Stacking Slabs

Beau Thompson started One Million Cubs with a goal: trade one million non-Cubs cards for one million Cubs cards.The project took seven and a half years. It also created relationships, operating skills, and a business that changed the direction of his life.Beau joins Brett to discuss the Ernie Banks rookie card that connected two collectors through loss, the 2021 National dinner that gave him the confidence to leave his job, and his move from 60,000 eBay listings to selling on eBay Live six nights per week.They also discuss separating a collection from...

The National brings the sports card industry under one roof.For collectors, the week centers on cards. For people working in the industry, it offers access to the companies and operators shaping its future.Brett shares how to build relationships at The National, why passion alone will not earn a second conversation, and how the right questions can open doors.He also examines an issue facing every hobby business. Companies spend time and money attracting new collectors while people who already buy, submit, trade, and sell cards struggle to feel supported....

The National can overwhelm you before you make it through the first aisle.Adam and Ryan are joined by Bryan (@thzsportscard) and Brett to help wrestling card collectors prepare for the week.They discuss why you need a plan, how dealers evaluate trades, which WWE names collectors are chasing, and why rare Panini cards require more than an old comp.The group also previews Wrestling Card Takeover and the chance to bring the wrestling card community together in one room.The cards matter.The people you meet can matter...

What happens to football card market data when the biggest deals happen away from public marketplaces?Pack and Brett discuss whether collectors should report private sales, why the chase receives more attention than owning the card, and how social media has pushed collectors toward a 1/1-or-bust mindset.They also debate the best three-year era in football cards, compare modern quarterback prices with retired legends, and examine sales of Peyton Manning, Deion Sanders, J.J. Watt, Joe Montana, and Jaxson Dart.The National is here. The cards will change hands. How much of that...

The tools required to build a product have become available to everyone.That does not mean every product needs to exist.Scott Lock, CEO of InfernoRed Technology, joins Brett to discuss the growth of hobby tech and what separates an idea from something collectors will use.They also preview Enter the Inferno, a pitch event created by Sports Cards Live and InfernoRed Technology for The National. Hobby founders will present their ideas to Scott, Ed Snyder, Jeremy Lee, and Dr. James Beckett on the main stage.The conversation covers collector engagement...

The National is here. Six hundred dealers. Five hundred thousand square feet. Thirty-six hours of show floor time.That level of choice can make every card feel important. Every deal feel temporary. Every purchase feel necessary.But the best show experience starts before you walk through the doors.In this episode, Brett shares how collectors can build a hunt list, research dealers, set buying rules, create a flex budget, and protect their collecting taste from the pressure of the room.The goal is not to avoid buying cards.The...

What happens when opening boxes leads to becoming a fan?This week, Katelyn is joined by Jason (@notjasondardic), a longtime collector whose path into the WNBA started with cards and evolved into becoming one of the biggest Dallas Wings supporters around. The conversation explores how collecting shaped his connection to the league, why Paige Bueckers has changed the trajectory of the Wings, and what makes building a focused collection more rewarding than chasing everything.They also discuss: Why one great card can be enough for a player collection  The appeal of Logo Wome...

What does building Xbox, NASCAR, The Athletic, Mantle, and ONIT Athlete have in common?Community.This week on Passion to Profession, brought to you by eBay, Brett sits down with ONIT Athlete CEO Evan Parker to unpack one of the most unique career paths in the hobby.Evan shares lessons from building brands inside sports, media, and startups before explaining why college collectibles represent one of the biggest opportunities in the industry.They discuss:• Why content shapes the future of collecting• Lessons from NASCAR that apply to toda...

Fanatics Fest is built on excitement.Big pulls. Big personalities. Big moments.That energy matters. It brings people into the hobby.But what happens after the excitement fades?In this episode, Brett shares why the next generation of sports card businesses will separate themselves by making customers smarter. From Topps, PSA, eBay, and Card Ladder to Mike Inouye's work in Formula 1 cards, this episode explores why education compounds while hype expires.If you run a hobby business, create content, or want to understand where the professional side of the...

Record sales continue to reshape the wrestling card market.Adam and Ryan break down the Rock and Stone Cold dual Superfractor sale, Bianca Belair's WrestleMania Patch Auto, Rhea Ripley's momentum, and why collectors are chasing wrestlers who have already cemented their legacy.The conversation goes beyond the sales.They discuss why GOAT wrestlers, GOAT sets, and GOAT cards continue gaining strength while many collectors remain focused on the next prospect.They also preview SummerSlam, share updates on Wrestling Card Takeover at The National, and explain how collectors, dealers, and investors should...

