I bought a copy of Crush It! per the recommendation of a fellow book blogger. Although the book was written over a decade ago, it had a lot of information that was still relevant and somewhat beneficial. Check out the review below to read about the biggest takeaways and what I thought about the book.
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Review & Thoughts
Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk
Gary comes from a family that moved to America with very little and his father worked really hard to become successful. Gary turned a 4 million dollar business into a 10 million dollar business which is impressive, but it’s also a situation that most people do not have access to as a starting point in life. Nevertheless his professional path is interesting and he had some good pointers.
The biggest takeaway from this book was that authenticity is key and how important it is to connect with the people that have made it a point to reach out to you. Your true self is what sets you apart and gives you your unique perspective and edge; never shy away from showing people who you are.
I appreciated Gary’s candor and honesty even though I didn’t agree with all of his viewpoints. It’s one thing to hustle and work hard, it’s another thing to suggest that a human being can survive on 3 hours of sleep a night consistently and not burn out. I also didn’t agree with his perspective on quitting your job. You should never leave a job if you don’t have a clear path of how you’re going to make money and be able to afford your current living expenses.
I’d be interested in seeing an updated version of the book with new chapters focusing on his perspective on Instagram and Pinterest which both kicked off in 2010, the year after he published this book. Pinterest has proven to be my biggest driver of traffic to my blog and Instagram has been a fun way to connect with people but has not been as impactful for my brand. It looks like he published a follow-up book in 2018 called Crushing It! and that could be an interesting read.
In a Nutshell: Despite being written over a decade ago this book was interesting and honest and had some relevant useful information. I didn’t love it but I was glad I read it and it was a super quick read so it certainly wasn’t a waste of time.
Fun Fact: This book reminded me how special it can be to read the ‘acknowledgment’ section of a book. It’s a nice reminder that it often takes a village to accomplish great things. Your tribe of people can make an incredible difference and the people that support you mean everything. Don’t forget to thank the people in your life that support you and your endeavors.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for Instagramable quotes!
My Rating: 3.25 / 5 Stars
I purchased a hardcopy on Amazon.
Details From the Book Jacket
Published: October 14, 2009
Book Blurb: Do you have a hobby you wish you could indulge in all day? An obsession that keeps you up at night? Now is the perfect time to take that passion and make a living doing what you love. In Crush It! Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion, Gary Vaynerchuk shows you how to use the power of the Internet to turn your real interests into real businesses. Gary spent years building his family business from a local wine shop into a national industry leader. Then one day he turned on a video camera, and by using the secrets revealed here, transformed his entire life and earning potential by building his personal brand. By the end of this book, readers will have learned how to harness the power of the Internet to make their entrepreneurial dreams come true. Step by step, Crush It! is the ultimate driver’s manual for modern business.
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Books by Gary Vaynerchuk
Meet the Author: Gary Vaynerchuk
Read: Amazon | Goodreads | Website
Connect: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Thirty-three years ago, Gary got his start in business by ripping flowers out of people’s yards and selling them back. Years later, he would use that savvy to grow his family’s wine store from $3 to $45 million in just a few short years by launching WineLibrary.com, one of America’s first wine websites. Fast forward to now, and he’s continued to use that same business savvy, along with his brother, to build VaynerMedia, a new breed of agency that helps Fortune 500 companies like GE, PepsiCo, Hasbro and the New York Jets find their social media voices and build their digital brands. Along the way Gary launched a stratospherically successful internet wine show, written two bestselling books, and beaten Dr. Oz in basketball.
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