WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.160 We need to have a conversation about the fact 00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:06.120 that the hobby is not healthy for some. Breaking, 00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:10.619 ripping packs incessantly. Some people get addicted. 00:00:10.900 --> 00:00:16.679 Some people take it many steps too far. So what 00:00:16.679 --> 00:00:19.780 needs to be done? What's the responsibility upon 00:00:19.780 --> 00:00:23.699 breakers, upon card shop owners, upon platform 00:00:23.699 --> 00:00:28.989 operators to help collectors who may be are taking 00:00:28.989 --> 00:00:31.949 things beyond where they should. Well, there's 00:00:31.949 --> 00:00:35.729 one group that has started and set out to help. 00:00:35.810 --> 00:00:38.929 It's Collectors MD and their founder, Alyx Effron, 00:00:39.009 --> 00:00:41.969 is coming on the show today to talk about the 00:00:41.969 --> 00:00:44.829 challenges that he sees in the hobby and how 00:00:44.829 --> 00:00:48.369 he and his Collectors MD group are trying to make 00:00:48.369 --> 00:00:52.310 the hobby safer for everybody who participates. 00:00:52.590 --> 00:00:55.850 It's pretty thought -provoking. And as the owner 00:00:55.850 --> 00:00:58.149 of a company that does a lot of breaking ourselves, 00:00:58.590 --> 00:01:01.770 after talking with Alyx, I've decided to make 00:01:01.770 --> 00:01:06.230 some changes to how Cards HQ will approach breaking. 00:01:06.450 --> 00:01:08.549 We're going to get into that in the interview 00:01:08.549 --> 00:01:12.069 today. Please welcome Alyx and Collectors MD to 00:01:12.069 --> 00:01:26.939 the Geoff Wilson Show. Alyx, welcome to the show. 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:29.379 You are on a mission, a self -described mission 00:01:29.379 --> 00:01:32.859 to make the hobby healthier for everybody who 00:01:32.859 --> 00:01:35.299 participates. What is that vision? What does 00:01:35.299 --> 00:01:37.900 that look like to you? Yeah, Geoff, thanks so 00:01:37.900 --> 00:01:40.280 much. Thanks so much for having me on. Really 00:01:40.280 --> 00:01:43.040 appreciate the opportunity. When I think about 00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:47.140 breaking and sports collecting and how it should 00:01:47.140 --> 00:01:50.060 look, I don't think the answer is necessarily 00:01:50.060 --> 00:01:53.700 to shut it down or to cancel anything. Breaking 00:01:53.700 --> 00:01:57.459 can be and should be fun. It can be social. It 00:01:57.459 --> 00:01:59.939 can bring people together in really cool and 00:01:59.939 --> 00:02:02.519 unique ways. But right now, a lot of the structure 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:05.500 sort of leans heavily into gambling mechanics, 00:02:05.799 --> 00:02:08.560 right? We're seeing a lot of high risk, low odds, 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:12.960 and marketing plays off people's FOMO, right? 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:16.439 So what I'd like to see is a shift towards something 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:19.699 that's a bit more transparent, more responsible, 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:22.960 and ultimately more community driven. So imagine 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:25.819 if you buy into a break and you actually know 00:02:25.819 --> 00:02:28.099 your odds, right? Imagine tools that let you 00:02:28.099 --> 00:02:31.840 do things like set limits, step away if you need 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:35.580 a break or a timeout, or potentially even self 00:02:35.580 --> 00:02:38.120 -exclude if things start to get really unhealthy, 00:02:38.439 --> 00:02:41.500 just like other industries that already are regulated. 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:44.580 Think gambling, day trading, things like that. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:47.699 That doesn't necessarily kill the fun. All it 00:02:47.699 --> 00:02:50.060 does is it just protects the people who need 00:02:50.060 --> 00:02:52.580 it. And at the same time, Breakers could focus 00:02:52.580 --> 00:02:57.580 less on running things like repacks and hit parades 00:02:57.580 --> 00:03:00.520 and more on creating real connection, celebrating 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:03.460 the stories behind cards, the nostalgia, the 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:06.300 reason we collect in the first place. And honestly, 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:08.400 we need to think about the kids and the next 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:11.659 generation. A 12 -year -old shouldn't be conditioned 00:03:11.659 --> 00:03:15.039 into gambling -like behaviors just because they 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:17.500 love sports. There's a way to make this hobby 00:03:17.500 --> 00:03:20.939 exciting without preying on that. So it's all 00:03:20.939 --> 00:03:24.020 about fairness, integrity, accountability. You 00:03:24.020 --> 00:03:26.039 know, none of these shady repacks, none of these 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:29.539 loaded boxes, no smoking mirrors. If this really 00:03:29.539 --> 00:03:33.159 is about sports and collecting and the purity 00:03:33.159 --> 00:03:35.979 of the hobby, then trust and community have to 00:03:35.979 --> 00:03:38.319 come first. And so that's the vision. At the 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:40.340 end of the day, you know, it's simple. Breaking 00:03:40.340 --> 00:03:42.979 and collecting should feel like a celebration, 00:03:43.180 --> 00:03:45.319 not a trap. It should feel like passion, not 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:47.759 compulsion. I want to get into your story in 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:50.520 a minute about kind of what led you on this mission 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:53.099 and also talk about Collectors MD and what you 00:03:53.099 --> 00:03:55.740 are trying to do to solve some of these challenges 00:03:55.740 --> 00:03:58.120 that you see in the sports card hobby. But let 00:03:58.120 --> 00:04:01.199 me first ask, how big of a problem do you see 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.659 this as being currently? Like, is this just a 00:04:04.659 --> 00:04:07.060 few people who take breaking a little too far? 00:04:07.340 --> 00:04:09.319 Or do you think this is more of a widespread 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:11.919 issue that's not really being talked about very 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:17.220 much? Yeah, I think it's the latter. gone unchecked 00:04:17.220 --> 00:04:19.740 for far too long. It's a conversation that people 00:04:19.740 --> 00:04:22.160 have been having behind the scenes. You know, 00:04:22.180 --> 00:04:24.060 you see it pop up here and there, whether that 00:04:24.060 --> 00:04:28.779 be on a YouTube video or in a Reddit feed or 00:04:28.779 --> 00:04:32.019 a Facebook group, but nobody has ever really 00:04:32.019 --> 00:04:36.319 done anything about it until now. Collectors MD 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:41.560 is here to help the hobby. evolve for the better. 