Stacking Slabs

What happens when you walk away from stability to bet on cards?
Michael and Mikaela did it.

Both were CPAs. Both were on a clear path. Then COVID hit. Breaking started. Demand showed up fast. And within months, everything changed.
They built Rated Rips from late-night breaks into a full-scale consignment business.
They hired 15 people in a year.
They shifted from taking money out of the hobby to putting money back into collectors’ hands.
In this conversation, we get into what it really looks like to build a business in the hobby.

The risk.
The trust.
The systems.
The people.

We also talk about:
– Leaving a stable career to bet on yourself
– Why most collectors run businesses like hobbies
– How process and data drive their decisions
– The shift from breaking to consignment
– Hiring, delegation, and buying back your time
– Building trust with collectors at scale

If you’ve ever thought about turning your passion into something more, this one will hit.
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This episode is about a moment that changed everything.
Katelyn sits down with Kyle (@kyle_collects) to break down the shift from 2019 Donruss to 2020 Prizm and why that stretch still shapes how collectors approach WNBA cards today.
They talk through what it felt like to discover WNBA cards before the spotlight. Ripping boxes no one wanted. Finding cards that never made it to showcases. Learning the players one card at a time.
Then everything changed.
Prizm arrived. Sabrina entered the hobby. The world shut down. People started paying attention.
This conversation connects the dots between timing, access, and belief. It explains why certain cards feel different. Why some sets get locked away. Why this era still matters.
If you collect WNBA cards or are thinking about it, this episode will help you understand where the foundation was built and how to approach it today.

Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of The WNBA Card Podcast
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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
[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link
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Adam and Ryan sit down with Steve(@s.a.m_wwe) , one of the most focused Rhea Ripley collectors in the hobby.
The conversation starts with a simple moment. A blaster box in 2022. That moment turns into chasing rainbows, building sets, and eventually acquiring 1/1 cards.

This episode is about how that happens.
Steve shares how he built his collection from scratch. Why he chose Rhea Ripley. And how relationships helped him land cards most collectors never even see.

They also break down what’s happening right now in wrestling cards.

Prices are rising. Access is getting harder. More people are paying attention.

If you’re collecting today, you need to understand how to move.

This conversation gives you a real look at:
• How collectors evolve from ripping to targeting
• Why scarcity changes your entire approach
• What separates casual collectors from serious ones
• How relationships unlock cards you can’t find online

If you’ve ever thought about building something meaningful in the hobby, this episode will hit.

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
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Pack and Brett  open the episode by unpacking the reaction to a viral take about football collectors and why people struggle when opinions get stated in absolutes.

They explore a bigger question beneath the noise.
Who is actually collecting versus who is investing?

The conversation moves into how money enters the hobby.
Million dollar sales.
Investor behavior.
And why volume of collectors matters more than headline prices.
From there, they dig into:
Why scarcity does not always mean more value
The difference between meaning and rarity in cards
PMGs and Rubies versus modern 1/1s
Why some players like Tyreek Hill feel under-collected
Select vs Prizm vs Optic debates through a collector lens
The episode closes with a breakdown of recent sales, including a $161K Tom Brady that raises more questions than answers about the football card market.
This is a conversation about how collectors think.
And what actually drives demand in the hobby.

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
[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link
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Most collectors spend their time watching big sales. Few spend time learning how to find great cards.

That gap matters.
In this conversation with Max (@putnamcards), creator of Hoops Collectors, we talk about what actually creates an edge in the hobby.

Not headlines.
Not hype.
Not million dollar cards.

We get into:
Why most content focuses on cards no one can afford
How research leads to better collecting decisions
Why overlooked sets and inserts hold real opportunity
The role nostalgia plays in what you chase
What happens when you stop following the crowd
Max shares how he approaches discovery.
How he uses tools like checklists and daily sales to uncover cards others ignore.
And why some of the best cards in the hobby are still sitting in plain sight.
If you want to build a collection that reflects your taste and not the algorithm, this one will hit.

Check out the Hoops Collectors Podcast on YouTube, Apple, or Spotify.
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