Why Live Shopping and Collectibles are the #1 Opportunity in 2026

In this episode of the GaryVee Audio Experience, I sit down with Logan Paul at the National Sports Card Convention in Chicago, IL to talk about how the market has become dramatically more disciplined and why people need to grow up around accountability. I share why you should never spend money on things you can't afford to lose and why we need to stop yucking everybody else's yum. I also discuss the community power of live shopping, the discipline of answering your DMs, and what I'd tell a 12-year-old walking in with $100. You'll learn about: • Why The Market Is Smarter Now • Personal Responsibility Over Blame • Collect What You Love • Live Shopping As Community

• 0:00Speaker 00

  This is the Gary Vee Audio Experience.

• 0:04Speaker 01

  Guys, thank you so much for coming up here to do this in Nationals. First off, is this your first Nationals, do you think?

• 0:10Speaker 02

  This is my first Nationals.

• 0:12Speaker 01

  First Nationals, Gary?

• 0:15Speaker 01

  How many Nationals is this for you? Eight. Eight Nationals, okay. Are you a first timer? A vintage guy, or like that? Alright, so, this is a TCG conversation. So, if you're not into TCG, say you get into TCG. We're also gonna talk some non-sport in there as well, because inevitably, TCG and non-sport can't even hit very close, so, let, that... I'm gonna start with a question, I got this one. Make the word correct for me first. Um, so, when you first jumped heavily into Pokemon in 2020, you basically were very public about Gary Vee's influence into pushing that.

• 0:57Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 0:58Speaker 01

  What is it that, I mean, how much can you say followed from that original conversation?

• 1:04Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 1:07Speaker 02

  The amount of impact that that dude right there, that has had on my life, is like borderline inculcating. He has influenced me in so many positive ways, like fun fact about Gary and I, we go back, back to 13 years at this point, my first trip to New York, ever, was to go sign with Gary Vee and his media company, when I was just a pioneer. And he's always believed in me from day one, and he'll give me little hints and tidbits about his wisdom, and he's a true Jedi, a true Yoda at this stage, so, in this very speech, I listen to it.

• 1:48Speaker 02

  Gary called me up one day, and said, "Man, you really got us up looking into sports cars." Sports cars, they're like, they're like, they're gonna pop off, they're like, they're gonna run, they're all this, all this. All this to talk, and I was like, "Man, I just, I'm not, I'm not super into sports." I'm like, "I love Pokemon, I'm like, I have a Pokemon tattoo, like, I grew up watching Pokemon, like, playing Pokemon." He said, "Pokemon is huge too, look into Pokemon." And the impact is of just that sentence, that has changed the course of my life, so, I thank you more than anything.

• 2:21Speaker 01

  Thank you, Matt, because it is such an important part of my life.

• 2:26Speaker 00

  It's actually crazy watching Logan talk because over Logan's shoulder is Tyler Schmidt, who was my admin at the time and literally helped Logan make his first Pokemon buy.

• 2:40Speaker 01

  Yes.

• 2:40Speaker 00

  Yes.

• 2:44Speaker 01

  Alright, so then the question follows. Now that you are 50 or 6 years later, you have made quite a name yourself at this point. Here is, what would you say as far as the last thing you purchased or sold that you actually have sourced? Is that, are you more influenced by Eric now, or do you still look to him? Do you think there's any correlation now?

• 3:09Speaker 00

  Yeah, a minute. Yeah. It's been a while. I mean, bro, you sent me on a path that I cannot get off. Even when I try, Eric, I try to stop buying. I get obsessed with it. Right now, I think for both of us, we're so busy. And, you know, it just ebbs and flows when you have a real relationship. It's always there. There's also not been anything that is like so off the charts. To your point, first of all, he knows Pokemon and he did that day better overall than I knew anyway, and that's been his main focus. Probably the last significant collectible convo we had was more about the platform he's building. It was more business stuff.

• 3:52Speaker 01

  Yeah.

• 3:53Speaker 00

  You know, so it hasn't been, you know, specific to like, hey, this thing's going on or this collectible. It's been more macro business genre than anything specific.

• 4:05Speaker 01

  So, being that you bought a 5 million dollar Pokemon card, sold it for 16 million dollars just recently, it's obvious that you are deep into TCG community. Eric, you have been doing V Friends for a number of years now. Started as a TCG, but now it's focused maybe more on the collectible cards. Do you find that TCG is still something that you're focused on, passionate about? Or are you maybe turned more to the non-sport? Because I know we've talked about that.

