#016: Tyler Schmitt (26 yrs) on Being Gary Vaynerchuk's Right-Hand-Man

Welcome to the hackiversity Podcast, where students learn how to achieve more by doing less in college. Learn the hacks from wildly successful recent college graduates as your host, Kyle Whiney explores the colleges, majors and paths that produce the biggest results in college using less effort. It's hacking time. What's up, college hackers? Welcome to the hackiversity Podcast where I, Kyle Whiney, show students how to achieve more by doing less in college. Today, I'm super fortunate to have on the show Tyler Schmidt. In less than a year after graduation, Tyler scored a job with social icon Gary Vaynerchuk, where Tyler works today. Shortly after landing this position, Tyler grew to become Gary's right hand man and currently works alongside Gary on all the latest projects including meeting power players, working on multimillion dollar deals, and learning from the best in the business. My favorite part of Tyler's story is that it demonstrates that in the new economy, students adopting the right college approach can rise quickly through the ranks and be an impact player in less time. I often like to think that this podcast is designed as a platform to advocate to students that the American dream is still alive and show them how to obtain it. During this episode, Tyler and I explore, first, how to network even with people with whom you've never spoken. Second, how to efficiently and effectively use grades to drive a successful college career. And third, how to leverage conversations and networking to score a job with an elite company like VaynerMedia, the company in which Gary Vaynerchuk founded. Without further ado, let's dig in. Tyler, thanks so much for joining me today.

Thank you for having me.

So, Tyler, one of my goals of the podcast is to show college students that you don't have to be 65 years old to be tremendously accomplished in a field. So that's why I always ask my guests how old they are. So how old are you?

I love it. I am 26.

26. Cool. So Tyler, let's start with your college experience. So you graduated in 2013 from Penn State. Go Lions.

Yeah, baby.

With a degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management, which has got to be one of the longest name majors at Penn State.

H R I N they called it.

That's right. So Tyler, walk me through why you went to Penn State. I obviously love Penn State, but tell me what drew you there.

Yeah, so I was from the pretty much day I became conscious I was going to go to Penn State. My dad, who is like my best friend in the world, is from a large family, one of nine. We all live in the same area. He's got three brothers that I'm very close with and look up to tremendously. They all went to Penn State as well, as well as one of my cousins growing up. So ever since I was very young, we used to go out there all the time for football games. And it's just an absolutely amazing place. And so my whole life, it was Penn State, Penn State, Penn State, Penn State, Penn State. And then I have an older sister that is two years older than me, and she ended up going there, actually. She went and visited a ton of schools, saw a bunch of different places. Never really was like, I'm going to Penn State. I was always like, that's the only place I'm going to. She ended up going there. Then it was actually, I did decently well in high school, did a lot of whatever extracurriculars and had decent grades. It was the only school that I applied to at all. I applied the first day that the application process opened on September 30, and I didn't hear back until February 17, which was a very stressful process. But I was. It was the only place I was going to go. My mom wanted to chop my head off because towards the end of the end of the process, it was, you're either going to get into Penn State or I'm going to take a year off. My dad was, you know, he advocated for, look, you know, taking your off isn't the worst thing. You know, get another year under my belt of just experience in life. And so that was that. And so my older sister went there. My younger sister's a junior there now. It's absolutely one of my favorite just organizations as a campus and as a community.

Yeah, Yeah. I love that you fell in love with that place at the very beginning because it is such a special place. So, Tyler, when people think about schools like Penn State, you know, they're really big. There's a lot of students there. I think a lot of students can get intimidated by that. And so what do you. Who is looking to go to a big school like Penn State?

I think that by all means, I think that everywhere you go, it's going to be the same game. You got to find your kind of lanes to play in and make the play small. And so what I think that is the best about Penn State is that again, like, I keep going back to across the board, from the clubs, the schools, you know, the extracurriculars, all of them are pushing the needle at the top of whatever ranking you look at. And so there's so many different avenues and opportunities for things to do and the resources at the university are tremendous. And so I can't necessarily speak for all other big schools, but I would just say the recommendation I would give in that sense is that if you go to a school with 4,000 people, you're going to find a group of 20 that you're going to hang out with. If you go to a school with 40,000 people, you're going to end up on a group of 20 people that you hang out with. And I also won't go so far to say that every 40,000 person school has top notch stuff across the board. That was just the deal with Penn State and I'm lucky to have had that. And everything's different for everyone else. I went there. I was not going to go anywhere else. So I don't know what the thought of going to a small liberal arts school. I'll, you know where I'm blanking, where my mom went. She went in Saratoga. I'm sorry, my mom's going to yell at me. Sorry, mom.

Sorry Bob.

