Thank You vs. Self-Help

I love seeing different folks' take on the world, and their different theories of "the way', or "the better way" or some such.  So I've recently paid attention to two popular, and I might say, loud voices in business and culture today. 

I was introduced to the first voice at the RE/MAX Convention this past spring; Gary Vaynerchuk.  Gary has written a few marketing books, Crush It and most recently, The Thank You Economy.  Gary is also "the wine library guy", so maybe you have heard of him.  Gary has built his business upon and his marketing theory touts the personalization of business.  He is a champion of reaching out and truly touching the client, and says social media gives us a way to touch clients like we haven't been able to since the corner grocery store disappeared.  For Gary, business and life are about connecting with, recognizing and thanking those around us.  Business will come from that.  "Don't sell like a 19 year old boy".  I love that line.  Establish the relationship first and then earn the business.

I find this in huge contrast to Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek and more recently The 4-Hour Body.  Just as Ferriss went out on a limb positing that we should all farm out most tasks to remote personal assistants and basically stop reading news, in The 4-Hour Body he has experimented with and recommends a variety of therapies, working toward the"minimal effective dose". A recent article in The New Yorker by Rebecca Mead says Ferriss's goal, whether it be about the body or business, "is to determine how much can be achieved with how little". 

But while Ferris is in search of the minimal effective dose, he lives a very full and busy life.  Is there a disconnect between his passion and his message?

Both these guys are visionaries.  They both are on the edge of and leading the way in their fields.  I'd bet they know each other, and may even hang out.  Gary, there doing his high touch connecting and appreciating, and Timothy touting his "just getting by" approach, while going all out.  If you have a minute, check out their work.