00:04:41.740 --> 00:04:45.500 And so, yeah, it's a vast issue that we're seeing 00:04:45.500 --> 00:04:49.779 across the board. People don't even realize that 00:04:49.779 --> 00:04:52.199 there's an issue or maybe that they have a problem 00:04:52.199 --> 00:04:55.480 or that they're facing challenges quite often 00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:58.540 until it's too late. And we're seeing more and 00:04:58.540 --> 00:05:01.540 more of that during our weekly peer support meetings 00:05:01.540 --> 00:05:04.579 when people come in and they just look like a 00:05:04.579 --> 00:05:06.339 deer in the headlights that just got hit by a 00:05:06.339 --> 00:05:10.290 truck and didn't see it coming. The sports card 00:05:10.290 --> 00:05:12.589 hobby, I mean, going all the way back to the 00:05:12.589 --> 00:05:17.069 1950s when Topps first started producing packs 00:05:17.069 --> 00:05:19.970 of cards. And even prior to that, when other 00:05:19.970 --> 00:05:22.689 companies produced packs of cards, there's always 00:05:22.689 --> 00:05:28.319 been this kind of chase. mystery element to sports 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:30.939 cards, right? If you were to buy a pack of cards 00:05:30.939 --> 00:05:33.319 in the 50s or the 60s or the 70s or all the way 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:37.540 through the year 2025, there's that element of 00:05:37.540 --> 00:05:40.100 I'm opening the pack. I don't know what's inside. 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:43.319 I'm hoping to find my favorite player or I'm 00:05:43.319 --> 00:05:46.139 hoping to find the most valuable card that I 00:05:46.139 --> 00:05:49.300 could possibly find. It's exciting. It's a rush. 00:05:50.599 --> 00:05:53.899 you used the gambling word earlier. That's a 00:05:53.899 --> 00:05:55.500 word that a lot of people in the industry don't 00:05:55.500 --> 00:05:57.699 like to use, right? Because trying to kind of 00:05:57.699 --> 00:06:01.439 separate it away from that. Why do you feel like 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:06.120 what we're facing today, in your opinion, is 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:08.420 that much different than what the whole history 00:06:08.420 --> 00:06:10.339 of the industry has been built on for the last 00:06:10.339 --> 00:06:13.250 70 plus years? Yeah, Geoff, you bring up a really 00:06:13.250 --> 00:06:15.689 great point. There's always been a chase element 00:06:15.689 --> 00:06:18.689 in collecting in the hobby, and that's part of 00:06:18.689 --> 00:06:20.670 what makes it so exciting for some people, right? 00:06:20.810 --> 00:06:24.930 Even back to the 50s, the 60s, the junk wax era, 00:06:25.069 --> 00:06:27.850 people have always been chasing certain rookies, 00:06:27.850 --> 00:06:30.209 certain players, certain sets, certain subsets. 00:06:30.389 --> 00:06:33.449 The difference is that the chase used to feel 00:06:33.449 --> 00:06:36.819 like a bonus, not the entire point, right? You'd 00:06:36.819 --> 00:06:39.019 rip packs. You'd build sets. Maybe you'd trade 00:06:39.019 --> 00:06:42.500 with friends. Kids used to put cards in the spokes 00:06:42.500 --> 00:06:44.379 of their bicycle wheels. They didn't necessarily 00:06:44.379 --> 00:06:47.800 care about the condition, which is why, obviously, 00:06:48.060 --> 00:06:52.980 highly graded cards that are coveted from the 00:06:52.980 --> 00:06:56.319 50s and 60s and even before that are so scarce, 00:06:56.360 --> 00:06:58.980 right? But every once in a while, you might hit 00:06:58.980 --> 00:07:04.810 something special. That was a moment that was 00:07:04.810 --> 00:07:08.310 pure and memorable and something that people 00:07:08.310 --> 00:07:12.829 really appreciated. Now, the whole industry has 00:07:12.829 --> 00:07:15.470 just been engineered around the chase. Everything 00:07:15.470 --> 00:07:18.490 is about short prints, the low number parallels, 00:07:18.910 --> 00:07:22.089 the case hits, the one of ones. Instead of collecting 00:07:22.089 --> 00:07:25.089 being about building something meaningful, it's 00:07:25.089 --> 00:07:27.899 really turned into this. constant slot machine 00:07:27.899 --> 00:07:30.980 pull where if you don't hit, you feel like you've 00:07:30.980 --> 00:07:35.079 lost. And that shift from cards being about connection 00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:38.160 and completion to cards being about sort of gambling, 00:07:38.259 --> 00:07:40.779 I'll use the G word again, gambling style odds 00:07:40.779 --> 00:07:44.259 is what has changed the most. So it's not that 00:07:44.259 --> 00:07:47.480 chasing is inherently bad. It's that it's been 00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:49.720 amplified to the point where the hobby itself 00:07:49.720 --> 00:07:52.420 is just built around it. And when the only story 00:07:52.420 --> 00:07:56.339 being told is about comps and hits, and highlight 00:07:56.339 --> 00:07:59.300 reels it pulls people into cycles that can be 00:07:59.300 --> 00:08:03.160 really really hard to get out of and Alyx i i 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:04.560 definitely think there's some truth to what you're 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:08.519 saying but to a degree isn't this just how the 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:11.480 world has shifted in general i mean people used 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:13.879 to listen to the you know complete albums of 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:16.319 songs all the time and now you know now people 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:18.899 just pick one song of an album out and listen 00:08:18.899 --> 00:08:22.139 to it on on spotify right like people used to 00:08:22.139 --> 00:08:25.990 watch sit down and watch entire games, entire 00:08:25.990 --> 00:08:28.750 football games uninterrupted. Now people are, 00:08:28.769 --> 00:08:30.970 they're on their phones, the game's kind of on, 00:08:31.029 --> 00:08:33.289 they're catching highlights on YouTube shorts. 00:08:33.330 --> 00:08:35.370 They're watching, you know, they're watching 00:08:35.370 --> 00:08:37.870 games and little 30 second highlight clips instead 00:08:37.870 --> 00:08:40.389 of really sitting there and kind of embracing 00:08:40.389 --> 00:08:43.529 the whole, you know, the whole experience. Social 00:08:43.529 --> 00:08:46.950 media, you know, has kind of pushed us forward 00:08:46.950 --> 00:08:49.669 into this like kind of instant gratification 00:08:49.669 --> 00:08:53.750 type of mindset, quick attention spans. So isn't 00:08:53.750 --> 00:08:58.169 the way that the hobby has evolved somewhat symbolic 00:08:58.169 --> 00:09:01.490 of kind of what consumers want in the year 2025? 