VeVe’s Ben Rose On Five Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In The Digital Collectible Industry
…Be the person who does the hard stuff. When a challenge comes up in a business or organization, most people don’t proactively raise their hand to tackle it. Be that person. If you can solve problems, it not only creates opportunities for you but also builds your reputation, skills, and internal brand…
I had the pleasure of talking with Ben Rose. Ben is the co-CEO of VeVe, a digital collectibles platform specializing in licensed NFTs from major brands such as Marvel, Disney, and DC Comics. With a background spanning advertising, financial services, and cryptocurrency, Rose has played a key role in expanding digital assets and blockchain-based consumer experiences. His tenure at VeVe has been marked by a focus on user growth, community engagement, and the development of VeVeVerse, an interactive metaverse for collectors.
Rose was born in London, United Kingdom, as the youngest of six children. He developed an early interest in languages, which led him to study Spanish and Portuguese at Oxford University. As part of his studies, he spent time in Portugal and Spain, immersing himself in the culture and refining his linguistic skills. Despite his passion for languages, he found that his career prospects were uncertain upon graduation. A friend suggested he explore sales and marketing, leading him to apply to over 100 advertising agencies. He secured a position in Soho, London, during what he described as the “golden age of advertising,” where he learned foundational marketing skills under industry veterans.
After gaining experience in advertising, Rose moved to New Zealand, where he built a diverse career in financial services and marketing. He worked in leadership roles at companies such as nib, ASB, AMP Financial Services, and Sovereign, often focusing on business growth, customer acquisition, and strategic partnerships. His transition from marketing to leadership was shaped by mentors who encouraged him to take on challenges beyond his initial expertise. This broadened his career trajectory, leading him to senior executive roles.
In 2023, Rose entered the cryptocurrency sector, becoming Regional General Manager for Binance Australia and New Zealand. In this role, he led efforts to expand Binance’s customer base, growing the platform to 330,000 users and facilitating billions in trading volume. His tenure at Binance deepened his knowledge of blockchain technology and digital assets, which would later inform his leadership at VeVe.
Rose joined VeVe as co-CEO in September 2024, working alongside founders David Yu and Dan Crothers. His responsibilities include overseeing communications, platform growth, and strategic partnerships. One of his most significant initiatives has been the launch of VeVeVerse, a metaverse designed for collectors to showcase and interact with their digital assets. Under his leadership, VeVe has also expanded its digital comics offerings, enabling users to access and trade comics from major publishers.
Beyond his professional career, Rose has maintained a strong personal interest in collectibles, ranging from sneakers to Funko Pops and comic books. This personal passion aligns with VeVe’s mission, allowing him to connect with the platform’s global community of collectors.
Rose is also known for his transparent and community-focused leadership style, regularly engaging with users through interviews and social media. His approach emphasizes technological innovation while maintaining a user-centric experience. With plans to expand VeVe’s reach, integrate artificial intelligence, and enhance blockchain interoperability, Rose remains at the forefront of the evolving digital collectibles industry.
Yitzi: Ben, it’s a delight and an honor to meet you. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share with us a story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Ben: Sure. I grew up in London, UK, as the youngest of six children. So it was a big family. I went to school in central London and really lived the London lifestyle. I developed a love of languages pretty early on, which I inherited from my mom — she was always a talented linguist.
I ended up studying Russian, Spanish, and French. I was lucky enough to get a place at Oxford to study Spanish and Portuguese, which was a pivotal moment for me. It was a place where it was really cool to be nerdy, geeky, and passionate about the subjects you loved. I discovered my tribe, and it was an amazing time.
Part of studying languages meant spending time in the countries we were studying. When I applied, you had to do two languages. I chose Spanish and Portuguese, thinking they’d be similar — turns out they’re completely different, though both beautiful. My offer was conditional: I needed to become conversational in Portuguese in two months.
So at 18, I went to Portugal and got a job in a meat market to immerse myself in the language. I learned Portuguese and returned for my conversation with the university. They accepted me but noted my language was “pretty rough” and needed refinement.