• 4:36Speaker 00

  I don't think I can build V Friends if I don't win in animation and film and in TCG. So, for me... I know that everyone, rightfully for them, is judging things in the short term. For me to build what I need to build, I need to think about it long term. So, for me, I'm putting down different pieces of the puzzle. I would argue the most important thing I'm doing with V Friends right now is the comic books. Because, yes, people will believe in me and think I'm a good entrepreneur, or a good guy, and want to support me. But V Friends cannot be what I want it to be.

• 5:18Speaker 00

  A Marvel, a Disney, a Pokemon, unless the world falls in love with the characters, not want to support me. So, over the last 2-3 years, because of the TOPPS deal that I was able to put together, I needed the broad distribution of the TOPPS Chrome deal, and that's why you see me in non-sports, and we're focused on comic books. The TCG that we put out in 2022 was very basic, a very simple game. When we re-enter the TCG place, we want to re-enter it from a much more complex, very challenging game standpoint, with the hope that it has some collectability.

• 5:59Speaker 00

  I want to win over the TCG community that is more Magic the Gathering hardcore players, because that's another group of people. There's the collectors and flippers here, there's the gamers, there's the comic book. And then ultimately, I need to produce feature films and animations that play on Netflix and theaters for me to accomplish my mission. That's what I'm doing.

• 6:23Speaker 02

  Can I just ask a quick question on the next TCG? How much of it is on the deck for collectors and taking into the rarity and scarcity account? Versus maybe a player's part of the game?

• 6:38Speaker 00

  When we do our next TCG, and we almost did it a year ago, and then I stopped it, because I feel like I'm getting stronger and better in understanding what we want to accomplish, I would say it's 80% for the game, and that true hardcore nerd gaming, play for 20 years community when we come out. But of course, I'm a collector, and I think about what happens here a lot, and so we'll do the proper... Factors que permitem que as pessoas tenham algum excitement sobre a coletividade, mas eu diria que é 80/20. Enquanto que os cartões não esportivos agora são a coletividade e o storytelling da carteira.

• 7:17Speaker 01

  Para esse ponto, e esse é um questionário muito interessante para vocês dois. Quão você acha que o background dos livros de quadrinhos originais ou os filmes, os programas, qualquer que seja o propósito original do IP que desempenha parte no TCG? Porque obviamente o Pokémon começou realmente como um jogo antes de realmente ser coletivo, certo? Quando ele tem mais quadrinhos que tem agora, ele começou em filmes e programas e TV. E obviamente mais TV, o TCG, ele começou como TCG e agora é mais coletivo.

• 7:49Speaker 00

  Ele começou como NFT, um coletivo digital. E então a segunda série foi interessante, eu fui digital. Você tem o NFT com uma caixa de cartas TCG.

• 7:59Speaker 01

  Então, com isso sendo dito, o início, a origem do TCG?

• 8:04Speaker 00

  Merece. Eu diria, me desculpe Logan, para esse mundo é tudo. Vou apenas break this down, porque vocês podem achar interessante. Onde começa um IP realmente importa em sua coletividade. Harry Potter, eu sou muito brusco com os cartões de trading de Harry Potter, mas o livro de primeira edição original, porque ele começou como um livro, realmente importa, certo? Star Wars tem feito muito bem em cartas de trading, mas as figuras de ação, porque elas são predate em muitas formas e são mais conhecidas, você sabe, Pokémon, você sabe, você olha para essas marcas, você olha para a história. Quando você está coletando, você sempre quer olhar no dia um.

• 8:43Speaker 00

  Eu acredito que a longo prazo, o coletivo digital para Be Friends em 30 anos será o último, porque ele começou lá, mesmo que nós teremos livros de quadrinhos e cartas de trading muito coletivos.

• 8:55Speaker 01

  What about you, Eric? So this Pokemon Origins, I know we all love about the 4th Core comics. You are here for multiple reasons. One of the things that you did was try to heal the perfect P C G. From 4th Core, and that's a really big deal. Being the natural origin of PCG itself. So we must care.

• 9:16Speaker 02

  Yeah, I tell them, I say, I think Origins is a soul. And more L G D, what contributes to making that IP? And how did they get there? And then, our various parts of that IP successfully. When someone has a game, it did way over, you know, creatures out of the blue. And it's like, this should be a P C G. But the P C G's are well, and the movie is well there. They may, time after time after time again. But it all matters because the value of your IP. If one of them is only a copy of that, it's a lie. And it is significant in that space. I think what happened to be like a perfect game or a perfect IP. So years, yeah, it all matters. Because all things are worth potentially.