00:09:02.590 --> 00:09:05.509 Yeah, no, that's a really good point. It's not 00:09:05.509 --> 00:09:07.710 just the hobby that's shifted. It's absolutely 00:09:07.710 --> 00:09:10.250 the culture at large. Everywhere you look, like 00:09:10.250 --> 00:09:13.429 you said, the world has just gotten more digital. 00:09:13.629 --> 00:09:16.090 It's honestly gotten more chase -oriented across 00:09:16.090 --> 00:09:19.110 the board. Social media runs on things like dopamine 00:09:19.110 --> 00:09:22.419 hits. Things like likes, views, quick bursts 00:09:22.419 --> 00:09:25.700 of validation, right? Even video games have turned 00:09:25.700 --> 00:09:28.559 into microtransaction machines where the goal 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:31.559 isn't just to play the game, right? People are 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:36.139 ripping packs on games like NBA 2K. You have 00:09:36.139 --> 00:09:39.159 things like skins and loot boxes in popular games 00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:42.259 like Fortnite. Even shopping is gamified now 00:09:42.259 --> 00:09:44.320 to an extent. Things like flash sales, drops, 00:09:44.419 --> 00:09:46.759 and countdowns. So what happened in collecting 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:48.879 is really just a reflection of this bigger trend 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:51.519 that we're seeing in the world, like you said. 00:09:51.659 --> 00:09:53.759 The difference, though, is that this hobby has 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:56.779 always carried a deeper emotional weight, right? 00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:59.799 Cards and memorabilia just aren't just products 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:02.500 to a lot of people. They tie us back to sports, 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:05.159 to childhood, to community. And that's why it 00:10:05.159 --> 00:10:07.480 just it hits harder. when the chase starts to 00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:09.860 take over in the hobby. It's not just another 00:10:09.860 --> 00:10:12.879 app on your phone. It's something we grew up 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:15.279 with. It's something that used to feel pure, 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:17.779 something that a lot of us just really, really 00:10:17.779 --> 00:10:21.159 love and genuinely care about. And so the world 00:10:21.159 --> 00:10:24.440 shifted toward the hit being the whole story, 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:27.740 and the hobby followed right along. And the question 00:10:27.740 --> 00:10:30.480 is, do we accept that as the new norm, or do 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:32.580 we carve out space for something different, something 00:10:32.580 --> 00:10:36.399 that maybe keeps the magic but dials back sort 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:38.720 of that manipulation that we're seeing. Right. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:42.580 And I know a lot of your platform, kind of what 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:44.980 you do, how you help people out, a lot of that 00:10:44.980 --> 00:10:48.419 focuses on breaking, especially, right? Because 00:10:48.419 --> 00:10:53.159 breaking, I think, in your opinion, is what brings... 00:10:53.829 --> 00:10:57.750 Maybe it heightens the elements of what can, 00:10:57.950 --> 00:11:01.750 that chase mindset, that instant gratification 00:11:01.750 --> 00:11:06.789 culture, breaking in particular is kind of maybe 00:11:06.789 --> 00:11:10.250 oriented in such a way to heighten that mindset. 00:11:10.289 --> 00:11:12.889 And for some people, it sounds like from the 00:11:12.889 --> 00:11:14.750 experience you've had talking to people, for 00:11:14.750 --> 00:11:16.049 some people that can create a real challenge. 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:18.919 Yeah, 100%. And I do want to bring something 00:11:18.919 --> 00:11:22.279 off, Geoff, that's really important when it comes 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:25.539 to what we're doing with Collectors MD. And so, 00:11:25.580 --> 00:11:27.779 you know, a lot of people hear Collectors MD or 00:11:27.779 --> 00:11:30.200 hear about Collectors MD and they just assume 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:32.399 or they think it's only about sports cards and 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:35.409 breaking. It started in that space for sure, 00:11:35.490 --> 00:11:37.330 you know, as somebody who has gone through the 00:11:37.330 --> 00:11:40.509 ringer, both with gambling and with breaking 00:11:40.509 --> 00:11:44.129 and, you know, overspending. But it's really 00:11:44.129 --> 00:11:47.110 about compulsive collecting and spending behaviors 00:11:47.110 --> 00:11:49.230 across the board. So I'm really glad that you 00:11:49.230 --> 00:11:54.450 brought up sort of this larger scale vision that 00:11:54.450 --> 00:11:57.190 that's at play here. What we're doing applies 00:11:57.190 --> 00:12:01.159 to all. types of verticals, sneakers. Obviously, 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.139 you have TCG, like Pokemon and Magic and all 00:12:05.139 --> 00:12:09.480 of these other sort of non -sports cultures, 00:12:10.200 --> 00:12:12.399 subcultures that are becoming more and more popular 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:16.879 within the hobby space, Disney. You got Marvel. 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:20.399 They just announced Toy Story, right? But beyond 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:23.440 just cards, I mentioned sneakers. You have memorabilia. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:26.600 You have comics, even luxury items like watches 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:29.429 and handbags. All of these communities wrestle 00:12:29.429 --> 00:12:32.789 with this same underlying pattern, right? The 00:12:32.789 --> 00:12:34.669 thrill of the chase, the fear of missing out, 00:12:34.769 --> 00:12:37.889 the endless cycle of upgrades and just one more. 00:12:38.049 --> 00:12:40.590 The items might look different, but the psychology 00:12:40.590 --> 00:12:44.149 is almost identical. So when we talk about Collectors MD, 00:12:44.250 --> 00:12:47.330 we're not building some niche corner for sports 00:12:47.330 --> 00:12:50.580 card guys. We're building a movement for collectors 00:12:50.580 --> 00:12:53.240 everywhere. The mission is about helping people 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:56.419 step back from the unhealthy cycles, reconnect 00:12:56.419 --> 00:12:58.820 with the joy of what they love, no matter what 00:12:58.820 --> 00:13:01.299 that is, and create a culture where collecting 00:13:01.299 --> 00:13:05.179 is intentional rather than compulsive. So it's 00:13:05.179 --> 00:13:06.899 bigger than cars. It's bigger than breaking. 