In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Jared Allen, a cornerstone of the Collectors MD community and recent July 2026 Collector Spotlight, for a personal conversation about collecting, identity, recovery, and learning to collect with intention.

Since joining Collectors MD in February, Jared has become one of our most consistent members, regularly attending Collectors MD and Unboxed meetings, writing Daily Reflections, welcoming new members, and supporting others navigating complicated relationships with collecting.

Jared shares how collecting evolved from a genuine way to explore his interests and connect with others into a cycle where the research, hunt, and purchase could become more exciting than owning the object itself. Alyx and Jared explore how collecting can become intertwined with identity, emotion, control, and escape, and what happens when it begins taking up too much space in our lives.

Jared also opens up about his recovery and his decision to abstain from collecting cards until the NBA season begins, when he may return to intentional Orlando Magic pickups. In the meantime, he has found another outlet through building and painting Warhammer figurines. Together, they explore why intentional collecting can sometimes mean knowing when to step away.

The conversation also explores Jared’s comparison between meaningful collectibles and the totems from Inception. Collectibles can connect us to identity, relationships, memories, and purpose, but having too many can make it harder to remember what truly matters.

Alyx and Jared revisit themes from Jared’s Daily Reflections, Collecting Cards, Collecting Moments and What’s In The Box?, including forgiveness, accountability, appreciating ordinary moments, and letting go. They also discuss how Jared has shifted toward collections rooted in genuine connection, including Star Trek with his family, NASCAR with his wife’s family, and the Orlando Magic.

Finally, Jared reflects on what the Collectors MD community has meant to his recovery and his progression from seeking support to becoming someone others can turn to for encouragement, accountability, and perspective. They close with one of the central ideas behind Jared’s writing: life isn’t made up entirely of rare hits. Often, it’s the ordinary moments that fill out the set.

Whether you’re working to collect more intentionally, navigating recovery, or trying to better understand the relationship between collecting and identity, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around recovery, identity, community, and intentional collecting.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: collectorsmd.com/peer-support-meetings

Contact: info@collectorsmd.com

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Support The CMD Foundation: lohas.org/client/the-cmd-foundation

Learn More About Jared:

July 2026 Collector Spotlight

Daily Reflection: What’s In The Box?

Daily Reflection: Collecting Cards, Collecting Moments

Get Help Now: collectorsmd.com/helpnow

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #TheCMDFoundation | #RipResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Nick Jarman, Founder & CEO of The Certified Trading Card Association (CTCA) and Founder of The Global Trading Card Registry (GTCR), to discuss what it will take to build a healthier, more transparent, and more sustainable future for collecting.

Nick brings more than 25 years of leadership experience to The CTCA—a nonprofit trade association exclusively focused on the trading card industry—uniting manufacturers, hobby shops, breakers, grading companies, platforms, and collectors around shared standards, education, trust, and accountability.

Alyx is also proud to serve on The CTCA Advisory Board and has witnessed firsthand the collaboration taking place among industry leaders working together to help shape the hobby's future.

The conversation explores Nick's journey, the inspiration behind The CTCA, and why the modern hobby needs stronger collaboration, greater transparency, and proactive leadership as collecting continues to evolve.

Fresh off Fanatics Fest, Alyx and Nick reflect on the takeaways from connecting with collectors, businesses, manufacturers, platforms, and industry leaders while promoting The Healthy Hobby Initiative and #RipResponsibly.

They also explore The Healthy Hobby Initiative, a strategic partnership between Collectors MD and The CTCA designed to promote healthier collecting habits, consumer awareness, transparency, trust, and long-term sustainability. Collectors MD focuses on education, support, awareness, and advocacy for collectors and families, while The CTCA works with industry stakeholders to strengthen standards and confidence across the hobby.

Nick also shares the vision behind the Global Trading Card Registry (GTCR), an initiative focused on bringing greater organization, connectivity, and innovation to collecting.

Finally, they discuss why collaboration—not competition—will help shape the hobby's future, and why responsible collecting doesn't diminish its excitement—it helps protect it for generations to come.

Whether you're a collector, hobby business, breaker, content creator, parent, investor, or simply passionate about the future of trading cards, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around transparency, education, responsibility, and building a healthier hobby.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: collectorsmd.com/peer-support-meetings

Contact: info@collectorsmd.com

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Support The CMD Foundation: lohas.org/client/the-cmd-foundation

Learn More About The Healthy Hobby Initiative:

Website: thehealthyhobby.com

Follow Nick:

IG: @nickjarman

LI: Nick Jarman

Learn More About The CTCA:

Website: thectca.org

YT: ‪@thectca1‬

IG: @thectca

FB: The CTCA

X: @thectca

LI: The CTCA

Learn More About The GTCR:

Website: thegtcr.com

IG: @thegtcr

X: @thegtcr

Get Help Now: collectorsmd.com/helpnow

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #TheCMDFoundation | #CTCA | #GTCR | #HealthyHobby | #RipResponsibly

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Ryan and Desiree Knowles, better known as Like Father Like Son, one of the hobby's fastest-growing family brands. As a husband-and-wife team, parents, content creators, breakers, and passionate advocates for responsible engagement, Ryan and Desiree have built a thriving community centered around family, positivity, and teaching the next generation what collecting is truly about.

Alyx, Ryan, and Desiree explore what it means to raise children in today's rapidly evolving hobby and why parents play such an important role in shaping healthy collecting habits from an early age.

The conversation begins with Ryan's journey into the hobby and how collecting became something his entire family enjoys together. They discuss the life lessons collecting can teach—from communication and negotiation to patience, entrepreneurship, and financial responsibility—and why those lessons extend far beyond sports cards.

Desiree also shares her unique perspective on entering the hobby from the outside. Unlike Ryan, she didn't grow up collecting and wasn't a sports fan. She simply wanted to spend more quality time with her family by participating in something they genuinely loved. What began as a way to connect with her family gradually became a passion of her own, offering a powerful reminder that collecting isn't just about the cards—it's about creating shared experiences, strengthening relationships, and finding meaningful ways to connect with the people who matter most.

They also dive into the realities parents should understand as more children enter today's hobby. From live breaking and social media to influencer culture and highly stimulating hobby environments, Ryan and Desiree share their perspective on protecting young collectors while preserving everything that makes the hobby so special.

Fresh off Fanatics Fest and the West Coast Card Show, Alyx, Ryan, and Desiree reflect on the tremendous growth of the hobby, the incredible number of young collectors entering the space, and the opportunities—and responsibilities—that come with collecting becoming more mainstream than ever before.

Finally, they discuss #RipResponsibly, the importance of promoting healthier collecting habits, and why creating awareness isn't about discouraging collecting—it's about helping ensure the hobby remains fun, meaningful, and sustainable for future generations.

This episode is about family, education, responsibility, and protecting the future of collecting.

Whether you're a parent, collector, breaker, hobby business, or simply someone who wants to see the hobby grow in a positive direction, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around healthier collecting, family, community, and responsible engagement.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Nonprofit: lohas.org/client/the-cmd-foundation

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: info@collectorsmd.com

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Follow Like Father Like Son:

YT: @LikeFatherLikeSon_Cards

IG: @likefatherlikeson_cards

FB: Like Father Like Son Cards & Breaks

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #TheCMDFoundation | #LikeFatherLikeSon | #RipResponsibly