Every collector has cards they understand immediately.Then there are the cards that take years to appreciate.Pack and Brett explore why some football cards become hobby staples while others never seem to catch on. They discuss the history behind PMGs, why Tom Brady continues to separate himself from every other retired player, and what international NFL legends deserve more attention.They also dive into vintage football cards, linebacker legends, recent Card Ladder sales, and answer listener questions that challenge how collectors think about value and hobby history.Topics include:<...

Everyone will be talking about what happens at Fanatics Fest.Brett is more interested in what it means.In this episode of Stacking Slabs, Brett looks beyond the athlete appearances, product releases, and show floor buzz to examine Fanatics Fest as a signal for where the hobby is headed.He explores how Fanatics has built an ecosystem that connects sports, collecting, commerce, content, and loyalty, and why attention has become one of the most valuable assets in modern collecting. He also shares why he's attending the event as an observer, what he'll be...

Every collector dreams about landing a grail.Very few spend enough time thinking about how to price one.When a card has little or no sales history, the normal playbook breaks down. There are no clean comps. No chart to follow. No market consensus to lean on.That is where your judgment matters.In this episode, Brett shares a framework for evaluating grails when public sales data falls short. He covers how to build a substitute universe, evaluate opportunity frequency, negotiate from a position of strength, know when to walk away...

What does it take to leave a stable career and build one of the fastest growing card shops in the hobby?Live from Columbus Card Fest, Brett sits down with Garrett Borba, owner of Neighborhood Card Shop, to unpack the decisions behind building a modern hobby business.Garrett shares why he walked away from medical device sales, how relationships became his biggest advantage, what it takes to run a card shop in today's market, and why trust matters more than product.This conversation is about far more than cards.It's about...

Most collectors share what they buy.Mike Inouye shares why.In this episode of Passion to Profession, Mike explains how content became one of the biggest drivers behind the growth of Leahi51513. Instead of telling collectors what card to chase, he walks through the research, context, and decision making behind every recommendation.We talk about why trust is earned through transparency, why process beats predictions, and why the hobby needs more independent thinkers instead of people waiting for the next hot tip.Mike also shares his thoughts on sports card talent...

Everyone wants repeat business.Few people spend enough time earning it.This week on Hobby Jobs, Brett explores why trust compounds faster than transactions and why the businesses that last are built long before the first sale is complete.Then Brett sits down with Grant Paterson, owner of Total Sports Cards, live from Columbus Card Fest.Grant shares what it takes to build a modern hobby business, from running one of Canada's top hockey card operations to managing breaks, buying collections, hiring the right people, creating content, and making decisions that...

SummerSlam season is taking shape, but the biggest opportunities aren't coming from title changes.Adam and Ryan break down why absent stars like Bianca Belair, Stephanie Vaquer, Bronson Reed, and Rhea Ripley deserve more attention from collectors while everyone else chases the latest storyline.They also discuss what makes a wrestler collectible beyond the ring, why entrance music matters more than most collectors realize, how to prepare for Fanatics Fest and The National, and the buying and selling principles every collector should follow.This episode is packed with practical hobby advice built from...

The National is almost here and football collectors are making decisions.Pack and Brett discuss why major cards are changing hands before the biggest show of the year, what Brett learned after consolidating part of his collection into one grail, and why 2012 Prizm Gold continues to establish itself as one of football's defining modern sets.They also break down one of the biggest steals of the year, revisit linebacker legends during Linebacker Summer, answer listener questions about estate planning for collections, and share another round of notable football card sales.Whether you're buying...

In this episode, Brett sits down with Matthias Peuckert, General Manager of PSA Europe, to discuss what it takes to build PSA's European operation from the ground up and why this launch matters for collectors around the world. Matthias shares why Europe is seeing rapid collector growth, how PSA is preparing for demand, why education is a priority, and what local grading access means for collectors who have faced years of shipping costs, customs delays, and limited access.They also discuss:• Why Frankfurt became the home of PSA Europe• How PSA is bu...

Every collector dreams about landing a grail.Few talk about what happens when that opportunity finally arrives.In this episode, Brett explores the decisions that come before a grail enters a collection. Drawing from a real situation he is navigating, he shifts the focus away from the card itself and toward the process behind the purchase.The conversation examines why access is not obligation, how trust influences private deals, the difference between emotion and conviction, and why opportunity cost deserves as much attention as price. Brett also shares the questions every collector should...