We’re witnessing the birth of the next Marvel, Disney, or Pokémon right before our eyes, and most people don’t even realize it. I’ve been closely following Gary Vaynerchuk’s V Friends journey, and what I’m seeing is a masterclass in modern brand building that combines old-school hustle with new-age digital strategy. As I analyze Gary’s approach to building V Friends, I’m struck by something profound: in an age where everyone is obsessed with automation and AI, he’s doubling down on human connection. “I think in the rise of AI, the people that are going to win are the ones that do the most in-person stuff,” Gary notes. This insight is gold for anyone building a business for their future.
The Long Game Approach to Brand Building
What separates true visionaries from temporary success stories is their time horizon. When Gary mentions, “from the invention of V Friends, from the second that I thought about creating it, I knew I signed up for a 50-year journey,” he’s revealing the mindset that few entrepreneurs have the courage to adopt.
This long-term thinking is what allowed him to secure deals like the TOPS Chrome partnership that’s putting V Friends trading cards in stores nationwide. But even with this major win, his perspective remains grounded: “I know the TOPS Chrome launch is a monster and I know that we’ll always look back at it as a big deal, but I’m definitely not celebrating. I don’t think we’ve even started yet.”
This is the mentality that builds lasting empires, not just profitable businesses.
The Width and Depth Strategy
The most practical takeaway from Gary’s approach is what I call his “width and depth” strategy. As he explains:
- Width: “Post three times a day, seven different platforms. Go on podcast, do a YouTube show, just be everywhere.”
- Depth: “One by one nonscalable behavior… Get to know people. 6 minutes with somebody who’s potentially talking gibberish, but you’re there for them.”
Most brands and entrepreneurs choose one or the other. They either focus on mass reach or deep connection. The magic happens when you commit to both simultaneously.
This dual approach is exhausting but effective. While V Friends is making deals with major companies like TOPS Chrome and Uno, Gary is still spending Memorial Day weekend at conventions, talking one-on-one with fans and building relationships that can’t be automated.
Building Brands With Purpose
What’s particularly striking about V Friends is the intentionality behind it. Gary isn’t just creating cute characters to sell merchandise. He’s building a world based on values and characteristics he believes in—gratitude, drive, accountability, and resilience.
He points out a gap in the market: “I don’t think that brands have done a very good job in the last 20 years helping parents. I think they’ve been good at taking money from parents.” He references how shows like G.I. Joe used to end with life lessons, something he’s incorporating into V Friends.
This purpose-driven approach gives the brand staying power beyond trends. It creates characters that parents want their children to connect with because they teach valuable life lessons.
The Secret to Breaking Through
For entrepreneurs wondering when their big break will come, Gary offers this insight: “When you are not looking for it to pop. When it’s just your day-to-day. When you’re equally okay in the dark as you are in the sun, well, then that’s when you become completely unstoppable.”
This speaks to the paradox of success. The moment you stop desperately chasing it and instead focus on the daily work with complete conviction—regardless of external validation—is often when breakthrough happens for your future.
The V Friends journey demonstrates this perfectly. Gary is building this brand brick by brick, from comics to cartoons to trading cards to potential TV shows. Each small win compounds, creating momentum that eventually becomes unstoppable.
The Human Touch in a Digital World
What strikes me most about Gary’s approach is his commitment to human connection in an increasingly digital world. He calls himself “a worm in the dirt,” getting his hands dirty with the ground-level work that many successful entrepreneurs eventually outsource.
“I think in the rise of AI, the people that are going to win are the ones that do the most in-person stuff, do the Zooms one-on-one. I think it is my secret weapon.”
This insight is particularly valuable as we navigate an era where AI threatens to replace human interaction. The brands and entrepreneurs who maintain authentic human connection will stand out in a sea of automated, algorithmic content.
For those building businesses today, the lesson is clear: use technology to scale your reach for the future, but never at the expense of genuine human connection. The future belongs to those who can master both.
As I continue to study successful brand builders like Gary, I’m convinced that this balanced approach—combining massive distribution with one-on-one connection, short-term wins with 50-year vision, and commercial success with meaningful purpose—is the blueprint for building the next generation of iconic brands.