WEBVTT 00:00:04.620 --> 00:00:07.419 What is up, everybody? Alijah here from Hoosier 00:00:07.419 --> 00:00:09.419 Pools. Thank you guys so much for joining me 00:00:09.419 --> 00:00:12.599 on the channel. I am super excited because we're 00:00:12.599 --> 00:00:14.400 doing something a little bit different today. 00:00:14.460 --> 00:00:18.100 We are talking with Alyx Effron, the founder of 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:22.000 Collectors MD. Alyx, thank you so much for joining 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:25.039 me on the channel and taking the time to talk 00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:29.800 about what Collectors MD is all about. Yeah, man. 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:32.659 Thanks for having me. Really appreciate the opportunity 00:00:32.659 --> 00:00:35.939 and yeah, really excited to be chatting with 00:00:35.939 --> 00:00:39.920 you today. Yeah, likewise. So could you just 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:45.820 briefly just describe what, how you started Collectors MD 00:00:45.820 --> 00:00:48.820 and what it's about and what you guys offer? 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:53.780 Yeah, absolutely. So, hey, everyone. It's great 00:00:53.780 --> 00:00:56.899 to meet you all. I'm Alyx Effron. I've been a 00:00:56.899 --> 00:00:59.659 collector for most of my life. And like a lot 00:00:59.659 --> 00:01:01.939 of you, I've seen this hobby evolve in ways that 00:01:01.939 --> 00:01:05.140 are both exciting and honestly, pretty concerning, 00:01:05.260 --> 00:01:08.920 right? I founded Collectors MD earlier this year 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:11.739 as a response to what we've been seeing, not 00:01:11.739 --> 00:01:15.739 just in others, but in myself, the overspending, 00:01:15.739 --> 00:01:18.620 the compulsive breaking, chasing that next big 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:23.390 hit. And slowly just losing that joy that got 00:01:23.390 --> 00:01:25.310 me into collecting in the first place. Right. 00:01:26.269 --> 00:01:29.250 Coming out of national this past week, it really, 00:01:29.310 --> 00:01:32.189 really hit me. You know, we're kind of at a fork 00:01:32.189 --> 00:01:35.189 in the road as a hobby. On one side, we've got 00:01:35.189 --> 00:01:39.510 community, passion, nostalgia, connection. And 00:01:39.510 --> 00:01:42.170 then on the other, we've got, you know, unchecked 00:01:42.170 --> 00:01:44.909 gambling mechanics, influencers that are just 00:01:44.909 --> 00:01:47.629 pushing high risk products, not just to adults, 00:01:47.689 --> 00:01:50.370 but to kids. and an overwhelming pressure to 00:01:50.370 --> 00:01:53.310 just always be chasing something, always be chasing 00:01:53.310 --> 00:01:56.069 that next athlete, always be chasing that next 00:01:56.069 --> 00:01:58.650 product, always be chasing that next case hit 00:01:58.650 --> 00:02:01.829 insert. There's always something that the manufacturers, 00:02:02.269 --> 00:02:04.769 the platforms, the breakers are marketing to 00:02:04.769 --> 00:02:07.489 us, right? So Collectors MD is about creating 00:02:07.489 --> 00:02:10.330 something different, right? It's a support for 00:02:10.330 --> 00:02:13.509 a space where collectors can talk openly about 00:02:13.509 --> 00:02:16.509 the emotional, financial, and mental toll that 00:02:16.509 --> 00:02:20.280 this hobby can take. We run weekly peer support 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:22.360 groups every Wednesday night. So last night we 00:02:22.360 --> 00:02:25.580 actually had our 15th consecutive meeting, which 00:02:25.580 --> 00:02:28.580 I'm really proud of. Appreciate that. We also 00:02:28.580 --> 00:02:31.020 partner with mental health resources and advocate 00:02:31.020 --> 00:02:33.919 for more responsible, intentional collecting. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:36.780 We're not here to bash the hobby. We're not here 00:02:36.780 --> 00:02:42.699 to cancel. the breaking culture or to be a pain 00:02:42.699 --> 00:02:47.099 for anybody. We're here because we love it and 00:02:47.099 --> 00:02:50.060 we want to protect it and the people in it. So 00:02:50.060 --> 00:02:51.680 if you've ever felt like things were starting 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:54.379 to slip or that collecting was starting to control 00:02:54.379 --> 00:02:58.419 you instead of the other way around, you're not 00:02:58.419 --> 00:03:00.759 alone. And if you're somebody who believes we 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:03.300 need more honesty, balance, and care in this 00:03:03.300 --> 00:03:05.719 space, you're exactly who we're building this 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:09.620 for. So in just four months, we've had so much 00:03:09.620 --> 00:03:14.919 success, bringing people into these peer support 00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:18.800 group meetings, building the community, getting 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:21.919 people to speak up and advocate for the things 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:25.500 that have been sort of sitting with them that 00:03:25.500 --> 00:03:27.919 they haven't had the courage to speak about for 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:31.860 quite some time. And it's just been a beautiful 00:03:31.860 --> 00:03:38.250 thing to watch. And so our goal is to continue 00:03:38.250 --> 00:03:41.610 working with a lot of these health resources, 00:03:41.949 --> 00:03:44.409 partner with the breakers, partner with platforms, 00:03:44.629 --> 00:03:47.789 partner with the manufacturers to continue building 00:03:47.789 --> 00:03:51.250 towards a healthier and more sustainable future 00:03:51.250 --> 00:03:55.719 for the hobby. Yeah, that is awesome. And I love 00:03:55.719 --> 00:03:58.280 the work that you guys are doing. And that's 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:01.099 something that I have noticed within the past 00:04:01.099 --> 00:04:04.780 few years. There's been this really big shift 00:04:04.780 --> 00:04:09.879 into not just enjoying the cards and just chasing 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:13.439 after your favorite rookies. It's all become 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:18.600 about making your money back or pulling that 00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:21.870 big chase card like you were talking about. Even 00:04:21.870 --> 00:04:24.870 with the new products like the mystery packs 00:04:24.870 --> 00:04:29.129 and repacks, it's not about enjoying the card 00:04:29.129 --> 00:04:31.370 that you're getting. It's all about trying to 00:04:31.370 --> 00:04:34.389 make a profit or make your money back. And it 00:04:34.389 --> 00:04:39.449 just seems like just so far from what actual 00:04:39.449 --> 00:04:44.250 collecting is supposed to be. Exactly. And you 00:04:44.250 --> 00:04:47.209 touched on something that has become increasingly 00:04:47.209 --> 00:04:51.639 popular. uh also increasingly dangerous and that's 00:04:51.639 --> 00:04:54.939 the uh whole concept of a repack and repack culture 00:04:54.939 --> 00:04:57.660 uh and look you know we we can't talk about the 00:04:57.660 --> 00:04:59.399 current state of the hobby without calling that 00:04:59.399 --> 00:05:03.439 out um you know what started as a fun side idea 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:06.420 sort of reshuffling hits building chase formats 00:05:06.420 --> 00:05:09.720 has turned into this like unchecked monster right 00:05:09.720 --> 00:05:13.060 now you've got these high -end three boxes uh 00:05:13.060 --> 00:05:16.319 being pushed as entertainment but what you know 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:18.579 they really are is just straight up gambling 00:05:19.050 --> 00:05:21.629 And here's the worst part. It's often kids opening 00:05:21.629 --> 00:05:25.649 those boxes. We see all of these highlight reels 00:05:25.649 --> 00:05:29.269 and clips and TikToks of 12 -year -old children 00:05:29.269 --> 00:05:33.250 opening up Pokemon repacks, sports card repacks, 00:05:33.269 --> 00:05:36.230 screaming because they doubled or tripled their 00:05:36.230 --> 00:05:42.230 money. They're being conditioned to be a part 00:05:42.230 --> 00:05:44.769 of this gambling culture at such a young age. 00:05:44.990 --> 00:05:48.189 vulnerable and impressionable age, which is so 00:05:48.189 --> 00:05:52.149 incredibly dangerous. But we also see, you know, 00:05:52.189 --> 00:05:55.329 adults, vulnerable collectors who are also struggling 00:05:55.329 --> 00:05:58.350 with, you know, discipline and self -control. 00:05:58.509 --> 00:06:01.209 And right now there's just no regulation. There's 00:06:01.209 --> 00:06:04.589 no transparency. There's no accountability. A 00:06:04.589 --> 00:06:08.800 $500 repack might net you 40 bucks. right and 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:11.100 the person running it just shrugs and says you 00:06:11.100 --> 00:06:12.620 know that's the luck of the draw like you know 00:06:12.620 --> 00:06:14.660 we'll get them next time uh but it's it's not 00:06:14.660 --> 00:06:17.899 luck it's predatory design you're dangling these 00:06:17.899 --> 00:06:21.139 massive hits in front of people showing off the 00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:24.399 big pulls online to bait them in and not disclosing 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:27.819 any sort of odds or true value and it's the same 00:06:27.819 --> 00:06:31.680 playbook that casinos use right so um you know 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:33.899 just just with sports cards instead of slot machines 00:06:33.899 --> 00:06:37.560 and the scariest part again is that All of this 00:06:37.560 --> 00:06:40.079 stuff is just being completely normalized. It's 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:43.279 being framed as content. It's being gamified. 