WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.100 So, all right. My homie's pulling up. Homie's 00:00:03.100 --> 00:00:05.480 pulling up. Yes. We got him queued up, and he 00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:07.120 was in the chat. He said, yo, I'm in the waiting 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:09.900 room. I said, oh, my God. I spaced on it. My 00:00:09.900 --> 00:00:12.619 bad, Alyx. Not a problem. Alyx, you are on with 00:00:12.619 --> 00:00:17.179 Tim Ross. What's up, my guy? Hey, what's going 00:00:17.179 --> 00:00:19.140 on? Can you hear me? I can hear you, bro. All 00:00:19.140 --> 00:00:22.940 is well? All is well. That was weird because 00:00:22.940 --> 00:00:26.850 I was watching the live, and then. It's a few 00:00:26.850 --> 00:00:29.629 seconds behind. No, it's all good, bro. I heard 00:00:29.629 --> 00:00:31.589 you talking and then you were saying what up 00:00:31.589 --> 00:00:33.770 to me. So you caught me off guard. No, it's all 00:00:33.770 --> 00:00:35.689 good, man. It's so good to see your face, bro. 00:00:35.810 --> 00:00:39.329 How's everything going? Likewise. It's going 00:00:39.329 --> 00:00:42.390 well. We're doing a lot of really exciting things 00:00:42.390 --> 00:00:46.750 with the movement that I'm really excited to 00:00:46.750 --> 00:00:51.030 share with you and your audience. But yeah, man, 00:00:51.130 --> 00:00:54.060 I miss you guys. I miss you too, man. It's so 00:00:54.060 --> 00:00:57.079 good to see your face. So let me give a proper 00:00:57.079 --> 00:01:05.079 introduction. Alyx Effron is a genius in the world 00:01:05.079 --> 00:01:10.079 of advertising, in the world of marketing and 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:12.840 brand management and a host of other things. 00:01:13.500 --> 00:01:16.280 I would definitely call him a multi -hyphenate. 00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:23.209 And we had a conversation a few weeks back. About 00:01:23.209 --> 00:01:28.730 something that he just felt really impassioned 00:01:28.730 --> 00:01:33.049 and burdened to do. And it required him being 00:01:33.049 --> 00:01:36.730 vulnerable about his own journey. And it's this 00:01:36.730 --> 00:01:45.109 specific niche that is not discussed a lot. But 00:01:45.109 --> 00:01:48.989 it's something that I really believe is going 00:01:48.989 --> 00:01:51.049 to help a lot of people. Because they don't have 00:01:51.049 --> 00:01:53.400 to be going to... through the exact same thing 00:01:53.400 --> 00:01:56.879 to get the exact same breakthrough. So Alyx, 00:01:56.980 --> 00:02:00.040 why don't you tell us what it was? First of all, 00:02:00.060 --> 00:02:05.579 what even made you do it? I know that this is 00:02:05.579 --> 00:02:09.500 personal to you, but I just want you to give 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:13.020 the audience the full context to it. Yeah, of 00:02:13.020 --> 00:02:15.219 course. I appreciate that, Tim. And first, I 00:02:15.219 --> 00:02:17.939 want to thank you so much. Thank you and the 00:02:17.939 --> 00:02:20.500 team. Hector, Derek, I know you guys can hear 00:02:20.500 --> 00:02:23.740 me in the back. Really appreciate you guys having 00:02:23.740 --> 00:02:27.560 me on. This really means a lot. And so, you know, 00:02:27.560 --> 00:02:31.319 with everything you just mentioned, Tim, I have 00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:34.879 been in the world of collecting, if you will, 00:02:35.020 --> 00:02:38.180 for the better part of my adulthood. I grew up, 00:02:38.199 --> 00:02:43.120 you know, in the 90s. So things like Pokemon 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:47.780 and... the Chicago Bulls era with Michael Jordan 00:02:47.780 --> 00:02:50.319 and his greatness and everything that came with 00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:53.860 that with collecting basketball cards and memorabilia 00:02:53.860 --> 00:02:58.319 has always been rooted in my DNA. So when I got 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:00.699 a bit older, I started to collect sneakers and 00:03:00.699 --> 00:03:03.479 sneakers turned into memorabilia and memorabilia 00:03:03.479 --> 00:03:06.960 turned into sports cards amongst other things. 