New York CEO explains why he avoided buying ‘fancy car, watch’ while building $45 million business
In a recent LinkedIn post detailing his early financial trajectory, a business leader stated he earned $40,000 annually while building a multi-million-dollar enterprise. Gary Vaynerchuk reflected on his 12-year tenure at his parents’ company, claiming that achieving major career ambitions requires a slow, disciplined approach rather than quick material status.
“I built a $45M business in 4 years and was still paying myself $40,000. No fancy car. No f*cking watch. No f*cking bling bling… Because I knew what I was doing it for and I believed fully in what I was doing,” US-based CEO Gary Vaynerchuk wrote on LinkedIn.
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Detailing his initial career path, Vaynerchuk described spending over a decade dedicated entirely to expanding his family’s enterprise.
He recalled, “As a 22-year-old kid, I worked for my parents’ business for 12 years… every day, every Saturday… I came, I did my thing, I changed the course of my parents’ financial life the way they changed and created the course of my life.”
Addressing the common tendency among young workers to expect rapid progress, he emphasised that major achievements require a much longer timeline.
“And I knew that was right from the get because that was my mission. And then I was ready to leave and do my own thing at 34. So when people are impatient at 26, I laugh. Patience, my friends. Too many of you are way too worried about short-term goals when your mouth is saying you want big-time goals. The bigger the ambition, the slower you need to go.”
What did social media say?
An individual wrote, “Gary, the $40,000 line is the detail most people will skip—and the one operators should study. In unsexy businesses, cash discipline often buys the freedom to keep making the right long-term calls.”
Another posted, “More people should drive older cars! And maybe learn how to maintain them too.”
A third commented, “This is the patience post everyone at 26 needs to hear! $45M business in 4 years and still paying yourself $40k — no car, no watch, no bling. Because you knew your WHY. Too many of us are worried about short-term flex when we say we want big-time goals. The bigger the ambition, the slower you need to go. That line hit different. I worked 12 years for my parents too? No — but I’m learning this now as a Digital Marketing & AI grad. Put in the work when no one’s watching. Mission over money. Thank you for this reminder, Gary!”