• 10:01Speaker 02

  And I think how they were, uh, something potentially, that's how they feel. It's really, I mean.

• 10:06Speaker 01

  Absolutely, well. So, I've been watching a few of your weekly vlogs. I appreciate you being so very clear about what you're collecting. I've seen a lot of Pokemon that's recently. And I know Gary, you obviously think they're into esports, but. Outside of those two, P C G, watching those. What are your favorites, P C G or not, that are focused on by you?

• 10:28Speaker 02

  I'm really into, uh, game work, game using the video. I think it's, I think it's coming out of the valley.

• 10:34Speaker 01

  You guys have a story about it.

• 10:36Speaker 02

  So, I'm a casual fan. Um, you know, maybe like twice a month, I'm watching most sports. When I have some time, I watch most sports. And I get into it more. Because, uh, I mean, I know it's insane. Also, I play sports. I don't really, I might watch a football game. But I'm, I'm a good fan. Game work's one of the best in last games. Uh, Kobe, LeBron, Jimmy, Curry, Jimmies. I have, uh, Wayne Gretzky's on a championship game, hockey stick. Uh, which I also, uh, yeah, I think, I think game work is some, uh...

• 11:11Speaker 01

  Okay, Gary?

• 11:15Speaker 00

  It's so fun to be with such a cool wrestler onstage. I've been doubling down and I've been collecting for over a decade vintage wrestling cards. So, Handcut Andre the Giant Rookie, the 82 Series, which has Hogan and Flair and Iron Sheik's Rookie. So, vintage wrestling, and then we talked about this. The number one thing I did when I got here was looked for 1935 Mickey Mouse Gum Ink Rookie Card and 1940 Superman Gum Ink. I think vintage fictional.

• 11:47Speaker 02

  Yes.

• 11:48Speaker 00

  I will be on this hill for a while. 1966 Don Russ is the 86-87 Flair Basketball, it's fictional. It's got Spider-Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk.

• 12:00Speaker 02

  I actually thought one of those was 1950. Probably the last one.

• 12:05Speaker 00

  Nice. I'm crazy on all that, and even some of the modern stuff. Shrek, Buzz Lightyear, I just think Transformers, my best friend Brandon out there, I gotta get him an Optimus Prime Rookie Card. I think 60s, 70s, 80s fictional, even 30s, 40s, Felix the Cat, Papa Smurf, Kermit the Frog. I don't think this world realizes that the Comic-Con community is starting to bleed into cards. I think it is on people's radar here that Marvel and Disney and Star Wars modern cards are doing well because of Topps Chrome and Sapphire.

• 12:48Speaker 00

  I think there's a lot of misunderstanding of supply and demand of the original Rookie Cards of these characters, so you know I'm very bullish on that. Hey everybody, I hope you're enjoying the podcast right now. Make sure you follow the podcast, that's why I'm interrupting. Let's keep going on this show, but follow the podcast. It'll make my mom super happy.

• 15:32Speaker 00

  Less than five years ago, the best thing going on here by far is that people have become dramatically more disciplined. And when a human being that has any amount of followers, whether it's a lot like him or somebody with a thousand over here, people are making many more decisions for themselves, people are taking far less high risk, people are being much more disciplined. There's a reason you're seeing Jordan and Kobe and LeBron and Mantle do so well. People are looking to be more investor versus hopper. I mean, I could speak for myself, it's been about five years since I've even posted a specific card.

• 16:15Speaker 00

  Because I have no interest in people making up stories of what I'm doing or not doing. So now I talk more in generalizations, like I just did fictional characters instead of, you know. But even if I tomorrow started posting again about a specific card I like, I know for fact, because I watch everything, the market would move less than it did pre-COVID in 18 and 19. Because the market has got dramatically smarter, more disciplined. And I think that's very healthy for the hobby and I'm proud of the collective.

• 16:51Speaker 02

  Yeah, you're right. The collective is not smart, which is great. I take the exact opposite approach. I am so specific about what I'm buying because for me, I don't feel, I'm aware that um, what I show up, what I do, what I say in my stories, I tell them that I've got a few cards and then absolutely followers. But for me, I feel like what I'm ultimately trying to do is tell a story about the thing that I find fascinating. And it doesn't come with like... What, oh, sit down, what can we talk about then? No, I get obsessed, like, because literally sickening obsessed with these requests that I go on.

