Crushing It!

Gary Vaynerchuk’s updated guide to building a personal brand through social media, packed with case studies from entrepreneurs who turned their passions into thriving businesses. Where the original Crush It! (2009) made the case that social media could change your career, Crushing It! shows what actually happened to the people who followed that advice.

Why Start Here

If Show Your Work! gives you the philosophy, Crushing It! gives you the platform-by-platform playbook. Vaynerchuk breaks down how to build an audience on every major social media channel, from Instagram and YouTube to podcasts and emerging platforms. The book is structured around real stories from dozens of entrepreneurs who built successful personal brands from scratch.

What sets this apart from generic social media advice is Vaynerchuk’s emphasis on authenticity and patience. He argues that the people who win at personal branding are not the ones gaming algorithms. They are the ones who genuinely care about their audience and are willing to put in years of consistent effort. His energy is intense, but his core message is surprisingly grounded: provide value first, and the opportunities will follow.

The book is most useful if you are ready to commit to a specific platform and want tactical guidance on how to create content, grow an audience, and eventually monetize your brand. It pairs well with Show Your Work! because Kleon gives you the mindset and Vaynerchuk gives you the execution plan.

What to Expect

A high-energy 288 pages with a mix of strategic advice and motivational case studies. Vaynerchuk writes the way he talks: direct, enthusiastic, and occasionally repetitive. The platform-specific chapters are the most valuable sections. Skip the parts you already know and focus on the channels most relevant to your goals.