Stacking Slabs

AI is moving fast. Most hobby businesses are not.

In Episode 6 of Built for the Hobby, Brett sits down with Scott Lock, CEO and Co-Founder of InfernoRed 
Technology, to talk about what AI means for hobby operators in 2026.

This is not hype.
This is practical.
Scott breaks down:
Why most businesses are underusing AI
Where small hobby shops can remove friction today
How automation can protect your margins
Why waiting is the riskiest strategy
How to think about AI without chasing shiny objects
If you run a $500K shop or a $5M operation, this conversation is about you.

AI will not replace your business.
But someone who learns how to use it might.
If you are AI-curious but stuck using ChatGPT like Google, this episode gives you a clear next step.
Built for the Hobby is about one thing: helping operators think better and build smarter.

Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.
Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype
Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today
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A $16.5M headline sale grabs attention.

It sparks conversations.
It shifts emotion.
It makes you question what your cards mean now.

In this flagship episode, Brett breaks down a hard truth most collectors ignore.

The hobby is not one market.
It is many micro-markets operating at the same time.

Different financial tiers.
Different buyer pools.
Different motivations.

Using the recent PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator sale as context, Brett explores how infrastructure, transparency, and intent-driven collecting are reshaping the environment. He explains why record prices distort perception, how narrative spreads across segments, and why you must identify the lane you’re actually in before reacting to a headline.

If you’ve ever looked at a big sale and thought, “What does this mean for me?”

This episode will help you answer that question with clarity and control.

Because the collectors who understand their market move with confidence.
The ones who don’t move with emotion.

Check out the awesome software that InfernoRed Technology can build for you.
Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype
Start your 7 day free trial of Stacking Slabs Patreon Today
[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link
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You don’t plan to consign. Then a card pops up that you can’t ignore.
In this episode of The Staging Area presented by dcsports87, Brett and Tory talk through the real decisions collectors make when opportunity hits. What moves from the PC pile to the sell pile. Why “being responsible” sometimes means shipping a big box to consignment.
They unpack:
The Super Bowl eBay Live activation in San Francisco
What brand exposure really means when you’re building for the long term
How volume forces companies like PSA and dcsports87 to make tough operational decisions
The Drake Maye hype cycle and what the data shows after the loss
Why infrastructure today feels different than 2021
And whether release consistency even exists anymore
This is a conversation about scaling, adaptability, and playing the long game in a hobby that moves fast.
If you’re trying to make better decisions with your cards and your capital, this one is 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 your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype
Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
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Follow dcsports87: | Website | eBay | Instagram | Twitter  
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Anthony Loparo did not set out to build a multi-service card business.

He started where many of you did.
In his dad’s convenience store.
Ripping packs.
Falling in love with the process.

In this episode, Anthony walks through the real path behind Top Notch Sports Club:
Opening cards on YouTube in 2007 when payments came through the mail
Grinding two years on Excel spreadsheets, copying and pasting payouts line by line
Taking the leap during COVID and quitting his job
Scaling breaking, grading, and consignment under one roof
Building a website that syncs live with eBay
Hiring four employees and learning to let go
We talk about:
Why speed to list is his competitive advantage
Why he is not afraid of competition
How he thinks about investing in product and technology
The role eBay plays in his infrastructure
The mental shift from side hustle to real business
If you’ve ever thought about turning your passion into your profession, this one is for you.
Anthony’s story is a reminder that scale is built on obsession, systems, and trust.

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
[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link
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In this episode of the WNBA Card Podcast, Katelyn sits down with Garrett of WNBACards.com to unpack one of the most important chapters in WNBA collecting history: the Rittenhouse era from 2005–2010 
This was the low print run era.
Five thousand boxes became five hundred.
On-card autos were everywhere.
And some of the most important rookie cards in the hobby were born.

We break down:
Why the 2008 Candace Parker rookie still anchors the era
How on-card autos from 2005–2007 became cornerstones for collectors
What Rittenhouse got right — and what they completely missed
Why culture and marketing matter as much as scarcity
How today’s collectors can approach this era with intention
Garrett shares how he went from chasing Zion to building a seven-figure WNBA card business and launching a database with 60,000+ cards and 77,000+ sales comps.
If you care about scarcity, print runs, culture shifts, and long-term significance, this episode will reframe how you think about the middle chapter of WNBA collecting.

Check out Card Ladder the official data partner of The WNBA Card Podcast
Follow the WNBA Card Podcast on Instagram 

Get your free copy of Collecting For Keeps: Finding Meaning In A Hobby Built On Hype
Get exclusive content, promote your cards, and connect with other collectors who listen to the pod today by joining the Patreon: Join Stacking Slabs Podcast Patreon
[Distributed on Sunday] Sign up for the Stacking Slabs Weekly Rip Newsletter using this link
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