• 17:34Speaker 02

  And I do that because a story captivates me, I don't consider myself a storyteller. So, by telling those stories, all I'm really doing is maybe like taking a big spotlight and shining on like a top part of the other world. Um, and so, while I'm aware that next to me is a big actor, I don't view it as a responsibility in the sense of like, man, turn that into a story. Because people like, it's like, no, man, this is a story that deserves to be told.

• 18:01Speaker 00

  I mean, it's also like, at some level, I have a lot of empathy for that, like, we've gotta get into a place in society around accountability. Like, I see unlimited things in my social media feed telling me to do many different things, but I'm a big enough boy to make my own decisions, right? For example, my wife would kill you guys for drinking this water out of a plastic bottle, and then she would say that is a disaster. Are you responsible for sipping out of this water, influencing them? And so, I know I'm being a little facetious, but what I would say is, a million people are saying a million things all the time. I think one of the worst things that's happening in society

• 18:44Speaker 00

  is that a lot of people are making their judgment based on another person. I think it's worse than politics, and I think it's really time that everyone mans and woman's up a little bit and own their own actions. If you decide to buy something because you think Logan is promoting it, and you catch the wrong side of the cycle, where does his or your responsibility stop and start? And I think that we need to grow up a little bit in society and realize, you're a big boy, and you can decide if you want to do something or not, and you're thrilled when you catch the right cycle of it, and you make a buck. But then you're wah-wah when you don't, and I think that hypocrisy... is complicated.

• 19:28Speaker 01

  Yeah, I mean, no one's complaining. I mean, you took the advice, went out and bought it, it skyrocketed, you made money. No one's said about that. They're only upset because...

• 19:38Speaker 00

  I mean, does anyone here think it's gonna be this frothy and ridiculous forever? Is there anyone here confused that this market is red, white, hot? And it's inconceivable in any logical way, given the history of humanity, of how markets work, that this will continue the way it's been going for the last 24 months? You know, and so if you're like, there's no one who's logical that believes it can last forever. And if you're deciding not to sell something right now for 12,000 or 1,200 that you bought for 600 or 6,000? And so where does personal responsibility come in?

• 20:23Speaker 00

  When I just said that and I watched everyone's body language, no one here is confused that this is so white-hot, it's inconceivable, it can go, and by the way, it might triple from here. No one knows markets, no one. And, and so I think accountability, like the accountable aunt in V Friends, is something that we should get a little bit more into.

• 20:50Speaker 01

  That was all beautiful.

• 20:52Speaker 00

  Thank you.

• 20:53Speaker 01

  Literally, you know, you know, you know, you know I'm decent at this.

• 21:07Speaker 00

  What I would say is there's seven to 10 different things going on. You know, repacking has a whole lot to do with what's going on. How does that play out, right? Supply and demand. The demand, I mean, I was at this show nine years ago. There wasn't this many people on Saturday, let alone on Wednesday, right? Like, how much more are we coming in? I think what has happened is that collectibles have become a lifestyle genre. Like sports, like fashion, and I think like music. And I think that in a 20-year window makes everything out here very good. But in a 20-month window, a 20-week window, like, and then by the way,

• 21:51Speaker 00

  there's people speculating, there's levels to this. One of the reasons I like fictional is Superman and Spider-Man and the Hulk are locked in. You know who's not locked in? Jackson Dart. You know who's not locked in? Zion Williamson. You know who's not locked in? You know Caleb Wilson, like, people are speculating on the prayer that people become Hall of Famers. Like, there's a lot of high-risk, high-reward, likely downside going on out here. So in the macro, it's gonna work out. What I would say to everybody for sure is do not spend money on collectibles that you cannot afford to lose.

• 22:31Speaker 01

  I think that, I mean, that is sound advice for everybody in here. And it's honestly, there are people here who are kids carrying around tens and not hundreds of thousands of dollars. But there's also kids in here who've spent $5 and that's all they have on a Pokemon card. And that's okay too.

• 22:49Speaker 00

  Not only that, is that okay? That is preferred. This all dies if people don't actually collect. If this is just financial arbitrage flipping, this will crash super hard. The greatest thing that's going on here is that that gentleman might collect Patrick Mahomes because he's wearing a Chiefs hat. Like, that I'm out here buying Al Toon rookie cards, who's my favorite wide receiver from the Jets in the 80s. I promise you, they're not going up. Right? We need collectors, we need, we need entertainers. You know, we got one here, we got one in the crowd, last row. Stand up, Nicky Rips. You're my favorite breaker, shut up! You know, you need, you need people that entertain people.

