You can blog about business and still win.

21 months ago, who the hell was gary vee? Nobody, we hadn’t heard of him, and he exploded.

someone’s gonna get famous in 2011 starting from nothing, blogging about something and doing it better.

the secret sauce is gusto, verve, whatever you wanna call it, but this is a sour grapes analysis that says “hey we don’t have to succeed.”

Fuck that.

WAtch me go.

I am.

Well…first I agree with everything you said except that the secret sauce is missing.

Humans make this mistake ALL THE TIME. We look at results and try to string a series of events that lead up to those results thereby explaining the success or failure of someone/anyone at something/anything. We are explanation-seeking animals.

What’s missing is the secret sauce, the x factor, the structure that’s close to impossible to replicate by the new comers. Allow me to explain using your examples.

First. Taking a cue from you (Jason) and reading between the lines, the best way to get attention from these blog-giants is to write about them…this post and Chris' response below are my exhibit No 1.

Second. Whats never talked about (as far as I can tell) is that A. They were the early adopters. They were blogging when it wasn’t cool (applying the plan outlined above). By the time the rest come onto the scene these giants have built up a body of work and have established a name for themselves in a space that had few players. Now…there are many many players. Good luck ya'll

Third. These guys blog about blogging (among other things). This is very important. This means that niche bloggers will come to them for blogging advice but a niche blogger will never get the same results. Why? Bloggers, niche or otherwise, love to read blogs and leave comments. While a reader of a niche blog is not interested in blogging per say, the reader is interested in the information. Who is more likely to leave a comment (for example). A blogger visiting another blog or a civilian? (civilian=drive-by blog reader)

I think that’s where the secret sauce comes from for these guys. They got into the space at the right time, they did the right thing (things you outlined above) and they write about the right subject that is conducive to comments, link backs, sharing, etc. Also, all of them (and I don’t fault them for this, just pointing out) have gone to the Anthony Robbins school of motivational sales and hype.

I hope none of this sounded judgmental. My intention is simply to point out the facts as I see them. I love all these guys and have learned a lot from them but I don’t want to be the next Law of Attraction, everything is so awesome, do you know the Secret, kind of guy lol

Other than that, though, I think Chris's answer is (as always) pretty damned good. Especially the runway thing, which I may tattoo on a body part somewhere. Possibly one of my own.