In this episode of Passion to Profession (sponsored by eBay), I’m joined by hobby veteran Steve Sloan, CEO of Haystack—a company quietly becoming the go-to infrastructure partner for hobby businesses.
Steve’s career path includes stops at Upper Deck, PSA (where he was President), and now Heystack, where he's building tech to solve real pain points in the card ecosystem. We talk about how his love of collecting started with Garbage Pail Kids and a copy of Beckett, and how that evolved into a life and career inside the hobby.
Topics covered include:
This is a collector-turned-operator who understands the full picture. Whether you're building a business or building your PC, there’s something in here for you.
A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.
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Is it possible that PER (Player Efficiency Rating) might influence hobby behavior in the WNBA card space? In this episode, we explore that question—and a whole lot more.
Brett and Katelyn break down:
Also:
Shout out to our good friends at Great Lakes Trading Cards for supporting The WNBA Card Podcast and WNBA collectors worldwide!
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Pack Nicholson brings the energy for Episode 8 of The Football Card Podcast. We start with your comments, hit the latest football talk, and dive into the market watch. The big headline? That Jay Cutler conversation that took over the internet. Pack breaks down what happened, why it matters, and what it signals for football card collectors. If you care about the stories behind the sales and where the market is headed, this one’s for you.
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Recorded live at The National and brought to you by eBay, Episode 2 of Cards in Hand features Rodman (@rodmanpc), one of the premier Lionel Messi collectors in the world.
We talk about his 2016 Select Messi Black Prizm 1/1 PSA 8—why it’s a cornerstone in his collection, what makes it stand out aesthetically, and the story behind his transition from Michael Jordan to Messi.
Rodman shares what it’s been like building his Messi collection as soccer cards have exploded, the differences between club and international cards, and advice for collectors considering a big pivot in their own PC.
A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Cards in Hand. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.
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This week’s flagship is different.
I’m using this episode to officially launch my new book, Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning in a Hobby Built on Hype.
This isn’t a blueprint. It’s a reflection. It’s about why we collect, the art of chasing, filtering out the noise, building with intention, letting go, finding community, and collecting in a way that lasts.
It’s free. It’s for every collector — whether you’ve been here for decades or just ripped your first pack.
In this episode, I share why I wrote the book, what’s inside, and how I hope it can help ground you in a hobby that’s louder and faster than ever.
Download your copy at the link in the show notes, read it, and if it resonates — tell a damn friend.
Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype
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The National is over, but the conversations keep going. In this post-show special, Tory from dcsports87 joins me to break down their biggest takeaways from Rosemont. We talk brand growth, why the corporate area felt different this year, the success of their same-day listing program, and the moments that stood out most on the show floor. If you’re a collector, dealer, or hobby business thinking about how to level up after The National, this one’s for you.
A special thank you to dcsports87 for supporting this series. Check out dcsports87 for your eBay consignment needs and visit the dcsports87 eBay store to find great cards ending every night.
Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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Ryan Greene grew up chasing Shaq rookies and riding his bike to the local card shop. Today, he leads athlete and artist partnerships at PSA. In this episode of Passion to Profession (sponsored by eBay), we go deep on Ryan’s transition from hobbyist to operator at one of the most important companies in the space.
We talk about:
If you’ve ever dreamed about turning your passion into your profession, this episode is for you.
A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.
Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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This week on The WNBA Card Podcast, Katelyn and Brett explore a powerful question:
Are we living in the first generation of true WNBA card collectors?
Fresh off The National, they share what they saw, who they met, and the signals that this category is evolving fast. From the boom in W gear on the show floor to organic trades, meetups, and an online sales spike, the energy around WNBA cards feels different—and more authentic—than ever before.
You’ll hear:
Whether you’re new to W cards or already deep in the weeds, this episode is your checkpoint for understanding where we are—and where we’re going.
Shout out to our good friends at Great Lakes Trading Cards for supporting The WNBA Card Podcast and WNBA collectors worldwide!
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Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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We’re back from The National and fired up.
Pack and Brett are recapping their experience—from overheated upstairs booths to some of the best in-hand moments of the entire weekend. This episode is packed with observations, hobby takeaways, and real collector stories.
Topics covered:
This is episode 7 of our 12-part season. It’s been the fastest-growing football card podcast on the planet, and we’re not slowing down.
Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff.
Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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We’re kicking off Cards in Hand, a brand-new Stacking Slabs miniseries brought to you by eBay, with Chris McGill from Card Ladder. Cards in Hand was recorded at The National where the energy around our hobby was at an all-time high.
Chris shares the story of his 1998-99 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Gold 1/1 — a card with a look and feel that takes you straight back to the ‘90s. We get into his return to MJ collecting, how his one-of-one mindset shaped the pursuit, the backstory of this card’s 22-year disappearance, and the exact moment the photo on the card was taken.
This conversation is about more than one card — it’s about how your collecting identity can shift, the hunt for true rarities, and the energy you feel when the right card finally lands in your hand
A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Cards in Hand. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.
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This isn’t a booth-by-booth walk through. It’s not a play-by-play of what was in the showcases. This episode is about perspective.
I break down my biggest takeaways from The National that you won’t hear in the typical recaps:
Whether you were in the room or following from home, this conversation will give you a different lens to look through.
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In this episode of Passion to Profession, Brett sits down with Michael Osacky from Baseball in the Attic, one of the most trusted voices in sports memorabilia appraisal. Michael shares stories from the road, from emotional appraisals in small-town basements to unexpected discoveries in forgotten collections.