You know, I don't know what like a small, you know, liberal school has to offer in that sense, but I just think that any large organization you, you know, end up in, you're going to find your lane and run with it. Yeah, it's the same deal in work that I'm doing now. You know, 800 person organization. There's pockets of 20 and 30 people throughout the whole thing.

Yeah, absolutely. And I want to get to the work that you're doing right now because I think it's awesome. But going back to Penn State, so I think that's so true, Tyler, about kind of finding your lane, finding your people and building a community around you. And so I think that's what you did by your fraternity because I know that you served as your fraternity's president. So can you talk about what it meant to serve as your fraternity's president, how you found those people and how you kind of build a community in the Greek world?

Yeah, so it's funny, my, my Greek life, fraternity life experience is vastly different than I'd say most people's. And that was really this. What. I think I've mimicked what I did there or tried to throughout kind of my whole time. And so again, it was funny. I was in the fraternity, the same one that my three uncles or my two uncles were in. And so it was a familiar thing. I'd been to the house when I grew up and it was the only Real place that I had interest in rushing. I would say I love my. Like, I love my family to death. It's all that matters. I wanted to share those experiences with my family. And so I was rushing that house and all my friends from my floor. Freshman year that you are friends with for your first three weeks. Everyone has the same experience when they go to their freshman year. They become best friends with the people that live across the hall. And then by the end of the year, they don't talk to each other. But all those kids were checking out everything. And I really. I don't do well with a lot of options. Like, my worst moment of time, like, I get the most anxiety when I have to look at a restaurant menu. I hate decision making a lot of those decisions. But I was rushing this house. And then when I. On, like, the last night of rush, they had a big party and it was a Friday night, and a kid left the house late at night and went missing for two days. And it was a big story. And they found him Monday morning, passed away on campus.

Yeah, I remember that. That was really tragic.

Yeah. And so it was a big story. And all my friends at the time were like, well, that's.

That.

I'm not going to do that. And went on to other houses. And I thought about it for a lot. And I remember perfectly clearly the conversation I had with my father about, look, this could be a massive opportunity to gain experience and do something that, you know, people aren't going to want to do. Right. So immediately, everyone on campus wrote the house off as finished. Entire Greek life looked at the house as the reason that now all of the party rules were changed and this, that and the other thing and became the black eye and the dark, you know, the ugly duckling of Greek life. And I looked at it as I can join the house and make an immediate impact and try to be a leader at an incredibly young age. And if it goes south, it goes south. What's there to lose for me? And so I did that, and immediately, you know, within 12 months as a sophomore, I became president and the house went from 40 people to 30 people to, you know, 25 people to, at one point, 16 people living in a 22 person, absolutely beautiful Victorian old home on campus at Pennsylvania State University. I was like, this is amazing.

It is beautiful. It is beautiful. I can attest to that.

It was like, I will never live in a better setup than I. And in that house, as a sophomore in college, as the president of a fraternity at Pennsylvania State University, like, it was, like, insane. But I didn't. I wasn't always, like, this big partier. And. And I just saw it as an opportunity. And so as, you know, as a sophomore versus a senior, which most of the presidents were, I was having to have meetings with, you know, the president of the IFC and do all these different things while our fraternity was under scrutiny from the international board and just put into all these positions that I had no means being in at a young age and having to lead people. And that's exactly what. The position that I wanted to put myself in. And so that's why I did that. But I also. It was funny as I went through that whole thing, I was not a Greek life guy. Like, you know, when you think of a frat guy, I just don't classify myself as that. I, you know, I found success in staying absolutely busy at all moments, and that's kind of led me to where I am right now and trying to understand where there's opportunity, you know, to be in a position that most people, or society, and I'll probably say the word society, which I deem is just like common thought, probably thought I wasn't deserving of. And I thought I could put myself in a position by going that route, and I did. And it was incredibly fruitful for me. And just learnings.

Yeah, I think that's so key that you, I guess, just had the insight to look at some real tragedy that is, you know, a death of a college student and say, you know what? Rather than this being the undoing of an entire organization, rather than this completely altering my college trajectory for the worse, I'm actually going to lean into this, and I am going to embrace the possibility that could exist. And I think that is such a valuable takeaway. And I think the fruit of that is just so evident with what that approach can do for students. I think that is really great. Tyler, let's. I want to unpack more a bit about your position as a president. So one of the things that I always like to instruct and like to harp on for the audience is that it's so critical for college students to have leadership positions, but not just necessarily leadership positions, but you can really supercharge your marketability if you have a leadership position with a great name like president that really captures people's attention. So how have you used being your fraternity's president to your advantage in the marketplace?