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:45.899 And for a lot of people, it's become this like 00:06:45.899 --> 00:06:49.000 slippery slope back into compulsive behavior, 00:06:49.379 --> 00:06:52.939 debt or worse. And so that's why Collectors MD 00:06:52.939 --> 00:06:55.060 isn't just about support. It's about building 00:06:55.060 --> 00:06:57.759 awareness. It's about giving collectors the language 00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:00.399 and clarity to say things like, hey, something 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:02.970 about this feels off. You know, it doesn't feel 00:07:02.970 --> 00:07:05.170 right. It doesn't sit with me. And then hopefully 00:07:05.170 --> 00:07:08.610 allow them to reclaim their hobby before it turns 00:07:08.610 --> 00:07:12.589 into something harmful. Yeah, absolutely. And 00:07:12.589 --> 00:07:14.790 I think that's like I said, I think the work 00:07:14.790 --> 00:07:20.089 that you guys are doing is so great. I've I myself 00:07:20.089 --> 00:07:27.180 have talked about accountability and. community 00:07:27.180 --> 00:07:29.600 and different things like that. But to see you 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:32.560 actually take the initiative and start this and 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:37.879 see this really grow as a movement has been so 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:41.379 awesome. And just, you know, hearing about the 00:07:41.379 --> 00:07:43.540 weekly support groups, because we don't hear 00:07:43.540 --> 00:07:48.339 about the people who have lost everything because, 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:52.019 you know, they've they've just. haven't been 00:07:52.019 --> 00:07:55.300 able to take control of their spending when it 00:07:55.300 --> 00:07:57.420 comes to breaking and all of these different 00:07:57.420 --> 00:08:02.060 things um so yeah that is that is really awesome 00:08:02.060 --> 00:08:06.160 what work that you guys are doing yeah man and 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:08.399 we really appreciate like how many people in 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:11.540 the community have started talking um about this 00:08:11.540 --> 00:08:14.220 sort of stuff and speaking up about you know 00:08:14.220 --> 00:08:16.420 the gambling like mechanics and the repacks and 00:08:16.420 --> 00:08:20.370 the deeper issues at play here right These aren't 00:08:20.370 --> 00:08:22.790 new concerns. They've been floating around for 00:08:22.790 --> 00:08:24.529 a while. People have been talking about them 00:08:24.529 --> 00:08:30.069 on podcasts, you know, in live forums, whether 00:08:30.069 --> 00:08:33.289 that be at a card show or Fanatics Fest or the 00:08:33.289 --> 00:08:36.350 National. But nobody's done anything about it. 00:08:36.389 --> 00:08:39.809 Right. No one's really stepped up to address 00:08:39.809 --> 00:08:42.690 the real concerns here directly. Right. And so 00:08:42.690 --> 00:08:46.289 that's part of why we. Built Collectors MD and 00:08:46.289 --> 00:08:49.230 why it exists to take those quiet conversations 00:08:49.230 --> 00:08:51.590 and give them a platform, give them a louder 00:08:51.590 --> 00:08:54.169 voice, not to shame or cancel people. Right. 00:08:54.269 --> 00:08:56.490 But to actually push the hobby in a healthier, 00:08:56.649 --> 00:09:00.029 more sustainable direction and seeing more folks 00:09:00.029 --> 00:09:03.110 willing to have these tough conversations in 00:09:03.110 --> 00:09:07.399 our weekly support meetings. in social forums 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:10.519 or Facebook groups, that's a really encouraging 00:09:10.519 --> 00:09:13.580 sign. It means that people care. People are starting 00:09:13.580 --> 00:09:16.080 to have the courage to step up and talk about 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:18.659 these issues, talk about their personal problems 00:09:18.659 --> 00:09:21.279 that they're dealing with. And it means that 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:24.389 folks are paying attention. So we want to just 00:09:24.389 --> 00:09:26.570 keep pushing forward. We want to keep spreading 00:09:26.570 --> 00:09:30.070 positive awareness, educating people, especially 00:09:30.070 --> 00:09:32.950 the next generation who, again, is just so incredibly 00:09:32.950 --> 00:09:35.870 vulnerable and impressionable and needs the tools 00:09:35.870 --> 00:09:38.929 and resources in order to be set up for success 00:09:38.929 --> 00:09:42.230 down the road. So, again, we just want to keep 00:09:42.230 --> 00:09:45.269 calling things out, but also calling each other 00:09:45.269 --> 00:09:47.490 in. Right. The more honest we are, the better 00:09:47.490 --> 00:09:50.230 chance we have at shaping this hobby that we 00:09:50.230 --> 00:09:54.029 all love. so that we can all be proud of it. 00:09:54.570 --> 00:09:56.850 Yeah, and that's something that I also really 00:09:56.850 --> 00:10:00.029 like is when you see a lot of different people 00:10:00.029 --> 00:10:03.350 who their main focus is calling out the bad stuff 00:10:03.350 --> 00:10:07.009 and bringing light to it. I appreciate that, 00:10:07.110 --> 00:10:10.129 but a lot of it is just so negative to the point 00:10:10.129 --> 00:10:12.509 where it's like, do you guys even like collecting 00:10:12.509 --> 00:10:16.450 cards? Do you guys even enjoy this? And so for 00:10:16.450 --> 00:10:21.870 you guys to have that call... to reform. I was 00:10:21.870 --> 00:10:24.250 reading the reform initiative on the website. 00:10:24.690 --> 00:10:27.490 By the way, guys, all of the links are going 00:10:27.490 --> 00:10:30.450 to be in the description of this video. So check 00:10:30.450 --> 00:10:34.190 out the website. They have so much content and 00:10:34.190 --> 00:10:38.070 resources there. It's awesome. But the reform 00:10:38.070 --> 00:10:45.450 initiative, it provides actual feedback and ways 00:10:45.450 --> 00:10:48.919 to actively improve. uh the the problems that 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:51.360 you see and that's something that i think is 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:53.820 just so cool because you're not just calling 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:57.340 out a problem you're providing a solution yeah 00:10:57.340 --> 00:10:59.899 exactly yeah the the industry reform initiative 00:10:59.899 --> 00:11:03.860 was created to serve as um sort of a standard 00:11:03.860 --> 00:11:08.159 a benchmark for platforms for manufacturers to 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:12.669 hopefully uh see and eventually integrate into 00:11:12.669 --> 00:11:16.269 their user flows, into their UX, into the way 00:11:16.269 --> 00:11:19.230 that they conduct themselves and their apps and 00:11:19.230 --> 00:11:23.210 their entire user experiences. Again, it's not 00:11:23.210 --> 00:11:26.169 intended to be overly intrusive or completely 00:11:26.169 --> 00:11:29.490 shake up the hobby, but it just makes so much 00:11:29.490 --> 00:11:33.120 more sense. for platforms manufacturers and breakers 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:36.179 to proactively be a part of the change instead 00:11:36.179 --> 00:11:38.779 of just sitting back and waiting for some external 00:11:38.779 --> 00:11:42.240 governing body or worse a lawsuit to come along 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:46.960 uh and then you know some some external person 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:50.860 of power start shaking things up uh and just 00:11:50.860 --> 00:11:54.679 turning this into you know a system that that 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:58.419 we don't like so um we just we just want these 00:11:58.419 --> 00:12:03.389 folks to be able to understand the problems that 00:12:03.389 --> 00:12:07.769 we're facing. And we go through everything in 00:12:07.769 --> 00:12:10.870 great detail. There are objectives here, things 00:12:10.870 --> 00:12:13.269 like ensuring fairness and transparency, preventing 00:12:13.269 --> 00:12:16.190 fraud, standardizing the practices, consumer 00:12:16.190 --> 00:12:18.889 protection, responsible breaking messaging. It's 00:12:18.889 --> 00:12:21.289 subtle. It's nothing like that's going to completely 00:12:21.289 --> 00:12:24.590 change the hobby or completely change the user 00:12:24.590 --> 00:12:26.929 experience. It's just looking out for the customer, 00:12:27.129 --> 00:12:31.620 creating safer. space and guardrails so that 00:12:31.620 --> 00:12:35.379 people don't spiral out of control. So again, 00:12:35.419 --> 00:12:37.299 this is like a framework that we've developed. 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:40.139 Licensing, registration and age verification, 00:12:40.620 --> 00:12:46.080 transparency and pricing, odds and formats, spending 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.419 limits, self -exclusion and transaction history. 