They talk about the current state of the appraisal business in 2025, the rise in institutional requests, fraud detection, and what collectors often overlook when it comes to storage, insurance, and preservation.
Michael opens up about delivering tough news, maintaining integrity in a business full of bias and emotion, and why relationship-building matters as much as expertise.
This one is a must-listen for anyone who collects, buys, sells, or simply wants to protect what matters most.
A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.
Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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We’re live and in person from The National.
For the first time ever, Brett and Katelyn (@coldlunchcards) sit down together—bags still packed—to talk WNBA cards at the biggest show of the year.
You’ll hear the sounds of the floor, the latest updates on what’s showing up in showcases, early signs of how the WNBA market is shifting, and what it’s like seeing Caitlin Clark jerseys on collectors all over the show floor.
We talk pickups, missed targets, and real conversations with dealers and collectors who are turning their attention to the women’s game.
From Sarah Strong to A'ja Wilson, Gold Ice to Origins 1/1s, and the rising heat of 2020 Prizm, this episode captures a moment in time as WNBA cards start getting real traction in the hobby.
Shout out to our good friends at Great Lakes Trading Cards for supporting The WNBA Card Podcast and WNBA collectors worldwide!
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Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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Pack and Brett are back—recording from family vacation and prepping for The National—to talk all things football cards.
In this episode, they tackle:
This is an episode for the collectors who care about stories, not just comps.
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Kevin (@dacaptain37) joins Smashing BIN during National week to talk about one of the most meaningful cards in his collection: the 1998 Fleer Brilliants Peyton Manning 24KT Gold.
He shares the full story behind the card—how he bought it for $1,250 nearly a decade ago, why it’s remained in his collection all this time, and what it means to now share it with his son.
We also go deep on how Kevin moved major pieces like his Manning PMG and 2018 Brady Stained Glass Gold Mojo in the lead-up to The National.
This is a collector-driven conversation about rare cards, strong offers, and what it takes to hold onto grails when everything around you says sell.
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In this Passion to Profession episode sponsored by eBay, I’m joined by Brian and Jesse from Arena Club. Their presence is everywhere in the hobby right now—and that’s no accident. We get into the early feedback that shaped Arena Club, the big announcement around their new physical slab packs with eBay, and their mindset around building a collector-first platform.
We also talk about:
Whether you’re skeptical of new platforms or already exploring Arena Club, this one will help you understand their 'why.'
Learn more about Arena Club Slab Packs on eBay
A special thank you to eBay for sponsoring Passion to Profession. The biggest and best marketplace to buy your next favorite trading card.
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It’s the day before the biggest card show of the year, and Tory from the dcsports87 team is back in The Staging Area. We’re talking about everything you should be thinking about ahead of The National in Rosemont—from buying strategy and budgeting to leveraging your network and protecting your grails.
We also run through some of the hobby’s hottest players by sales volume, including Aaron Judge, Steph Curry, Tyrese Haliburton, Messi, Anthony Edwards, Peyton Manning, and Josh Allen.
We close the episode with a conversation on what to expect from content, business deals, consignment activity, and the ripple effects post-show. This one will help you get in the right headspace before walking into the convention center.
A special thank you to dcsports87 for supporting this series. Check out dcsports87 for your eBay consignment needs and visit the dcsports87 eBay store to find great cards ending every night.
Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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The flagship episode is coming to you early this week. A new Passion to Profession will drop Wednesday.
We just zoomed past 700 episodes of Stacking Slabs. What a run.
In this flagship episode, I’m being honest with you.
We’re days away from The National, and while the excitement is real, so is the anxiety. The scale, the people, the pickups, the pressure — it can all feel like too much.
Whether it’s your first time or your fifth, I want to talk through the mental game plan I’m putting in place to show up with intention and purpose.
You don’t have to be everywhere. You don’t need to meet everyone. You don’t need to make the perfect pickup.
What matters most is that you feel like yourself.
This one is for any collector who’s ever felt overwhelmed in the chaos of a convention hall. Let’s walk into The National with a clear head and remember why we’re in this hobby in the first place.
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Katelyn (@coldlunchcards) returns from an unforgettable All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis with stories from the front lines. From diving headfirst into all of the activations to A'ja Wilson bumping shoulders at WNBA Live, she shares what it felt like to be surrounded by the game’s biggest stars—and what that kind of access means for the league.
Brett brings data: a 237% year-over-year increase in $1K+ WNBA card sales (excluding Caitlin Clark). What does this spike mean? Are grails becoming more universal? Is the market expanding in a sustainable way? We break it all down.
Plus:
Shout out to our good friends at Great Lakes Trading Cards for supporting The WNBA Card Podcast and WNBA collectors worldwide!
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Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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Is longevity overrated in football? In Episode 5, Pack Nicholson and Brett McGrath tackle this listener-submitted question from Andy (@byebyebabycards) and explore how short bursts of brilliance stack up against decades-long careers in the hobby. From Terrell Davis and Frank Gore to Barry Sanders, Andrew Luck, Deshaun Jackson, and Dante Hall, the conversation cuts deep into what actually drives collectability.
They also break down:
If you’ve ever struggled with whether to chase stats, accolades, or moments that matter, this is your episode. And yes—there’s a Chad Johnson gold refractor sighting.
Follow The Football Card Podcast on Instagram for memes and stuff.
Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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