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:10.080 It's about how we engage with anything that can 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:15.539 turn into a chase. And tell me more about Collectors MD. 00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:19.559 What is the organization? What is the scope of 00:13:19.559 --> 00:13:21.139 what you're doing right now? How many people 00:13:21.139 --> 00:13:24.240 are you serving, et cetera? Yeah. So Collectors MD 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:26.820 is a support -driven movement helping collectors 00:13:26.820 --> 00:13:29.080 navigate the line between passion and compulsion. 00:13:29.340 --> 00:13:32.580 We run peer support groups. We have a daily group 00:13:32.580 --> 00:13:35.320 chat. We have a Discord. But we also publish 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:38.240 daily content. We have two content series. One 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:40.419 is called Daily Reflection. The other is called 00:13:40.419 --> 00:13:43.330 Collector Spotlight. And we also have three podcasts. 00:13:43.549 --> 00:13:45.590 We have The Collector's Compass behind the breaks 00:13:45.590 --> 00:13:48.750 and Collectors MD features. We also partner with 00:13:48.750 --> 00:13:51.009 mental health professionals and organizations 00:13:51.009 --> 00:13:53.830 and advocate for guardrails in the hobby. So 00:13:53.830 --> 00:13:56.750 again, the goal isn't to take away the fun. It's 00:13:56.750 --> 00:13:58.830 to make sure people can collect with intention 00:13:58.830 --> 00:14:04.230 and not compulsion. And if somebody out there 00:14:04.230 --> 00:14:06.429 is, is kind of interested in getting involved 00:14:06.429 --> 00:14:08.629 in this? How do they do that? Is there a cost? 00:14:08.750 --> 00:14:11.450 How does it work? How many people have gotten 00:14:11.450 --> 00:14:13.809 involved in this? Yeah, absolutely. So if you're 00:14:13.809 --> 00:14:16.830 interested in getting involved, just go to collectorsmd 00:14:16.830 --> 00:14:19.190 .com. We have a signup page for our weekly peer 00:14:19.190 --> 00:14:21.129 support meetings. You can also sign up for our 00:14:21.129 --> 00:14:23.889 daily group chat, which is really just an SMS 00:14:23.889 --> 00:14:26.529 group chat. If that's a little bit too intimate 00:14:26.529 --> 00:14:30.990 for you, we have Discord as an alternative. It's 00:14:30.990 --> 00:14:34.720 completely free. We are hosting our 20th consecutive 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:38.820 meeting tomorrow, September 10th, which is a 00:14:38.820 --> 00:14:40.759 major milestone for Collectors MD and something 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:43.120 I'm really proud of. We're seeing anywhere from 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:46.320 10 to 20. I think the most people we had in a 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:50.960 meeting was around 25. And they're an hour long. 00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:54.720 People come, they listen, they share, they get 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:57.100 things off their chest that maybe they've been 00:14:57.100 --> 00:14:59.559 sitting with in silence. That's a huge part. 00:15:00.029 --> 00:15:02.830 of Collectors MD and what we're seeing. So many 00:15:02.830 --> 00:15:05.230 people have been struggling alone and in isolation, 00:15:05.590 --> 00:15:08.509 right? Maybe they're scared to admit that they 00:15:08.509 --> 00:15:10.250 have a problem. Maybe they don't realize they 00:15:10.250 --> 00:15:14.149 have a problem. But Collectors MD creates a sense 00:15:14.149 --> 00:15:16.730 of awareness. It gives the people the opportunity 00:15:16.730 --> 00:15:19.129 to take a step back, self -reflect and think 00:15:19.129 --> 00:15:21.909 to themselves, hey, maybe I don't necessarily 00:15:21.909 --> 00:15:24.899 have a problem. But I want to get behind this 00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:27.259 movement or I want to start collecting with intention 00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:30.659 before things start to spiral, before it gets 00:15:30.659 --> 00:15:35.600 too late. And maybe it's not you at all. It could 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:37.600 be a friend. It could be a loved one. It could 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:41.820 be somebody you know. And you might just want 00:15:41.820 --> 00:15:45.220 to learn more so that you can help continue spreading 00:15:45.220 --> 00:15:48.559 awareness and spreading this message. So we have 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:51.750 a sign -up page on CollectorsMB .com. Very simple. 00:15:52.289 --> 00:15:56.789 You fill out a few items and from there we add 00:15:56.789 --> 00:16:00.669 you to the either group chat and or the calendar 00:16:00.669 --> 00:16:03.649 invite for the weekly meeting. You can also DM 00:16:03.649 --> 00:16:07.169 us on Instagram and I'm happy to talk to you 00:16:07.169 --> 00:16:11.350 one -on -one and discuss ways that you can get 00:16:11.350 --> 00:16:13.870 involved. We have a lot of folks that are contributing 00:16:13.870 --> 00:16:16.110 to our daily reflection, which again, that's... 00:16:16.750 --> 00:16:18.929 One of our franchises, we've published a daily 00:16:18.929 --> 00:16:21.570 reflection every single day since we launched 00:16:21.570 --> 00:16:25.009 on March 25th of this year. A lot of those reflections 00:16:25.009 --> 00:16:28.110 have been published by, well, they're published 00:16:28.110 --> 00:16:30.730 by me, but they've been written by a handful 00:16:30.730 --> 00:16:32.889 of members of our community, which is really, 00:16:32.929 --> 00:16:35.850 really awesome. People really enjoy the opportunity 00:16:35.850 --> 00:16:38.509 to be able to sort of share their thoughts, share 00:16:38.509 --> 00:16:40.809 their feelings in the form of a journal entry. 00:16:41.190 --> 00:16:44.710 And so that's been really, really amazing. Um, 00:16:45.049 --> 00:16:47.049 and collector spotlight as well. We're featuring 00:16:47.049 --> 00:16:50.649 people on a monthly basis who collect with passion, 00:16:50.710 --> 00:16:55.450 purity, intention. Um, we're on, I think our 00:16:55.450 --> 00:16:58.950 fourth or fifth, we'll be highlighting a collector 00:16:58.950 --> 00:17:01.230 this month for September this week, actually. 00:17:01.330 --> 00:17:04.269 Uh, so, so be on the lookout for that. So, you 00:17:04.269 --> 00:17:06.710 know, ultimately it's Collectors MD isn't just, 00:17:06.789 --> 00:17:10.230 um, you know, a recovery program like, uh, gamblers 00:17:10.230 --> 00:17:13.829 anonymous or AA or NA. We're a full fledged, 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:18.960 movement, with content, with podcasts, with partnerships. 