00:12:48.539 --> 00:12:50.639 These are things that we see within gambling 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:54.639 apps, but haven't been introduced to any of the 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:58.769 card related or hobby related apps. Responsible 00:12:58.769 --> 00:13:01.029 gaming warnings and support resources. When you 00:13:01.029 --> 00:13:05.470 see a commercial or an ad for a casino or a sports 00:13:05.470 --> 00:13:07.529 book like DraftKings or FanDuel, what do you 00:13:07.529 --> 00:13:11.610 always see along with it? Responsible gaming 00:13:11.610 --> 00:13:14.169 messaging, right? If you or you know somebody 00:13:14.169 --> 00:13:16.889 who has a problem, call 1 -800 -GAMBLER. It's 00:13:16.889 --> 00:13:20.210 a part of their corporate responsibility to provide 00:13:20.210 --> 00:13:22.529 their customers with the appropriate tools and 00:13:22.529 --> 00:13:26.409 resources so that if they need it, they have 00:13:26.409 --> 00:13:29.009 something to lean on. right there's a hotline 00:13:29.009 --> 00:13:30.730 that you can call there are tools and resources 00:13:30.730 --> 00:13:35.450 available for people who have um you know addiction 00:13:35.450 --> 00:13:39.789 and that addiction uh is the same type of addiction 00:13:39.789 --> 00:13:42.710 that we're seeing across the hobby and so that's 00:13:42.710 --> 00:13:44.649 incredibly important and something that we continue 00:13:44.649 --> 00:13:48.809 to advocate for um the verified randomization 00:13:48.809 --> 00:13:51.190 and record record keeping like everything is 00:13:51.190 --> 00:13:55.090 just feels you know like the wild west like these 00:13:55.090 --> 00:14:00.190 real spins and uh the the random card shuffles 00:14:00.190 --> 00:14:02.470 for, you know, the random teams and such, like 00:14:02.470 --> 00:14:06.169 all of that just seems very sort of fugazi as 00:14:06.169 --> 00:14:08.710 we say, like, it doesn't feel, it doesn't feel 00:14:08.710 --> 00:14:14.110 real. It doesn't feel, you know, like it's legitimate 00:14:14.110 --> 00:14:16.409 at times. And so we just, we want to look out 00:14:16.409 --> 00:14:21.409 for the safety and, and ultimately you know, 00:14:21.409 --> 00:14:25.940 the trust. from these breakers and from the platforms. 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:30.480 We also are looking to add things like real -time 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:34.340 receipts and break recording, platform accountability 00:14:34.340 --> 00:14:37.980 and moderation tools, ban on conflicts of interest 00:14:37.980 --> 00:14:40.820 and unlicensed gambling, education, awareness, 00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:43.259 and community training. That's something we can 00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:45.740 be actively involved in. Financial safeguards 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:47.879 and encryption standards, refunds and dispute 00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:51.240 resolution. That's an ongoing issue with these 00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:54.659 apps. um where people are just filing chargebacks 00:14:54.659 --> 00:14:57.000 and again it's the wild west you know you can 00:14:57.000 --> 00:15:00.360 order thousands of dollars worth of product or 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:05.279 um cards from from a break and decide after the 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:08.200 fact that you just want to file a chargeback 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:10.259 with your credit card and it becomes a major 00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:13.600 issue for both sides both the breaker uh and 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:16.580 the the the customer so right sort of creating 00:15:16.580 --> 00:15:19.279 a better solutions around that and then audit 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:22.809 and compliance enforcement so You know, some 00:15:22.809 --> 00:15:24.570 of these things do sound a little bit heavy and 00:15:24.570 --> 00:15:26.610 serious, but some of them are just so incredibly 00:15:26.610 --> 00:15:30.409 needed. Right. Right. So, yeah, we just want 00:15:30.409 --> 00:15:33.809 to keep pushing for it. Yeah. And I think that 00:15:33.809 --> 00:15:37.970 people who maybe haven't been on some of these 00:15:37.970 --> 00:15:42.049 platforms might not understand just how easy 00:15:42.049 --> 00:15:46.590 it is to get hooked on the way that these shows 00:15:46.590 --> 00:15:50.610 run and that how the bids run. You know, there's. 00:15:51.389 --> 00:15:53.870 We briefly talked about it in our conversation 00:15:53.870 --> 00:15:56.950 before, but there's auctions that start at 10 00:15:56.950 --> 00:16:00.909 seconds long and it pretty much takes your brain 00:16:00.909 --> 00:16:04.590 out of constructive thinking mode and you just 00:16:04.590 --> 00:16:08.549 go into a swiping frenzy. And so being able to 00:16:08.549 --> 00:16:11.750 have those self exclusions and limits is really 00:16:11.750 --> 00:16:14.629 important because I've had people comment on 00:16:14.629 --> 00:16:16.909 the video that I did, you know, about the national, 00:16:16.990 --> 00:16:19.710 you know, talking about how they have spent, 00:16:19.750 --> 00:16:23.490 you know, hundreds of thousands of dollars collectively 00:16:23.490 --> 00:16:29.070 on different items and and repacks and Whatnot 00:16:29.070 --> 00:16:33.090 and all that good stuff um and you know they're 00:16:33.090 --> 00:16:35.990 they've been like i've never hit anything like 00:16:35.990 --> 00:16:38.870 any of these influencers you know and now i'm 00:16:38.870 --> 00:16:41.649 just left like feeling the shame and remorse 00:16:41.649 --> 00:16:45.009 of of all of this. So yeah, people are getting 00:16:45.009 --> 00:16:48.710 absolutely blindsided by this stuff. Yeah. It's 00:16:48.710 --> 00:16:50.990 scary. You know, one of the biggest traps I think 00:16:50.990 --> 00:16:52.350 you brought up and, you know, you mentioned, 00:16:52.409 --> 00:16:55.470 we talked about, um, that people fall into in 00:16:55.470 --> 00:16:57.970 the hobby. Uh, and I've been there myself is 00:16:57.970 --> 00:17:00.009 the late night bidding, right? When it's like 00:17:00.009 --> 00:17:02.870 2 AM and you're tossing and turning and you can't 00:17:02.870 --> 00:17:04.630 fall asleep. So what do you do? You start, uh, 00:17:04.869 --> 00:17:07.690 doom scrolling and you end up on Whatnot. And, 00:17:07.970 --> 00:17:10.769 uh, you know, maybe you've had a long day and, 00:17:10.809 --> 00:17:14.960 um, You're stressed out. And you tell yourself 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.579 you're just a bystander. You're just watching, 00:17:16.700 --> 00:17:19.480 right? And then all of a sudden, you're in this 00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:24.380 live break or live stream. And there's a break 00:17:24.380 --> 00:17:26.579 going on. And they're filling the break with 00:17:26.579 --> 00:17:31.480 random teams. And suddenly, your fat thumb ends 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:35.200 up swiping to bid on something. And you're in 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:38.000 a bidding war over some random team. And you 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:40.430 get dealt the worst team in the deck. what's 00:17:40.430 --> 00:17:43.269 you know what's the natural uh sort of next step 00:17:43.269 --> 00:17:45.990 or progression there you go full tilt and you 00:17:45.990 --> 00:17:47.950 start chasing other teams the next thing you 00:17:47.950 --> 00:17:50.869 know you've spent a couple thousand dollars only 00:17:50.869 --> 00:17:54.470 to get back like fifty dollars in cards um and 00:17:54.470 --> 00:17:56.970 then so your knee jerk reaction is just to dive 00:17:56.970 --> 00:17:58.569 back in and do it all over again like we see 00:17:58.569 --> 00:18:01.869 this happening over and over and over again and 00:18:01.869 --> 00:18:03.890 people just waking up the next morning like what 00:18:03.890 --> 00:18:07.069 the heck did i do you know last night How did 00:18:07.069 --> 00:18:10.230 I fall into that frenzy? And, you know, again, 00:18:10.329 --> 00:18:12.150 a lot of this behavior is just sort of subconscious 00:18:12.150 --> 00:18:16.150 and the platforms are built for it. And it doesn't 00:18:16.150 --> 00:18:19.349 just exist on the on the breaking apps. It's 00:18:19.349 --> 00:18:23.410 it's also on eBay. Right. It becomes sort of 00:18:23.410 --> 00:18:27.369 second nature swiping and, you know, just clicking. 00:18:27.410 --> 00:18:31.279 And it's all right in front of you in your. face 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:33.880 all the time. We're all like, you know, our smartphones 00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:36.200 are an extension of us and you don't even realize 00:18:36.200 --> 00:18:39.640 how deep you're in it until the receipt or the 00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:42.240 invoice hits your inbox. Then you've got, you 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:46.839 know, all sorts of other things that drive the 00:18:46.839 --> 00:18:50.900 FOMO, the breaker acting as the entertainer and 00:18:50.900 --> 00:18:54.180 the dealer and, you know, the marketer all in 00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:57.369 one, just screaming, you know, like. chat chat 00:18:57.369 --> 00:18:59.990 you gotta you gotta bid more these things are 00:18:59.990 --> 00:19:03.950 going for way too low um you know these prices 00:19:03.950 --> 00:19:06.589 or these spots should be going for for way more 00:19:06.589 --> 00:19:09.130 i mean and then you've got uh the guy selling 00:19:09.130 --> 00:19:13.049 the singles who uh you know list everything on 00:19:13.049 --> 00:19:15.569 a sudden death auction so people don't even have 00:19:15.569 --> 00:19:17.809 time to scramble and check comps or like do any 00:19:17.809 --> 00:19:20.730 sort of research there's this sense of urgency 00:19:20.730 --> 00:19:24.960 you have to bid and so cards that cost might 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:27.259 cost two bucks on ebay end up going for like 00:19:27.259 --> 00:19:30.880 25 30 bucks in these live streams because people 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:36.119 again just feed into this uh sense of of uh