Episode 14:

Entrepreneur, CEO, and compulsive F1 fan Vincenzo Landino join Brand to Fan to share his take on vlogging and answers the age-old marketing question of which is better: going viral or gaining followers? Plus, he dissects why many children of immigrants turn to specific careers because of the family legacy. Think it doesn’t apply to you? Tune in… because you may just be surprised at how it does. 

While I’ve known Vincenzo for several years, this was our longest one-on-one conversation. Turns out, we’re both products of small towns and fostered our entrepreneurial spirits early on. We both have an affinity for all things Italy through our immigrant families. And we’ve both seen some stuff in social media, video and branded content, having worked for and with well-known brands.

I wanted to talk to Vincenzo about how he’s turned his own fandom into a personal brand and an emerging business as the “F1 Guy” and his online newsletter. But Vin keeps it all in perspective — Not only is this new dad super stoked about video, he’s keen on the difference between going viral and building a fan base, sharing why businesses and entrepreneurs need to know it. 

Tune in now for a little bit of Italy, a little bit of legacy, and a lot of fun. 

The Guest: Vincenzo Landino

Vincenzo Landino is a digital media producer and entrepreneur. He is a co-founder of Aftermarq and Brainwork Media. Also known as the F1 Guy, Landino is a first-generation Italian-American and third-generation entrepreneur who is the CEO and co-founder of The Landino Group.

WHERE TO FIND VIN:

• Connect with him

TL;DL (too long; didn’t listen)

My key takeaways from speaking with Vincenzo Landino, aka "The F1 Guy":

• Immigrant mentality and small-town upbringing can instill a drive for success and entrepreneurship.

• Emotional connections to the world can influence career pursuits and lead to building a personal brand.

• Building a personal brand into a media company requires taking risks and making bold bets.

• To create value-driven video content, it's essential to understand the audience and create content that resonates with them.

• Viral content may generate a lot of views and attention, but it doesn't always lead to sustained success.

• Fandom is about creating a sense of community and belonging among fans, and can be leveraged to build a successful brand.

What are you a fan of?

“When it comes to fandom, the first thing that comes to mind for me is the passionate supporters of Ferrari with their red, white, and green flags waving high. Whether it's the Italian soccer team or any sport, to me, fandom is about the die-hard fans who stop at nothing to show their support. It's about the crazy and devoted people who will go out of their way to support something they love.”

What is your favorite piece of Fanwear you own?

I had this Philadelphia Flyers hat once, which was probably my favorite hat I’ve ever owned. It was thrown out by an ex, but the smell of it and the feel of it were just perfect. The hat was black with the Flyers logo on the front in orange and white. It reminded me of going to the games with my dad when we were young.

The first (hockey) game we ever went to was Whalers versus Flyers. For some reason, I just loved the Flyers and that hat became my favorite. I wore it playing outdoor roller hockey and baseball. I would never clean it because I loved the sweat stains and the old-school smell.

Show Credits

Brand to Fan Show is produced by Teague FC and supported by FanWagn

Audio production by Bryan Griggs / Griggs Production

Producers: Kimberly Voorhis, Ashley Ruiz and Carrie Hellbusch

Video Editing by Garrett Teague

AI assistance from Pictory.AI and CastMagic

And I’m your host, Lauren Teague.