Alex Giaimo Gets to the Heart of VeeFriends
Gary Vaynerchuk’s VeeFriends is like stepping into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory — a world fueled by imagination, innovation, and valuable life lessons. If you still don’t know what VeeFriends is or you haven’t started collecting yet, that will change soon when 2025 Topps Chrome VeeFriends drops on May 7th.
I’m starting my collection for many reasons — the main one being Vaynerchuk himself. VeeFriends and its creator embody the pure imagination spirit: If you can dream it, you can achieve it. Believing in the trading cards also means believing in Gary Vaynerchuk, and why not? He’s one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, amassing his wealth through ventures like his family’s wine business, founding VaynerMedia, and making incredible investments with an unmatched ability to spot trends.
Facebook, Twitter, Uber, NFTs — Vaynerchuk got in before most of us even knew they were a thing. But he’s much more than that. He’s also known worldwide for his inspirational content, which focuses on a no-nonsense approach with ideas like hustle, perseverance, and embracing failure. Then there’s the creative side, which he admittedly kept behind the scenes until he took a trip to Malibu in 2021.
“The world doesn’t know this version of me,” Vaynerchuk said. “I went off the grid with my Sharpies and paper and created this whole universe over the course of a week.” He doodled 251 characters that live in the VeeFriends Universe. Each character has a story that uses alliteration to amplify practical positivity. “Between my creativity and imagination as a kid — plus the collectability factor — VeeFriends is like a culmination of my life,” he said.
Ripping open a pack of VeeFriends cards isn’t just about collecting tangible things; it’s about unlocking experiences money can’t buy.
I’ve always been interested in the Gary Vaynerchuk story but never knew much about VeeFriends, so I went to his VaynerMedia office in NYC to listen and learn — a rare time when I let somebody else do most of the talking. After what felt like five minutes, our hour-long discussion left me believing in the magic of VeeFriends.
Special shout out to VF Marketing Manager Jason Koeppel and Platform Strategy Producer Bobby Schmidt for further filling in the blanks of the VeeFriends mystique. Thanks to their tutelage, I’m back with another Crash Course for the release of 2025 Topps Chrome VeeFriends.
The Importance of Chrome
Before you dive into collecting VeeFriends, you need to know the product’s history. VeeFriends Series 1 and Series 2 launched in 2022. Both were huge successes, even though most of The Hobby hadn’t been exposed yet. Now, the Topps partnership and the benefits that come with it have been added to the equation.
The first VeeFriends Topps release means all 100 characters featured in the set will have a “First Chrome” badge on their rookie cards. “Chrome is going to be a movie; It’s the first time VeeFriends is hitting The Hobby,” Vaynerchuk said. “The first time hobby shops will have the product in their store and the first time people can go into a card shop to buy it.”
What You Should Know about Topps Chrome VeeFriends
We’re all in for a treat because this product differs entirely from previous releases. That means that original and new VF collectors have tons to chase. Thanks to Topps, we’ll see VeeFriends SuperFractors for the first time. Amen!
“Everyone remembers the first time they pulled a super,” Koeppel said. “You automatically become invested in that player, and that same energy will go into VF characters.”
The set also includes autographed cards from people other than Gary Vaynerchuk for the first time. The Entrepreneurial Elf insert cards are available in both autographed and non-autographed versions. Tycoons like Michael Rubin, Kevin Hart, Arianna Huffington, Dana White, and Bethenny Frankel will appear. And if you’re lucky enough to pull the Gary Vaynerchuk SuperFractor, you should know he’s already stated that he’s interested in buying.
Although the VF Universe includes 251 characters, only 100 will be featured in the set. Keep in mind that some characters are more valuable than others. If you want to learn more about character rarities, I highly suggest following the @VeeFriendsCards IG page and watching the VeeFriends stream on Fanatics Live.
Why I’m Starting My Topps Chrome® VeeFriends Collection
Gary Vaynerchuk, the Human
The best way I can explain this is by making a sports comparison. People love asking me what sports teams I root for. I used to be one of those crazy, die-hard fans, but the deeper I got into my career, the more things changed. Today, I mostly root for good games and people.
I’m looking at the VeeFriends brand similarly. I believe in VF because I believe in Gary Vaynerchuck. Take this for example: Just before recording our interview, he checked in with me and asked how I was doing personally. It wasn’t for show, either. He genuinely cared. And in proper, authentic form, I responded candidly and told him I was going through a rough patch.
I’ve interviewed a lot of famous people in my life. Nobody has ever shown as much empathy towards my situation as Gary. Then, halfway through the interview, he made a concerted effort to relate his message to what I was experiencing in my personal life—he listened. And then there’s the relatability factor, which is always great for The Hobby. You’ll find him on his feet at big card shows, engaging with everyone.
Vaynerchuk has built the VeeFriends community to be about so much more than collecting. It’s rooted in authentic connection, camaraderie, and genuine love. Now, that’s a group I can’t wait to be a part of. “The entire community engages on social media, but we aren’t just rooting for each other to pull big cards; we’re rooting for success in life,” Koeppel said. “In our community, we say that strangers become acquaintances, acquaintances become friends, and friends become family. That’s our mantra.”
It doesn’t matter how full his schedule is. He will always find the time to interact and engage with his community, which he acknowledges helped build the foundation of VF. If you catch him on one of his daily live streams, Schmidt said, “You’ll probably hear him shout that he’s ‘building VeeFriends in your face.‘” The community loves how much he cares.
Gary Vaynerchuk, the Entrepreneur
Gary knows what he’s doing, and most of what he touches turns to gold, so I like my odds. In case you didn’t know, as a young boy, he immigrated to the U.S. from the Soviet Union with his working-class family. It’s refreshing to hear a success story about a self-made person in a world full of nepotism—someone who hustled to become one of the most influential entrepreneurs of our time. “Many people are collecting because they see my 30 years of success and think I can pull this off,” Vaynerchuk said.
“The Hobby doesn’t realize how deep the collector base is,” he said. “There’s a much bigger economy to these trading cards than people understand.” He believes The Hobby is in for a shock this spring and summer when the cards are out.
The Characters’ Stories
Like established comic book universes, the world of VeeFriends is built on memorable characters that emotionally connect with fans. Like all of us, most of their story is still being written. The first VeeFriends comic book will be released next month. That means that Chrome VeeFriends collectors can potentially rip open a box in May, fall in love with their favorite character, and continue to follow their journey through the comics.
FYI: Gary’s best advice for newcomers like myself is to “figure out which character best resonates with you.” In my case, I fell in love with the Fearless Fairy because she has specific qualities that I hope I can develop over time. Unlike stars in the real world who deal with injuries, trades, and scandals, the Fearless Fairy will never disappoint. The fictional character market is safer in that way, and we all love a good fantasy.
More Than Just Collecting
I want to leave you with this fun VeeFriends fact to think about. Initially, the official VeeFriends brand color was green, so you’ll notice the greenbacks on the original cards. However, Vaynerchuk decided to switch the color to purple. “He feels as though the world is too blue or red,” Schmidt said. “The purple means finding balance in life or meeting somebody in the middle.”
So, think about the next time you hear him say, “Let’s find the purple.” We can all do a better job at that. Also, the original green color was used to represent his love for the New York Jets—a team I happen to know a thing or two about—and you better believe I wasn’t leaving his office without throwing in some football questions.
