Why Execution is the Game of Entrepreneurship with Jesse Itzler
6/11/202655 min
In this episode of the GaryVee Audio Experience, I throw it back to a conversation with Jesse Itzler - the rapper behind the Knicks theme song - to discuss the importance of execution as an entrepreneur, the dedication it takes to be successful, and Jesse's origin story.
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First 90 secondsGary Vaynerchuk· Host0:00
This is the Gary Vee Audio Experience. [reverberating] Hey, everybody. It's, uh, it's Gary again, uh, back with another episode of my new show that I'm super excited about called Interrupted By Gary Vee. Uh, today's, uh, guest is Jesse Itzler, uh, an entrepreneur, but I'm gonna let him frame it up for you, and then I'm gonna fire away with a bunch of questions. But first and foremost, Jess, thanks for being on.
Jesse Itzler· Guest0:24
Oh, thanks for having me. I pr- appreciate it.
Gary Vaynerchuk· Host0:26
So tell the Vayner Nation that's listening right now who you are.
Jesse Itzler· Guest0:29
Great. Well, I'm a serial entrepreneur. I started out in the music business. I had, uh, I was signed to a record label called Delicious Vinyl in the '90s.
Gary Vaynerchuk· Host0:38
What year did you sign?
Jesse Itzler· Guest0:40
I signed in 1990. I was 21.
Gary Vaynerchuk· Host0:42
And what kind of artist were you?
Jesse Itzler· Guest0:44
Don't laugh, I was a rapper.
Gary Vaynerchuk· Host0:46
I, I'm not laughing. [laughs] [laughs] I'm not laughing at all.
Jesse Itzler· Guest0:48
And, uh, I was a white- Oh, by the way, for anybody listening ... a white rapper, believe it or not I'm aware.
Gary Vaynerchuk· Host0:51
I, I can see it. Uh, for everybody who's listening, you'll hear some laughs in the background and things of that nature. We're here at a, an off-site kind of conference thing, so we're just recording the podcast, uh, in between sessions. So keep going, Jess. So you're, you're- Yeah ... a rapper at 21.
Jesse Itzler· Guest1:03
Started out right out- Where'd you grow up? I grew up in Long Island.
Gary Vaynerchuk· Host1:06
Mm-hmm.
Jesse Itzler· Guest1:07
And then, uh, si- I went to school in Washington, DC at American University.
Gary Vaynerchuk· Host1:10
Mm-hmm. Smart kid.
Jesse Itzler· Guest1:11
Got a record deal. Um, [laughs] good test taker maybe. I don't know about smart, but- Fair enough ... got a record deal right out of college, uh, after a lot of rejection. Um, signed to Delicious Vinyl, got dropped from the label a year later.
Gary Vaynerchuk· Host1:24
Why?
Jesse Itzler· Guest1:25
Um, sales, and just wasn't the right thing.
Gary Vaynerchuk· Host1:28
Yep.
Jesse Itzler· Guest1:28
And tough timing, I was behind Vanilla