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:22.980 We're, like you mentioned, doing sort of the 00:17:22.980 --> 00:17:28.319 podcast circuit here to get as many folks educated 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:31.200 as we possibly can so that people understand 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:34.299 what we're doing and why what we're doing is 00:17:34.299 --> 00:17:38.289 so incredibly important to the hobby. So you've 00:17:38.289 --> 00:17:40.769 obviously taken it on your shoulders to create 00:17:40.769 --> 00:17:43.589 this group. And I want to hear more about your 00:17:43.589 --> 00:17:46.230 story in a minute, what led up to this. What 00:17:46.230 --> 00:17:50.990 do you think the other players in the industry 00:17:50.990 --> 00:17:57.049 should be doing to provide support and to maybe 00:17:57.049 --> 00:17:59.470 curve some of the issues? So let's start with 00:17:59.470 --> 00:18:02.869 breakers here at Cards HQ. We do breaking. We've 00:18:02.869 --> 00:18:05.390 got breaking channels. We're on the popular breaking 00:18:05.390 --> 00:18:10.740 apps. what could a breaker do, in your opinion, 00:18:11.019 --> 00:18:14.700 to help either build awareness for what you're 00:18:14.700 --> 00:18:17.880 doing or to help their customers have a better 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:20.200 breaking experience? Yeah, that's a great question. 00:18:20.380 --> 00:18:23.500 I want to take a step back for a moment and just 00:18:23.500 --> 00:18:26.799 go back to the gambling industry one more time. 00:18:27.460 --> 00:18:31.160 When you see a commercial or an ad for a company 00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:33.750 like DraftKings or FanDuel, What do you generally 00:18:33.750 --> 00:18:37.430 see in terms of messaging along with the ad? 00:18:37.650 --> 00:18:40.490 I assume you're referring to the end where they're 00:18:40.490 --> 00:18:43.410 like, if you have a gambling problem, here's 00:18:43.410 --> 00:18:45.490 a phone number for you to call, take a timeout. 00:18:45.529 --> 00:18:47.950 You see that in casinos, at the ATM machines, 00:18:48.130 --> 00:18:50.369 at the cashier cage, that type of thing as well. 00:18:50.630 --> 00:18:53.309 Exactly. It's subtle but impactful. Responsible 00:18:53.309 --> 00:18:56.569 gaming messaging. It exists in other industries, 00:18:56.650 --> 00:18:59.430 but it does not exist in the hobby. And it's 00:18:59.430 --> 00:19:02.720 not like... you know, the end of the world for 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:07.119 a breaker or a card shop to promote that sort 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:10.000 of awareness. You know, quite frankly, I'm surprised 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.539 it's taken this long for folks to start talking 00:19:12.539 --> 00:19:15.900 about it, given what we've seen unravel across 00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:18.740 the board. And so what I think would be really 00:19:18.740 --> 00:19:24.200 incredible and impactful would be some responsible 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:26.500 gaming, maybe responsible ripping, responsible 00:19:26.500 --> 00:19:28.839 collecting, you know, the verbiage we can play 00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:33.789 with. but some sort of messaging that can basically 00:19:33.789 --> 00:19:40.609 identify or acknowledge that there is something 00:19:40.609 --> 00:19:43.869 deeper at play here for a lot of people. And 00:19:43.869 --> 00:19:46.349 if those people need help, there is a resource 00:19:46.349 --> 00:19:49.269 for you and maybe direct them to Collectors MD, 00:19:49.390 --> 00:19:52.809 similar to how you might direct an individual 00:19:52.809 --> 00:19:57.170 to 1 -800 -GAMBLER on a gambling ad. So I think 00:19:57.170 --> 00:19:59.910 just like subtle messaging layered into the ecosystem, 00:20:00.190 --> 00:20:03.509 whether that be a live stream or a highlight 00:20:03.509 --> 00:20:07.210 reel or a TikTok, I think would be incredibly 00:20:07.210 --> 00:20:11.690 helpful, incredibly impactful. Again, just having 00:20:11.690 --> 00:20:13.970 the conversation, looking out for your customer. 00:20:14.210 --> 00:20:17.049 We see this more and more, and I'm not calling 00:20:17.049 --> 00:20:20.009 anybody out or saying that one breaker does it 00:20:20.009 --> 00:20:23.069 better or worse than another. But quite often 00:20:23.069 --> 00:20:25.390 we see, especially on these major platforms like 00:20:25.390 --> 00:20:28.650 Whatnot and Fanatics Live, are these breaks happening 00:20:28.650 --> 00:20:32.250 and just a massive churn. There's so much turnover. 00:20:32.630 --> 00:20:34.930 Somebody comes in, they might spend a couple 00:20:34.930 --> 00:20:37.150 thousand dollars in one sitting. They leave, 00:20:37.329 --> 00:20:39.509 the breaker doesn't care. He's just going to, 00:20:39.529 --> 00:20:42.359 you know. push the next break and look for that 00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:46.779 next customer to target. And so it's just a matter 00:20:46.779 --> 00:20:49.000 of accountability, looking out for your customers, 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:54.859 making sure that people are okay. It's not necessarily 00:20:54.859 --> 00:20:57.460 the breaker's responsibility to do that, but 00:20:57.460 --> 00:21:00.839 if we can bake in tools and resources to allow 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:05.579 these individuals to be able to maybe curb the 00:21:05.579 --> 00:21:07.700 behavior a little bit if things start to spiral, 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:10.539 I think that would just go such a long way. Things 00:21:10.539 --> 00:21:14.319 very simple, things like cool -off periods, putting 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:18.140 yourself in time out if needed, deposit limits, 00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:22.660 whether that be daily, weekly, or monthly. Again, 00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:26.519 just messaging around responsible ripping, responsible 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:30.200 collecting. And ultimately, if you start to realize 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:32.859 you have a problem, here is a place you can go. 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:35.779 a whole community that will have your back. You 00:21:35.779 --> 00:21:37.960 do not have to go through whatever challenge 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:39.980 you're facing alone and in isolation. That's 00:21:39.980 --> 00:21:43.140 not the answer. I like it, Alyx. And you know 00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:47.500 what? If it sounds like not a lot or no breakers 00:21:47.500 --> 00:21:49.420 have done this before, let's take the lead on 00:21:49.420 --> 00:21:52.460 this here at Cards HQ. I'd like to, let's work 00:21:52.460 --> 00:21:55.039 together and figure out how we can put responsible 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:59.690 ripping. in within our breaks at Cards HQ and 00:21:59.690 --> 00:22:01.490 point people your direction. Because I think 00:22:01.490 --> 00:22:03.990 what you're doing is important. And I do think 00:22:03.990 --> 00:22:08.549 that there are times when people come into breaks 00:22:08.549 --> 00:22:11.490 and they probably go a little too crazy. And 00:22:11.490 --> 00:22:14.769 I think as a breaker... One thing we can do is 00:22:14.769 --> 00:22:17.450 build awareness for your organization and let 00:22:17.450 --> 00:22:19.190 people know, hey, it's okay to take a time out. 00:22:19.309 --> 00:22:21.569 And if you're taking things a little too far, 00:22:21.670 --> 00:22:23.970 here's a group that can help you. I think that 00:22:23.970 --> 00:22:26.430 that's a very reasonable ask of breakers to try 00:22:26.430 --> 00:22:28.910 to do something like that. Well, Geoff, thank 00:22:28.910 --> 00:22:30.829 you so much for that. I wasn't expecting that. 00:22:31.529 --> 00:22:34.549 That really means the world that you see it and 00:22:34.549 --> 00:22:37.650 that you'd be willing to acknowledge a lot of 00:22:37.650 --> 00:22:39.150 the things that we're talking about and saying. 