During my studies, I spent a year teaching English to Spanish high school kids, which was amazing. I graduated as an expert in two languages and literature, deeply knowledgeable about Middle Ages literature and ballads — which wasn’t exactly a straightforward career path.
I sat down with a good friend and shared my uncertainty about my future. He told me, “You could sell ice to Eskimos — I suggest you look into sales or marketing.” So I applied to over a hundred advertising agencies and was fortunate to land a position in Soho, London — then the global capital of advertising. I learned marketing and sales skills from fantastic mentors, which launched my career.
Over the years, I’ve always been drawn to challenges — situations that are tough and need turning around or building up. I’ve worked across various industries and categories. Eventually, I moved to New Zealand, which is now very close to my heart. I’ve been here for 20 years — almost longer than I lived in the UK.
I initially came to work for Tourism New Zealand, advertising the country. I fell in love with both New Zealand and my wife, whom I met here. Now, I’m a passionate Kiwi with three wonderful daughters and two slightly less wonderful dogs.
When COVID hit, like everyone, I was stuck in lockdown and spent time online. I finally researched crypto and blockchain. As providence would have it, Binance — the world’s largest crypto exchange — wanted to launch in New Zealand. This brought together two of my passions: crypto and New Zealand. I applied and got the role of leading Binance locally.
We built the business from scratch, growing to 330,000 customers who traded $4.5 billion. I then got the opportunity to lead the Australian and New Zealand market. During this time, I met the team from VeVe while interviewing local Web 3 founders.
I met David Yu, one of VeVe’s founders, who explained their unique approach. Unlike many crypto projects that look for a problem to solve with blockchain, David and his co-founder Dan started with a deep understanding of collectors and fandom. They recognized that collectors love scarcity and rarity.
These two Kiwi guys flew to the US and, with their American executive friend Alkan (who was behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Mario), pitched to major brands. They approached Disney, Marvel, MGM, Coca-Cola — you name it. Four years later, they’ve created a platform with unprecedented IP access, selling millions of digital collectibles worldwide.
It’s an amazing business with remarkable people, and I saw an opportunity to do something cool together. One thing led to another, and here we are.
Yitzi: Did you have a background in comics and collectibles before you joined the company?
Ben: Yes, I collected various things as a kid. Sneakers were one of my collections — my bar mitzvah cake was a Nike Air Cortez, which means something to a sneaker head and looks ridiculous to everyone else. I also collected drink cans and toy soldiers, all that kind of stuff.
As an adult, I discovered Funko Pops. There was an article once that said the two biggest turn-offs for a woman are a man who’s into crypto and Funko Pops. So my wife hit the jackpot. Now I get to work with collectibles professionally.
Yitzi: Can you share with our readers one or two stories that most stand out in your mind from your professional life?
Ben: When I resigned from my first job, I made the mistake of chasing an additional 5,000 pounds at another position. They made me walk up to the managing director’s office to resign — I was terrified, being the most junior person speaking to the most senior.
The managing director was Jonathan Mildenhall, who went on to become the chief marketing officer for Airbnb and Coca-Cola. He was an amazing guy who was quite unusual in advertising during the 90s. As a working-class, gay, Black man, he stood out in the corporate world of big agencies. But he didn’t care — he was great at his job and that’s what mattered.
He gave me incredible advice: “Never pretend to be anything other than who you are. Be yourself.” I know it sounds cliché, but coming from someone who truly lived this principle, it was powerful. His subsequent career proves he was true to himself. I’ve always held onto that advice — it’s crucial to have a genuine values fit with your workplace. If you don’t, you need to be honest and move on to somewhere you can make a real difference.
Another pivotal moment came when I was working in marketing at an insurance company in New Zealand. The chief executive, Simon Boris Weston, an accomplished Australian businessman, approached me about a problem in operations. He partnered me with an executive named Patrice and told me to help fix it.
I was skeptical. What did I know about operations? I was just a marketer. But Simon and Patrice told me something transformative: “You’re not just a marketer, you’re a leader. Leadership is about identifying objectives, identifying blockers, and removing those blockers.”
