Stacking Slabs

Passion to Profession: From a Card Shop at 13 to Building DT Sportscards with Dave Thimesch

Dave Thimesch wanted a 1987 Topps Mark McGwire card. That card started an obsession. At 13, Dave opened a card shop. He returned to the hobby during the Stephen Strasburg rise in 2009, moved from opening products to running group breaks, and built DT Sportscards into a PSA submission business handling thousands of cards. Dave joins Brett to discuss why ripping products created debt, how rising product costs forced him to change his business, and why transparency matters when collectors trust you with their cards. They also talk about the systems required to submit 1,200 cards per week, the challenge of giving up control, and the line between working in the hobby and collecting for yourself. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card. Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Hobby Jobs: Build Before the Validation Arrives + Chat with Collect Talent Co-Founder Danny Mosse

Most people do not have an idea problem. They have a permission problem. In this episode of Hobby Jobs, Brett explains why operators need to build before the market gives them certainty. He shares a 30-day conviction sprint for testing an unresolved problem, examines how Gabe built his college football card expertise into a career with CardCollector2, and spotlights the content creator role at Layton Sports Cards. Then Brett sits down with Collect Talent co-founder Danny Mosse at The National. After 15 years across Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Goldin, and eBay, Danny is building a job and networking hub for the collecting industry. They discuss trust across collecting categories, the path from passion to profession, and why the gap between companies and talent is an infrastructure problem. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Check out Collect Talent — One network where the collecting industry finds its people Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Booked to Last: The Week Wrestling Cards Took Over The National

Wrestling Card Takeover filled a room with nearly 400 collectors at The National. The shirts disappeared. The room hit capacity. Deals took shape. One-of-ones surfaced. Collectors traveled from across the country and as far as Germany to take part. Adam, Ryan, and Brett look back on the week that showed how much the wrestling card community has grown. They discuss: The demand for Oba Femi cards The John Cena and Rhea Ripley WrestleMania patch autographs The cards pulled and purchased during Wrestling Card Takeover The stories behind the deals The market response to SummerSlam Why attending The National is about more than buying cards The cards brought everyone into the room. The people made it a night worth remembering. Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs! Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTube Follow Adam: | X | Instagram Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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The Football Card Podcast #59: The National Aftermath As The Sun Sets On Linebacker Summer

Pack and Brett return from The National to process what they saw across the show floor. Cards priced between $100 and $500 moved at a fast rate. Dealers struggled to keep cases stocked. Seeing cards such as the 2017 Patrick Mahomes Prizm Black Finite and Peyton Manning Gem Masters in person changed how they viewed them. They also close out Linebacker Summer with Luke Kuechly, one of the best defensive players of his era. His career is set, but his card market tells a different story. The conversation covers cards that have moved beyond reach, displaying a collection, selling through auction instead of private deals, eBay authentication, and the football card sales that moved during National week. Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Hobby Jobs: When Doing the Right Thing Costs Millions with Noah Dock of BCW Supplies

Most collectors know BCW through penny sleeves, top loaders, magnetic holders, and storage boxes. Behind those products sits a company with more than 100 employees serving collectors, shops, breakers, and dealers. Noah Dock joined BCW as CFO after working in finance, private equity, and his family’s pawn business. He did not earn the role because he knew more about cards than everyone else. He earned it because he understood finance, operations, and how to help a company scale. Noah shares why passion cannot replace skill, why a CEO must become the “chief repeating officer,” and how core values shape hiring, promotions, and customer relationships. He also explains why BCW returned millions of dollars in tariff refunds to 4,000 customers. This conversation is about the work behind the hobby. It is about bringing your skills into the industry, building trust through decisions, and proving what your company stands for when money is at stake. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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The Most Valuable Thing You Take Home Isn’t a Card

After my first 24 hours at The National, I returned to my hotel with more energy than I had when the day began. It wasn’t because of a card, a sale, or a booth. It came from the conversations. In this episode, I explore how conversations give collectors context that sales data cannot provide. They test our thinking, strengthen our conviction, build trust, and remind us that people exist on both sides of every card. We also examine the difference between attention and connection, why networking can turn into extraction, and how better questions can change the way you collect. Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Hobby Jobs: Passion is the Entry Fee with Chris McGill of Card Ladder

Passion gets you into sports cards. It does not build a product people trust. Brett sits down with Card Ladder co-founder Chris McGill at The National to discuss the work behind one of the hobby’s most used tools. Chris explains why seeing collectors rely on Card Ladder creates pressure, why customer service takes up much of the team’s time, and why standards matter when money is involved. They also discuss the start of Card Ladder, the value of bringing experience from outside the hobby, and what people should consider before pursuing a career in sports cards. Loving cards can open the door. Staying requires skills, service, and a problem worth solving. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Passion to Profession: From College Football Cards to Working at Card Collector 2 with Gabe (@gabeycardstacks)

Gabe did not follow a career path into sports cards. He created one. His interest in college football led him to Bowman University, player research, value boxes, and content built around a part of the hobby few people were covering. Consistency helped Gabe become a trusted voice in college football cards. It also started a relationship with Ryan Johnson of Card Collector 2. That relationship grew through shared interests, phone calls, podcast episodes, and work behind the scenes. It led to a job offer and Gabe moving his family from Arizona to Ohio to join the Card Collector 2 team. In this episode of Passion to Profession, Brett talks with Gabe about identifying an underserved category, building expertise, earning trust, and turning the work he enjoyed into a career. Gabe also explains how he evaluates college football prospects, compares Bowman First cards with later college and NFL releases, and uses player talent, price, program demand, and timing to make buying decisions. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card. Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Hobby Jobs: When the Collection Becomes Capital Building + Hiring, and Serving Collectors Steve Sloan of Heystack

