How I Connected with a Multi-millionaire!
Gary Vaynerchuck, or Garyvee, is a Belarusian American entrepreneur, speaker, internet influencer, and a New York Times bestselling author. In short, he is a BEAST! And now, he is a Caleb Brown artwork collector!
Gary has been a major source of inspiration and information with regards to running my business. His books are phenomenal, and his videos are insightful--he doesn’t acknowledge excuses, yet he’s empathetic. If you don’t already follow him, do it now: @garyvee.
So how did I connect with him?
As it turns out, I have a cousin, Tommy, who works for Gary’s sports agency, VaynerSports. In October 2018, I asked my cousin about presenting Gary with an original portrait. Tommy was stoked at the idea. We decided that Super Bowl LIII would be the best time to present the painting since Atlanta is close to my hometown.
Per usual, I procrastinated just a bit…
Two days before I was slated to present the painting, I was laboring away in the wee hours of the morning—one night I even slept in my studio. Worst of all, I’d become anxious that Gary’s portrait was looking a little orange (Jesus, take the wheel).
Nevertheless, I trusted my process and we got it done!
I attended a networking event hosted by VaynerSports where I met several awesome businessmen and women. Additionally, I was able to present the painting to Garyvee!
He loved it. It was so relieving—no comments about his “tan.” I’m confident in my artistic abilities but there’s always some nervousness, so I was delighted by his satisfaction.
I was also invited to two other exclusive events that weekend in which I shared a room with some amazing people (‘Twas lots of money in the room too lol).If I’m being completely honest, I was star struck a lot of times but overall, it was an awesome experience.
This story demonstrates the importance of being resourceful! Create something beautiful and use your resources to share it with the world. In this case, I had a unique talent and a cousin who happened to work for a famous personality. In the end, great things happened. As you continue your journey, remember that relationships are one of your biggest resources, don’t be afraid to use them.
These relationships may be pivotal in creating the life you desire—a life fit for a museum.