Stacking Slabs

You feel it every time you log in.

Everything is moving fast.
Listings. Prices. Decisions.

The hobby wants you to act now.
In this episode, Brett and Pack slow it down and ask a harder question:

Can you stay patient when everything around you pushes speed?

They get into:
How collectors lose control when money moves too fast
Why auctions feel better than direct deals
The hidden cost of selling your own cards
Shipping mistakes that create risk for everyone
What “fair value” really looks like in today’s market
There’s also a conversation about what’s broken.
Sticker autos.
Fake patches.
Repack culture.
And what happens when accountability disappears.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to move faster than you should, this one is for you.

Because the best collectors don’t rush.

They understand the environment.
Then they operate inside it.

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What does it look like to go all in on cards and make it work?
In this conversation, Brett sits down with Max (@Cardsmax), a full-time dealer who has built his business in the open. He shares how he went from ripping packs as a kid to running a national buying and selling operation driven by shows, eBay, and content.
Max breaks down the reality of life as a dealer. The travel. The shipping pressure. The constant decisions around where to deploy capital. He explains why understanding your buyer matters more than chasing the next card.
They also get into content. Why documenting your process works. Why polished content often falls flat. And how transparency builds trust in a space that lacks it.
You’ll hear how Max thinks about:
 Buying with intent and knowing your exit before you enter 
 The balance between liquidity and scarcity 
 Why storytelling and positioning move cards 
 The difference between dealer shows and collector shows 
 How content compounds into relationships and revenue 
This is a conversation about operating in the hobby at a high level. Not theory. Real decisions. Real risk. Real reps.
If you’ve ever thought about turning cards into more than a hobby, this one will challenge how you think.

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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
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Discovery doesn’t end when you find the card.
That’s where most collectors stop. That’s where most collectors miss.
In this flagship episode, I take the next step from last week and break down what really drives better collecting. It’s not being early. It’s not guessing right.
It’s finding the people who already know what you’re chasing.
I share a message that stopped me in my tracks and forced me to rethink discovery. Then we get into how community shapes your edge.

You’ll hear:
• Why “being first” is the wrong goal
• How niche collectors hold the real information
• Why your network determines what you see and what you miss
• The role of trust, pricing, and access inside small communities
• A simple system to find your people and build real relationships

Discovery is not a solo act.

It’s a shared process.

And when you find the right people, everything about your collecting changes.

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
[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link
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The market is running. Prices are climbing. Headlines are everywhere.
And yet… the smartest collectors aren’t chasing.
In this episode of Card Ladder Confidential, I sit down with Card Ladder team members Chris McGill and Josh Johnson to break down what’s really happening right now.

We start with the data.
February recorded $481M in online card sales. An all-time high. 

But numbers don’t tell the full story.

We get into:
 Why rising prices without clear reasoning should make you pause 
 How new collectors are entering fast and burning out faster 
 Why patience is the edge no one talks about 
 What experienced collectors are doing instead of chasing 
 How to think about “zagging” when everyone else is piling in 
 The strategy behind buying non-rookies, obscure 1/1s, and overlooked sets 
This isn’t a hype conversation.
It’s a reality check.
If you’re feeling the pressure to keep up, this episode will help you slow down and make better decisions.

Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of Stacking Slabs
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
[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link
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On this episode of Passion to Profession, Brett sits down with Bryan Thiessenhusen, CEO of Black Gold 
Sports Cards.

Bryan didn’t start with an advantage. He started with tubs of cards, a full-time accounting job, and a willingness to take risk.

What followed was a fast build.

He turned grading prep into revenue.
Turned live streaming into scale.
Turned a side hustle into a 30+ person operation.

In this conversation, Bryan breaks down:
 How he used his accounting background to build systems and track every dollar 
 Why being early and doing what others avoid created momentum 
 The role of content in driving growth and attention 
 What most people get wrong about risk, work ethic, and scaling in the hobby 
 How culture and trust became the foundation of Black Gold 
This is a conversation about building something real.

If you’re collecting, operating, or thinking about turning your passion into a business, this one will make you think.

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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 ★