00:22:39.170 --> 00:22:41.309 So absolutely, let's have that conversation. 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:44.279 Let's get strategic around ways that we can, 00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:46.180 you know, ultimately protect your customers, 00:22:46.299 --> 00:22:49.279 your consumers. You clearly care about them. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:51.960 And, you know, that's so important in this hobby. 00:22:52.599 --> 00:22:56.779 So, yeah, doors open. We can absolutely continue 00:22:56.779 --> 00:22:59.980 the conversation after the show. Perfect. What 00:22:59.980 --> 00:23:04.329 role do you think the actual... like the app 00:23:04.329 --> 00:23:08.089 providers the platforms you know uh we've got 00:23:08.089 --> 00:23:10.849 you know hey you know people are probably laughing 00:23:10.849 --> 00:23:12.690 a little bit right now because arena club is 00:23:12.690 --> 00:23:15.750 a sponsor of this show and and you know obviously 00:23:15.750 --> 00:23:19.250 arena club you know wants you to to rip the rip 00:23:19.250 --> 00:23:22.289 the packs and rip the packs and whatnot and who 00:23:22.289 --> 00:23:24.269 is a sponsor of you know what we do at sports 00:23:24.269 --> 00:23:27.049 card investor fanatics live who we've got a good 00:23:27.049 --> 00:23:29.069 relationship with there's other obviously other 00:23:29.069 --> 00:23:32.220 platforms as well that are oriented around you 00:23:32.220 --> 00:23:34.539 know, get into the breaks and or buy singles 00:23:34.539 --> 00:23:38.180 and it's fast auctions. eBay's got eBay live 00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:40.759 now with sudden death. It's doing the same thing, 00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:43.400 right? Like there's a lot of, a lot of people, 00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:46.299 a lot of, really all the major platforms and 00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:48.680 players in the industry have some, you know, 00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:52.720 some element of there's an auction ending or 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:56.099 there's a break starting or there's a, you know, 00:23:56.119 --> 00:23:58.000 mystery pack that you could be ripping right 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:01.359 now, you know, that type of thing. What do you 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:05.119 think those platforms should be doing, if anything, 00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:09.480 to help from their perspective? Yeah, you nailed 00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:12.680 it. Think about it. Whatnot, Fanatics, Arena 00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:16.359 Club, eBay, they're not just neutral marketplaces. 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:19.220 They design their environments where people spend 00:24:19.220 --> 00:24:22.500 their money and time. So the way they set up 00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:24.700 the live auctions, the pack rips, the reward 00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:28.079 systems, even just down to the push notifications. 00:24:28.990 --> 00:24:31.109 All of that either fuels compulsive behavior 00:24:31.109 --> 00:24:34.970 or helps put up healthy guardrails, right? So 00:24:34.970 --> 00:24:37.910 right now, most of it leans towards fueling the 00:24:37.910 --> 00:24:41.109 compulsion. And honestly, it's built like a casino. 00:24:41.210 --> 00:24:43.890 It's fast -paced, it's high energy, constant 00:24:43.890 --> 00:24:48.289 dopamine hits, and very little in the way of 00:24:48.289 --> 00:24:51.670 transparency or breaks. And these companies, 00:24:51.769 --> 00:24:54.250 they have a choice. They can keep squeezing as 00:24:54.250 --> 00:24:57.420 much as possible out of the consumer. Or they 00:24:57.420 --> 00:25:00.220 can step up and build tools that actually protect 00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:02.680 the community. Things that we've been talking 00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:04.559 about, deposit limits, self -exclusion features, 00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:07.180 clear odds disclosures. I know you're doing a 00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:10.180 lot of that with your repacks with PSA. Those 00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:12.519 aren't radical ideas. They're just reasonable 00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:15.799 ones. I used a very good word before, reasonable. 00:25:17.380 --> 00:25:20.059 We're not asking for the world here, right? So 00:25:20.059 --> 00:25:23.400 honestly, I think they'd earn a lot more trust 00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:26.690 if they started to do those things. It's just 00:25:26.690 --> 00:25:28.329 a matter of accountability and responsibility. 00:25:28.849 --> 00:25:32.009 So at the end of the day, these apps, these providers, 00:25:32.230 --> 00:25:35.009 they're gatekeepers for the hobby. They're setting 00:25:35.009 --> 00:25:37.549 the tone for the entire industry. And if they 00:25:37.549 --> 00:25:40.609 really care about the long -term health and sustainability 00:25:40.609 --> 00:25:43.829 of collecting, not just the short -term profits, 00:25:44.170 --> 00:25:46.230 then they should be leading the charge on making 00:25:46.230 --> 00:25:49.109 the space safer, more transparent, and more sustainable 00:25:49.109 --> 00:25:51.980 for everybody. Again, I'm shocked it's taken 00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:54.420 this long for people to even have the conversation, 00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:58.299 let alone start making these tangible changes 00:25:58.299 --> 00:26:02.240 that have been needed for far too long. Yeah. 00:26:03.140 --> 00:26:07.079 It's interesting. I wonder, I don't know a lot 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:12.309 about the casino industry. I wonder. when you 00:26:12.309 --> 00:26:15.670 see the responsible gaming messages and some 00:26:15.670 --> 00:26:18.849 of the rules that they have