• 23:32Speaker 00

  You need people that collect things that they're passionate about. You need people that are investors, that are savvy and are making moves. This is an ecosystem. What I will tell you this universe does very poorly is that everyone shits on everyone if they don't do it their way. Collectors shit on flippers. Flippers shit on investors. We need to stop yucking everybody else's yum. If you want to collect non-sports and somebody else collects hockey and people collect vintage, like, this needs to be "and" culture, not "or" culture. Every single person here, whatever they're doing is right for them. And we should be happy about that because it's very positive. And this is a very positive place to be, but

• 24:15Speaker 00

  there are too many people risking financial risks that they can't afford to. And this is collectibles, and it is a volatile industry. And you need to be thoughtful, especially if you're speculating on rookies that have never accomplished anything in their professional career.

• 24:31Speaker 01

  I've gotten one on here at the sports page, but some would say this could be a sports convention, but it is, I'm very passionate about the non-sport world as well.

• 24:40Speaker 00

  You don't say.

• 24:40Speaker 01

  I mean, obviously, there's a little bit of a...

• 24:43Speaker 00

  I mean, Jesus, come on.

• 24:45Speaker 01

  This is what I just wear on Thursdays. It's my Thursday outfit. You speak with such passion, and it shows. It shows that your collection is based on how much you care about it. I was watching you do this story on YouTube. That's what you're here to say, Al, right?

• 24:58Speaker 00

  Why? A trillion people have.

• 25:00Speaker 01

  And I was watching you pick back your way to four or five comments. And you literally showed your boots, Max, when you pulled it out. And I was like, "You can't think that." That's really exciting. That's real...

• 25:13Speaker 00

  He's good, but not that good.

• 25:15Speaker 01

  Yeah, right. But I mean, that is something that a lot of people out there should also appreciate. Just because there's a camera on you, there's a microphone in front of you, doesn't mean that you're not a real, actual collector. And if you're a real, actual collector, it's hard to not talk about it, you know? You know, people probably love you. People probably love you. Says, "I've actually worn, like, basically been simulated as I can stand next to a hair." And I think it's not that it's getting very elusive or whatever. There's like, "Hey, keep that sort of love."

• 25:47Speaker 02

  And you do things the way someone else is doing in a hobby that they love dearly. I have to say, people don't protect them with it. I think it's kind of actually part of the truth, what the most beautiful part about all of collecting is in this. Like, everyone is here because they love the same thing, love something about collecting. And to shit on how someone does it, I don't love. Um, granted, I also believe everyone's entitled to their own opinion. And I, I think it's weird that, you know, I mean, especially when it's like, how do I, what, do I, like, have to prove that I love, fuck, wanna have a little bit of, to, say, almost read that game, am I like, that's fucking weird?

• 26:30Speaker 02

  Like, I pay thousands and thousands of dollars for the game itself, but like, you know, I'm gonna say it a hundred times, like, a hundred videos, and several millions of dollars, and hundreds of dollars, and all this stuff, and it's still working out for people. And maybe I have a restaurant, you know, everyone's entitled to their own opinion, I love what I'm doing, and when I do come to shows, this is, this is interesting. When I come to conventions, when I go to shows, I don't see any of the people in my life. Yeah, right? And I see some all your people in your life.

• 26:59Speaker 00

  Oh, you do see them?

• 27:01Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 27:01Speaker 00

  They're just not willing to say things in person that they're willing to say, cuz we are collectively incredible keyboard warriors, cuz it's very safe. And this is why I like the eighties, cuz when you talk shit in the eighties, you got punched in the fucking mouth.

• 27:16Speaker 02

  Yeah, yeah. I'll come through and be punching you in the face.

• 27:20Speaker 00

  Yeah.

• 27:21Speaker 02

  Okay, baby. Thank you for the punch. Uh, alright, so I, I really would like to know from a personal collective point of view, what is your favorite collectible regardless of like, like the, do you currently have it where you want it?

