Stacking Slabs

What does it take to build one of the largest hobby businesses in Canada?
John Amendola, CEO of Mintink, joins Passion to Profession to share the story behind turning a pandemic-era card business into a national brand.
John discusses the early days of Breaks After Dark, scaling livestream commerce, hiring and developing talent, creating community through retail, and why relationships matter more than transactions.
We also explore leadership, mental health, customer experience, the future of hobby retail, and the opportunities most businesses still overlook.
This conversation is packed with lessons for collectors, entrepreneurs, and anyone building something for the long haul.

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In this episode of Hobby Jobs, Brett breaks down why “building for the hobby” is too vague to guide a real business.
The sports card industry is not one customer.
It is trust.
It is convenience.
It is liquidity.
It is discovery.
It is fandom.
It is customer behavior.
Brett expands on this week’s Operator Note and explains why the best operators in sports cards do not build for a category. They build for a person with a clear problem.
This episode also looks at lessons from Bryan Shaffer of THZ Sports Cards, the value of category fluency, and why companies like CardVault show where hobby work is headed.
For anyone working in sports cards or trying to find a path into the industry, this episode is about sharpening your thinking, understanding the customer, and creating value that the market remembers.

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Ryan is back in the saddle with Adam for a loaded episode of Booked to Last.
This week, they dig into the state of WWE booking, the impact it has on wrestler collectability, and why collectors are trying to make sense of a market that is moving week to week.
They break down Topps Cosmic WWE, the ripping experience, the planet odds, and why product structure matters so much in wrestling cards.
The main event is a deeper conversation around high-value wrestling cards.
With recent WrestleMania patch autograph sales from Tiffany Stratton, Jey Uso, Finn Balor, and Rey Fenix, Adam and Ryan walk through what sellers need to understand before moving a major card.
They cover comps, buyer pools, platforms, auctions, private sales, promotion, patience, grading, and reputation.
They also discuss the long-term value of event-worn relics, why Universe and Royalty relics might be underappreciated, and how collectors should think about match-used and event-used material before the market catches up.

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One year ago, we launched The Football Card Podcast with a simple idea: create a place where football card collectors could gather every week and talk football cards.
Fifty-two episodes later, we're reflecting on what we've learned.
Pack and Brett revisit the cards they highlighted in Episode 1, discuss why patience remains one of the biggest advantages in collecting, and explore the growing disconnect between one-of-one sellers and buyers.
They also debate whether Ray Lewis is the greatest defensive player of all time, discuss the value of longevity in sports and collecting, examine the rise of Topps NOW, review recent market movers, and answer listener questions about preparing for grails, flag football, and team collecting.
The cards change.
The market changes.
The collectors who stay committed are the ones who get to experience the payoff.

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What makes a card worth chasing?
In this episode, Brett breaks down the purchase of one of the most important cards to enter his collection in years: the 2025 Topps Chrome WWE John Cena Superfractor 1/1. But this isn't a story about a big card. It's a story about the process behind the decision.
From negotiating against a $10,000 asking price to identifying what makes a card canonical, Brett explores the factors that create conviction in collecting. He discusses scarcity versus significance, the power of personal connection, the role of side collections, using collection equity with intention, and why the best long-term purchases often sit at the intersection of market understanding and lived experience.
If you've ever wondered how to separate impulse from conviction when a big card surfaces, this episode is for you.

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