Online marketing trailblazer Gary Vaynerchuk (VAY-NER-CHUK) is a man in his early 30's with a dual identity of both a hugely successful entrepreneur and social media guru who grew his family wine business from $4 million to $60 million in five years. What raised Vaynerchuk's notoriety even more than his business acumen was his foresight combined with his pioneering, multi-faceted approach to personal branding and business. In Vaynerchuk's highly anticipated second New York Times bestseller, “The Thank You Economy,” learn about the most recent important shift in culture that businesses have seen, how everything has changed except human nature as well as why smart people dismiss social media (and why they shouldn't). A sought after speaker, Vaynerchuk has given keynote speeches to a diverse group of organizations such as NIKE, ReMax, Boston Wine Expo, DeGustibus Cooking School, and the Disney Food and Wine Festival. In Vaynerchuk's first New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling book, "Crush It! Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In On Your Passion," he shares with business owners how they can boost sales using the internet. He shows audiences how to find their passion, then step by step how to turn it into a flourishing, monetized business. Gary's speeches on personal branding, social media, and marketing at conferences such as FOWA, Strategic Profits, and South By Southwest have occasioned praise from established web denizens, countless bloggers and aspiring entrepreneurs. As the youngest winner of Marketwatch's Business Award at 27, as well as being named to "Silicon Alley 100" -Silicon Alley Insider - 2008 and "101 Most Influential People in New Jersey" - New Jersey Monthly - 2009, Vaynerchuk is an icon in his industry. Vaynerchuk has made television appearances on NBC's Today Show, CNBC's Mad Money with Jim Cramer, and The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, was featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and has become a consultant for Fortune 100 companies. Vaynerchuk's roots in wine tasting come honestly - his parents owned a liquor store when he was growing up. Bored at the cash register, he began reading Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate and realized collecting wine offered an allure. As a teenager, tasting wine was legally impossible, so he set out to train his palate "backwards." To study various flavors associated with wine, he tasted obscure fruits and vegetables, along with earthly influences, including grass, dirt, rocks, tobacco, and wood. "I probably consumed more New Jersey grass in my teens than any lawn mower." By familiarizing himself with the numerous tastes that contributed to a specific wine, Vaynerchuk was able to detect subtleties that an ordinary palate wouldn't recognize. With a wealth of knowledge and an entrepreneurial spirit, Vaynerchuk spent every weekend of his college years at his parents' store, rebranding the family business as Wine Library and establishing himself as a respected expert. As the store's only wine buyer, he sampled every wine that entered the store. His first book, "101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World," brought his unpretentious approach to wine appreciation to the page. Titles CRUSH IT! Cash in on Your Passion Why Smart People Dismiss Social Media, and Why They Shouldn't Topics Business, Customer Service, Sales, Social Media/Networking, Marketing Click topic above to see more speakers on that topic Speaker's Asking Fee Range Please call us. Click on fee range to see more speakers. This is the starting keynote fee range - other programs may be higher. State NY Click on state above to see more speakers from that state. Fees The fee range quoted means the speaker's fee starts somewhere within that range. Note that speaker's fees are subject to change and some speakers may have special fee quotes.