Hobby Hustle

OVERVIEW:
Today’s guest has been a lifelong collector who has blended his childhood love of collecting with his passion and skills in technology. 

Has worked in the document imaging and artificial intelligence space for 25 years. He has held positions with Fujitsu, Abbyy and now Ricoh Scanners. 

He and his team are responsible for creating a new vertical with scanners for trading cards that has created over $2m in revenue in 2 years. In addition to massive sales numbers, he has helped provide hardware and software solutions that improved workflow and saved time for hundreds of Hobby shops and online sellers. 

You can find him on IG @ricoh_scanners_trading_cards or on the web www.pfu-us.ricoh.com

WIN A FREE RICOH F1-8170 SCANNER!
As a thank you to our community Don & his team has provided us with a Ricoh F1-8170 Scanner for one lucky listener to win (A $1,000 value).  To enter visit this Instagram post and follow the 3 easy steps!  Use link to enter: https://www.instagram.com/p/DCkBrg6p9oN

Contest is valid from Tuesday, November 19 2024 - Sunday, November 24 2024 at 7pm central.  A random winner will be selected on Sunday November 24, 2024 at 7pm and will be announced via Instagram. 

Good luck to all who participate!

GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: November 20, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative

OVERVIEW:
Today’s guest is a lifelong collector who is also passionate about practicing law.

He became an attorney in 1999 after graduating from Tulane University. He now works as a plaintiffs and Intellectual property litigation lawyer.

Over the years, he has combined his passion and skills as a lawyer with his collecting interests and enjoys following and writing about legal issues in the sports memorabilia and trading card industries.

You can find him on IG @paullesko or on X @paul_lesko

I’m honored to welcome a fellow collector, Litigator, and the unofficial “Hobby Lawyer”  Paul Lesko to the show…


GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: November 13, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative

OVERVIEW:
Today’s guest has blended his childhood love of collecting and his passion for sports and culture with his natural talent as an artist.

Over the past 30 years his creative work includes penciling, drawing, inking, airbrush and painting, from realism to abstract. He has created a unique style that blends pop culture and sports with his artistic vision.

While his paintings stand on their own, it's his multi-media pieces in which he incorporates actual memorabilia from the subject that really stand out from the crowd.

I had the opportunity to meet him and see his work in person at the 2024 National and was blown away!

You can find him on IG @murray_henderson or on his website murrayhendersonart.com

I’m honored to welcome a supremely talented artist Murray Henderson to the show…

FIND MURRAY AT ART BASEL:
Event Name: The Sport Gallery Art of The Creator

Event Address: The Wyncatcher by Knotel, 2143 NW 1st Ave Miami, FL 33127

Event Overview: Dec 6-8

A two-day experiential event where art, sport, and culture converge. Located in the heart of Miami’s art scene, this event will feature a curated exhibit of iconic sports photography and paintings, capturing the power and emotion of athletes.
Guests will have the opportunity to experience two tracks of programming: Art of the Creator Masterminds Workshops powered by Nucleus Hub where influencers will share tricks of their trade and the Main Stage where athletes will have unfiltered discussions fans don’t typically get to hear. 

GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative

OVERVIEW:
Due to being sick, I was unable to record, so instead we are goingto take a step back to this year's National and revisit a great conversationwith two amazing people and friends in The Hobby.

This was a conversation with Evan Parker, the CEO of Mantel, and Tom Fallos,aka The Card Carver, which recorded on Thursday, July 25 in Cleveland, OH at 2024 The National Sports Collectors Convention.

We discuss the emerging Card Art world and what the future may hold. It's amazing to think what has happened in the card art space over the pastthree months since this recording.

I hope you enjoy this conversation...

GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: October 30, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative

OVERVIEW:
Today’s guest is a lifelong collector who is passionate about cards, toys, and people in the collectibles space.

He has evolved from the early days of flipping cards into setting up at shows as a dealer. He then leveraged his design and marketing skills to start to help promote smaller local shows, eventually growing into being a co-founder and Executive Director of The Burbank Card Show.

At the beginning of 2024 he accepted his current position as the Director, Dealer Relations with Fanatics Events.

He has had an incredible run over the past three years, and is one of the genuine “good guys” of The Hobby.

You can find him on IG @dynasty.ej or @fanaticsevents

I’m honored to welcome a passionate collector, entrepreneur, and friend, EJ Ferrer to the show…

*PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded prior to the postponement of the Fanatics Collect Orlando Event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Florida as they recover from devastating storms.

GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: October 23, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative

OVERVIEW:
Today’s guest is a long-time collector who has taken his passion and turned it into a full-time business.

He is a true entrepreneur and is one of the only people in The Hobby I know that can say he sells both sports cars and sports cards!

He has had multiple successful car brokerages and opened The Hobby Source in Denver, CO in 2022.

You can find him on IG @thehobbysource.denver or at their website myhobbysource.com

I’m honored to welcome a passionate collector, entrepreneur, and friend, Steve Iskhakov to the show…



GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: October 16, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative

OVERVIEW:
Today’s guest has been a collector his entire life and turned a simple idea into a booming business!

In 2020 he felt there was a need to make his slabs look better and protect them from drops & dings. After studying the market, he realized there was an opportunity in the marketplace.  Using pure determination and passion, he hustled his way to create Slab Strong.

After a successful run, in 2023 BCW Supplies made a deal to acquire his business.  After the acquisition they appointed him to his current position as the BCW Brand Manager.

You can find him on social @slabstrong, @bcw_supplies, or their website bcwsupplies.com

I’m honored to welcome a life-long collector, entrepreneur, and a true "Hobby Hustler" Tim McEnery to the show…


GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: October 9, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative

OVERVIEW:
Today’s guest has been a collector his entire life and has been full-time in the Hobby for over 6 years.

Over the course of his career he has worked in Professional Baseball with both The Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles.  Additionally, he has been a consultant for large Hobby brands like Magpie and the CenterStage app.

 In 2019 he founded Baltimore Sports Collectibles which offers professional consulting for corporate and private clients. In 2023, he founded Hobby News Daily, and most recently he was named the editor in Charge of Collectibles for Sports Illustrated. 

He is an entrepreneur who has worn many hats and offers a ton of amazing insight and knowledge about the Collectibles world. 

You can find him on social @collectingonSI , @sportsbalt , or @HobbyNewsDaily 

I’m honored to welcome a life-long collector, and an expert in sports collectibles, Danny Black to the show… 

GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: October 2, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative

OVERVIEW:
Today’s guest has been in The Hobby professionally for 20 years. Over her career she has built an impressive collection of modern sports cards and memorabilia focused on hot prospects and long term investment pieces.

She is a pioneer in The Hobby as one of the first women to be a regular dealer traveling the country to set up trade shows.

Her reputation in The Hobby community has allowed her to establish a network of local new-york based clients, as well as other buyers around the world.

She was able to take her success on the road as a dealer and turn it into a physical shop and showroom in the New York area.

You can find her on social @BlackJadedWolf  or her website blackjadedwolf.com

I’m honored to welcome a friend, passionate collector, and a pioneer for women in The Hobby Sharon Chiong to the show…


GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: September 25, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative

OVERVIEW:
Today’s guest has over three decades of experience in creative, strategic, and marketing work within the collectibles space.

He is an entrepreneur who over the years has collaborated with a variety of large collectible brands including Arena Club, Bleecker Trading, The RealReal, ComC, and many others.

He currently is the Assistant Director of Pop Culture at Heritage Auctions where he leads strategy and acquisition across many categories that include Action Figures/Toys, Non-Sport Trading Cards, Entertainment, Sneaker, Music, Video Games, and Trading Card Games.

You can find him on social @heritageauctions  or  @Collectors_League  
 
I’m honored to welcome a friend, passionate collector, and expert in pop culture collectibles Jeremy Allen to the show the show… 


GENERAL INFO:
The ultimate podcast where collecting passion and business collide!

Let's face it, we all want to make money by doing something we love. If you could turn your hobby into your job, you'd never work a day in your life. Right?

Welcome to Hobby Hustle, in each episode, we'll dive deep into the stories of passionate collectors who have turned their hobbies into successful businesses. We'll uncover the origins of their collections, unravel the threads of their entrepreneurial journeys, and uncover the highs and lows of their experiences.

From sports cards to comics, from watches to art, from coins to toys - we'll explore a wide range of collectibles, learning what drives our guests' passions and discovering the unique stories behind their prized possessions.

So whether you're a pro looking for inspiration or an aspiring entrepreneur seeking valuable insights, Hobby Hustle is your go-to destination for all things business and collecting.


RELEASE DATE: September 18, 2024

HOSTED BY: Zach Nigut, Collector Creative