• 27:40Speaker 00

  I would say my favorite collectible is a 1968-1969 New York Jets signed football by the entire team from the Super Bowl III win. I bought it back in 1993 when I didn't have a debit card, we didn't have the technology we have today, so I always carried money in my pocket just in case I needed to do a business deal. And I went to the mall to go buy some stuff and I saw the football and it was a thousand bucks, which was an enormous amount of money for me at the time. And I splurged on it and it means a lot to me because of my insane fandom of the Jets, but also because of the time in my life where I was working

• 28:24Speaker 00

  so hard and was coming from so little. And so I would say that.

• 28:28Speaker 02

  Okay.

• 28:32Speaker 00

  Thank you, brother.

• 28:33Speaker 02

  Um, yeah, I need some more of this. So, I think it would have to be, like, GS10, first season Charles, all right, that I got. Oh, that, that's true. And that's, and that, and that card, like, King Gary, like, Austin, like, I wore that before I made one play, like, I just love that, that card. It's, it's one of the first, like, five occasions when I was seeing, like, that's the card.

• 29:00Speaker 00

  Yes, that's the card. I agree.

• 29:01Speaker 02

  Yeah, that's, that's the card, yeah. I love that card.

• 29:03Speaker 01

  Hey, hey, hey, curious, A-1, card, is that your favorite? We have a pair of them.

• 29:08Speaker 02

  Um, yeah, it, uh, it turns the game to the game of scenes.

• 29:13Speaker 01

  Oh, really?

• 29:14Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 29:16Speaker 00

  I've changed my mind. My favorite collectible is I own a 2026 V Friends Tops Chrome Content Condor Jake Paul Autograph Card.

• 29:33Speaker 01

  Alright, so knowing that you guys obviously are deeply passionate about it, you started a business and you've got deep friends going that is insanely like, oh, there's a lot of people downstairs that are actively waiting for you to get back. We've seen the success of deep friends. And now you've got a business, you've got a brick that is in there doing, well, actually, what is the service you're trying to provide? What is the need that you're trying to fill?

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• 31:00Speaker 02

  So, I'm going to ask this question, and that's because I'm here to carry, because I have paid people with a really good platform last time, and I've seen this launch, and I'm actually using it, and people are using it, really liking the platform. And it's service that I really think provides, is the bottom line. Peer collective. The smartest peer collective, smartest in terms of how you're spending your money, is buy what you want and sell what you want out of it. Here, you're probably on lock, change into a five, a zero, you don't know. Prior to the business of digital re-banks, I think maybe arguably the next best way would be to go into a hobby shop,

• 31:45Speaker 02

  break open a box or a pack, cross your fingers, pump you can deposit what you want, then cross your fingers and hoping to get the bread you want, you try to show the family your hand. That's not the easiest thing to do. Um, the expected value of most physical wax and packs is often five to twenty-five percent of what you're spending. That's about it. And then we have even-

• 32:13Speaker 00

  Yeah, but the entertainment of praying for the miracle, right?

• 32:18Speaker 02

  And by the way, it's awesome.

• 32:20Speaker 00

  Yeah, of course, of course.

• 32:22Speaker 02

  But like, it's, it's a, you don't, don't-

• 32:27Speaker 00

  It is not ROI positive most of the time.

• 32:29Speaker 02

  It's not ROI positive. It's, it's just like, back in, you know, the days of five hundred bucks. Um, and so, that, the money's out of, it's in the top, and then there's hoping you get the card and hoping you get the bread. There's a re-bank, so it's, it's a nice and entertaining one, where the EP is often, most of the time, especially with it, is often higher than that of, of sealed wax, and you have this opportunity to get a card that is multiple of the pack that you pray, or aim for, and it's already great. Which, which, which, I mean, if, if, if, proof spending money, this is not financial advice, as I said earlier,

• 33:11Speaker 02

  everyone has to be kind of, of, of, obviously, like, you're not a guy who's like that. It's an entertainment, and I believe, truly in my heart, but, believe it's a, it is a, it is a better way to collect the value of gold, instead of opening up physical boxes, as fun as it is. But I believe we do that, since.

• 33:30Speaker 00

  My, my favorite part about that- And just live shopping and what we're seeing with breaking is it's a new form of shopping. It's just a new form of shopping. It's entertainment, it's commerce tainment. You know, like, and it's community. Mike, you know, I'm a social media guy from the beginning. Watching people become friends with each other during a break and then like the amount of people at Be Friends booth who met on whatnot or TikTok, who are meeting each other right now in front of our booth and you know, it's really fun. It's like, "Oh, you're eighty, your pants forty-nine? I'm sparrow throws up."

