VeeFriends President, Andy Krainak on Navigating Short Term Wins with Long Term Vision as a Web3-Native Intellectual Property Company

In this episode of From the Blockchain, Ashley (Bored Becky) is joined by guest Andy Krainak, President of VeeFriends. Andy is a top intellectual property company built through NFT technology, with over $240M in revenue since its May 2021 launch. He oversees a team of 40+ executives, leading the expansion of VeeFriends from an NFT project to a multimedia IP company. 

With a background in brand building, Andy has launched notable partnerships, led a groundbreaking Web3 conference, and leveraged blockchain technology to deliver value through content and storytelling. Prior to VeeFriends, he served as EVP of Team GaryVee, leading the media and content engine behind Gary Vaynerchuk's personal brand. 

Andy started as an intern for Vaynerchuk, promoting NY Times Bestsellers and raising millions through campaigns. He specializes in digital and brand strategy, including social media content, influencer marketing, and e-commerce. Andy is a graduate of Virginia Tech University and shares advice @Krainak. 

01:02 – Episode intro, overview, and brief guest bio

06:20 – Interview start, meet Andy Krainak 

08:11 – Learn more about Andy, his background in business, and the beginning of his Web3.0 journey 

12:20 – What is VeeFriends, the vision behind it, and why it was created 

16:14 – VeeFriend characters, what they represent, and the priorities of the values of the characters 

20:31 – Diving into VeeCon 2023 and what is the focus of this years VeeCon 

24:10 – How the ticketing works for VeeCon and how to attend 

27:20 – ChatGPT Question: As the leader of a leading Web3.0 company navigating an unknown business landscape, how does he balance the pressure for short-term wins, especially with holders, with the long-term vision of the company? 

32:23 – VeeFriends chat room, how he manages constantly moving forward, and the importance of taking a break

34:31 – Discussion on the gifts, access, and using Web3.0 and NFTs as a component to a business  

38:18 – What he thinks VeeFriends could potentially look like in the future, where IP growth can go, and why would someone own a collectable related to that intellectual property 

41:58 – How brands are approaching NFTs now, what companies might be thinking about when discussing potential opportunities in terms of collaboration with a brand, what