A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with an incredible business mentor of mine, Gary Vaynerchuk.

We discussed whether or not I should use an app to scale my business and, as expected, he gave me incredible advice that will affect my decisions for the rest of this year.

Ya’ll know I’m dedicated to speaking my truth, so I mean it when I tell you:

After the meeting, I reflected on how Gary made me feel: special, appreciated, and like there was not a single other person in the room.

I know it sounds cheesy and like I have a weeee bit of a crush (**I’m happily married, I swear!**), but this encounter solidified why the GaryVee brand is predicated on kindness, authenticity, and positivity… That’s just who Gary is.

Since we had such a great meeting and I was given such amazing advice for my business, I didn’t expect anything else from Gary. Hadn’t he given me enough?

>>That is, until I received a box on my doorstep.<<

Before I show you the contents, let me tell you a little about me: I drink a green smoothie before hitting the gym every single morning, but I’m NOT a stranger to enjoying an adult beverage on a Saturday night.

Balance is healthy, you know what I’m sayin’?

So, when I opened an entire box of Empathy Wines from Gary Vaynerchuk, I couldn’t WAIT to take out my corkscrew and do an impromptu tasting. In the video below, you can watch all the bubbly details. 😉

The thing I like the most about Gary Vaynerhuk and his team, is that they understand that a brand is not what you say, it’s how you make people feel.

While I sipped the rosé (which tasted like a tropical beach party, not gonna lie), I was surprised and delighted.

As a follow-up to our meeting, Gary sent me a completely unexpected thank you gift, and it really prompted me to think about how us business owners can learn from him the importance of creating an experience for our customers.

>>You see, meeting someone for 5 minutes can be completely transformative, but the fortune is in the follow-up.<<

Friend, the next time you meet with a client,

• I hope you think about this rosé.
• I hope you remember how it made me feel.
• I hope you understand that branding isn’t just a logo…

Branding is all about personalized touches, thoughtfulness, and overall good feelings that are felt long after the meeting is over.

Cheers to you, GaryVee. Thank you for reminding me what a brand really is.