• 34:11Speaker 00

  You know, and they're like hugging it out, watching people be entertained while they shop, build community while they shop, and then whether it's repack or slab selling or personal break boxes, there's so many ways to do it. And I think what you're trying to do, based on what you told me months ago and what others is, everyone keeps elevating the game. How do you make it better for the consumer, right? How do you store it? This is where the blockchain might come in. There's a lot of cool stuff, but I think the most interesting stuff is, I don't, I'm, I have a funny feeling this is gonna hit for a lot of you. Let this be very clear. This is literally one of my favorite weeks of the year and I'm probably scared to say where it ranks, because it ranks uncomfortably high.

• 34:55Speaker 00

  And most of it is because I get to see a lot of people I like for a second and you hang out and you bullshit about something silly and fun and interesting versus the heaviness that so many of us deal with every day. The fact that that's being replicated digitally in evenings where you get to escape and we watch movies and TV shows and read books for escapism. The fact that we're finding community with each other in these chat rooms while entertainers are entertaining us while we shop is a very interesting mutation of community and shopping that I think is really cool that we're living in. And there's bad parts, I mean, there's some people spending way too much money on these platforms

• 35:39Speaker 00

  and that's still back to discipline and accountability, but the framework and the evolution of platforms making it better and making it easier, I think is a very nice net positive and I enjoy it. I mean, it's one of... Sometimes at midnight, if I'm like just thinking about something like, and opening up an app and watching live shopping, it's just very, it's not this, cuz I don't, I think nothing replaces this, but it's darn close. And those chatrooms are much more positive than people realize. If not everyone in that chatroom is only about the money. When the chatroom's only about the money and it's a high-end product, it gets nasty in there.

• 36:22Speaker 00

  But when it's a mix, and if it's right, it can be incredible.

• 36:26Speaker 02

  So, that's actually another thing that we're trying to really work on. Because when we enter this space, it did feel like a lot of these platforms are simply sensational. We have this ability to have a personal break-in arm and have focus on the views, um, whatnot, can have a slide. Really, we may not actively be shopping, so we have the business side, we have the business side, but both of them we cross off. And with focus community, it could prove, like, we're a brand and, uh, collect people. But I think, I think probably that one could light up a lot. Should most of the purpose, um, focus on what we can do because of how much, or how much, how much should, really, can I be looking at how much?

• 37:09Speaker 01

  Uh, well, as someone who does, I'm playing with their hobby nonsense on that side. I do it sometimes at the costume, I'll do it with, uh, crazy weird, silly games. I'll do all kinds of things, but it's highly entertaining, a community of like-minded people. And it means so much. How much does community mean to YouTube as people who are in a collectible difference?

• 37:34Speaker 00

  Neither one of us exist.

• 37:36Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 37:38Speaker 00

  The whole thing.

• 37:39Speaker 02

  We're talking like six. I'm, I am sending out posts for you, for you, for the group. It's me. Not only am I doing that, I am responding to everybody who responds to my email. And, and, and, uh, I think that is, that is actually something I have a lot of time on. If we have a business here, it brings like, I, I, I have that.

• 38:02Speaker 00

  You also learn. You learn.

• 38:05Speaker 01

  Yes.

• 38:06Speaker 00

  One of the biggest things that I'm always blown away by when people are not actually answering their DMs or emails is they don't realize how much consumer insights and the pulse of the end consumer they're missing out on. The discipline is worth it just for the information, not even the karma.

• 38:23Speaker 01

  Yes. No, no, I learned that. I sent my emails, I said, "Give me your feedback. This is your open one. What, how do you feel about this? If you need anything, let me know. And need something, I'll just do my best to get some information, we actually care, because we do."

• 38:42Speaker 00

  Can I ask you a question?

• 38:44Speaker 01

  Sure, sure.

• 38:45Speaker 00

  Can I go back to my booth?

• 38:48Speaker 01

  Right now?

• 38:49Speaker 00

  Yeah, like, I thought this was gonna be like 15 minutes. Like, I really gotta go to my fucking booth. Like, I love this, and this is lovely, but like, what the fuck are we doing here?

• 38:58Speaker 01

  Alright, alright, alright. What are you listening? Don't leave, Gary. Alright, uh, but what are you doing? I just have one final question there. Alright, so, let's move budget altogether. You guys obviously have a bigger budget than some, however...

• 39:13Speaker 00

  Than most.

• 39:13Speaker 01

  Well, than most, okay, fair enough.

• 39:16Speaker 00

  No, I'm saying like, like...