missing 00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:40.500 out the fomo right so again it's just a matter 00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:44.119 of uh refining these platforms and these user 00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:46.859 experiences so people don't get completely sucked 00:19:46.859 --> 00:19:50.980 in and chewed up um you know by by the breakers 00:19:50.980 --> 00:19:52.740 and the platforms and we're not saying that every 00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:56.460 single breaker every single platform uh intends 00:19:56.460 --> 00:19:58.920 to do this to people but it's just inherently 00:19:58.920 --> 00:20:01.519 happening it's it's a part of the experience 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:04.680 um and there are people who are just getting 00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:08.240 completely burnt and the emotional the mental 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:10.119 and the financial burnout is just becoming too 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:12.839 much to bear for for some folks and so again 00:20:12.839 --> 00:20:17.670 we're here for those people but um In addition 00:20:17.670 --> 00:20:19.490 to that, we also want to just keep pushing for 00:20:19.490 --> 00:20:23.230 reform and for change. Yeah. And I saw that you 00:20:23.230 --> 00:20:26.829 guys were partnered with Birches Health, which 00:20:26.829 --> 00:20:31.490 I think they're one of the, if not the only kind 00:20:31.490 --> 00:20:36.269 of company that's offering specific guided therapy 00:20:36.269 --> 00:20:41.750 for like a sports card or, you know, trading 00:20:41.750 --> 00:20:46.299 card type addiction. So, you know. The worlds 00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:48.460 of collecting and mental health don't necessarily 00:20:48.460 --> 00:20:51.000 always overlap, but one of the most important 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:54.740 steps that we've taken as a community or taken 00:20:54.740 --> 00:20:57.359 at Collectors MD is partnering with Birches Health, 00:20:57.559 --> 00:21:00.140 who are a nationwide leader in behavioral health 00:21:00.140 --> 00:21:02.160 and addiction treatment. I am not a licensed 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:03.960 therapist. I'm not a doctor. I don't have any 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:07.180 sort of experience or background as it pertains 00:21:07.180 --> 00:21:11.059 to providing that sort of service. So by partnering 00:21:11.059 --> 00:21:12.900 with Birches Health, we add that extra layer 00:21:12.900 --> 00:21:15.759 of support as people need it. And so what that 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:18.559 means for our community and for our members is 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:20.980 that they now have access to licensed professionals 00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:24.039 who specialize in gambling and compulsive behaviors, 00:21:24.339 --> 00:21:27.140 not just general therapy. And that sort of level 00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:30.480 of understanding carries incredible weight when 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:32.460 you're talking about something as specific and 00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:36.980 emotionally charged as collecting. And these 00:21:36.980 --> 00:21:40.640 gambling like activities like breaking, you have 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:43.200 access to virtual confidential care from home. 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:45.660 So reaching out doesn't require taking that extra 00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:47.880 effort to get in the car and go to a doctor's 00:21:47.880 --> 00:21:51.220 office that might leave traces of feeling like, 00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:53.980 you know, exposed. It's completely confidential, 00:21:54.420 --> 00:21:58.359 judgment free. They're there for you when you 00:21:58.359 --> 00:22:00.559 need it. And they offer affordable treatment 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:03.890 options. uh most of what they offer is covered 00:22:03.890 --> 00:22:08.130 by insurance uh or low to no cost meaning help 00:22:08.130 --> 00:22:10.230 isn't off limits to people who genuinely need 00:22:10.230 --> 00:22:12.490 it right so instead of just feeling like you're 00:22:12.490 --> 00:22:15.450 stuck in a loop of buying breaking chasing hits 00:22:15.450 --> 00:22:18.269 there's now a way to get real professional support 00:22:18.269 --> 00:22:20.910 tailored to those exact challenges and that's 00:22:20.910 --> 00:22:24.319 monumental And so this partnership isn't about 00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:27.259 labeling the hobby or calling anybody out. It's 00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:29.440 about making sure that help is there for people 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:32.019 who actually need it when they need it. And that 00:22:32.019 --> 00:22:34.319 reflects exactly what Collectors MD stands for, 00:22:34.420 --> 00:22:37.059 supporting the collectors themselves with care 00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:42.240 and clarity, right? And it's not about, you know, 00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:46.130 growing. the Collectors MD brand or creating 00:22:46.130 --> 00:22:50.549 a sense of clout or trying to get more likes 00:22:50.549 --> 00:22:54.509 or followers. It's about educating the people 00:22:54.509 --> 00:22:57.369 that actually need it. So we just want the hobby 00:22:57.369 --> 00:23:01.690 to recognize that these tools and resources. 00:23:02.979 --> 00:23:05.599 exist for those people that need it. And so again, 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:07.559 we just want to continue to carry the message 00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:10.519 and partner with folks like you who have the 00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:13.420 audience, who have the platform to continue spreading 00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:17.529 such an impactful and important message. Yeah, 00:23:17.609 --> 00:23:21.150 that is that is really important. And on the 00:23:21.150 --> 00:23:24.009 website, you know, it talks about, you know, 00:23:24.009 --> 00:23:27.609 when when should, you know, I seek out help, 00:23:27.690 --> 00:23:30.009 you know, and one of the things that really stuck 00:23:30.009 --> 00:23:32.569 out to me was like when the hobby like when this 00:23:32.569 --> 00:23:35.789 stops being fun, you know, like when it when 00:23:35.789 --> 00:23:38.490 it starts feeling like a weight and I feel like, 00:23:38.490 --> 00:23:40.650 you know, everybody's different. But, you know, 00:23:40.650 --> 00:23:44.049 even myself, I've deleted the eBay app off my 00:23:44.049 --> 00:23:48.619 phone. you know, previously in times past just 00:23:48.619 --> 00:23:52.900 because I felt myself like overusing it, checking 00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:56.319 it too much, having a watch list that was way, 00:23:56.420 --> 00:23:59.799 way too long. Yeah. You know, you have a problem 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:02.660 when you go to watch an item and eBay tells you 00:24:02.660 --> 00:24:04.539 that you're at capacity and you have to remove 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:08.140 some items on your watch list. That's been me 00:24:08.140 --> 00:24:12.519 before. Yeah. Yeah. And so just being able to, 00:24:12.579 --> 00:24:18.279 you know, self -reflect and you know self -critique 00:24:18.279 --> 00:24:20.940 you know what what you're doing and you know 00:24:20.940 --> 00:24:24.759 how much of it you're doing um like you said 00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:29.240 the i love the that you guys are all for you 00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:31.799 know the hobby you know you're not anti -hobby 00:24:31.799 --> 00:24:37.309 in any way but it's Yeah. And it's just all about 00:24:37.309 --> 00:24:40.750 having that accountability and community around 00:24:40.750 --> 00:24:44.450 to be there for you when you feel like you might 00:24:44.450 --> 00:24:47.690 start slipping or if you already feel like you 00:24:47.690 --> 00:24:50.210 have slipped and you want to get back on track. 00:24:50.750 --> 00:24:54.009 Exactly. And that's exactly what it is. We want 00:24:54.009 --> 00:24:57.210 to take it back to the purity, to the joy of 00:24:57.210 --> 00:24:59.789 the days when people actually collected to collect. 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:02.619 and didn't collect to try to collect a paycheck, 00:25:02.859 --> 00:25:05.319 right? And you brought up another really good 00:25:05.319 --> 00:25:07.819 point, you know, and we try to emphasize this 00:25:07.819 --> 00:25:10.059 at Collectors MD, that everyone is different, 00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:11.940 right? The gambling -like mechanics in the hobby, 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:14.960 things like pack ripping, some of the things 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:18.019 we talked about, the countdown auctions, the 00:25:18.019 --> 00:25:20.960 high -risk repacks, the mystery slabs, they don't 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:23.900 affect everyone the same way. And for some people, 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:26.319 look, it's just entertainment and they do have 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:29.039 the self -control. They rip a pack here or there. 