Just like every wantrepreneur in the world, I have an addiction to watching Gary Vaynerchuck do his thing.

I remember reading The Thank You Economy years ago and thinking this guy was onto something. He talked honestly about how we really feel being modern customers, and what it takes to stand out as a business. Since then, we have all seen the rise of ‘GaryVee’ as a true internet celebrity and the raspy voice of a new generation of self-helpers.

Meanwhile, in the background of all the hype is a muffled voice that calmly follows along, recording the journey.

Honestly, it is easy to forget there is an enigmatic figure holding the camera, and making the Gary Vee journey feel more interesting.

That man is David Rock, better known to the world as DRock, the ‘predator’ (producer-editor) for most of Gary’s video content for the past few years.

What fascinates me about DRock is the absolute contrast of his personality to Gary’s. He is quiet, awkward, painfully humble. He is concise, considered, and creative. He is, in a way, the very antithesis of what Gary Vaynerchuck presents himself as.

I believe there is huge value in watching the unspoken rise of DRock alongside his muse. 

He is teaching us a profound lesson on the daily: be willing to be in the background.

DRock is in the hardest place. He is so close to being the star, yet he is humble enough to continually eschew the spotlight.

Nobody is closer to the action than DRock. He is in the same car, breathing the same air, and hearing Gary’s voice with his own ears. And yet, there is a layer of creative distance that he constantly keeps that benefits us.

We see Gary’s world through DRock’s eyes. He gives up his own ego, his own perspective and offers it to us to each day.

To me, he is the epitome of his life being about his work. He is awake the same hours, delivering the same intensity of effort as Gary, and making sure we are all the beneficiaries of his craft.

His humility is a superpower. If nobody mentions his presence, he stays quiet. He only interjects where there is value.

Every day, he gets better. His camera work, his editing, his music choices constantly evolve and advance. They become an invisible frame we take for granted.

According to what I can piece together, David came to be in this position through giving first. He recorded some mashup content for Gary for free. He edited it into a piece called ‘Between the Clouds & the Dirt’ and inadvertently created a new genre. At first, it was labeled as a short film. From there it morphed into a reality series shot daily, edited daily, uploaded daily.

As I write this, the DailyVee series just passed four hundred episodes. Each one is between 10 – 25 minutes. Some go for a full hour or more. Each has a theme and a valuable takeaway. This is no small feat of creativity, and the public can’t get enough.

I think the true value of what we see is the partnership between DRock and Gary. They are yin and yang, and the result is an unfolding adventure that we can’t stop watching. Theirs is a model of guerrilla edutainment that is shifting personal development forward.

For me, the constant effort of David Rock has shown that value comes in many forms. 

It is so easy to love Gary Vaynerchuck. His kindness and hubris make him instantly attractive.

It is harder to love DRock because he is almost invisible. I encourage you to follow his journey, as there is something special about him.

He has much to teach us about what success truly is.