around that, I wonder 00:26:18.849 --> 00:26:20.670 how much of that came from the casinos versus 00:26:20.670 --> 00:26:23.049 how much of that came from government regulators 00:26:23.049 --> 00:26:27.509 forcing it down the casinos' throats to do it. 00:26:27.569 --> 00:26:30.430 I would like to think that the casinos are... 00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:34.579 are altruistic and thinking about the long term 00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:37.259 and thinking about the health of their customers 00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:39.299 and all that type of thing. But I also know that 00:26:39.299 --> 00:26:42.200 that can sometimes be a lot to ask of a corporation 00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:47.299 when the money's flowing and the shareholders 00:26:47.299 --> 00:26:50.519 are wanting returns. And they know that if they 00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:54.000 just push harder and harder into more of that 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:57.670 type of quick behavior. it will grow the money 00:26:57.670 --> 00:26:59.609 quicker, the revenue quicker, all that kind of 00:26:59.609 --> 00:27:04.069 thing. So it's, you know, the long -term thinking 00:27:04.069 --> 00:27:06.109 versus the short -term, you know, the long -term 00:27:06.109 --> 00:27:08.569 thinking and the long -term health for the customer 00:27:08.569 --> 00:27:12.150 versus the short -term financial win, that can 00:27:12.150 --> 00:27:15.490 sometimes be a difficult game for these big corporations 00:27:15.490 --> 00:27:19.670 to, you know, to contend with. So, yeah, it's... 00:27:19.670 --> 00:27:22.970 Let me ask you something. Would you rather... 00:27:23.860 --> 00:27:26.900 some governing body come in like a gaming commission 00:27:26.900 --> 00:27:30.160 or an SEC and just start changing things up? 00:27:30.220 --> 00:27:32.299 No, I don't think anybody wants that. I don't 00:27:32.299 --> 00:27:36.339 want that. Nobody wants that. Proactive and start 00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:38.539 making these changes for the betterment, for 00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:42.440 the sustainable future of this hobby so that 00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:45.160 that never has to happen. I think the biggest 00:27:45.160 --> 00:27:47.660 thing right now, the reason why what not fanatics, 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:50.420 the big players in this space haven't done anything. 00:27:50.970 --> 00:27:53.670 is because they don't necessarily have to. Nobody 00:27:53.670 --> 00:27:56.670 has said anything. Nobody has opened Pandora's 00:27:56.670 --> 00:27:59.730 box and said, well, there are a lot of gambling 00:27:59.730 --> 00:28:02.009 -like mechanics at play here. This is what you 00:28:02.009 --> 00:28:05.390 have to do. Why should they? Why should they 00:28:05.390 --> 00:28:06.849 do that if it's going to jeopardize revenue? 00:28:07.410 --> 00:28:09.970 So it's just a matter of looking at it through 00:28:09.970 --> 00:28:12.490 a different lens, from a different angle, and 00:28:12.490 --> 00:28:14.970 thinking about the long -term sustainability 00:28:14.970 --> 00:28:18.230 of the customer as opposed to the short -term 00:28:18.230 --> 00:28:19.789 revenue, which I think a lot of these companies 00:28:19.789 --> 00:28:23.799 are just... laser focused on. So it's not to 00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:28.299 say that anybody's doing anything bad. It's just 00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:31.220 a matter of creating this awareness, which is 00:28:31.220 --> 00:28:34.319 where we come into play. So Collectors MD can 00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:36.220 have these conversations with these organizations. 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:38.880 I mean, we've already been speaking with Whatnot, 00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:41.339 Fanatics, a handful of these major players in 00:28:41.339 --> 00:28:43.539 the space about ways that we could potentially 00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:45.940 integrate some of the messaging, some of the 00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:50.950 tools and resources. Again, just build a better 00:28:50.950 --> 00:28:54.809 hobby for everybody. If you take a step back 00:28:54.809 --> 00:28:57.170 and think of what the hobby is going to look 00:28:57.170 --> 00:28:59.410 like in 10 years from now, if we don't make any 00:28:59.410 --> 00:29:04.430 proactive shifts to help the people within it, 00:29:04.730 --> 00:29:08.009 it's just going to continue to run rampant. People 00:29:08.009 --> 00:29:11.309 already call it the Wild West. With the growth 00:29:11.309 --> 00:29:14.829 of technology and AI and all these other scary 00:29:14.829 --> 00:29:17.299 things that we see every day, who knows what 00:29:17.299 --> 00:29:18.779 it's going to look like if we don't start to 00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:21.539 make some changes. And Alyx, how did you get 00:29:21.539 --> 00:29:23.160 into this? What's your background that led you 00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:26.339 to this? Yeah, it's a great question. It's something 00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:28.500 that comes up a lot. I've been in the hobby for 00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:31.519 years. And while it's brought me a ton of joy, 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:35.480 I also saw firsthand how easy it is for collecting 00:29:35.480 --> 00:29:38.700 to cross into compulsive territory. And at a 00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:41.019 certain point, I realized there was no real support 00:29:41.019 --> 00:29:43.220 system out there for people who were struggling. 00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:45.299 There was no community. There was no resources. 00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:48.819 No one even naming what was happening. So that's 00:29:48.819 --> 00:29:50.539 why I launched Collectors MD. I wanted to create 00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:53.339 a space that I wish existed when I was really 00:29:53.339 --> 00:29:56.319 in the thick of it. And for me personally, this 00:29:56.319 --> 00:29:59.980 dates... Well, before I got back into the hobby, 00:30:00.160 --> 00:30:02.779 which was actually in 2020, was during the pandemic. 