00:03:07.180 --> 00:03:10.500 And so the world of collecting in general in 00:03:10.500 --> 00:03:14.449 today's society, especially... you know here 00:03:14.449 --> 00:03:17.409 in the states it's just it's so massive and it's 00:03:17.409 --> 00:03:21.310 evolved way beyond um you know the traditional 00:03:21.310 --> 00:03:26.169 collecting of uh baseball cards and pokemon cards 00:03:26.169 --> 00:03:28.569 and things like that so yeah whether it beakers 00:03:28.569 --> 00:03:33.129 or luxury goods handbags digital collectibles 00:03:33.129 --> 00:03:36.810 nfts even uh with gaming you know you have your 00:03:36.810 --> 00:03:39.870 in -game skins and cosmetics yeah that these 00:03:39.870 --> 00:03:42.229 kids are spending lucrative amount of money on 00:03:42.229 --> 00:03:45.090 yeah you know there's a shared culture across 00:03:45.090 --> 00:03:49.069 all of these different verticals um around chasing, 00:03:49.289 --> 00:03:52.349 flipping, flexing, and finding that next big 00:03:52.349 --> 00:03:56.270 hit, that next big item that you want to share 00:03:56.270 --> 00:03:59.909 with your social following. And for a lot of 00:03:59.909 --> 00:04:02.629 people, especially with sports cards, that chase 00:04:02.629 --> 00:04:04.930 has turned into something that looks a lot like 00:04:04.930 --> 00:04:09.069 gambling. And most people outside of these hobbies 00:04:09.069 --> 00:04:13.949 don't realize how intense it has gotten. There's 00:04:13.949 --> 00:04:16.670 this thing called breaking. uh basically what 00:04:16.670 --> 00:04:19.490 it is it's live streamed acting box openings 00:04:19.490 --> 00:04:22.610 where people buy in for a shot at the contents 00:04:22.610 --> 00:04:25.610 of the box and you're watching someone else rip 00:04:25.610 --> 00:04:28.670 the product you paid for this is uh sports card 00:04:28.670 --> 00:04:31.769 specifically hoping your name gets called when 00:04:31.769 --> 00:04:34.490 the big card comes out you know the environment 00:04:34.490 --> 00:04:38.250 it's fast it's loud it's full of suspense and 00:04:38.250 --> 00:04:42.779 it taps into the same dopamine centers that blackjack 00:04:42.779 --> 00:04:45.519 and sports betting and even things like day trading 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:49.899 tap into and uh here's where it sort of gets 00:04:49.899 --> 00:04:54.000 confusing and tricky unlike a casino there are 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.319 no posted odds there are no guardrails there's 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:59.079 no stepping in to slow you down it's all about 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:03.279 hype hope and foma almost a huge part of it and 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:06.279 uh the the prices of these items the prices of 00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:10.560 these boxes have become so lucrative seven hundred 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:12.779 dollars a box a thousand dollars a box two thousand 00:05:12.779 --> 00:05:16.319 dollars a box that you could spend and walk away 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:20.620 with forty dollars in cards and you see these 00:05:20.620 --> 00:05:22.339 viral clips of somebody hitting what they call 00:05:22.339 --> 00:05:24.579 a nuke so basically like a big hit and suddenly 00:05:24.579 --> 00:05:27.120 you're itching to chase on your own and even 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:30.699 though you have no real chance of you know breaking 00:05:30.699 --> 00:05:33.990 even you're still on the horse. You're still 00:05:33.990 --> 00:05:37.290 trying to scratch that itch and get that dopamine 00:05:37.290 --> 00:05:40.810 hit, right? And what's hot today is forgotten 00:05:40.810 --> 00:05:43.810 tomorrow. So there's always something new and 00:05:43.810 --> 00:05:46.050 fresh that's coming out. And so with all that 00:05:46.050 --> 00:05:50.029 being said, that's where, or what I should say, 00:05:50.069 --> 00:05:53.569 led me to this movement that I started about 00:05:53.569 --> 00:05:55.730 a month ago. And that movement is called Collectors 00:05:55.730 --> 00:06:00.250 MD. For short, it's CMD. And it's a support -based 00:06:00.250 --> 00:06:02.269 platform for people navigating the emotional 00:06:02.269 --> 00:06:05.490 and financial toll of collecting, especially 00:06:05.490 --> 00:06:08.290 those that are caught in cycles they can't seem 00:06:08.290 --> 00:06:12.790 to break. So it's not anti -hobby at all. I still 00:06:12.790 --> 00:06:15.310 personally love the hobby. I love collecting. 00:06:15.610 --> 00:06:19.910 But it's about helping people engage with it 00:06:19.910 --> 00:06:22.509 in a healthier and more intentional way. And 00:06:22.509 --> 00:06:25.569 honestly, a big part of the heart behind it came 00:06:25.569 --> 00:06:28.509 from my time working with you. And, you know, 00:06:28.509 --> 00:06:30.629 during our time working together at B -Side, 00:06:30.670 --> 00:06:33.629 you would always say something that, you know, 00:06:33.629 --> 00:06:35.970 always stuck with me. And that is everyone deserves 00:06:35.970 --> 00:06:38.449 to be fully seen, fully heard, fully known and 00:06:38.449 --> 00:06:40.670 fully loved. And, you know, you don't just say 00:06:40.670 --> 00:06:42.930 that. That's something you live every day. And 00:06:42.930 --> 00:06:46.170 you create a space for people to show up as they 00:06:46.170 --> 00:06:50.470 are. And that really shapes how I think about 00:06:50.470 --> 00:06:53.649 this community. So with Collectors MD, that's 00:06:53.649 --> 00:06:55.290 what I'm trying