Welcome back to Stacking Slabs. This is your hobby content alternative. I'm Brett. Flagship episode time. Got a fun story and a fun topic to expand on in this episode.

Excited to share it with you. Hopefully, you're enjoying all of the content coming at you on the Stacking Slabs network. Make sure you're hitting the follow button and telling a damn friend we do appreciate that. I have big plans to continue to grow and expand the network this year, and it would not be possible if it wasn't for you, the loyal listener of stacking slabs. I haven't asked, and I can't even tell you the last time that I plugged this, but I'm going to start to promote it a little more because I want to spend more time building and developing it out.

But every Sunday, I drop a companion piece to this episode, and it goes out on my Substack, the weekly rep. There is a link in the show notes to the Substack. I would love it if you're listening to this to go subscribe over there. You're just going to get it in your inbox every Sunday. And the way it works is you get it on Sunday, and it sets the stage for the conversation that we have here.

So it's a little warm up, a little preview. I also look back on a previous conversation that I've had on stacking slabs and try to reframe it in a way that is applies to collecting today. It's called the reissue segment. I'm gonna be doing more. I'm gonna I'm gonna put more resources on that, but I never really promote it.

So I would ask you to join the weekly rip. Link is in the show notes. You can go to Substack, search the weekly rip stacking slabs. And if you would join, that would be freaking amazing. Wanna shout out my good friends at Inferno Red Technology for sponsoring the flagship episode of Stacking Slabs.

They are the engineering team behind some of the biggest names in sports and collectibles like DC Sports 87, Commsi, Collectors Upper Deck, and eBay from AI powered solutions for startups to full stack platforms for industry leaders. Their team can tackle your toughest technology challenge. They build awesome software for the hobby, leagues, and fans, and for everyone in between. See what they can build for you at infernored.com. This conversation is about the community.

This conversation is about the power that we have connecting, building relationships with other members of the community. And I shared this experience, and I'm gonna tee it off by talking about this experience. I shared it in a abbreviated version on at the end of the football card podcast from last week, and the experience was so positive that I thought, you know what? This could be a launching off point for a flagship episode. You know, we talk about cards.

We talk about mindset mentality, and it is always appropriate to talk about interactions, engagement, people. The more we build and develop relationships with other members of this community and make this space less transactional, the more positive experiences we have and the better our collections grow. And certainly, that is the case with me. Now the experience that I'm gonna share is about as positive as possible. Now this is also coming off the heels of a absolutely atrocious, terrible experience I had, with an individual.

And I don't wanna get into that. I don't wanna, get into all the negative. But I just wanna say, like, deal making, especially from a private perspective, can be phenomenal. It can be as great as what you're gonna hear today, or it can be terrible where you're working with an individual who is absolutely greedy, who does not know how to build relationships, things very transactionally, very limited in mindset, and is all about themselves. And the negative impact and repercussions that happen when you have a limited mindset, you're greedy, and you're a negative person, might not hit you right out of the gates.

You might not feel that right away, but, certainly, it compounds over time, and your brand and reputation turn to absolute shit. So we're not gonna talk about that, but we're gonna talk about the positive. And so what I wanna get in today is to expand if you didn't get a chance to hear it. I wanna do it more in long form, but talk about how a great relationship can lead to incredible cards entering your collection. And this the story that I'm going to expand on is in regards to my acquisition of the 2013 Reggie Wayne Gold Prism out of 10.

Recently, I missed out on this card on an Instagram story sale. I I I can't even, like, begin to describe how badly I wanted this card. And there's a lot of different reasons why I wanted this card, but when I and I'll just I'll just go. First reason, Reggie Wayne has three playing day Prism cards, twelve, thirteen, and 14. I was fortunate enough to get the the the gold 12 at the national, and, obviously, I've talked to did a whole episode on this, the 12 finite.

No 13. Landed the 14 this year, so I was missing one. I would say in terms of analyzing all of the Colts players that are in Prism, you know, Reggie Wayne is a finalist for the Hall of Fame this year. So there's an argument for him being the best playing days player in a Colts jersey in Prism. There's another factor.

The other one is, you know, my brother, Kyle, at McGrath cards went through a similar cycle where he's trying to acquire all of the Playing Days gold Resiwane prisms, and the 13 evaded him until he finally landed it, I think, a couple years later. So this card had, like, mystique. This card, is a card that I just just would do anything for. And we can talk about the 2013 Prism Shine. It is beautiful.

