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Beyond the Grind: Why Italian and Swiss Brand Building Outlasts Gary Vaynerchuk's American Style "Hustle Culture"

Quaint alpine village nestled amidst lush green meadows and surrounded by the majestic snowy peaks of the Swiss Alps.
Quaint alpine village nestled amidst lush green meadows and surrounded by the majestic snowy peaks of the Swiss Alps.

Enter hustle culture: evangelized by none other than Mr Gary "Vee" or Gary Vaynerchuk. One of the biggest parts that is lacking due to "hustle culture" in America or elsewhere is there is a growing lack of care for the worker today and this is spreading throughout the world. There is a growing lack of places where a worker is respected for their time and the relative effect is that it takes a toll on relationships, family, mental health, and community.


If you look back into the 1950s it was a completely different work culture. It’s like they took things from China and Korea and implemented it in America and elsewhere to not care as much about the worker. Hustle and productivity, that’s a job for AI. 


Metrics, KPIs, productivity and etc should be used holistically in comprehensive assessment of current performance and using that to guide decision making. With an obsessive focus on metrics, corporate numbers, KPI, sales, hustle and productivity, profit means nothing because serves and fuels “hustle culture” and the lack of problem solving, care for customers/clients and innovation which would naturally drive metrics up. It means nothing to a company that lost its heart and soul to the original purpose and mission of a company as well as impacting community and building legacy.


Step into a Ferrari Factory in Maranello or a Patek Philippe factory in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland or even a local/artisanal company in a European country striving for high quality. 


Hustle culture, metrics, and etc means nothing to class, craftsmanship, legacy, mentorship, community, this element of an extended family, and building something lets the work speak for itself and that stands the test of time which is part of Swiss/Italian business culture and day to day practice. 


You've seen the posts. They flood your Instagram feed at 5 AM: "Rise and grind," "Sleep when you're dead," "While you're resting, someone else is working." The message is relentless—work harder, hustle longer, outwork your competition. Gary Vaynerchuk, the prophet of hustle culture, built an empire telling entrepreneurs that 18-hour workdays are the price of admission to success. But here's what nobody mentions in those motivational posts: burnout, broken relationships, and businesses that flame out as spectacularly as they launched.


The painful truths lurking beneath the hustle mentality:


  • Glorifying exhaustion while productivity actually decreases after 55 hours of work per week

  • Sacrificing health, relationships, and mental wellbeing for an uncertain future payoff

  • Building businesses on volume and speed rather than value and craftsmanship

  • Creating content for the algorithm rather than products that speak for themselves

  • Measuring success by hours logged instead of legacy created

  • Confusing constant motion with meaningful progress

  • Lacking the cultural and social capital that comes from generational excellence


Now contrast this with something entirely different. Walk into a workshop in northern Italy where a Brunello Cucinelli cashmere sweater is being crafted. The artisan isn't checking Instagram. They're not grinding through 18-hour days. They're doing what their mentor taught them, what their mentor's mentor taught before, stretching back generations. The work is deliberate, precise, unhurried. The product will outlast the craftsman. That's Italian craftsmanship. That's legacy.


Or consider the Swiss watchmaking tradition, where timepieces are built to last not years, but centuries—designed to be passed down through families as heirlooms. These aren't businesses built on hustle. They're built on something far more powerful: the patient accumulation of mastery, reputation, and cultural reverence.


A bustling evening in Times Square, where the glow of massive billboards and the vibrant energy of the city converge as crowds cross the iconic intersections.
A bustling evening in Times Square, where the glow of massive billboards and the vibrant energy of the city converge as crowds cross the iconic intersections.

The Gary V "Hustle Culture" Philosophy: Speed, Volume, and the Burnout Epidemic



Gary Vaynerchuk didn't invent hustle culture, but he became its most visible evangelist. His message resonates because it's simple: work harder than everyone else, document everything, post constantly, and success becomes inevitable. VaynerMedia grew from that philosophy, and Gary V's personal brand exploded across social platforms with daily content aimed at entrepreneurs hungry for the formula.


The problem? Research increasingly shows this approach is fundamentally unsustainable and often counterproductive. Nearly 80% of employees report experiencing work-related stress, with weekly productivity rates decreasing after 55 hours of work. Stanford University research found that while 50-hour workweeks may boost productivity initially, productivity drops significantly after working 55 hours per week, with the risk of work-related burnout doubling after 60 hours compared to a 40-hour workweek.


The hustle mentality confuses motion with progress—being busy doesn't mean being effective, and working 18 hours doesn't automatically create 18 hours of value. Most followers of this advice end up spinning their wheels harder instead of moving forward faster, posting content at 5 AM not because they have something meaningful to say, but because they've been told successful people post at 5 AM. It becomes performative rather than purposeful.


The American hustle culture glorifies sacrifice—treating sleep as weakness, vacations as failure, and work-life balance as a myth for mediocre people. Statistics show 70% of young professionals report feeling pressured to work harder than ever, often leading to burnout and lasting impact on mental health. This normalized exhaustion creates a cycle where people sacrifice their health, relationships, and present happiness for future success that may never materialize.