to create, a space where people 00:06:55.290 --> 00:06:58.930 in this hobby don't have to pretend that everything's 00:06:58.930 --> 00:07:01.129 okay, where they can be honest about the hard 00:07:01.129 --> 00:07:03.649 stuff, where they can be seen and supported without 00:07:03.649 --> 00:07:07.449 shame. Because if we're going to stay in these 00:07:07.449 --> 00:07:10.209 hobbies, many of us want to, we just have to 00:07:10.209 --> 00:07:12.410 find a way to do it without completely losing 00:07:12.410 --> 00:07:16.500 ourselves. Yeah, man. Bro, I so appreciate the 00:07:16.500 --> 00:07:19.740 vulnerability of you sharing this because I was 00:07:19.740 --> 00:07:22.040 talking with my best friend yesterday. Obviously, 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:25.339 the NFL draft was yesterday. I had on my Raiders 00:07:25.339 --> 00:07:27.740 jersey. I mean, well, my Raiders jacket because, 00:07:27.899 --> 00:07:30.639 you know, we had the number six pick. And we 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:39.980 were talking about how disheartening I am that... 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:48.839 all of the major sports leagues have now collaborated 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:54.180 with betting and gaming, right? Yep, it's right 00:07:54.180 --> 00:07:56.500 in your face all day, every day. It's right in 00:07:56.500 --> 00:08:00.259 your face every day. So now, because these sports 00:08:00.259 --> 00:08:04.879 leagues who had historically banned gambling 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:07.300 and betting but never partnered with them, now 00:08:07.300 --> 00:08:10.360 that they've come together, It has normalized 00:08:10.360 --> 00:08:18.220 gambling to where ESPN, some of their shows are 00:08:18.220 --> 00:08:23.920 just insider information on the gambling itself 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:28.540 and the point spreads, right? It's on the bottom 00:08:28.540 --> 00:08:31.560 lower third ticking across. like encouraging 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:34.139 people to bet. And then after the game, they 00:08:34.139 --> 00:08:36.299 have the nerve to put up a gambling disclaimer 00:08:36.299 --> 00:08:40.440 that says, if you are an addict, please dial 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:45.279 this number. If you or you know somebody who 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:49.539 has a problem, call 1 -800 -GAMBLER. And that's 00:08:49.539 --> 00:08:53.159 a part of their corporate responsibility. Of 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:55.320 course. It's a part of the corporate responsibility 00:08:55.320 --> 00:08:58.379 of DraftKings and FanDuel and Caesars and all 00:08:58.379 --> 00:09:03.679 these other... conglomerates of casinos and sports 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:07.879 books that have to create messaging to provide 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:11.460 their consumers their customers yep with a safety 00:09:11.460 --> 00:09:14.980 net with the resources that are required for 00:09:14.980 --> 00:09:21.309 people that you know have the um you know could 00:09:21.309 --> 00:09:24.169 run into the risk of spiraling out of control. 00:09:24.309 --> 00:09:27.669 Not everybody can be a fully responsible adult. 00:09:28.370 --> 00:09:31.049 Addiction is a real thing. Absolutely. It affects 00:09:31.049 --> 00:09:35.490 more than just alcoholics and drug addicts. And 00:09:35.490 --> 00:09:39.029 none of that exists in terms of the security 00:09:39.029 --> 00:09:43.690 blanket, the resources, the tools that are necessary. 00:09:44.750 --> 00:09:47.210 to get that help. None of that exists in any 00:09:47.210 --> 00:09:49.230 of these hobbies within the collecting world. 00:09:49.370 --> 00:09:51.669 And so that's where Collectors MD comes into the 00:09:51.669 --> 00:09:54.370 mix. I'm so grateful that you've done it and 00:09:54.370 --> 00:09:57.129 that you've created this space because, again, 00:09:57.289 --> 00:10:01.210 we can't be fully seen, fully heard, fully known, 00:10:01.289 --> 00:10:04.169 fully loved if we don't continue to create spaces 00:10:04.169 --> 00:10:10.720 for... communities to to to grow and evolve that 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:13.059 are dealing with the same thing like you gotta 00:10:13.059 --> 00:10:15.299 have somebody that you can look in the eyeball 00:10:15.299 --> 00:10:20.659 that can identify with you right like and you 00:10:20.659 --> 00:10:23.200 creating this space allows that to happen i want 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:27.980 to deal i want to deal with um the nuances of 00:10:27.980 --> 00:10:30.500 this because a lot of people think gambling and 00:10:30.500 --> 00:10:32.480 they're only thinking about like hey i'm betting 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:36.899 