In the first episode of Season 2 of The Trading Card Playbook, I sit down with Sebastian from East West Sports Cards in Naples, Florida. Sebastian has been collecting since 2011, when his journey in the hobby began with a Dollar Tree pack from his grandfather. Since then, he has built an incredible collection, including more than 700 Duke football autographs, developed experience buying and selling cards, and turned his passion for the hobby into a role at East West Sports Cards. In this episode, we discuss Sebastian’s collecting journey, what he has learned from working inside a card shop, the stories behind his personal collection, current trends in the sports card market, and how he balances collecting with investing. We also finish with some fun questions and a rapid-fire round. Throughout the conversation, we also see how sports cards can teach real-world lessons about business, investing, decision-making, and financial literacy.

Topics include:

• How Sebastian first got into sports cards
• Working at East West Sports Cards
• Building a 700+ autograph Duke football collection
• His Packers collection and favorite cards
• Collecting vs. investing
• Current sports card market trends
• Buying and selling strategies
• Financial literacy lessons from the hobby
• Fun questions and rapid fire

Follow us for more conversations exploring the intersection of sports cards, business, investing, and financial literacy!

In Episode 6 of The Trading Card Playbook, Nik sits down with Jordan Whitney, owner of Big J’s Cards and Collectibles in the Boston area, to explore his journey from a second-generation collector to an active seller working local shows, eBay, and Whatnot.

Jordan shares how a childhood passion for cards — sparked by going to shows with his father on Cape Cod — eventually came full circle after rediscovering his old collection, including a Tom Brady rookie that reignited his interest in the hobby. From there, the conversation dives into his selling strategy, why he focuses primarily on baseball, and how he navigates today’s fast-changing sports card market.

Beyond the hobby itself, this episode strongly connects sports cards to financial literacy. Jordan breaks down real-world concepts like buying below comps, understanding platform fees, managing risk, and making informed purchasing decisions — all through the lens of collecting and selling. Listeners will hear how offseason buying, market volatility across sports, and platform selection mirror broader financial principles such as market timing, cost analysis, and long-term value assessment.

The episode also covers:

• How to decide where to sell cards (eBay vs. Whatnot vs. local shows)
• The evolution of the hobby from the junk wax era to today’s parallel-heavy market
• The impact of Fanatics and licensing on the industry
• Common mistakes young collectors make and how to avoid scams
• Why focusing on one sport can lead to smarter financial and collecting decisions

At its core, this episode highlights how the sports card hobby serves as a practical gateway to financial literacy — teaching budgeting, research, risk tolerance, and strategic thinking in a hands-on and engaging way.

Whether you’re a young collector, a reseller, or someone interested in the business side of the hobby, this conversation offers both actionable insight and a bigger perspective: every card decision is a financial decision.

In Episode 5 of The Trading Card Playbook, host Nik sits down with Esther Timsit, the founder of PokeShare and Spark Buddies, to explore how trading cards, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy intersect.

Esther shares how PokéShare was born at an entrepreneurship camp and how the platform uses fractional ownership to make high-value Pokémon cards accessible to younger collectors. The conversation breaks down how Pokémon cards can behave like financial assets, the similarities between trading card markets and traditional stock markets, and the growing role of social media and hype in driving prices.

The episode also dives into what it’s really like to build startups as a teenager — from working in teams and overcoming disorganization to learning from mistakes and staying motivated. Esther discusses why starting a business from a hobby you genuinely care about can lead to stronger discipline, consistency, and long-term growth.

Whether you’re interested in trading cards, investing, or launching your own business, this episode shows how financial literacy doesn’t have to start with textbooks — it can start with the things you already love.