I learned that leadership isn’t about being excellent in one discipline. It’s about understanding people, helping them do great work, setting the right conditions, and then getting out of the way. This experience marked a significant shift in my career towards broader leadership roles.
With confidence from leadership and focused effort, we achieved an incredible turnaround. We transformed a struggling department of hundreds of people — from losing staff daily to becoming the company’s highest-engagement team. People actually wanted to work there. It showed me the profound difference that belief and mentoring can make.
Yitzi: It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake you made when you were first starting out and the lesson you learned from it?
Ben: Absolutely. So, I’m working in advertising, I’ve got a new suit, I’m feeling pretty professional. I’ve got a job, a salary coming in — I’m feeling quite important.
One of my responsibilities at this agency was working with a major car manufacturer. Back then, outdoor billboards were a big deal. My job was to take the original ad and then check all the different versions going up around the country, making sure they matched.
So, I looked at the first one — signed it. Looked at the second — signed it. By the third, I was getting a bit bored — signed it. By the fourth, I barely looked — just signed it. I figured, how bad could it be? They all looked the same.
Turns out, it was bad. The price was wrong on two billboards. And in the UK, if you advertise a price, you have to honor it. We’re talking about cars — thousands and thousands of pounds. A couple of weeks later, we got a call from the car manufacturer. Two dealerships had customers demanding cars for £4,000 less than they should have been — and they had to sell them at that price.
So, what did I learn? First, you’re never as important as you think you are. And second, always pay attention to the details. Never assume anything, because it will come back to bite you. Since then, I have never signed off on artwork or a contract without triple-checking every detail. That was a hard but valuable lesson.
Yitzi: Ben, you have such an impressive body of work. Can you share some exciting projects you’re working on now and what you hope to be working on in the near future?
Ben: Absolutely! So, at VeVe, our mission is to be the place where the world collects. People have always collected things physically — about $500 billion is spent every year on physical collectibles — but they also collect digitally. We’re growing that space, and as of last week, the place where the world collects is the VeVeVerse.
We just launched a metaverse, and I’m really excited about it. Our users — hundreds of thousands of them from around the world — are diving in and building incredible spaces: houses, museums, cathedrals, showcases. It’s amazing to see. The most exciting part of this is creating a digital space where people can come together. We have customers in 172 different countries, and if you’re passionate about Sesame Street, James Bond, or Marvel, but you live in Ohio, Zurich, or Zimbabwe, now you can connect with others who love the same things.
So, we’re focused on building out the VeVeVerse, helping users engage with it, and putting together tutorials to guide them. That’s been a huge, exciting project for us.
Another major project we’re working on is VeVe Comics. We launched VeVe Comics last year with Marvel, and since then, we’ve brought on some amazing comic publishers. This platform is for comic readers worldwide — especially those who may not live near a store or who prefer not to collect physical copies. We’ve seen how disasters like floods and fires can affect collections, so with VeVe Comics, people can buy digital versions the same day they’re released in stores and read them on their phone, iPad, in augmented reality, or even in virtual reality.
The next big step is launching a comic curator program, where independent artists can upload and sell their comics on VeVe. This is all about creating a creator economy for comics, and it’s exciting because comics have a massive global presence — not just in the US and Canada, but also in Europe, Asia, and beyond. We’ll continue adding more publishers and expanding into different genres.
So, between the VeVeVerse and VeVe Comics, there’s a lot happening — and a lot more to come!
Yitzi: That’s amazing. Just to clarify for our readers, is the VeVeVerse primarily accessed through virtual reality headsets, or can you also use it on your phone or computer?
Ben: Great question! Right now, you can access it on your computer — it’s just an app you download for PC or Mac. We’re also releasing a mobile version very soon — within this quarter — so you’ll be able to access it from your phone as well.
As for VR headsets, we’re definitely exploring that. I actually have one here — they’re fascinating, but they’re not quite mainstream yet. They will be, though. If you look at the investments Google, Amazon, and Meta are making into hardware and software, augmented reality is definitely a growing space.