on the lakers versus the the minnesota timberwolves 00:10:36.899 --> 00:10:40.279 right but but let's get down to the micro level 00:10:40.279 --> 00:10:42.580 that there are uh and i want you to break it 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:45.500 down um specifically with with with the cards 00:10:45.500 --> 00:10:49.120 and with the memorabilia um but i was talking 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:50.720 to my best friend yesterday and we were talking 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:54.679 about the fact that they bet on a player's shoes 00:10:54.679 --> 00:10:57.840 like the shoe color that they will wear that 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:00.899 if they have eight colorways they will be they 00:11:00.899 --> 00:11:03.039 will literally bet like i think he's gonna wear 00:11:03.470 --> 00:11:06.830 I think Luka will wear the pinkies tonight. Or 00:11:06.830 --> 00:11:09.330 I think LeBron will wear his green shoes tonight. 00:11:09.509 --> 00:11:11.090 Like, this doesn't even have to deal with the 00:11:11.090 --> 00:11:13.970 outcome of the game. There's all these little 00:11:13.970 --> 00:11:16.990 micro bets within the overall betting of the 00:11:16.990 --> 00:11:22.850 game itself. I think Austin Reeves will... Right. 00:11:26.169 --> 00:11:30.919 Yeah, it's crazy. You think of the Super Bowl, 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:33.440 people are betting on the color of the Gatorade 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:36.519 that's coming out at the end of the game. People 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:38.379 are betting on the coin toss. People are betting 00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:40.399 on how long the national anthem is going to be. 00:11:40.600 --> 00:11:42.879 That's crazy. All these processes, what they 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:45.379 call them, is what people are losing their minds 00:11:45.379 --> 00:11:47.659 over. But again, that's traditional gambling. 00:11:48.019 --> 00:11:50.279 It's regulated. There's a gaming commission. 00:11:50.500 --> 00:11:54.639 They're looking over to make sure that these 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:59.909 things, these bets, All of this money that is 00:11:59.909 --> 00:12:04.690 coming in and out is happening fairly, right? 00:12:04.990 --> 00:12:11.870 With sports cards, with TCG. TCG is Pokemon, 00:12:12.190 --> 00:12:16.669 I guess, trading card game is what it stands 00:12:16.669 --> 00:12:19.450 for. Okay. It's the Wild West. None of that exists. 00:12:19.789 --> 00:12:22.429 And so here's the thing. People outside of the 00:12:22.429 --> 00:12:27.220 hobby don't understand. They don't fully... They 00:12:27.220 --> 00:12:30.320 can't fully comprehend the intensity of what, 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:34.039 again, sports card breaking has become. And when 00:12:34.039 --> 00:12:36.500 you really break it down, it actually shares 00:12:36.500 --> 00:12:39.299 a lot of similarities. There's so many synergies 00:12:39.299 --> 00:12:42.240 with traditional sports betting and with casino 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.480 games like blackjack and roulette. But also there 00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:49.759 are a few key differences that make it a lot 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:52.220 riskier in a lot of different ways. So with sports 00:12:52.220 --> 00:12:54.360 betting, it's pretty straightforward. You pick 00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:56.980 a game, you place a bet, and you know the odds 00:12:56.980 --> 00:12:59.559 going in, whether that's win or loss. You're 00:12:59.559 --> 00:13:02.039 either cashing out or you're not. And yeah, it 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:03.879 can be addictive for sure. But at least you know 00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:06.059 the stakes. At least you know when you sit down 00:13:06.059 --> 00:13:09.019 at a blackjack table, there's a 50 -50 chance 00:13:09.019 --> 00:13:11.500 of you winning. And I'm not endorsing gambling. 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:13.480 I'm not saying that that's the safer option. 00:13:13.559 --> 00:13:16.879 I'm just getting facts. And you're also saying 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:19.019 that it's regulated. You're also saying that 00:13:19.019 --> 00:13:20.960 at least that's regulated. It's regulated. Right. 