Crush It!… Why Now Is the Time To Cash In On Your Passion.
When I first saw a video of Gary Vaynerchuk I thought he was out of control.
Gary was yelling, cursing, and being very loud. I almost closed the video but I couldn’t help but be amazed with his passion, so I continued to listen. I eventually ended up buying Gary’s book, Crush It!, when I saw it on sale during the holidays. I must admit that I’m impressed.
This book is straight to the point. No theory, no philosophy, no BS. The book is 142 pages so there’s no excuse of not having enough time to read it.
This is my first book review so hopefully you guys enjoy the format.
What’s Crush It! all about?
Vaynerchuk shows us how to use the internet and social media to turn your passion into a profitable business. Instead of giving theory, we’re given experiences and true stories. Vaynerchuk shows us how he built his personal brand into a global phenomenon that has led to appearances on talk shows and speeches at major events. Did I mention Vaynerchuk started off by working for a family owned wine business?
If you’ve always want to learn about social media, personal branding, following your passions, and doing shit you love for a living, then this book is for you.
Stuff I Loved in Crush It!
Tell a story.
Tell me your story, and if you’re good, I’ll come back for more. Then I’ll tell my friends, and they’ll come, and where my friends and I go, the dollars- in the form of ad revenue, sponsorships, and invitations to broaden your platform will follow.
So true. Many popular blogs make a killing without Adsense. They do it with direct sponsorships and affiliates. Looks like I need to start sharing some more stories here.
Working hard with your passions.
The thing is, if you’re living your passion, you’re going to want to be consumed by your work. There’s no room for relaxation in the flop-on-the-couch-with-popcorn-and-watch-tv kind of way, but you won’t need it.
As I write this review it’s 3 AM and I have no problem with being up this late to work on Studenomics.
Profitable niches.
If you enter a niche because you’re following the dollars, you won’t keep it up.
I’ve tried this so many times. Enter a market where there’s money. It never worked out. I started writing about personal finance. The money sucks but I love doing it.
Creating a community.
–that’s where the bulk of your hustle is going to go and where the bulk of your success will be determined.
This is a difficult one. It’s easy for me (college student living at home) to justify spending time on Twitter, but what about those with bills and a family?
The best marketing strategy ever.
Care.
Props to Gary. Apparently he replies to over 700 emails a day. I don’t think I’ve received 700 emails in my life time.
Legacy is greater than currency.
My obsession with legacy should explain to you why I insist on trying to answer every email, tweet, ping, or comment.
This is truly amazing. A best selling book author that takes the time to reply to every email.
What I didn’t care for:
Extreme personal branding.
Not all of us are designed to post videos online. I understand the benefits behind personal branding but not everyone wants their full name and life story out there on the internet.
I give props to anyone that is brave enough to be fully transparent with their life, goals, or finances to a bunch of strangers online. I’m still working on this part. After 14 months I finally started posting under my real initials.
Check out this video of Gary Vaynerchuk to figure out what he’s all about.
If you enjoyed the video (how can you not be entertained?) and are ready to following your passions and Crush It! then you need to buy this book. It’s only a 142 pages (appendix included) so you can finish this book off while your girlfriend gets ready.
It’s your life. You owe it to yourself.