• 39:18Speaker 01

  Let's say a 12-year-old walking through the show, they got a hundred dollars to spend.

• 39:23Speaker 00

  Oh, I know. I'll tell you right now. I'm sorry.

• 39:26Speaker 01

  Not to lie.

• 39:28Speaker 00

  In fact, one of the worst, one of the true worst things of getting to a successful place when you love the dirt is you can't fake the truth. Meaning, it is scary. Yesterday, I'm walking to the booth, and I see this massive, massive setup downstairs of all one-dollar boxes. Like, everything is one dollar, right? And all my brain was saying is, "Fuck. If I could just sit here for six hours and find all the three and seven-dollar cards, it's like Nirvana." Like, it is so cool. Obviously, the headlines he makes and everybody with the content creators, these expensive cards. No confusion, especially for the kids out there.

• 40:14Speaker 00

  Learning how to go through the dollar boxes, using your education and your intuition. Having the discipline to buy a hundred of them for a hundred dollars. Then walk around and meet grownups and try to sell a dollar card for five bucks or three for seven. I am the byproduct. I now have what I have. Because in the 90s, I did only have a hundred bucks and I did buy cards for a dollar or two. And I did learn how to flip a two dollar card for a four dollar card. And all those skills, the thing I would do with a hundred bucks is buy 100 separate cards. Or maybe 50 to 100 in the one and two dollar boxes.

• 40:53Speaker 00

  And then learn to go around and learn how to sell and meet people and people's skills and make a deal. It is so cool. I pushed a lot of kids to do it. The joy you see from someone when they bought something for a dollar and made seven dollars on it. Teaching someone how to fish is such a big deal. It's the number one thing I wish more people would do here.

• 41:19Speaker 02

  Do you want them to buy anything that is valuable or do you want them to buy what they actually like?

• 41:24Speaker 00

  I want them to buy anything that is valuable if they want to learn people and business skills. I want them to buy something that is meaningful to them if they're here to just be a collector and go home and put it in their room.

• 41:37Speaker 02

  Yeah, that's how I would say it. The fact that some kids are actually not muscle and they're like, basically adults and younger adults. Transplanting their business negotiation skills is like, dude, incredible. I asked a different man, I was like, hey man, like, how much do I have that card for? It's like 30, 200 dollars. How do you have 30, 200 dollars for a card? Body and selling dollars. You know, that one's 25, it's like, wow, that's more than I can...

• 42:05Speaker 00

  When we flew Logan out to VaynerMedia to do his first grandiose. He got $5,000 from Sour Patch Kids.

• 42:13Speaker 02

  I'm stunned.

• 42:14Speaker 00

  I was stunned we got that much.

• 42:19Speaker 00

  He was a Sour Patch Kid for like four hours in New York City for $5,000. And now, these like, like, kids are like snickering at this stuff. The level of economic, and that is, that is a concern of mine. I think the desensitization to how much money. When you have a 13-year-old walking around and he's like, "I'll only take 40K for this card." You know, it's like, fuck. And, and I worry about that. And I worry about the relationship with money and things of that nature. And so, but the problem is, and this is just a very strong PSA. Parents, Logan is not your child's father. Like, parents, I think, I think, you know.

• 43:01Speaker 00

  So, I, I just think that like, the numbers that are being thrown down with these kids. I, I just highly recommend, I, I see the pride in a lot of parents' faces, and they should be proud. But be proud about the process of the learnings, not the sticker amount. Because some of these kids are getting very desensitized. And when, not if, and when this market slows down. You want to make sure that child is emotionally strong enough to deal with the downside. Because it's super easy to deal with the success. And you want to make sure you prepare your kid for, "Why didn't I sell that card at National 2026?

• 43:43Speaker 00

  Because in 2027, it's half the price."

• 43:47Speaker 01

  Yes, I can't think of a less good time, especially the additional time that you were actually spending here. Uh, Gary, me, Logan, Paul, thank you so much for being with me today.

• 44:01Speaker 01

  Uh, can I do a selfie real quick?

• 44:03Speaker 00

  Sure, buddy.

• 44:03Speaker 01

  Yeah?

• 44:04Speaker 00

  Yeah, of course.

• 44:07Speaker 00

  Hey, everybody, if you enjoyed this podcast, please go back and look at the prior episodes. They're loaded. I appreciate your attention, and, uh, thanks for being part of it.

• 44:16Speaker 05

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• 44:46Speaker 00

  This journey. See you later.