00:13:21.669 --> 00:13:25.009 sports card sports book are are required to show 00:13:25.009 --> 00:13:27.549 you the odds the over the under the payouts right 00:13:27.549 --> 00:13:30.370 all of that right with breaking um it's it's 00:13:30.370 --> 00:13:32.730 a lot more of a gray area it's a lot murkier 00:13:32.730 --> 00:13:35.230 you're buying into a box or a case of sports 00:13:35.230 --> 00:13:37.970 cards usually through a live stream and hoping 00:13:37.970 --> 00:13:40.169 whatever comes out of those packs ends up in 00:13:40.169 --> 00:13:43.570 your spot and and that might be a random team 00:13:43.570 --> 00:13:46.570 a specific player or even just like the left 00:13:46.570 --> 00:13:48.429 or right side of the box and the problem is you 00:13:48.429 --> 00:13:51.259 have No idea what's inside of that box. There 00:13:51.259 --> 00:13:53.500 are no posted odds. There's no transparency. 00:13:53.980 --> 00:13:57.059 You're trusting a breaker. So like the sports 00:13:57.059 --> 00:14:00.090 card shop. you know that they didn't already 00:14:00.090 --> 00:14:02.570 pull the best cards out of that particular case 00:14:02.570 --> 00:14:04.909 or that you know you're not just getting the 00:14:04.909 --> 00:14:07.809 leftover scraps from a dead run right and and 00:14:07.809 --> 00:14:10.669 where it gets tricky in breaking it's not win 00:14:10.669 --> 00:14:14.070 or lose it's win lose or lose really badly right 00:14:14.070 --> 00:14:17.330 you can spend 200 500 even a thousand dollars 00:14:17.330 --> 00:14:20.470 into one break and end up walking away with five 00:14:20.470 --> 00:14:22.850 dollars worth of cards like i said before and 00:14:22.850 --> 00:14:26.370 yet people keep chasing because they saw someone 00:14:26.370 --> 00:14:29.980 hit a twenty thousand dollar card the night before 00:14:29.980 --> 00:14:33.659 on the same back stream so it's it's that same 00:14:33.659 --> 00:14:36.720 sort of slot machine energy yep yes all of this 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:40.179 social pressure the hype in the chat your next 00:14:40.179 --> 00:14:43.059 bro comments yeah it's it's not just gambling 00:14:43.059 --> 00:14:46.159 it's gambling with the crowd watching and again 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:47.779 at least at least with sports betting you're 00:14:47.779 --> 00:14:50.990 choosing an outcome based on stats matchups logic 00:14:50.990 --> 00:14:54.070 with breaking you're buying a sealed box and 00:14:54.070 --> 00:14:56.049 praying that your name gets called when that 00:14:56.049 --> 00:14:58.169 one big hit comes out and if it doesn't you're 00:14:58.169 --> 00:15:01.129 walking away with a bunch of base cards that 00:15:01.129 --> 00:15:03.370 you couldn't sell for a cup of coffee yeah so 00:15:03.370 --> 00:15:06.049 yeah they're both risky but again with breaking 00:15:06.049 --> 00:15:10.169 um you know it's basically gambling with no real 00:15:10.169 --> 00:15:13.409 book so no odds no oversight no real way to know 00:15:13.409 --> 00:15:15.970 if you're being taken advantage of or you're 00:15:15.970 --> 00:15:18.559 just you know, unlucky. And that's why it's so 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:20.899 easy to spiral because the whole thing feels 00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:23.580 like it's fun. Yeah. Right. You feel like you're 00:15:23.580 --> 00:15:26.080 participating in a nostalgic hobby that you've, 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:28.620 you've been a part of your whole life until it 00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:31.100 isn't until your, your bank account is empty 00:15:31.100 --> 00:15:34.000 and you know, you have a significant other spouse 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:37.159 that is, is mad at you for spending, you know, 00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:40.519 this month's mortgage payment on cardboard. Right. 00:15:40.820 --> 00:15:45.730 Man. Okay. So I want to get into another nuance 00:15:45.730 --> 00:15:48.129 here. You talked about actual gaming, right? 00:15:48.230 --> 00:15:51.750 You got these microtransactions that happen within 00:15:51.750 --> 00:15:54.909 a game, right? I'm a gamer, right? So take a 00:15:54.909 --> 00:15:58.629 game like 2K, right? Basketball. Or take a game 00:15:58.629 --> 00:16:01.570 like Fortnite. There's a reason why Fortnite 00:16:01.570 --> 00:16:05.750 can get Katy Perry into the game. There's a reason 00:16:05.750 --> 00:16:07.789 why Fortnite can get Snoop Dogg into the game, 00:16:07.909 --> 00:16:11.740 wrestlers into the game. The game is actually 00:16:11.740 --> 00:16:15.799 free. You can actually download Fortnite and 00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:19.259 play it for free. Where they have made multiplied 00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:25.539 millions of dollars is through this very subtle, 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:31.720 but to me it feels like a gateway drug into the 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:34.399 same type of addiction that you're talking about. 