To be honest, I didn't use it at all. Like, I didn't. You know, for me, it wasn't so much about the title as it was the just pressure positions that I was going to constantly be put in. Right. You know, I was. I vaguely remember being thrown out of and screamed out of the head of the interfraternity council that was, you know, a grown man, 45, working for the university, you know, and we were having these meetings about, you know, the future of the organization. And I felt that we weren't getting the fair shakeout and I had to stick to my guns or I could just fold it and followed his lead. And for me, it was cool. I'm going to be president, so I'm going to be looked at to make certain decisions in positions that I probably might not be. You know, I was. I was 18, like, and most presidents were like 21 or 20, you know.

And that's a big difference.

That's. Yeah, that's two years matters more than what it does in your first 50 years of your life. And so it wasn't so much of that. But at the same time, I do think, like being the president puts you into those positions. So that, that was, that it was, the title allowed me to have to step up or shut up. And that's the only thing that, like, when I'm talking, you know, if for anyone that's listening, that's either high school or college or what have you, I just truly feel that put yourself in as many positions that everyone thinks you won't succeed in. Just do it for yourself and just that that's what, you know, I'm constantly. That every day I'm messing, you know, with the work that I'm doing now. It's like an impossible task, but it's just, just, you know, hard in the rock. Hard on the rock. Hard on the rock.

Baptism by fire, right?

Yeah.

Yeah. So you just kind of put yourself in those positions and you just figure out a way to do it. Figure out a way to win.

Yeah. There's no other option, you know, as. As the president. You were the only guy. And so I had this whole organization that it was like I had to make the calls for. And so at a young age, that was fantastic. And then at the same time, in correlation, I did the, you know, I was. I was always a big time lacrosse player growing up, but I wasn't a quote unquote leader. I looked at myself was. But my actions in high school didn't map that way. I would say I got in some trouble, and so I was never the captain or what have you. And then I got to school freshman year and I Didn't. I wasn't doing anything. I was just at a big school partying, you know, going through the motions. And I got like a 2:1 and I almost failed out. And then I. But. But I always wanted to. Right away I joined the fraternity. Like, I'm going to become the president. And I did that. And then Penn State hired who is, I would say, the person I look up to most in life. You know, that's just taught me so much. Head coach Jeff Tambroni came over from Cornell after a final four run and again talked to my dad and was like, you should call him and try to get to know him right now. Right. And so I shot him an email and went to his office and I was like, is there any way I can get involved? And he was like, be the manager. And so the start of my sophomore year, I was the president of the fraternity and on a full time varsity, you know, collegiate sport and was working 65 hours a week.

And so you scored that position.

My whole life changed at that moment.

You scored that position with the lacrosse team simply by sending out an email, is that right?

Yeah, I shot him a cold email. How can I help? You know, I have this big background. Lacrosse is my whole life. I'm not. I'm no longer playing and I'm floundering and how can I help? And I went there and he said, you can come on full time to the team as manager. Do you want to do it? And I said, yeah. And he said, go home and sleep on it first. And I hit him up the next morning and said, yeah. And so I went from being a college kid with nothing going on, you know, with a 2.1 GPA after one year, likely to fail out on academic probation, to, you know, the manager of the hottest lacrosse coach in the game and the president of a fraternity all at once and having to do three years of school within four years or four years of school within three years. And so the punchline of all that was like, now I just try to try to squeeze the absolute every ounce of juice out of every day because if I don't, I just know I fall into complacency. And I've just learned so much from that. And I just don't see myself looking back. And that was like the biggest change. And again, that was a new coach. You know, I just was like, opportunity. You know, I've been here one year, he hasn't been here one year. How can I help? How can I provide value there? You know, find spaces that you Feel you can be in a position that you probably don't deserve to be in and keep being there.

Yeah. You know, I think, Tyler, that's such a great point that, you know, we talk a lot about networking and, you know, students always ask, well, really, what does that mean practically? And I think you just hit the nail on the head that you went to the coach and said, how can I help you? Let me be of value to you. And I think when students come with something to add some kind of value prop, that really opens up doors, just like it did for you. So how can students frame their message to someone like the lacrosse coach or some other kind of person of authority or power and package their message in such a way that, you know, it's appealing that they can actually, you know, in fact, provide value?