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:32.039 They go to their LCS. They buy one box and they 00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:34.259 stay within their means. They know their limits 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:36.720 and then they walk away. But for others, it's 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:39.619 just not that simple. People have impulses. And 00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:42.569 so we have to take those people seriously. So 00:25:42.569 --> 00:25:45.269 there's the adrenaline rush, the chase for a 00:25:45.269 --> 00:25:48.130 hit, the thrill of just one more. It can trigger 00:25:48.130 --> 00:25:50.930 something much, much deeper, especially for those 00:25:50.930 --> 00:25:53.650 already dealing with things like stress, trauma, 00:25:53.869 --> 00:25:57.430 or a history of addictive behavior. It can start 00:25:57.430 --> 00:25:59.369 to really spiral faster. A lot of people we hear 00:25:59.369 --> 00:26:02.349 quit gambling or self -exclude from gambling 00:26:02.349 --> 00:26:04.950 and then turn to the hobby only to find themselves 00:26:04.950 --> 00:26:08.569 in the same predicaments. or sometimes even worse, 00:26:08.769 --> 00:26:12.049 right? Because the hobby is sort of disguised 00:26:12.049 --> 00:26:18.849 as this like childhood rooted activity that we've 00:26:18.849 --> 00:26:22.650 all known and love since we were kids. And so 00:26:22.650 --> 00:26:24.710 we just have to be very, very careful there. 00:26:25.609 --> 00:26:29.089 We have to look out for, you know, the warning 00:26:29.089 --> 00:26:32.509 signs. You know, someone might say, well, you 00:26:32.509 --> 00:26:35.230 know, I could stop anytime. It's just fun for 00:26:35.230 --> 00:26:39.269 me. But that doesn't, necessarily mean it's fun 00:26:39.269 --> 00:26:42.569 for the next person or that it's safe. So again, 00:26:42.650 --> 00:26:45.269 we're not here to say that the hobby is inherently 00:26:45.269 --> 00:26:48.589 bad or that everyone needs to stop. We're just 00:26:48.589 --> 00:26:51.190 here to say, let's make space for both realities. 00:26:51.329 --> 00:26:54.710 Let's acknowledge that what feels casual for 00:26:54.710 --> 00:26:58.049 you might feel compulsive for someone else. And 00:26:58.049 --> 00:27:00.250 let's stop pretending that just because you don't 00:27:00.250 --> 00:27:03.690 struggle doesn't mean others don't. So that's 00:27:03.690 --> 00:27:05.650 what awareness is all about. That's what empathy 00:27:05.650 --> 00:27:09.829 actually looks like. I get a little frustrated 00:27:09.829 --> 00:27:14.210 when I see people saying things like, it's just 00:27:14.210 --> 00:27:16.589 a hobby. It's just cards. How could you possibly 00:27:16.589 --> 00:27:19.589 spiral out of control or end up spending your 00:27:19.589 --> 00:27:23.529 life savings or hard -earned money on something 00:27:23.529 --> 00:27:27.309 so juvenile or trivial? You just don't get it. 00:27:27.349 --> 00:27:31.190 You don't get that people... everybody's different 00:27:31.190 --> 00:27:33.509 everybody goes through things differently and 00:27:33.509 --> 00:27:37.930 when the system is engineered to suck you in 00:27:37.930 --> 00:27:40.769 and make you chase it makes it that much more 00:27:40.769 --> 00:27:43.990 difficult for somebody who is susceptible for 00:27:43.990 --> 00:27:46.009 falling into addictive behavior and patterns 00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:50.380 Yeah, definitely. And like you said, the people 00:27:50.380 --> 00:27:54.059 who design these platforms, they're not naive. 00:27:54.299 --> 00:27:57.180 You know, they're very smart. They know exactly 00:27:57.180 --> 00:28:01.259 what they're doing. And, you know, it's it's 00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:04.240 great to see. you know, Collectors MD kind of 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:08.339 working as that, like, you know, safeguard, um, 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:12.000 you know, for people who are unaware, um, you 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:14.160 know, because there's so many new people coming 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:16.819 into the hobby and it's great and it's awesome, 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:20.720 but it's also just like, I feel like they're, 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:24.140 they're prime targets, you know, to get, like 00:28:24.140 --> 00:28:28.539 you said, just to get engulfed in this just vicious 00:28:28.539 --> 00:28:32.160 cycle, you know, that, that can happen. Um, And 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:36.039 you don't realize that you've been sucked in, 00:28:36.140 --> 00:28:39.140 chewed up and spit out until it's too late most 00:28:39.140 --> 00:28:41.819 of the time. Right. Fortunately, right? Like 00:28:41.819 --> 00:28:46.859 the price points of product these days, it's 00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:53.099 just become so like out of control. just marked 00:28:53.099 --> 00:28:57.000 up that it doesn't even make sense to rip personals 00:28:57.000 --> 00:29:00.299 anymore because 99 of the time you are not making 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:03.240 back even a fraction of what you put in right 00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:06.019 yeah but people still do it People still do it 00:29:06.019 --> 00:29:08.819 because they want to chase that high. They want 00:29:08.819 --> 00:29:10.940 to chase that hit. And we talk a lot about this 00:29:10.940 --> 00:29:13.759 in our weekly meetings, the whole concept of 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:15.579 chasing the dragon. You know, that's something 00:29:15.579 --> 00:29:19.380 they talk a lot about in GA and other recovery 00:29:19.380 --> 00:29:23.759 anonymous meetings like AA and NA. People want 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:29.339 to recreate that first rush, right? And so if 00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:31.819 you... Join the hobby, you join a break for the 00:29:31.819 --> 00:29:33.480 first time, let's say, and you have a little 00:29:33.480 --> 00:29:34.839 bit of beginner's luck and you hit something 00:29:34.839 --> 00:29:39.220 massive. And you end up, you know, either stashing 00:29:39.220 --> 00:29:41.180 it in your PC, maybe you grade it, it gets a 00:29:41.180 --> 00:29:44.160 good grade, becomes like the cornerstone of your 00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:48.059 PC, or you end up selling it and make back a, 00:29:48.059 --> 00:29:51.440 you know, 10x what you originally put in. Let's 00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:55.619 say, you know, that might seem great at first, 00:29:55.700 --> 00:29:59.180 but it really... is the devil in disguise because 00:29:59.180 --> 00:30:01.700 next thing you know you're just trying to recreate 00:30:01.700 --> 00:30:04.180 that moment and so we see this so often where 00:30:04.180 --> 00:30:06.180 somebody joins a break for the first time they 00:30:06.180 --> 00:30:08.259 hit big and then they try they're like oh this 00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:10.140 is so easy this is great i'm just going to join 00:30:10.140 --> 00:30:12.740 more breaks and then they join another four another 00:30:12.740 --> 00:30:15.359 five all of a sudden they've joined a dozen breaks 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:19.059 and they haven't hit a single card of any value 00:30:19.059 --> 00:30:23.170 or note um And, you know, they fall into these 00:30:23.170 --> 00:30:26.529 patterns, these cycles, these loops, these what 00:30:26.529 --> 00:30:30.109 we call like dopamine loops. And so, again, you 00:30:30.109 --> 00:30:33.369 just have to protect yourself from yourself sometimes 00:30:33.369 --> 00:30:36.410 and make sure that you put those safety measures 00:30:36.410 --> 00:30:40.990 in place. Protect yourself, you know, as you 00:30:40.990 --> 00:30:44.559 see fit in order to prevent. sort of going down 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:47.359 that slippery slope, that dark path. Another 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:50.220 partnership that I think is worth mentioning 00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:54.420 is the one we have with Gamban, where you can 00:30:54.420 --> 00:30:58.519 download this app and basically put app blocking 00:30:58.519 --> 00:31:02.500 software on your phone. So if you do feel like 00:31:02.500 --> 00:31:04.200 you're not going to be able to control yourself 00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:07.039 or control that urge in the middle of the night 00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:09.759 when you're in your most vulnerable state, you 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:12.160 can actually prevent yourself from being able 00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:17.230 to uh open Fanatics Live or Whatnot or Loupe or 00:31:17.230 --> 00:31:19.930 any of these hobby related apps that might be 00:31:19.930 --> 00:31:23.809 uh sort of a trigger for you um so you know that's 00:31:23.809 --> 00:31:26.430 not this we're not doing that because we want 00:31:26.430 --> 00:31:31.109 uh to take anything away from those platforms 00:31:31.109 --> 00:31:34.529 right but the platforms don't offer the self 00:31:34.529 --> 00:31:37.789 -exclusion tools that the gambling apps do The 00:31:37.789 --> 00:31:39.630 gambling apps make it easy. They make it simple 00:31:39.630 --> 00:31:41.269 for somebody to just go into their settings, 00:31:41.430 --> 00:31:43.890 self -exclude in their respective state, and 00:31:43.890 --> 00:31:46.430 then they can't gamble anymore. And they're basically 00:31:46.430 --> 00:31:50.029 on like a block list. I myself self -excluded 00:31:50.029 --> 00:31:53.910 from gambling several years ago because I was 00:31:53.910 --> 00:31:56.150 a gambling addict. I went down that dark path 00:31:56.150 --> 00:31:58.130 and I knew that I didn't have the self -control. 