What happens when a collector starts looking at cards as a source of funding for a business? Brett examines the tension between the collector who wants to keep the card and the operator who sees what selling it can fund. He shares four questions every founder should answer before turning a collection into capital. Recorded at The National in the Card Ladder booth, Brett also sits down with Steve Sloan, CEO of Heystack and former president of PSA. They discuss building technology for the card industry, earning business partnerships, hiring for a startup, and why every operating decision reaches the collector. The collector may never see the systems behind a card business. They will feel the results. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Booked to Last: Why Wrestling Cards Have Never Felt Bigger

Adam is joined by Brett for a collector-focused conversation during the biggest week of the year. They discuss why Fanatics Fest increased their confidence in wrestling cards, what the Wrestling Card Takeover represents for the community, and how Topps is putting WWE beside its other sports at The National. The conversation also covers the rookie cycle surrounding Oba Femi, collecting Roman Reigns across different eras, SummerSlam, and recent sales involving Gunther, John Cena, and Roman Reigns. Wrestling cards once felt hard to find at major shows. That is changing. Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs! Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTube Follow Adam: | X | Instagram Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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The Football Card Podcast #58: What Changes for Collectors When Football Returns?

Football season reconnects cards to the games, players, and moments that made collectors care in the first place. Pack and Brett examine what changes when the NFL returns. They discuss the rush of collecting active players, the effect of weekly performance on card prices, and the risk of allowing one game to shape a collecting decision. The conversation covers the offseason price movement of Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, the long-term case for Josh Allen, and the search for value beyond the cards receiving the most attention. Plus, Linebacker Summer rolls through Derrick Thomas, Jack Lambert, and Von Miller. The episode closes with listener questions and sales involving Jayden Daniels, Dan Marino, Drew Brees, and Mark Sanchez. Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Collect the Card, Not the Stamp: Understanding One-of-One Culture

More collectors are moving away from quantity and toward concentration. Brett is one of them. One-of-one cards offer something most cards cannot. Finality. There is no copy to upgrade. One collector owns the card. That does not mean every one-of-one deserves attention. In this episode, Brett explores why one-of-ones appeal to experienced collectors, how modern product volume has changed the meaning of scarcity, and what separates a defining card from a manufactured variation. He also shares his framework for evaluating one-of-ones, building a price range without a direct comp, and setting a walkaway number before the fear of losing the card drives the decision. The stamp confirms supply. The collector determines significance. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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When One Card Creates a New Standard

Some cards enter your collection. Other cards change how you see everything you own. Brett explores what happens after a major acquisition raises the standard for your collection. He examines the role of identity, sacrifice, loss, and emotion when one card forces you to question an old collecting plan. You will learn how to tell the difference between a card that reveals your direction and a purchase you are trying to defend. Before you make your next move at The National, ask yourself one question: Does this card reflect the collector you are becoming? Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Shrink the Hobby Sea: Why Collectors Need Rooms of Their Own

The National shows you how large the hobby has become. It can also make you feel lost inside it. This episode explores why collectors gain clarity when they narrow their focus and find people who understand what they collect. Wrestling Card Takeover serves as the backdrop. Brett shares how a community that spent years fighting for space built its own media, knowledge, relationships, and now an event sanctioned by The National. This is bigger than wrestling cards. Every collector has a sea to shrink. Your lane might be one player, team, set, era, or category. Name it. Find your people. If the room does not exist, help create it. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Passion to Profession: From One Million Cubs to a Full-Time Card Business with Beau Thompson

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 business inventory, adapting when sales stop growing, and why anyone who wants to work in sports cards needs to treat the work like a business before taking the leap. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card. Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Hobby Jobs: The Hobby Cannot Grow Without Collector Trust

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. Collector support must do four jobs: resolve problems, educate customers, identify patterns, and represent the collector inside the company. The episode also covers Evan Parker’s approach to building with the collecting community and a Collector Relations Lead position at Veriswap that combines category fluency with operating experience. Growth starts with attention. It lasts through trust. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Booked to Last: A Wrestling Collector's Guide to The National 2026

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 more. RSVP for Wrestling Card Takeover at The National on July 31 Check out RbiCru7 for all your wrestling and sports card needs! Join Adam's Main Event Wrestling Cards group for free Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Follow Ryan: | Instagram | Website | YouTube Follow Adam: | X | Instagram Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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The Football Card Podcast #57: Private Sales, 1/1 Pressure, and the Football Card Market at The National

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 market will anyone see? Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok Follow Pack: | Instagram ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Built for the Hobby: Hobby Tech Takes the Main Stage at The National with Scott Lock (InfernoRed Technology)

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, founder conviction, product demand, AI, and why the next hobby platform should offer more than another way to check comps. Enter the Inferno takes place Saturday at 3 p.m. on the main stage at The National. Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

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Don’t Let the Show Choose Your Collection

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 goal is to make sure the show does not make the decision for you. Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you. Sign up for Hobby Jobs and The Weekly Rip for free Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today [Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link Follow Stacking Slabs: | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tiktok ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★