We’ve actually had augmented reality on our app for years. Our collectors can place a DeLorean in their driveway, hang digital artwork on their living room wall, or even take a video of their kids with Cookie Monster in the backyard — all through their mobile phone. Eventually, that kind of experience will happen through headsets too. It’s really just a matter of when the hardware becomes affordable and widely adopted.
Right now, VR headsets are in the $300–$400 range at Target, so they’re not wildly expensive, and the price is coming down. But for today, the VeVeVerse is available on PC, and soon, on mobile. Headsets will absolutely be part of the future — it’s just a question of when they reach mass adoption.
Yitzi: Okay. Amazing. Are NFTs a subcategory of digital collectibles, or is it the opposite? Are digital collectibles NFTs?
Ben: Gotcha. So, NFT stands for non-fungible token. What that means is it’s a digital token that proves ownership of something. Think of it like a movie ticket — you buy a ticket, and that piece of paper is a token that grants you access to the cinema. NFTs work the same way, but digitally.
Some people call NFTs “digital collectibles,” while others just call them NFTs. Honestly, either is fine. What really matters is the technology underneath. From a collector’s point of view, if I buy a comic — by the way, this one cost me two pounds, it’s from the week of my birth, and I used to read this series as a kid, so it means something to me — but if I buy a comic, whether it’s one of 100 or one of 100,000 makes a big difference. In the physical world, you don’t always know those numbers.
With digital collectibles, we might release 1,000 or 5,000 of something, and you’ll know exactly which one you own — number 782 or number 21, for example. You also know how many exist, and it’s all transparent on the blockchain. That’s the advantage of blockchain technology for collectors.
In the early days of NFTs, people bought them just because they were NFTs, but really, it’s just a technology — a means to an end. We refer to what we create as digital collectibles because that’s what they’ve always been. But the technology behind them? We use NFT technology, along with virtual reality, augmented reality, and increasingly, artificial intelligence. We’re expanding our use of AI as well.
Yitzi: Yeah, that was actually my next question. NFTs and blockchain were huge buzzwords four or five years ago — that’s when I was first learning about them. Now, the biggest buzzword is AI. How do you see digital collectibles converging with AI? It also seems like AI makes it much easier to create digital collectibles and even comics. It feels like it democratizes access, allowing more people to become creators.
Ben: For us, if a technology serves a purpose for collectors, we’re interested. The ones we use do. We’re not just adopting technologies for the sake of it or to say we have them on our site. The real question is: What do our collectors and our community want? And do these technologies help us deliver a better experience?
AI is definitely one that does. We’ve been exploring it and running several pilot programs across different parts of our business. We’ve tested AI in different areas — sales and marketing, operations, production. In some cases, it’s about improving efficiency. In others, it’s about data analysis and research. One exciting area is personalized recommendations. When you have a marketplace like ours with millions of products and hundreds of thousands of users, AI can help make recommendations more relevant.
We’ve run several pilots, and we’re confident AI has a role to play for us. We’re going to be doing a lot more with it in the future.
I think one of the key ingredients to VeVe’s success over the years has been offering collectors premium licensed brands — brands that have been around for decades or even centuries, like Star Wars, Disney, and even historic stamps like the Penny Black. Our priority is making sure the quality of our digital collectibles honors that legacy. AI can assist in that process, but our creative and production teams still play the biggest role. AI is a tool to help them, not replace them.
For us, AI is like any other technology — it can be used for good or bad. The key question is always: What problem are we trying to solve? Take GPS, for example. It was originally developed for guiding missiles, but now we use it every day to book taxis or get directions. It’s just a technology, not an end in itself — a means to an end.
So yes, we’re interested in AI, and we’re using it where it makes sense. But it’s just one of many tools we use — alongside AR, VR, and blockchain. And when the next big thing comes along, we’ll evaluate that too. If it benefits our users, great. If it turns out to be all hype, we’ll move on and wait for the next real innovation.
Yitzi: So anything digital can become an NFT or a digital collectible. For example, let’s say you had a famous singer — could they make a song where there’s only one digital copy of it, and that becomes an NFT?