00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:37.940 You're going to buy a pack. Hopefully you get 00:16:37.940 --> 00:16:41.230 this rare skin. That's only coming out in this 00:16:41.230 --> 00:16:44.529 season. And if you have it and if you're running 00:16:44.529 --> 00:16:46.950 around with your avatar through the game, then 00:16:46.950 --> 00:16:52.210 you are somehow the guy, the kid that got the 00:16:52.210 --> 00:16:55.190 Willy Wonka ticket, right? Yeah. You look at 00:16:55.190 --> 00:16:58.669 them. Same rules apply. Yeah. The micro currency 00:16:58.669 --> 00:17:05.130 in 2K basketball, you know, you get a player, 00:17:05.250 --> 00:17:08.240 but then you got to build that player up. And 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:13.200 some of these guys have invested $4 ,000, $6 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:19.839 ,000, $7 ,000 into, like they bought the game 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:24.400 for $69 .99, but then they spent $7 ,000 on maxing 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:28.400 out their basketball player in the freaking game. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:31.940 And does it even carry over to the next year? 00:17:32.059 --> 00:17:37.160 Does it carry over to like NBA 2K? No. And so 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:38.440 you have to do it all over again. You got to 00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:41.660 do it all over again. Yeah, it's crazy, man. 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:46.000 It's crazy. And you know what, Tim, as we continue 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:50.480 to evolve as a society and people are so focused 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:55.299 on social media and their virtual avatar, if 00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:59.140 you will, as we adapt to a more virtual reality. 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:02.759 This is only going to become more and more of 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:05.119 a problem where people are just so focused on 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:10.940 their aesthetic, their digital avatar and what 00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:14.099 they look like in this virtual world, right? 00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:16.420 Whether that be through gaming, whether that 00:18:16.420 --> 00:18:20.400 be through the metaverse or whatever universe 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:24.140 these tech companies are working on, you know, 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:26.960 behind the scenes. Think about what this landscape 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:29.529 is going to look like 10 years from now. right 00:18:29.529 --> 00:18:33.369 yeah so it's it's a part of culture in so many 00:18:33.369 --> 00:18:37.009 different facets and there are people that you 00:18:37.009 --> 00:18:39.750 know if you really just break it down and make 00:18:39.750 --> 00:18:43.430 it uh black and white it's it's it's spending 00:18:43.430 --> 00:18:46.829 it's overspending it's it's retail therapy it's 00:18:46.829 --> 00:18:48.390 over extending yourself it's whatever you want 00:18:48.390 --> 00:18:52.410 to call it wow and there is no anonymous group 00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:57.799 Like, you know, there's AA, there's Narcotics 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:00.240 Anonymous, there's Gamblers Anonymous. None of 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:05.180 this exists for collecting, for spending. So 00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:07.960 what we're trying to do is not necessarily create 00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:11.279 another, you know, anonymous program, like 12 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:16.000 -step program, but just create a safe space that 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:20.819 people can turn to and know. that they're not 00:19:20.819 --> 00:19:23.059 alone. For sure. And that, you know, if they 00:19:23.059 --> 00:19:26.039 need help, it's okay. It's okay to be vulnerable, 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:30.279 to come in and say, I have a problem. I want 00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:32.619 to fix it. Yeah, absolutely. And that's where 00:19:32.619 --> 00:19:35.400 we come in, you know, to help fix this together. 