It is gorgeous. It is all of the things. Great design, great shine. And to say I wanted this card would be an understatement. So the weekend, I've got three kids.

I've got a newborn. I've got a lot going on. I can't necessarily unless it's in the late night after hours. I'm just not tied to my phone like I have been before. So I think it was the weekend where I got a bunch of messages and realized there they were stories stories were shared to me that had vanished.

And whenever your story vanishes that someone sends to you about a card being available, like, my my heart just absolutely sinks. Like, this has happened so many times. I'm like, shit. I didn't get to it fast enough. And then my next question to the person and and by the way, if you shared this card, thank you so much.

But, know, asking the question, like, what was it? 2013 Reggie Wayne Gold Prism. Oh, man. Just devastated gutted. Fortunate for me, like, the I didn't have time to sulk.

I didn't have time to, you know, get upset about it. I just tried to forget about it, like Men in Black style. Like, just put up the put it up, erase the mind, and move on to the next one. Well, a few days later, my good friend, one of and we don't do this enough, but I would real I I and I've never met anyone who has anything negative to say about him, but Paul at Wordle Combat on Instagram is is easily one of my favorite people in the hobby and is, and I would have said this before this experience, but you just have people who you who are having fun, who are inner easy to interact with, share common interests, look at the hobby in a similar way, are helpful. And Paul is one of those guys.

We you know, I've done content with Paul here on Stacking Slabs. He's been in and around and involved in cards forever. He's a wealth of knowledge. I learn a lot from him. He's passionate, and he does a lot of deals.

He's constantly moving, constantly in motion, and I appreciate the way he goes about his business. Now little did I know on a god. It was a Monday or Tuesday night, Paul slid into my DMs, and he just asked the question, like, what do you think about this card? And lo and behold, it was the 2013 Reggie Wayne Gold Prism. And Paul had wanted a Reggie Wayne card for his collection.

He had missed out on another Reggie Wayne card, and so he ended up landing this. So he landed the card that I missed. And when he sent me the reaction, he knew I'm a Colts guy. He knew I'm a Prism guy. And so, his mindset and we haven't talked about this, but I would assume he might have even thought I I already owned the card.

Nearly stopped, and I I told Paul. I said, hey, man. I need that card for my run. And I asked him, like, would you mind letting me buy it from you? And without hesitation, because Paul is a good brother and understands what this meant to me, he agreed to sell it to me for exactly what he paid it for.

He was ready to hand it over at cost just to help me out. Now Paul easily could have kept the card or flipped it for profit, but instead he thought of me and my collection. And I was so grateful that I I could not, like, sleep at night by just paying him what, he paid for it. So I I I think it was, 25% more of what he paid. I I I was like, I wanna make sure it was worth his while for doing something so kind, and being so generous.

And so Paul made a little bit of money on it, and I was over the moon to get this card. And at the end of it, both of us walked away feeling great about the deal. This exchange wasn't just a transaction. It was a testament to relationships and trust that we've built together in this community. And so I'm days after this has happened, I'm still thinking about it.

And I'm asking myself, like, why does this story matter so much? And I think it's because it highlights something you can't put a price tag on, and that is the power of the community. This wasn't a one off lucky break. It wasn't a result of a friendship that just formed. It was one of those moments that reminds us why collecting with others and not just in isolation leads to a better experience for us in the hobby.

So that's the setup, but I wanna unpack some of this and wanna talk about just why I think relationships enrich the hobby. And it's often said, like, cards are just cardboard, and it's the people and the memories attached to them that really give it meaning. And I think that sentiment is true. If you take away the camaraderie and the shared passion in this space, you're left with just pieces of paper. Our relationships create value and joy in the hobby.

And my Reggie Wayne Gold Prism is incredibly special, not just because only 10 of them exist, but because of the story of a friendship that is now attached to it. Now collecting in isolation simply can't match the experience of collecting with a supportive network. When you are a part of a with a community with fellow collectors, the hobby becomes richer in multiple ways. I think it's more enjoyable and fulfilling. You can share your wins, losses, grail, fines, all the things.

There's the social aspect. It can be card shows, online groups. Like minded collectors exchange knowledge, information, and enthusiasm, and that forms friendships that provide a sense of belonging and camaraderie. Think about it. Whenever we get a new card or land a new card, like, it is so fun to take that card and share it with one of our good friends and have that dialogue privately.