00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:09.339 I was a compulsive gambler. I am happy to admit 00:30:09.339 --> 00:30:12.460 that I wear my heart on my sleeve as the founder 00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:15.180 of Collectors MD. I was attending Gamblers Anonymous 00:30:15.180 --> 00:30:20.420 meetings for several years. And frankly, my challenge 00:30:20.420 --> 00:30:23.490 was that. I would bring up the sports cards and 00:30:23.490 --> 00:30:26.009 the breaking and the break culture, and it didn't 00:30:26.009 --> 00:30:27.569 really resonate with anybody. It didn't click 00:30:27.569 --> 00:30:29.309 with anybody in those rooms. They couldn't wrap 00:30:29.309 --> 00:30:32.589 their heads around how a childhood game for a 00:30:32.589 --> 00:30:36.529 lot of people could register as something as 00:30:36.529 --> 00:30:41.259 insidious as gambling, right? And so... I thought 00:30:41.259 --> 00:30:44.140 to myself, there has to be some sort of support 00:30:44.140 --> 00:30:48.079 group, some sort of community that exists for 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:50.059 people who are struggling with this sort of thing. 00:30:50.200 --> 00:30:52.619 And again, it's not just the cards. It's compulsive 00:30:52.619 --> 00:30:58.140 spending. You hear about people who live through 00:30:58.140 --> 00:31:00.680 retail therapy. They just order crap all day. 00:31:01.160 --> 00:31:04.440 Not to say my wife or my mother or my mother 00:31:04.440 --> 00:31:07.329 -in -law have an issue. The packages that I see 00:31:07.329 --> 00:31:09.269 coming in all the time in each of their homes, 00:31:09.369 --> 00:31:13.089 it's staggering, right? People love to buy. People 00:31:13.089 --> 00:31:17.710 love to sort of scratch that itch, give themselves 00:31:17.710 --> 00:31:21.410 something to look forward to. And while in most 00:31:21.410 --> 00:31:25.069 cases it's not harmful, it can be really, really 00:31:25.069 --> 00:31:27.809 dangerous for some. So again, Collectors MD is 00:31:27.809 --> 00:31:30.809 here for any and everybody who might be struggling 00:31:30.809 --> 00:31:33.470 with compulsive behavior, whether that's collecting, 00:31:33.670 --> 00:31:38.400 spending. and looking for ways to engage with 00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:41.339 those things in a healthier way. Yeah, very, 00:31:41.420 --> 00:31:43.940 very cool. Okay, so I know you kind of mentioned 00:31:43.940 --> 00:31:46.140 it before, but anybody out there, we're at the 00:31:46.140 --> 00:31:48.500 end of the talk now, so anybody out there who 00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:51.440 this has resonated with and they want to connect, 00:31:51.579 --> 00:31:52.940 they want to get involved, maybe they want to 00:31:52.940 --> 00:31:55.019 participate, tell them one more time how they 00:31:55.019 --> 00:31:58.680 can connect with Collectors MD. Yeah. So again, 00:31:58.740 --> 00:32:00.539 I'll say at the end of the day, Collectors MD 00:32:00.539 --> 00:32:03.819 is about changing the culture. Our motto is collect 00:32:03.819 --> 00:32:06.680 with intention, not compulsion. We want to see 00:32:06.680 --> 00:32:10.440 passion prioritized over profit and joy prioritized 00:32:10.440 --> 00:32:12.660 over hype. So if you're struggling, you're not 00:32:12.660 --> 00:32:14.779 alone. There's a growing community here that 00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:17.720 gets it. We'll walk alongside you. The hobby 00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:20.819 really does get healthier when we do. So if you 00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:22.779 want to get involved, all you got to do is go 00:32:22.779 --> 00:32:29.480 to collectorsmd .com. sort of tab here, you'll 00:32:29.480 --> 00:32:32.500 see for collectors by collectors. There's a sign 00:32:32.500 --> 00:32:34.359 up here button. You go to that. It's a Google 00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:36.539 form. All you got to do is fill out your email, 00:32:36.640 --> 00:32:38.980 your name. Most of these things are optional. 00:32:39.240 --> 00:32:42.099 We ask a few questions like, have you ever experienced 00:32:42.099 --> 00:32:43.920 any of the following as a result of collecting? 00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:46.279 Do you currently feel in crisis or need immediate 00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:47.920 mental health support? Have you ever attended 00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:50.140 any type of support group before, et cetera? 00:32:51.059 --> 00:32:56.619 There's a waiver. You agree and you We will join 00:32:56.619 --> 00:32:58.519 you to the weekly peer support meetings. And 00:32:58.519 --> 00:33:01.720 within that form, you can also elect to join 00:33:01.720 --> 00:33:04.920 our our group chat. So very simple, very straightforward. 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:07.480 If you have any issues with that or if you don't 00:33:07.480 --> 00:33:09.660 want to sign the waiver, please just DM me. You 00:33:09.660 --> 00:33:11.539 know, there are ways that we could sort of work 00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:15.960 around that. Again, you can reach me via DM at 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:20.740 Collectors MD on Instagram. We're also on pretty 00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:25.750 much every social. so Facebook X, TikTok. We 00:33:25.750 --> 00:33:28.690 have a YouTube channel for our podcast. We're 00:33:28.690 --> 00:33:32.549 on LinkedIn, Discord, Reddit, Threads. So, you 00:33:32.549 --> 00:33:34.970 know, wherever you consume your content, you 00:33:34.970 --> 00:33:37.829 can reach out to us and we will happily get back 00:33:37.829 --> 00:33:41.859 to you. There you go. Alyx, change occurs in 00:33:41.859 --> 00:33:44.299 this world when somebody sees a problem and takes 00:33:44.299 --> 00:33:46.400 it on their back and decides to make a difference 00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:48.539 themselves. You clearly are doing that in this 00:33:48.539 --> 00:33:51.900 area. So I commend you for your own journey and 00:33:51.900 --> 00:33:54.720 push into this arena to try to make the hobby 00:33:54.720 --> 00:33:56.900 better for others. Of course, Geoff. Thank you 00:33:56.900 --> 00:33:59.299 again for the opportunity and really looking 00:33:59.299 --> 00:34:02.279 forward to working with you to help spread positivity. 00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:04.599 Let's do it. Thank you, Alyx. We'll talk soon. 00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:07.220 Thank you to Alyx and Collectors MD for coming 00:34:07.220 --> 00:34:08.940 on the show today. And I want to remind you that 00:34:08.940 --> 00:34:10.760 the full length episodes of these Geoff Wilson 00:34:10.760 --> 00:34:13.139 shows are available on YouTube on the Geoff Wilson 00:34:13.139 --> 00:34:16.639 Show channel. We also got our podcasts updating 00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:18.800 now. They weren't for a little while, but on 00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:21.780 Spotify and on Apple Podcasts, you can always 00:34:21.780 --> 00:34:24.860 catch the latest shows now. So make sure you 00:34:24.860 --> 00:34:26.920 are subscribed to the Geoff Wilson Show everywhere. 00:34:27.199 --> 00:34:29.260 What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments 00:34:29.260 --> 00:34:31.599 and we'll see you soon with our next episode. 00:34:31.619 --> 00:34:32.059 Take care.