00:19:35.539 --> 00:19:37.299 And we're not licensed therapists. We're not 00:19:37.299 --> 00:19:42.099 doctors. Yep. But what we are, what I am, is 00:19:42.099 --> 00:19:44.519 somebody who has lived through it, has experienced, 00:19:44.920 --> 00:19:48.180 you know, the ups and downs of collecting. and 00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:52.160 can speak firsthand of what that experience has 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:54.880 done to me, the toll it's taken on me and my 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:58.420 health, my mental health, my family, and ways 00:19:58.420 --> 00:20:02.019 to overcome it. Absolutely. Man, I want everybody 00:20:02.019 --> 00:20:06.519 who is listening to this, if you have, first 00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:08.599 of all, if you can be self -aware and honest 00:20:08.599 --> 00:20:14.059 enough to admit that you do struggle with gambling, 00:20:14.259 --> 00:20:18.339 risky spending. the dopamine shot of what it 00:20:18.339 --> 00:20:21.839 is to purchase a new bag, to open a new deck 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:27.339 of cards, to make that micro transaction within 00:20:27.339 --> 00:20:32.839 a gaming platform. Listen, whether that is 2K 00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:35.279 or whether that's Candy Crush, right? You're 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:38.960 paying for more coins to level up or to break 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:42.539 through a level or whatever. Like Alyx Effron 00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:46.779 has stepped into the light. With his own story, 00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:49.819 not like, hey, I want to help people that are 00:20:49.819 --> 00:20:51.819 doing this because it's crazy. It's like, hey, 00:20:51.880 --> 00:20:55.519 it was me. I have a personal story. He's created 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:58.779 a whole website. The movement is called Collectors 00:20:58.779 --> 00:21:03.039 MD, CMD for short. He releases blogs that are 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:05.380 very transparent and vulnerable. He also has 00:21:05.380 --> 00:21:08.299 other people within the collective that have 00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:10.940 joined that are now sharing their stories as 00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:13.960 well. If it's you or if it's someone that you 00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:16.289 know and someone that you love. I want you to 00:21:16.289 --> 00:21:18.109 take advantage of the resources that are available 00:21:18.109 --> 00:21:21.589 to you. Alyx is a friend of ours. We've worked 00:21:21.589 --> 00:21:24.609 with him. He wouldn't be doing this if he wasn't 00:21:24.609 --> 00:21:26.890 passionate about it. Alyx, thank you so much 00:21:26.890 --> 00:21:30.390 for taking the time to bring this to the forefront 00:21:30.390 --> 00:21:32.809 and to the light. You already know we got your 00:21:32.809 --> 00:21:34.529 back, and you're going to help a lot of people, 00:21:34.589 --> 00:21:38.140 and I appreciate you leading this movement. I 00:21:38.140 --> 00:21:40.180 appreciate that, Sam. Truly, it means the world. 00:21:41.099 --> 00:21:43.640 If you want to learn more about Collectors MD, 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:46.500 you can follow us on Instagram at Collectors MD. 00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:49.599 You can also check out the website that we dropped 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:53.539 in the chat. It's collectorsmd .com. There you 00:21:53.539 --> 00:21:56.099 can find all the tools and resources you need. 00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:59.279 We're going to be hosting our first support meeting, 00:21:59.460 --> 00:22:02.119 which is going to be a virtual meeting on Google 00:22:02.119 --> 00:22:07.259 Hangouts this coming Wednesday at 8. I think 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:10.759 it's 8 p .m. Eastern, and that's this coming 00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:14.559 Wednesday, April 30th. And if you want to be 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:17.559 involved in any capacity, join the meeting or 00:22:17.559 --> 00:22:20.119 just have a conversation, please don't hesitate 00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:23.579 to reach out. And Tim, thank you again so much 00:22:23.579 --> 00:22:26.980 for your support, your guidance, and for, you 00:22:26.980 --> 00:22:29.460 know, honestly showing me the light. Man, I love 00:22:29.460 --> 00:22:31.619 you, Alyx, and I'm so proud of you. We are behind 00:22:31.619 --> 00:22:34.670 you. And I'm so glad we got the link in there. 00:22:34.750 --> 00:22:37.890 Next Wednesday is the first virtual meeting. 00:22:38.069 --> 00:22:40.690 Again, if it's you or somebody that you love, 00:22:40.789 --> 00:22:43.390 strongly encourage them to be a part of it. If 00:22:43.390 --> 00:22:46.329 it's you individually, be brave enough to step 00:22:46.329 --> 00:22:49.549 into the light. We heal in group. We do not heal 00:22:49.549 --> 00:22:52.890 by ourselves. You can make a thousand resolutions 00:22:52.890 --> 00:22:56.190 as this is my last break. This is the last time 00:22:56.190 --> 00:22:58.410 I spend like this. I'm not gonna do this anymore. 