That is fun. The shared knowledge in can create better collecting outcomes. I think when I think of community, I think of brain trust. By connecting with others' collectors, you gain access to valuable insights and information that can that can improve your collecting outcomes. People share tips.

They spot fakes. They look out for each other. When you have hobby friends, you hear about the cards that might be available before the general public does. This someone might tag you when a card pops up or share a story sale that you might not see, and that shared knowledge creates better outcomes. The use of community to help you find rare cards is unstoppable.

And no matter how much time, energy, or money you spend, you can't have eyes everywhere. Your fellow friends and collectors have an extending extended set of eyes and ears. They'll alert you when they see something you need, when they see a card at a show, when they learn that something might be available. And by building a network and a community, it increases your chances of acquiring those key pieces that you need. The best cards typically aren't the cards that are available, but it's other people who have information about them that they can share with you that allow you to then go make a play on that.

I think support is really important. We need advice. We need help. We need other people. We can't do it all by ourselves.

And if we think we know everything, the chances are you probably know nothing. I think there is so much tribal knowledge and information that is stuck inside the minds of so many amazing collectors, and you get access to that information and those details when you build and develop relationships and you start having conversations. It always starts with a conversation. Never forget that. Transactional mindset always goes right for the jugular, always goes right for the dollar.

That doesn't work long term. The more we think about giving camaraderie support, the better outcomes we have. And then ultimately, I think there's this sense of belonging. And whenever we have this sense of belonging, it helps give us a stronger mental state. And I think it's a basic human need is connection.

And then the hobby and being able to align with other people who not only value cards and appreciate cards like we do, but are crazy enough to spend the money on cards is powerful. I have formed so many great friendships, not just connections or relationships, friendships in the hobby, from meeting other people who share in a similar mindset and just love cards and treat it as an escape. I think collecting with the support of others leads to better outcomes, not just in the cards we acquire, but enjoyment and meaning in our hobby. Cards are cool. They'll always be cool.

But a card that represents friendship or a shared story is priceless. Now let's talk about how to cultivate that kind of community and goodwill. And, again, it's not something that is manufacturer happens overnight. There's a ton of selfish behavior in the hobby these days. We all see it.

Greedy ass people. People who say something is for sale and you agree on a deal and then renege on that deal a couple days later. It happens. It sucks. People suck sometimes.

People chasing quick profits, flipping for a buck, hoarding info on a big fine that they can alone profit on, or generally operating with this me first attitude. And it's the unfortunate side of a booming market, but I truly believe that a give to get approach yields far better results in the long run. By giving, I mean helping others, sharing knowledge, and acting in the interest of the community, not only yourself. Don't be selfish. Don't be an ass.

The approach builds your rep reputation as a trustworthy and positive collector, and that reputation will pay you back over time. Consider the example of my friend Paul. He had every right to keep the Reggie Wayne card or sell it to the highest bidder, but he chose to give me the opportunity to own it even though he'd just gotten it. He did that because over time, we built trust, and he knew I'd do the same for him. In turn, I chose to give back a bit some extra money to thank him even though he didn't ask for it.

And each of us in that moment prioritized each other's happiness over squeezing out maximizing personal gain. And here's the kicker. We both ended better off. He felt good, and I achieved a collecting goal. That's the magic of give to get.

It turns transactions into win wins and strengthens the relationships in the future. There's research to back this philosophy. There's a book called Give and Take, and in that book, organizational psychologist Adam Grant describes three types of people, takers, matchers, and givers. Takers pursue their own interests at the expense of others, and matchers trade favors on one for one basis. Givers, however, help with no immediate strings attached.

Grant's research found that although takers can win in the short term, they often flame out. In the long run, being a giver is more sustainable route to success. Takers eventually suffer backlash. It's that karma thing, whereas givers build up goodwill that propels them ahead. If you think about our hobby, this rings true.

A flipper who burns bridges or a scammer who rips people off might make some quick cash, but that spreads fast. They lose respect. People stop dealing with them. On the flip side, the collector who always helps others, gives fair deals, and puts the community first will gain a great reputation, and that reputation becomes equal to collecting capital. People will be eager to deal with them and tip them off when better opportunities come into place.

Being a giver in the hobby doesn't mean you never benefit. Rather, you benefit because you create a circle of reciprocity, one of the most powerful psychological traits that we can have. And a healthy hobby, relationships are the ones where people give and receive freely with trust and no scorekeeping. You help others because you want to, and that trust that when you need help, someone will be there for you in return. It's not a direct quid pro quo.

