The audacity of single word content
I’m a big fan of Gary Vaynerchuk. His content whether video, audio, or written format hits on many of the entrepreneurial principals I hold near and dear which resonate with entrepreneurial me.
Gary’s approach in communicating his message is an in your face suck it up and enjoy kissing frogs to make your numbers kind of approach. And then there’s that word; audacity, you hear it in every media piece at least once if not multiple times.
Audacity? What does this word even mean? Why’d he get so comfortable with it that it evolved into an almost singular content platform? It’s solely become his word. No other business media personality could use that word now without possibly drawing a plagiarism comparison.
In my opinion, he’s clinched the word audacity just assuredly as his beloved Jets will never clinch another Super Bowl (that’s for you Gary!).
Here’s the thing though, I think more businesses could thrive if their owners would just implement some of his advise. I’m not referring to his direct to the point of rudeness in your face manner, or his get off the F’n pot and put on your big boy pants kind of advise. I mean the business principals he talks about but doesn’t whitewash away with platitudes or pie I the sky references. Gary’s advise spouts guidance to entrepreneurs about how they can use media to grow their enterprise.
Use media. There I said it. Gary uses media. Clearly his media is social media, and he uses it expertly for advantage. Advantage for his own companies, for his investment companies, and most importantly to give you the entrepreneur an advantage.
Most of what Gary puts out is free, and its some good shit laced with some powerful business principals. The vast majority of his audience couldn’t afford to hire him nonetheless his Vayner Media to guide them individually on the best use of #socialmedia to help their enterprise grow. However, on any given day, sometimes multiple times a day, you’ll find Gary having the audacity to spout his content without charge nor obligation for any return.
The stuff he’s talking about isn’t necessarily new either, aside from the social media stuff. When Gary talks about focusing on earning profit he’s saying the same thing Cornelius Vanderbilt spoke of during the industrial revolution. Losses equal lost opportunity. If you know the story of Vanderbilt he was fiercely competitive, and he hated losing anything, including money. Gary’s content and advise reminds that eventually only profitable enterprises will survive. Simple stuff not a lot of other angel type investors tend to talk about.
Why mention profits when you’re looking for the next spaceship to climb aboard where ‘earnings’ come from stock gains, not company profits. I particularly like that lately Gary’s almost forcing the issue through discourse to get entrepreneurs to think about and recognize how ludicrous building a business around raising the next round can be unless they can get it to earn a profit even if they’re currently burning through cash now.
Here’s the academic definition of audacity:
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1. the willingness to take bold risks.
2. rude or disrespectful behavior; impudence.
When you hear Gary use the word audacity in his content he’s often intermingling these two definitions and emphasizing either to make his point.
Gary’s delivery of the word becomes his message. It sits center stage, nearly all in itself his content. For example “Having the audacity to…” can be interpreted as ‘he developed the courage to leave his job’ or “that mother fucker put it all on the line and rolled the dice’. Whatever the intent its secondary to the fact he used ‘his’ word (content) to hook you, or in his words “jab, jab, hook”.
How does this relate to Business Real Estate? Simple, it relates because whether you are a broker trying to find new clients, a property owner trying to find new tenants, or an entrepreneur searching for customers or investors you need to grasp someones attention, and when you have it then effectively deliver your message. With all of the noise being generated through social media your message can get lost. You know the saying a picture says a thousand words, well what can one word say? Ambiguity? Vagueness? None of these if that word calls back to you and is center stage on your content platform.
Remember Salesforce’s “The end of Software”? Not one word but a very short sentence. How about Intel’s “Intel Inside?”. And very few would question the word “Apple” conjures up many messages, messages crafted to imprint a specific delivery into our consciousness “Here’s to the crazy ones”.
The first definition of audacity above is obviously straight forward. The image that comes to mind is that of a successful entrepreneur walking into a meeting head held high with a substantial swagger in her step. Confident knowing her decisions are spot on. The last one though that’s the one I’m drawn to the most.
I can see myself now, no noticeable differentiating body language. No visible swagger. An almost impertinence to the opposite side, to the point of out right disgust. The guy walking into that same meeting is marching in, laying his brass particles on the table, and demanding your attention all while you laugh and get that feel good feeling.
That’s audacity. Assuredness, confidence, kick ass execution!
Building a content farm out of one word, who’d a thunk it. The audacity of some people.
What’s your content saying to your audience? Have a “word” too? Throw it out there in the comments.
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Christopher Telles (@tellesio) is a 5x entrepreneur in CRE. Currently looking to connect and collaborate with CRETech and RETech entrepreneurs and Venture Capital investors investing into the space. Chris is the CEO of Space Standard a boutique #CRE brokerage in #DTLA. Alway’s looking for new gigs, you can follow him on twitter @tellesio or send an email by clicking on the email envelope icon in the About area below.
