiring type isn’t he this Vaynerchuck chap? Of course, no life-changing meeting means anything these days without the customary selfie. So Manu and Gary did the deed. And “man it was epic”, so he says. Epic indeed. Next.

Credit: Manu Gosawami

Meanwhile, Dr Mumbo isn’t so sure marketing professor Mark Ritson will share Manu’s sentiments, having outlined his feelings towards old Vee at this year’s Mumbrella 360. Tune in at around 21.54 and enjoy folks.

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