00:31:58.289 --> 00:32:03.389 I would impulsively open those DraftKings. or 00:32:03.389 --> 00:32:05.210 FanDuel apps all the time and start playing live 00:32:05.210 --> 00:32:08.390 blackjack just to scratch the itch. And so that 00:32:08.390 --> 00:32:10.109 doesn't exist in the hobby. That doesn't exist 00:32:10.109 --> 00:32:13.250 with Fanatics or Whatnot. And so if the big players 00:32:13.250 --> 00:32:16.650 aren't going to make it possible for their customers, 00:32:16.769 --> 00:32:19.029 for their users to be able to self -exclude, 00:32:19.150 --> 00:32:21.210 then we want to be able to offer those third 00:32:21.210 --> 00:32:23.789 -party resources so people can do them themselves. 00:32:24.230 --> 00:32:27.769 So again, that's just another layer of support 00:32:27.769 --> 00:32:31.299 that we offer now. Yeah, that's awesome. And 00:32:31.299 --> 00:32:34.640 I think that it's also really important, especially 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:38.960 like for me as someone who makes content on YouTube, 00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:42.079 you know, specifically with, you know, I open 00:32:42.079 --> 00:32:44.220 a lot of sealed boxes and stuff like that. I 00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:48.940 feel like the content creators also need to be 00:32:48.940 --> 00:32:54.480 transparent with their audience. And be careful 00:32:54.480 --> 00:32:58.039 about who you follow because there's some people 00:32:58.039 --> 00:33:00.579 that only show the monster hits. There's only 00:33:00.579 --> 00:33:03.779 people that show all the good stuff. And they 00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:08.740 don't show you the box where they spent $600 00:33:08.740 --> 00:33:14.200 and got $30 back. There's a very small percentage 00:33:14.200 --> 00:33:17.259 of people who are opening that amount of product 00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:21.509 and have sponsorships and are doing... all these 00:33:21.509 --> 00:33:24.750 other things, which is which is not bad. But 00:33:24.750 --> 00:33:27.009 I feel there also needs to be transparency in 00:33:27.009 --> 00:33:29.769 that saying like, hey, you know, I'm sponsored 00:33:29.769 --> 00:33:34.089 here or I can do this because of this. Right. 00:33:34.190 --> 00:33:36.730 So I think I think that's really important. That's 00:33:36.730 --> 00:33:39.670 something that I try to be really transparent 00:33:39.670 --> 00:33:42.630 with all of my viewers. I tell them, you know, 00:33:42.650 --> 00:33:46.589 if if I partner with anybody, if I'm ever sponsored, 00:33:46.750 --> 00:33:50.960 you know, I personally don't. accept any type 00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:53.839 of partnership unless I specifically use that 00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:58.440 company's product. So I think, I think that having 00:33:58.440 --> 00:34:01.539 a level of accountability in the content creation 00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:06.539 space will also only positively impact these 00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:09.579 other surrounding areas of the hobby. Absolutely. 00:34:09.940 --> 00:34:13.159 You brought up two really good, good topics that 00:34:13.159 --> 00:34:18.619 I think, you know, make a lot of sense to bring 00:34:18.619 --> 00:34:21.349 light to you know from our sort of perspective. 00:34:21.989 --> 00:34:24.610 The first one is sort of these highlight reels 00:34:24.610 --> 00:34:27.809 and the influencer boxes, as some people like 00:34:27.809 --> 00:34:29.789 to call them. They're one of the most subtle 00:34:29.789 --> 00:34:32.650 but dangerous forms of manipulation in the hobby 00:34:32.650 --> 00:34:35.630 right now. And the concept seems harmless, right? 00:34:35.710 --> 00:34:38.429 On the surface, you give a popular content creator 00:34:38.429 --> 00:34:41.789 an influencer box to rip on camera. Maybe the 00:34:41.789 --> 00:34:44.030 manufacturer knows that it's going to be a hot 00:34:44.030 --> 00:34:46.789 box or have a big hit inside and let their audience 00:34:46.789 --> 00:34:50.400 watch the magic happen. But then when you really 00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:53.440 think about it, it's just another way to engineer 00:34:53.440 --> 00:34:57.000 hype and suck people in. It's basically free 00:34:57.000 --> 00:34:59.519 marketing or advertising for the manufacturer 00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:04.280 or the platform. So these boxes aren't always 00:35:04.280 --> 00:35:07.530 random. I think a lot of people... realize that 00:35:07.530 --> 00:35:10.250 now uh in fact a lot of the time they're again 00:35:10.250 --> 00:35:12.170 they're hot boxes they're stacked with hits to 00:35:12.170 --> 00:35:14.409 make the product look better than it actually 00:35:14.409 --> 00:35:17.050 is and when someone with a massive following 00:35:17.050 --> 00:35:20.070 pulls a monster card on stream thousands of people 00:35:20.070 --> 00:35:23.909 watching start to believe that could be me so 00:35:23.909 --> 00:35:26.530 what do they do next they buy They rip, they 00:35:26.530 --> 00:35:28.949 chase, they overspend and they get disappointed 00:35:28.949 --> 00:35:32.250 over and over again. And it's not just about 00:35:32.250 --> 00:35:34.989 the influencer either. It's the psychology of 00:35:34.989 --> 00:35:38.389 influence. The platforms and companies know that 00:35:38.389 --> 00:35:41.349 we trust familiar faces. We're more likely to 00:35:41.349 --> 00:35:45.099 buy what they're promoting. right even if it's 00:35:45.099 --> 00:35:47.920 subconsciously and that's where it becomes predatory 00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:50.280 because when you're struggling with control or 00:35:50.280 --> 00:35:53.179 chasing that next dopamine hit those influencer 00:35:53.179 --> 00:35:56.179 boxes aren't just entertainment they're a trigger 00:35:56.179 --> 00:35:59.460 and the worst part is there there's really you 00:35:59.460 --> 00:36:01.679 know any disclosure people watching don't know 00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:06.860 if that box was free if it was curated if the 00:36:06.860 --> 00:36:10.320 odds were altered or Even worse, the person recording 00:36:10.320 --> 00:36:12.480 is on like their fifth or sixth box in reality 00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:15.500 and just keep recording the same video over and 00:36:15.500 --> 00:36:17.280 over again until they actually hit that hot box 00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:20.559 so that they can create content that has a better 00:36:20.559 --> 00:36:23.719 chance of going viral, right? And so that lack 00:36:23.719 --> 00:36:26.940 of transparency or sort of the unknown creates 00:36:26.940 --> 00:36:30.099 this false sense of possibility and people spiral 00:36:30.099 --> 00:36:33.780 chasing something that was never real to begin 00:36:33.780 --> 00:36:37.869 with. And so that's all about why we're speaking 00:36:37.869 --> 00:36:40.949 up, because if we don't start holding the industry 00:36:40.949 --> 00:36:44.250 and the creators, the influencers accountable, 00:36:44.610 --> 00:36:47.150 this next generation of collectors will be raised 00:36:47.150 --> 00:36:49.449 on smoke and mirrors instead of truth and intention. 00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:53.860 And so the other thing you brought up that we 00:36:53.860 --> 00:36:55.880 talked about a little bit already is the transparency 00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:59.780 in the hobby, which is so long overdue. And, 00:36:59.780 --> 00:37:02.679 you know, it just has to start at every level. 00:37:02.699 --> 00:37:05.739 The breakers and the manufacturers, the breakers 00:37:05.739 --> 00:37:07.960 need to be honest about what they're selling. 00:37:08.059 --> 00:37:12.000 If it's a resealed box or if it's a repack or 00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:14.760 if it's been cherry picked, let's say like, you 00:37:14.760 --> 00:37:17.119 know, they know where the case was in the case. 00:37:18.030 --> 00:37:20.369 they plucked it or whatever if you're guaranteeing 00:37:20.369 --> 00:37:22.690 hits but not explaining the odds or the risk 00:37:22.690 --> 00:37:25.269 like that's just straight up misleading there 00:37:25.269 --> 00:37:28.510 are people spending their literally their rent 00:37:28.510 --> 00:37:31.210 money or their mortgage payments trying to chase 00:37:31.210 --> 00:37:33.690 cards because they trust what they see on camera 00:37:33.690 --> 00:37:36.309 or they trust their favorite breaker right that's 00:37:36.309 --> 00:37:38.710 a huge responsibility whether you realize it 00:37:38.710 --> 00:37:42.150 or not as as the breaker as like the the the 00:37:42.150 --> 00:37:46.199 uh stream host and platforms especially live 00:37:46.199 --> 00:37:49.360 marketplaces and social selling apps they just 00:37:49.360 --> 00:37:52.559 need to step up their moderation right the 10 00:37:52.559 --> 00:37:54.880 second timers the flashing graphics with the 00:37:54.880 --> 00:37:59.360 slot machines um the fake sense of urgency the 00:37:59.360 --> 00:38:02.039 manipulated market prices these are all designed 00:38:02.039 --> 00:38:05.519 to make people spend without consciously thinking 00:38:05.519 --> 00:38:08.599 and these platforms know exactly what they're 00:38:08.599 --> 00:38:10.699 doing and they're profiting from the fallout 00:38:10.699 --> 00:38:13.440 and