What's missing from this equation? Business longevity, cultural relevance, and the kind of deep respect that comes from generational excellence. Hustle culture builds fast, loud, and often shallow. It creates attention but struggles to create lasting value or brand legacy.


The Italian Approach: Craftsmanship as Cultural Philosophy


Charming hillside view of a picturesque Italian village, with rustic stone buildings nestled in lush greenery and rolling hills extending into the distance.
Charming hillside view of a picturesque Italian village, with rustic stone buildings nestled in lush greenery and rolling hills extending into the distance.

Now let's travel to Italy, where business operates under an entirely different paradigm. Italian craftsmanship has roots in the Renaissance period when Italy was a hub of artistic and cultural innovation, creating a legacy where craftsmanship is elevated to an art form—not just about making products, but about preserving cultural heritage.


The Italian business philosophy prioritizes quality over quantity in ways that fundamentally contradict hustle culture. Italian manufacturers recognize that longevity and customer satisfaction are fundamental, sourcing premium materials and employing traditional techniques to ensure products stand the test of time. This isn't about moving faster—it's about moving with intention.


Consider Brunello Cucinelli, whose luxury brand has achieved remarkable success through what he calls "humanistic capitalism." The company pays employees 20% more than competitors, offers 90-minute lunches, and prohibits overtime. This isn't naive idealism—Cucinelli's approach has delivered exceptional shareholder returns, with shareholders enjoying a 44% compound annual growth rate over three years and share prices surging 191%.


The Italian model emphasizes several principles that directly contradict hustle culture:


Generational Knowledge Transfer: Italian craftsmanship is passed down through generations, with each artisan adding their own touch while respecting centuries of tradition. You can't hustle your way to this depth of expertise—it requires patience, apprenticeship, and reverence for the process.


Attention to Detail Over Speed: Italian artisans take pride in their meticulous approach, often spending countless hours refining their creations, with every step undertaken with utmost precision. This results in products that transcend passing trends and become enduring pieces of art.


Sustainability as Strategy: The Italian manufacturing ethos integrates sustainability deeply, with many artisans adhering to eco-friendly practices and ethical sourcing. Products aren't designed for planned obsolescence—they're designed to last generations.


Cultural and Social Capital: When you purchase an Italian-made product, you're not merely acquiring an item—you're embracing a piece of Italian culture and heritage. This cultural weight creates value that hustle culture, with its emphasis on speed and volume, simply cannot replicate.


Swiss Precision: Building for Centuries, Not Quarters


A picturesque Alpine village nestles against the backdrop of majestic, snow-capped mountains, with charming rustic houses and a prominent church steeple reaching towards the clear blue sky.
A picturesque Alpine village nestles against the backdrop of majestic, snow-capped mountains, with charming rustic houses and a prominent church steeple reaching towards the clear blue sky.

Or also like for Patek Philippe:



If Italian craftsmanship represents art and soul, Swiss manufacturing represents precision and permanence. Swiss watchmaking offers perhaps the clearest counterpoint to hustle culture—an industry built on the principle that true excellence cannot be rushed.

Swiss watchmaking dates back centuries, creating a culture of excellence passed down through generations, with many brands like Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin still family-owned or having legacies tracing back centuries. The Swiss didn't build dominance through grinding 18-hour days—they built it through systematic development of expertise over generations.


The Swiss philosophy diverges from hustle culture in fundamental ways:


Longevity Over Urgency: A high-quality mechanical Swiss watch can last 100 years, requiring servicing only every seven years, becoming a timeless object passed down through generations as a personal legacy. Compare this to the hustle culture approach of rapid iteration and planned obsolescence.


Precision Over Volume: The Swiss obsession with accuracy and mechanical perfection borders on philosophical, with each movement representing a celebration of micro-engineering. Swiss watchmakers measure quality in microns—you can't hustle precision.


Apprenticeship Over Acceleration: Two-thirds of Swiss youth opt for apprenticeship-type programs over pre-university education, and when freed from focusing primarily on making money, young people take on longer apprenticeships that allow them to deepen their skills. The stability of Swiss franc and culture enables this patient knowledge transfer across generations.


Heritage as Competitive Advantage: During the quartz crisis of the 1970s-80s, when cheap electronic watches threatened to destroy the industry, Swiss watchmakers didn't panic or pivot to hustle mode. Instead, they doubled down on craftsmanship, emphasizing heritage, quality, and mechanical complexity. They redefined watches not as mere instruments, but as expressions of identity, tradition, and connoisseurship.


Designing Better Business Solutions: The Work That Speaks for Itself


Here's the revelation that hustle culture misses entirely: authentic brand building through craftsmanship and quality actually requires less frantic effort than the perpetual content machine. Not because it's easier, but because it's strategic.


When your product is genuinely excellent—when it carries the weight of tradition, the precision of mastery, and the promise of longevity—it speaks for itself. You don't need to post 15 times daily on social media. You don't need to manufacture urgency with flash sales and FOMO tactics. The product becomes its own marketing through word-of-mouth, customer loyalty, and cultural relevance.