It's a cultural mutual aid. I love how Grant describes healthy relationships. Both people give and receive with no string attached. They ask without shame, accept without obligation, and decline without guilt. That describes the hobby at its best.

We trade cards, we send care packages, we pass along leads, not because we expect immediate payback, but because that kind of that's the kind of community we wanna be in. Inevitably, it does come back around. Perhaps the person you helped last year who perhaps the person you helped last year is the one who DM'd you in with a great find this year. We can address the matcher mindset too, the idea of tit for tat. I'll do this if you do that.

It's better than outright being outright selfish, but it can make interactions feel transactional. If I only helped Paul on the condition he immediately helped me in equal measure, our friendship would feel like a ledger. Instead, it's far more gratifying that we help each other organically without keeping score. Over time, balances out in in wonderful ways. You might give someone a steal that day, and years later, that person might facilitate your biggest pickup ever.

The hobby karma is real. I've seen entire groups dedicated to these random acts of kindness where people just give cards to brighten someone's day. And those initiatives might not have an obvious return, but they make the community strong and stronger and more tight knit. And it is and that is the return. And as a bonus, generous acts often get remembered, people want to pay back with kindness whether to you or paying it to others.

On the other hand, there's tons of selfish collecting, ton ton of of terrible operating. People are out for themselves, and it sucks when you think you might trust someone, but then they do something that causes you to question everything. And that's the nature of it. People suck. People are bad.

And I wish you could say everyone's good, but there's a ton of bad actors out there, a ton of people that are terrible to do business with, a ton of people that make a deal with you and then go back on it because they had a change of heart or a change of thoughts. Your word is your bond. And when you break that, I've got no more time for you, and I hope others don't as well. Think primarily you wanna give more than you take. Be generous with your time, knowledge, and your cards when it makes sense.

If a card you picked up truly means the world to someone you know, consider letting them go. We've all been there. When you build that kind of trust, your collection benefits at the end. So we've talked a lot. I've shared a lot.

I'm excited about this as I'm digging in, but maybe some tactical tips for building and nurturing your network to close it out. That has worked for me. Thing number one with a bullet is show up in community spaces. Put yourself out there. Try to give.

And that can be something as simple as sharing information you have or experiences you have on platforms like Instagram. I view Instagram as my central hub. It is where my largest online audience exists, and what I try to do there is continually do whatever I can to share, give information, and provide value. Be authentic, engage genuinely. Like, people can sniff out the bullshit.

The more you're you and the more you act like you and not try to be someone else, the better off you'll be. Practice this give first principle. It'll be hard, especially if you're not used to it, but I promise you, don't have a limited mindset, come from a place of abundance, and always think about others before yourself. Be reliable and trustworthy. This is where communication is comes in huge.

I have no time for shitty communication. I am a communication, freak. I I try to be instant. I try to get back to people quickly because that is what I expect from other people. I've been told I'm hard to work with sometimes, and that is because my expectations for communication are high, higher than most people.

I want you engaged, and I wanna be able to be there for you when you need me. I'm all in. So you need to consistency, I think, is kind of the final bullet where it's be consistent. Don't be one thing one day and another thing the other day. People have bad days.

If you're having a bad day, don't air it out online. Show up consistently. Continue to add value, and that will certainly be a way to add value and and help others out in the community. The story of my Reggie Wayne 2013 gold prism out of 10 purchase is one that I can't stop thinking about. And like many of these stories in our hobby, it boils down to this.

Collecting is so much better when we do it together. The cards might be the original reason we got into it, but it's the relationships that keep us here. Community isn't something that can be manufactured overnight. It's earned through consistent, genuine interactions and trust built over time. And once you have it, it's the closest thing to a cheat code you can have in the hobby.

So my takeaway or my call to action would be just invest as much in people as you do in cards. The more we build and develop and nurture our network in the hobby, the more good things happen. Not just good cards, but good experiences, friendships. And if you're one of those good vibes people, maybe good vibes as well. In the Hobby Mart on quick flips and selfish, lonely, sad behavior, we can be the ones who prove that long term give to get approach wins because at the end of the day, the cards are the cards, and the friends and trusts are great ways that we can get those cards.

And it could just be one positive interaction that compounds over time, and that's how we build collections that we love. Thanks so much for supporting Stacking Slabs. I appreciate you being here, supporting what I'm doing. It means a lot. Talk to you soon.