00:22:58.859 --> 00:23:01.539 You need accountability. You need people to walk 00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:04.160 with you. And you need support. So please take 00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:05.599 advantage of the resources that are available 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:08.160 to you. And you are going to be living your best 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:12.279 life very soon. Alyx, I love you, bro. Yes, sir. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:14.640 Love you too, man. Appreciate you. Have a great 00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:17.700 weekend. You too. Take care. All right. Peace. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:24.259 Yo. Yo. Yo. Fully seen, fully heard, fully known, 00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:28.750 even if you're not agreed with. Huh? This is 00:23:28.750 --> 00:23:32.269 like this is that's how we want communities to 00:23:32.269 --> 00:23:36.309 spawn. Yeah. Right. Like, hey, get all the gamblers 00:23:36.309 --> 00:23:38.390 over here. Get all the porn acts over here. Get 00:23:38.390 --> 00:23:41.089 all the low self -esteem people over here. Let's 00:23:41.089 --> 00:23:44.990 let's help each other like this. We're not going 00:23:44.990 --> 00:23:46.890 to hold each other down. We're going to build 00:23:46.890 --> 00:23:49.930 each other up. But again, you only heal in group 00:23:49.930 --> 00:23:52.170 and you only heal in community. Nobody's healing 00:23:52.170 --> 00:23:54.630 by themselves. Sorry, you're not going to do 00:23:54.630 --> 00:23:56.950 it. A small little thing, Tim, if I may. As a 00:23:56.950 --> 00:24:00.710 parent, kids be playing Roblox, too. My kids. 00:24:00.930 --> 00:24:03.170 And they're grooming the younger generation to 00:24:03.170 --> 00:24:05.829 these microtransactions that is not being seen. 00:24:06.289 --> 00:24:08.509 So I have to monitor my children. Joanne and 00:24:08.509 --> 00:24:10.809 I monitor our kids on how they purchase and how 00:24:10.809 --> 00:24:12.509 they buy things. And it's kind of rewarded based. 00:24:12.609 --> 00:24:15.170 But I see how there's kids that they compare 00:24:15.170 --> 00:24:18.490 themselves to that parents throw bread at these 00:24:18.490 --> 00:24:20.809 games so that they can level up. And then it 00:24:20.809 --> 00:24:25.309 grows their virtual. like stance in how they 00:24:25.309 --> 00:24:28.029 play their games and so it's like i see that 00:24:28.029 --> 00:24:30.329 portion of it too oh bro their social status 00:24:30.329 --> 00:24:32.930 in the game that's right and it satisfies something 00:24:32.930 --> 00:24:34.410 that they don't have in real life that's exactly 00:24:34.410 --> 00:24:35.690 right that's where it gets dangerous that's what 00:24:35.690 --> 00:24:38.670 bro i mean i can't tell you how many times my 00:24:38.670 --> 00:24:41.849 sons have come to me like dad can i have ten 00:24:41.849 --> 00:24:47.089 dollars so i can get robux uh and and and and 00:24:47.089 --> 00:24:50.089 then can i get vbucks on on uh fortnight and 00:24:50.089 --> 00:24:52.839 i'm like what are you talking about? Well, I 00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:55.799 want to get this new skin. I'm like real money 00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:58.579 for fake money, bro. We've gotten Venmo's and 00:24:58.579 --> 00:25:01.079 cash apps from the grandparents. Like, Oh, this 00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:02.619 is for, you know what I'm saying? Like, Hey, 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:05.700 wait, wait, wait, wait, hold up. And, and it, 00:25:05.819 --> 00:25:08.579 all it is is a gamified break, which is the same 00:25:08.579 --> 00:25:10.599 thing Alyx is talking about. Right. And it's 00:25:10.599 --> 00:25:12.859 like, well, like, well, I get that rare skin. 00:25:13.079 --> 00:25:15.339 Well, like when I open up this up, well, that 00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:18.500 the skin of the gun, the gun don't make you shoot. 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:21.720 The gun don't, it don't help you play better. 00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:24.759 Reach that dude. Now he's going to go reach thousands. 00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:27.759 I'm good. Are you kidding me? I'm good. Check 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:31.880 the box. Motives. Motives. Motives. Right? Like 00:25:31.880 --> 00:25:33.680 that's a beautiful thing. You know what I'm saying? 00:25:34.420 --> 00:25:36.579 Today's segment is this is what we doing. And 00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:38.180 this is what we doing. This is what we doing. 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:39.920 This is what we doing. For sure.