The European model teaches us:


  1. Invest in mastery, not marketing gimmicks: The time Italian artisans spend perfecting their craft creates value that no amount of hustle can replicate. Their pride in craftsmanship becomes the brand story.

  2. Build for generations, not quarterly earnings: Swiss watch companies measure success in centuries. This long-term thinking fundamentally changes decision-making, prioritizing reputation and sustainability over short-term gains.

  3. Create cultural capital through consistency: Italian craftsmanship stands for expertise, words, gestures and memories shaped by centuries of history and cultural heritage. This depth of cultural connection cannot be hustled into existence—it must be earned.

  4. Respect rest as part of excellence: Cucinelli's 90-minute lunches aren't indulgence—they're recognition that rested humans produce better work. The obsession with constant grinding ignores human biology and psychology.

  5. Let quality create demand: When Patek Philippe advertises that "you never actually own a Patek Philippe—you merely take care of it for the next generation," they're selling something hustle culture cannot: permanence, heritage, and meaning beyond the transaction.


The Hidden Cost of Hustle: What Gets Lost in the Grind


American hustle culture operates on scarcity mentality—if you're not grinding, someone else is, and they'll take your spot. But this zero-sum thinking ignores what European craftsmanship demonstrates: abundance comes from creating genuine value, not from outworking competitors on arbitrary metrics.


The costs of hustle culture extend beyond personal burnout. They include:


  • Lost craftsmanship: When speed trumps quality, we produce more disposable products rather than lasting value

  • Weakened social bonds: Relationships become "networking" opportunities rather than genuine human connections

  • Cultural hollowness: Brands built purely on volume lack the depth and meaning that resonates across generations

  • Competitive degradation: Everyone grinding in the same way commoditizes effort rather than differentiating through excellence

  • Environmental impact: The emphasis on rapid production and consumption contradicts sustainability


Meanwhile, the Italian and Swiss models create positive externalities: skilled employment that can't be easily outsourced, cultural heritage worth preserving, products that reduce waste through longevity, and communities built around shared standards of excellence.


A Different Definition of Success


Gary Vaynerchuk's net worth is estimated around $160 million. Impressive by any measure. But compare this to the enduring value created by brands like Loro Piana (acquired by LVMH while maintaining its essence), Brunello Cucinelli (market cap exceeding $5 billion), or Patek Philippe (privately held, priceless cultural institution). These aren't just wealthy founders—they're legacy brands that will outlast their creators by centuries.

The question isn't whether hustle has value—dedication and hard work matter enormously. The question is: what kind of value are you creating, and at what cost?


Sustainable business excellence doesn't require sacrificing your health, relationships, and present happiness. It requires something harder: patience, mastery, and the courage to build slowly in a culture that worships speed. It requires pride in work itself, not just in the Instagram post about the work.


The Italian artisan doesn't need to document every hour of their day because their work documents itself. The Swiss watchmaker doesn't grind 18-hour days because they understand that precision requires rest, focus, and clarity. They're not less ambitious—they're differently ambitious. They're building for a different timeline, with a different definition of success.


In a world drowning in content, hustle, and noise, there's revolutionary power in creating something that lasts. In designing work you're proud to put your name on. In building a business that your grandchildren could inherit with pride. That's not hustle—that's mastery. And mastery, by definition, cannot be rushed.


References and Further Reading

  1. Davenport, B. (2025). "The Painful Truth About Gary Vaynerchuk's Hustle Culture." Brad Davenport Newsletter.

  2. Leaders.com. (2023). "Research Shows Hustle Culture Does More Harm Than Good."

  3. Khan, A.W. (2025). "Hustle Culture: The Rise of A New Work Ethic." Sify Digital Transformation.

  4. Lost and Found in Italy. (2025). "Made in Italy: A Timeless Legacy of Excellence."

  5. Framesi Professional. (2024). "The Essence of 'Made in Italy': Unveiling Italian Craftsmanship and Heritage."

  6. Gray, G. (2023). "Outmoding Gucci: How Brunello Cucinelli's Luxury Brand Management is Winning in a Dynamic Market." LinkedIn.

  7. MilanoStyle.com. (2025). "Italian Fashion Brands Dedicated to the Art of Craftsmanship."

  8. Lowengrin. (2025). "Timeless Precision: Why Swiss Watches Still Rule the World."

  9. The Horology Lab. (2025). "Why Swiss Watchmaking Still Leads the World."

  10. CJ Charles Jewelers. (2025). "Why Are Swiss Watches the Best?"

  11. Alpine Hikers. (2021). "The Swiss Culture of Craftsmanship."

  12. Excellence Magazine. (2022). "Craftsmanship and quality as luxury brands' allies."


Additional Resources:

  • Harvard Business Review: Articles on sustainable luxury brand management

  • McKinsey & Company: Reports on consumer health and wellness trends

  • Journal of Occupational Health: Studies on work-related burnout and productivity

  • Stanford University: Research on working hours and productivity correlation


This article is intended for informational purposes and represents analysis of business philosophies. Individual circumstances vary, and readers should consider their own values, goals, and contexts when evaluating business strategies.

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