Ben: Anything. Absolutely anything. You can mint an NFT — it’s actually very easy to do. The question is, does anyone want to buy it? A lot of businesses found out during the NFT bubble that, at first, people would buy something just because it was an NFT. But that didn’t last.
Now, where things have settled is that if someone loves Back to the Future, they love it on a water bottle, on a duvet, as wall art, and as a digital collectible — because they love that. If someone loves a musician or a band, that passion is what makes them a collector. That’s why they want to collect.
So, it’s very easy to make an NFT, just like it’s very easy to create a cryptocurrency. But whether it has value or meaning to someone is a different question. And that’s where brands and intellectual property come in.
We actually did a partnership last year with a small but well-known stamp retailer in the UK called Stanley Gibbons. They’ve been around since the 1800s, selling stamps in London to philatelists. We released a digital version of the Penny Black stamp, and a small number of collectors also received the physical one. It went absolutely crazy.
Who would have thought stamp collectors would collect stamps digitally? But it’s like every other part of our lives. Think about all the things that used to be physical — photo albums, for example. We used to take photos, print them, and stick them in an album. Now, we take them on our phones and store them in the cloud.
Collecting is the same. What makes a collectible meaningful to someone is the intellectual property behind it. A comic book isn’t meaningful to me just because of the paper or the ink — that’s just the technology used to create it. It’s meaningful because of the date, the title, and what was happening in my life when it came out. The same goes for digital collectibles.
Yitzi: That leads us to our signature question. Ben, you’ve been blessed with a lot of success. Can you share five things you need to create a highly successful career in the digital collectible industry?
Ben:
- Number one is mentors. As you go through your career, keep an eye out for those special people you can learn from — then ask them for guidance. Everyone has skills you don’t have. Build a personal advisory board of mentors throughout your life.
- Number two is never say no. Be open to opportunities because you never know where they might lead. When a door opens, step through it — you might be surprised at what’s on the other side.
- Number three is have a plan. Even if it’s not detailed, have an ultimate destination in mind for where you want your career to go. That way, as opportunities arise, you can make sure they align with your goals. They should help you close skill gaps and gain the experience you need to reach that end point — whatever it may be.
- Number four is be the person who does the hard stuff. When a challenge comes up in a business or organization, most people don’t proactively raise their hand to tackle it. Be that person. If you can solve problems, it not only creates opportunities for you but also builds your reputation, skills, and internal brand.
- And number five — make sure your values align with the team and organization you’re part of. If they don’t, get out. If they do, double down.
Yitzi: Here’s a final aspirational question. Ben, because of your great work and the platform you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would it be?
Ben: Just to clarify — I didn’t build this. I’m standing on the shoulders of giants. My two co-founders built this; I get the easy job of coming in and reaping the benefits. They did the hard work.
But in terms of an idea, I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years is that technology is just a tool — it’s neutral. When new technologies emerge, the natural human reaction is often suspicion, nervousness, or even rejection. People recoil from it, criticize it, or dismiss it. But the people who succeed in business do the opposite. They embrace new technology, look past the noise, and find the opportunities in it.
It’s only in hindsight that the naysayers realize they got it wrong. So for me, the best piece of advice I can give — and the lesson I’ve learned — is to stay open to new things. Control that knee-jerk reaction to resist change. Keep an open mind.
Yitzi: Ben, how can our readers learn more about VeVe’s services and products? How can our readers support you in any way?
Ben: We’d love for them to visit VeVe.me. You can download our app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. You can also find us on X. If you want to learn more, come to any of those places — our amazing community would love to welcome you.
We work with over 200 of the world’s biggest brands, so if you visit VeVe.me, you’ll likely find something you’re into — and probably something that surprises you. I’d absolutely encourage everyone to come rediscover their fandoms on the platform.
Yitzi: Thank you so much. Amazing insights, and I wish you continued success and blessings.
Ben: Thank you so much.
VeVe’s Ben Rose On Five Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In The Digital… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.