Gary Vaynerchuk joins Next Up with Adam Breneman for a raw, unfiltered conversation about ownership, obsession, AI, NIL, and what it really takes to build something that lasts. From building his dad’s company from $3 to $60 million and walking away with nothing, to firing his best friend in order to save his company, Gary opens up about the moments that defined his career.

He shares why he believes most coaches are losing the locker room, how NIL money is exposing, not changing, young athletes, and why his advice to 17-year-olds getting paid is simple: tune your parents out.

This episode dives into everything from Gary’s mindset on momentum to the reality of working 100-hour weeks in his 20s, and why balance is relative. He also goes deep on the future of AI, predicting a world where our grandkids might marry robots, where Google becomes obsolete, and where athletes could be replaced by AI-powered machines.

Whether you’re building a $100M media company, trying to make it as a young athlete, or figuring out how to balance life and ambition, this episode delivers a masterclass in mindset, sacrifice, and execution.

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CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Intro

1:26 - Most Defining Moment of Gary’s career

7:18 - Lessons starting Vaynermedia

8:37 - Getting first clients at Vaynermedia

9:17 - Reflecting on Vaynermedia

11:46 - VaynerX ecosystem

15:50 - Best hire in the last few years

19:52 - Work-Life Balance

25:20 - Momentum

28:25 - When Gary first felt like he was rich

30:11 - Aggressiveness with money

31:28 - Hiring your friends

33:07 - Building a brand as a Head Football Coach

35:44 - Dealing with money and attention as a CFB recruit

38:40 - Ai in 10 years

42:44 - Implementing AI in everyday life

43:30 - Traits of top 1% entrepreneurs

44:25 - 1 piece of advice Gary would leave his children

On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans.

Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.

Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.

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