then there's the manufacturers whether it's 00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:17.139 Panini uh Topps and fanatics whoever you can't 00:38:17.139 --> 00:38:19.800 keep flooding the market with low quality products 00:38:19.800 --> 00:38:23.219 vague print runs and questionable like redemptions 00:38:23.219 --> 00:38:25.659 the whole idea of a redemption in the first place 00:38:25.659 --> 00:38:29.360 is just so insane like i actually tried explaining 00:38:29.360 --> 00:38:31.380 what a redemption was to my parents recently 00:38:31.949 --> 00:38:33.829 And they just couldn't wrap their heads around 00:38:33.829 --> 00:38:36.170 it. Like, why would you buy a product if the 00:38:36.170 --> 00:38:40.090 best hit in the product, the best player in the 00:38:40.090 --> 00:38:43.010 product wasn't live, right? And like, how many 00:38:43.010 --> 00:38:45.190 times do we see a product drop and like the number 00:38:45.190 --> 00:38:48.309 one player, the number one chase in that product 00:38:48.309 --> 00:38:52.869 is a redemption. Like, it's crazy. And so the 00:38:52.869 --> 00:38:56.409 collector base just needs to become more educated, 00:38:56.610 --> 00:38:59.190 be smarter. We need honesty about print runs, 00:38:59.349 --> 00:39:01.929 about odds, about quality control. Like, how 00:39:01.929 --> 00:39:03.789 many times have we seen quality control be a 00:39:03.789 --> 00:39:06.489 major issue in a product? Collectors are just 00:39:06.489 --> 00:39:08.750 becoming fatigued of feeling like they're the 00:39:08.750 --> 00:39:11.769 last ones to know the truth. Transparency, like, 00:39:11.849 --> 00:39:15.010 it shouldn't be radical, right? It should be 00:39:15.010 --> 00:39:17.570 a standard. Because if, you know, the hobby is 00:39:17.570 --> 00:39:19.329 going to grow in a healthy, sustainable way, 00:39:19.429 --> 00:39:22.150 like it just it has to be built on trust, not 00:39:22.150 --> 00:39:24.449 manipulation. We're not asking for that much 00:39:24.449 --> 00:39:26.570 in the grand scheme of things. Right. Yeah. These 00:39:26.570 --> 00:39:30.530 are very, very fair requests. Yeah. And just 00:39:30.530 --> 00:39:34.110 a small digression, you know, you brought up 00:39:34.110 --> 00:39:36.050 with the manufacturers having accountability. 00:39:37.690 --> 00:39:41.010 Topps has been doing these EQL drops where it's 00:39:41.010 --> 00:39:47.179 supposed to. certify fairness and um you know 00:39:47.179 --> 00:39:50.619 a third party the eql um determines you know 00:39:50.619 --> 00:39:55.179 who wins by random um and they you know they 00:39:55.179 --> 00:39:58.239 i have an email from top saying that um you know 00:39:58.239 --> 00:40:04.019 nobody is given a special um treatment or anything 00:40:04.019 --> 00:40:07.559 like that with these these products um and just 00:40:07.559 --> 00:40:11.699 the other day They were dropping the Marvel Sapphire, 00:40:11.780 --> 00:40:17.440 and people were breaking it on Whatnot before 00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:22.900 the EQL had even announced the results. How much 00:40:22.900 --> 00:40:27.440 did those boxes sell for? I did not enter to 00:40:27.440 --> 00:40:32.139 buy one, but they were $489 on the EQL drop. 00:40:32.460 --> 00:40:34.340 Do you have any idea? Because I did see that. 00:40:35.280 --> 00:40:37.019 there are a handful of breakers that have it 00:40:37.019 --> 00:40:39.380 in hand already and they're ripping it. Do you 00:40:39.380 --> 00:40:42.360 have any idea what they're charging as far as 00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:48.480 aftermarket prices? I'm assuming it's astronomical. 00:40:50.639 --> 00:40:53.679 I've heard from just like Discord chats and stuff 00:40:53.679 --> 00:40:57.420 that it was hundreds of dollars. It's over $800 00:40:57.420 --> 00:41:00.840 because I see it sold out at $800 on David Adams. 00:41:01.720 --> 00:41:04.480 So I can't imagine what the breakers are charging 00:41:04.480 --> 00:41:08.360 for it on the platforms. But that's another telltale 00:41:08.360 --> 00:41:11.500 sign. It's so much deeper than just sports cards. 00:41:12.480 --> 00:41:16.980 All of these other major franchises, Disney, 00:41:17.199 --> 00:41:20.980 Marvel, obviously Pokemon, these other TCGs, 00:41:21.139 --> 00:41:23.960 this is becoming more and more widespread, more 00:41:23.960 --> 00:41:27.619 and more mainstream. They make cards for any 00:41:27.619 --> 00:41:31.539 and everything. And Fanatics, their whole concept 00:41:31.539 --> 00:41:38.039 is creating this ecosystem of collectibles, breaking 00:41:38.039 --> 00:41:42.940 platform culture and gambling and casino and 00:41:42.940 --> 00:41:45.079 sports books. Right. And basically encompassing 00:41:45.079 --> 00:41:50.949 all of these sports related items. activities 00:41:50.949 --> 00:41:54.349 in one like a one -stop shop right and so they're 00:41:54.349 --> 00:41:56.510 bringing in all of these celebrities influencers 00:41:56.510 --> 00:42:00.190 athletes to be involved and so you see tom brady 00:42:00.190 --> 00:42:02.969 and olivia dunn and rob gronkowski all these 00:42:02.969 --> 00:42:06.670 major in like athletes and individuals at all 00:42:06.670 --> 00:42:09.429 these events hanging out with michael rubin taking 00:42:09.429 --> 00:42:12.869 selfies with the kids and it's just become like 00:42:12.869 --> 00:42:16.659 it's become a circus right because Those individuals 00:42:16.659 --> 00:42:19.780 only really understand the hobby on the surface 00:42:19.780 --> 00:42:22.940 level. They don't understand the nuances of the 00:42:22.940 --> 00:42:24.840 gambling -like mechanics. And why should they? 00:42:24.920 --> 00:42:26.860 That's not their job. That's not their responsibility. 00:42:27.280 --> 00:42:31.840 But when you see the mainstream celebrities becoming 00:42:31.840 --> 00:42:33.920 more and more acclimated, more and more involved 00:42:33.920 --> 00:42:36.739 in this stuff, it only sucks more and more people 00:42:36.739 --> 00:42:39.500 in, right? So we just, again, we just have to 00:42:39.500 --> 00:42:43.300 create a layer of awareness, education, tools 00:42:43.300 --> 00:42:47.840 and resources. And just be that, you know, layer 00:42:47.840 --> 00:42:51.079 of support for the hobby as it just continues 00:42:51.079 --> 00:42:54.699 to evolve and grow into this mainstream space. 00:42:56.519 --> 00:42:59.880 Yeah, I absolutely agree with you. Absolutely. 00:43:01.699 --> 00:43:06.019 Crazy. It's crazy, man. It's like, you know, 00:43:06.039 --> 00:43:08.139 we talked about like we love collecting. We love 00:43:08.139 --> 00:43:12.179 the hobby. We just want to see it continue to 00:43:12.179 --> 00:43:16.269 evolve in a. positive direction. And I just don't 00:43:16.269 --> 00:43:21.989 know if the folks at the helm are accounting 00:43:21.989 --> 00:43:26.630 for these things that, you know, have sort of 00:43:26.630 --> 00:43:29.550 gone unspoken or flown under the radar for far 00:43:29.550 --> 00:43:33.389 too long. So, uh, we collectively as a, as a 00:43:33.389 --> 00:43:35.949 community, as a hobby, just need to come together 00:43:35.949 --> 00:43:38.710 to continue spreading this message, spreading 00:43:38.710 --> 00:43:42.269 the awareness and, uh, just, you know, pulling 00:43:42.269 --> 00:43:45.210 for change. It just it needs to happen sooner 00:43:45.210 --> 00:43:47.929 rather than later, because like I said in the 00:43:47.929 --> 00:43:51.150 beginning of our conversation, if we don't start 00:43:51.150 --> 00:43:54.250 changing, if we don't start adapting to people's 00:43:54.250 --> 00:43:57.469 needs, there's going to be an external governing 00:43:57.469 --> 00:43:59.929 body that comes in, whether it be a gaming commission 00:43:59.929 --> 00:44:05.190 or an SEC like type of organization that just 00:44:05.190 --> 00:44:07.849 lays the hammer down on the hobby. And it's just 00:44:07.849 --> 00:44:10.730 it's never going to look the same again. Right. 00:44:10.809 --> 00:44:13.980 So that's that's the part that's scary. And we 00:44:13.980 --> 00:44:17.800 want to sort of bake in those preventative measures 00:44:17.800 --> 00:44:22.619 before that ever even becomes the reality. Yeah. 00:44:22.679 --> 00:44:26.940 And I think that a lot of collectors, they, they 00:44:26.940 --> 00:44:29.980 feel that they feel exactly, you know, what we've 00:44:29.980 --> 00:44:32.780 been talking about. I think that, that people 00:44:32.780 --> 00:44:36.039 are tired. They're, they're tired of getting 00:44:36.039 --> 00:44:39.480 brushed under the rug. And, you know, they're 00:44:39.480 --> 00:44:43.000 tired of not having transparency and things like 00:44:43.000 --> 00:44:47.539 that. So there are things that we can do. You 00:44:47.539 --> 00:44:50.199 know, we're not powerless. We're not helpless. 00:44:50.260 --> 00:44:53.079 And, you know, like what you've done, you know, 00:44:53.099 --> 00:44:56.719 you've started a movement. You know, you've brought 00:44:56.719 --> 00:45:03.019 fruition and tangibility to what the collectors 00:45:03.019 --> 00:45:08.559 have been feeling for a long time. Like I said, 00:45:08.659 --> 00:45:11.219 all the links are going to be in the description. 00:45:11.659 --> 00:45:17.440 Definitely check out the website. I know you 00:45:17.440 --> 00:45:22.260 guys do daily posts. You guys are always putting 00:45:22.260 --> 00:45:25.760 out great content. I can't recommend it enough 00:45:25.760 --> 00:45:33.199 because it's just shining such a light in just 00:45:33.199 --> 00:45:38.880 the dark space. can be within the hobby. Exactly. 00:45:39.380 --> 00:45:43.719 Yeah. The, the content is big for us too. We 00:45:43.719 --> 00:45:48.440 want to push this narrative, push this movement. 