Yeah, I think especially for, like, the freshmen at college, right? You go in, you're going to be a biology major, Great. You have these lofty goals. You're going to be a biology major. Everyone's asking you what you're going to do for your career, even though you have no, like, real idea or understanding. And 99% of the people who say what they're going to be as a freshman aren't going to end up being that you're a biology major. But you loved playing video games. There's definitely a professor on campus somewhere in, you know, video game engineering or something, and you have all that knowledge. Step out of your lane of biology and go ask them to help them and stick close to that. And, like, it's hard to provide value in an area where you don't know what you're talking about. But I knew an incredible amount about lacrosse, and I was passionate about it. And so I put myself there and I loved it. Communicating and meeting and talking with people and helping people out and being of service. I always worked in restaurants, whatever, and I loved leadership. And I just was lucky to work for a lot of mentors. And so I was like, I'm going to try and be the president and take this on. And so that was. I think that not, you know, 80%, whatever, most people are just going to want to be in the middle and not take on a lot of responsibility. And the people that are going for it are the ones that put themselves out of their comfort zone at all times every day. I used to write in my journal every day, make yourself uncomfortable. Make yourself uncomfortable, make yourself uncomfortable. And that was that. And so providing value, I think, you know, when you put it on yourself to have to do that it becomes easier to do it, you know?

Yeah. Yeah, I think that's great. So, Tyler, when, you know, it sounded like your college experience was just packed with so many different demands, you had your lacrosse activities, you had your fraternity activities, and then, of course, the academic activities, too. So how did you. Let me ask it this way. What was kind of the calculus that went through your mind when you were approaching as to how to allocate your time, how to allocate your attention?

Mm. Yeah. And I. A lot of people ask me that now and work. What systems do you use? What patterns do you use? What apps do you use? How do you keep up with stuff? I am of the kind of school of, like, I never try to stay within a process, within anything in life for too long, because right when you get comfortable with it, it doesn't be. It's not. Not effective any longer. Right? So, like, they talk. You talk about building habits and all that. I don't know. Like, I. I don't think having certain habits about how you do things is always the best. I like to get right up to the point of it becoming a habit and then changing it up because you get too comfortable with it. It's like people who keep lists, right? Like, cool. I keep a list, a long list. Da, da, da. Then the list gets so long and no longer it's effective, and then you crumple it up and throw it out, start a new list, and you feel good again, right? Like, so I'm always like, yeah, I use things, too, to keep track of my stuff. Then I just have it. Then it's just overloaded, and I just delete the app and go take the top five things from there and go over here. And so I try to not. It was never really a process. It was just chip away, chip away one day at a time. I got to do this, I got to do that. I got to do this. I got to do that allocation of time. You know, schedule, calendar. You had your class calendar. You know, my lacrosse calendar, and I had the stuff that I had to go to, you know, for the fraternity. I think, you know, a kid that. I think the best advice for anyone that's just starting college, when you go into your first semester syllabus week, take every syllabus. Look at it. This is what I need to do to get 100. Cool. Now I have five classes, and I need to do this in one class, this in two classes and three classes and four classes and five class to get 100. Might not be realistic to do all of it. So there might be one class that, like, attendance is only 5%. So maybe, like, don't go to that class as much because it doesn't matter. And this class that attends is 100. Don't miss a class. And then the class that's only 5% attendance, it's only one test that's worth 80%. Like, allocate all your time to spend that test and just work backwards off of that. And so I did that and just slow, you know, trying to, you know, you shouldn't go to college and try to get an A in every single class. That's what I would say. You know, try to understand how you can keep pushing the needle and getting better across the board day by day by day, because you'll just cripple yourself if you try to be the absolute best at everything. It's just not gonna work.

Yeah, I love.

I just don't think it's realistic or fathomable to go to college your freshman year and be like, I'm going to get an A in every class and enjoy doing it. Because, one, you're not going to like every one of the classes. And so if you don't like one of them, you shouldn't spend as much time in that class as you do in the other one, you know, and it's all hackable. Like, they literally give you a piece of paper that says, this is how you get that grade. You should look at it and be like, cool, this is how I'm going to get my, you know, A minus or my B plus, or I'm going to punt this class and get a C Because I know that if I get a C, it's still pass. But I really love my hospitality technology class. So I'm going to. I want 100 in that class, and this is how I do it.

Yeah, I think that is so key that you get a lay of the land first and then figure out how to allocate from there. And I think what students do is they don't get the lay of the land first. And that's just defense, defense, defense. When you're in the middle of semester trying to figure things out, that is the exact wrong way to go about. You need to be on offense and get a lay of the land first, then reverse engineer from there.

So that was always my favorite part of every semester syllabus week. So. Yeah, yeah. But for the other, for the other reason, because when I'll get the syllabus, I'd be like, you're so finished. Like, this professor, like, they're going down, you know? But the professor, like, hands me the syllabus, and, like, I'm like, cool. Like, I'm gonna probably get a B in your class. Like, you know, like, there's, you know, three classes a week. You know, if I miss one a week, I can get 85% of my attendance grade. Perfect. I'm going to go, you know, like, just hacking at it that way. And I liked it that way. And then I think, also realizing that humans are humans, and also a big thing that helped me in college, and I'm just going tangentially here, that my dad always told me and helped me a lot, was that you're paying to be there 99% of the time you're paying to be there.