00:45:49.230 --> 00:45:52.449 through the content, through education. And so 00:45:52.449 --> 00:45:54.829 we have a few different franchises, as we call 00:45:54.829 --> 00:45:57.230 them. One is called The Daily Reflection, which 00:45:57.230 --> 00:45:59.210 has really become a cornerstone of Collectors 00:45:59.210 --> 00:46:01.389 MD. And they're basically just like these brief, 00:46:01.530 --> 00:46:03.809 honest, and thought -provoking journal entries 00:46:03.809 --> 00:46:06.030 that we share on a daily basis. And what's so 00:46:06.030 --> 00:46:08.250 great about them is that it's not just me contributing. 00:46:09.110 --> 00:46:12.119 We have... a whole collective of individuals 00:46:12.119 --> 00:46:14.199 who have contributed and these are people from 00:46:14.199 --> 00:46:17.199 the hobby from the community that just you know 00:46:17.199 --> 00:46:20.139 want a platform to speak their mind speak their 00:46:20.139 --> 00:46:24.260 voice and so uh we invite and welcome any and 00:46:24.260 --> 00:46:26.239 everyone who wants to contribute to The Daily 00:46:26.239 --> 00:46:29.420 Reflection just to reach out, send us a DM, shoot 00:46:29.420 --> 00:46:32.900 us an email, info at collectorsmd .com. And we 00:46:32.900 --> 00:46:35.400 could talk about getting a Daily Reflection up 00:46:35.400 --> 00:46:37.699 and published on the website. And then we have 00:46:37.699 --> 00:46:39.480 another franchise called Collector Spotlight. 00:46:39.559 --> 00:46:42.380 So at Collectors MD, we believe that collecting 00:46:42.380 --> 00:46:46.739 should be deeply personal, intentional. And it 00:46:46.739 --> 00:46:49.039 should be a fulfilling experience. And so our 00:46:49.039 --> 00:46:52.320 collector spotlight is a monthly series that 00:46:52.320 --> 00:46:55.079 features and shines a light on collectors who 00:46:55.079 --> 00:46:57.780 truly embody our mission, which is collecting 00:46:57.780 --> 00:47:00.500 with intention. And so each month we highlight 00:47:00.500 --> 00:47:03.579 a passionate collector within our community and 00:47:03.579 --> 00:47:07.619 showcase their collection. That doesn't necessarily 00:47:07.619 --> 00:47:09.860 have to be car. It could be sneakers. It could 00:47:09.860 --> 00:47:13.159 be coins. It could be memorabilia. It could be 00:47:13.159 --> 00:47:17.340 anything. And we just want to give them the light 00:47:17.340 --> 00:47:19.659 to share their story, celebrate the way they 00:47:19.659 --> 00:47:23.269 approach their respective hobby. And these aren't 00:47:23.269 --> 00:47:25.349 just collectors chasing the latest hits or the 00:47:25.349 --> 00:47:27.570 highest value drops, right? They're individuals 00:47:27.570 --> 00:47:29.809 who build collections with purpose, with meaning 00:47:29.809 --> 00:47:32.150 and, you know, with their own personal touch. 00:47:32.190 --> 00:47:34.309 And that's so incredibly important and valuable. 00:47:34.610 --> 00:47:37.329 And then we started to, to podcasts of our own. 00:47:37.409 --> 00:47:40.349 So we have the collector spotlight. We'll be 00:47:40.349 --> 00:47:43.449 recording episode six next week. And then another. 00:47:44.300 --> 00:47:46.039 podcast called Behind the Breaks, which is a 00:47:46.039 --> 00:47:48.980 little bit more short form. So definitely encourage 00:47:48.980 --> 00:47:51.460 folks to check those out. You can find them at 00:47:51.460 --> 00:47:54.679 collectorsmd .com under the Discover tab. And 00:47:54.679 --> 00:47:56.780 again, we have all the tools and resources that 00:47:56.780 --> 00:48:01.320 you need to continue collecting more intentionally 00:48:01.320 --> 00:48:05.039 and, you know, in a more healthy, sustainable 00:48:05.039 --> 00:48:08.360 way. You know, we're also calling for breakers 00:48:08.360 --> 00:48:12.139 to partner with us. We're trying to get in front 00:48:12.139 --> 00:48:15.280 of the right folks so that we can layer in responsible 00:48:15.280 --> 00:48:18.440 collecting, responsible ripping, messaging into 00:48:18.440 --> 00:48:20.239 these experiences. And it can be done in such 00:48:20.239 --> 00:48:22.920 a subtle way. Like we've been working with stand 00:48:22.920 --> 00:48:25.599 -up displays to make Collectors MD card stands. 00:48:26.539 --> 00:48:28.739 You know, they could say things like hashtag 00:48:28.739 --> 00:48:32.199 rip responsibly, collect responsibly, things 00:48:32.199 --> 00:48:34.820 like that. Same thing with like... stickers, 00:48:35.559 --> 00:48:38.280 those slabs that have the custom labels on them. 00:48:38.420 --> 00:48:42.659 We just want people to, again, carry this into 00:48:42.659 --> 00:48:46.239 their collecting lifestyles or their own individual 00:48:46.239 --> 00:48:50.219 hobbies so that they are constantly making sure 00:48:50.219 --> 00:48:52.400 that they are collecting with intention and not 00:48:52.400 --> 00:48:57.400 compulsion. And I mentioned, inviting people 00:48:57.400 --> 00:48:59.519 to contribute to the daily reflection. We also 00:48:59.519 --> 00:49:02.460 invite people to get involved in, in other ways. 00:49:03.440 --> 00:49:06.840 You know, you can reach out to us at any time 00:49:06.840 --> 00:49:12.159 and join a meeting. You know, we could bring 00:49:12.159 --> 00:49:14.800 you like, I've been interviewing any and everyone 00:49:14.800 --> 00:49:17.380 for The Collector's Compass podcast. I've been 00:49:17.380 --> 00:49:21.280 bringing on members of the hobby community, therapists, 00:49:21.420 --> 00:49:23.280 doctors, just people who want to share their 00:49:23.280 --> 00:49:27.010 perspective and expertise. into some of these 00:49:27.010 --> 00:49:31.570 areas that, you know, have become problematic. 00:49:32.409 --> 00:49:35.630 And yeah, I mean, we're, again, we just, we want 00:49:35.630 --> 00:49:37.730 to continue growing the community and making 00:49:37.730 --> 00:49:42.090 sure that it's reaching the right folks, you 00:49:42.090 --> 00:49:45.710 know, in the best way possible. Yeah. And I think 00:49:45.710 --> 00:49:49.869 you guys are doing an amazing job, you know, 00:49:49.869 --> 00:49:53.460 so far. Like I said, I'm really thankful for 00:49:53.460 --> 00:49:57.639 what you're doing and Collectors MD as a whole. 00:49:57.840 --> 00:50:02.280 And I think that it is going to bring, it's already 00:50:02.280 --> 00:50:05.260 brought change. And I think it's going to continue 00:50:05.260 --> 00:50:08.780 to bring positive change to our space for sure. 00:50:08.960 --> 00:50:14.179 I appreciate that so much. Truly. Alijah, I want 00:50:14.179 --> 00:50:16.559 to thank you so much for bringing me on and being 00:50:16.559 --> 00:50:20.719 a part of this conversation. I know how much 00:50:20.719 --> 00:50:23.280 work goes into building and maintaining a platform, 00:50:23.460 --> 00:50:27.250 a channel like yours. like the world to be given 00:50:27.250 --> 00:50:29.969 the opportunity the space to share what we're 00:50:29.969 --> 00:50:32.429 doing with Collectors MD and why it matters for 00:50:32.429 --> 00:50:35.250 the hobby um you know you're you're really helping 00:50:35.250 --> 00:50:37.389 spark conversations that a lot of people have 00:50:37.389 --> 00:50:39.650 just been avoiding for far too long and that's 00:50:39.650 --> 00:50:43.750 something i'm super grateful so thank you for 00:50:43.750 --> 00:50:46.190 opening the door for letting me share my thoughts 00:50:46.190 --> 00:50:49.289 and perspective and for continuing to push this 00:50:49.289 --> 00:50:53.070 hobby toward you know something much more healthy 00:50:53.070 --> 00:50:57.059 and sustainable Yeah, I truly appreciate that. 00:50:57.199 --> 00:51:01.760 And like I said, this is going to be, I think, 00:51:01.760 --> 00:51:08.860 a very fruitful relationship and friendship as 00:51:08.860 --> 00:51:13.579 we can continue down the road. This will probably 00:51:13.579 --> 00:51:16.840 not be the last time that you're on the channel. 00:51:16.980 --> 00:51:21.639 And I had a great time just listening to your 00:51:21.639 --> 00:51:26.019 thoughts and your vision. for what this hobby 00:51:26.019 --> 00:51:30.460 uh can be and i just i just admire your passion 00:51:30.460 --> 00:51:33.360 dude it's just it's so it's so refreshing to 00:51:33.360 --> 00:51:38.760 see in a time where there's just so much negativity 00:51:38.760 --> 00:51:41.679 there's just you know there's there's so much 00:51:41.679 --> 00:51:44.539 crap out there um that is just constantly being 00:51:44.539 --> 00:51:47.320 fed um like you said through through the good 00:51:47.320 --> 00:51:52.789 old smartphone um and so Being able to come across 00:51:52.789 --> 00:51:56.510 you and Collectors MD, it's just been like a breath 00:51:56.510 --> 00:51:59.869 of fresh air. Appreciate that, truly. Yeah, I 00:51:59.869 --> 00:52:02.869 love what you're doing. Thanks, man. That really 00:52:02.869 --> 00:52:05.730 means the world. And I agree. I think this will 00:52:05.730 --> 00:52:10.269 be the start of a long -term friendship, partnership, 00:52:10.449 --> 00:52:13.849 continuing to just pay it forward and make sure 00:52:13.849 --> 00:52:17.949 we're looking out for this hobby that we care 00:52:17.949 --> 00:52:21.320 so deeply about. Definitely. All right, everybody. 00:52:21.519 --> 00:52:24.960 So that was our episode. Thank you so much for 00:52:24.960 --> 00:52:27.920 tuning in. If you're still here. Thank you sincerely 00:52:27.920 --> 00:52:30.039 from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate each 00:52:30.039 --> 00:52:32.019 and every one of you. If you haven't subscribed 00:52:32.019 --> 00:52:35.400 already, click that subscribe button. All of 00:52:35.400 --> 00:52:38.719 the collector MD links again will be in the description. 00:52:39.059 --> 00:52:41.500 And just once again, thank you so much, Alyx, 00:52:41.559 --> 00:52:44.880 for all your contributions to our wonderful hobby. 00:52:45.320 --> 00:52:47.659 Of course. Thanks Alijah. Remember collect with 00:52:47.659 --> 00:52:50.860 intention and not compulsion. Absolutely. All 00:52:50.860 --> 00:52:51.780 right. We'll see you guys later.