Wise_N_Nerdy rolls in hot with Charles McFall and Joe Ard doing what they do best: turning convention chaos into a living-room hangout with dice, segments, and just enough friendly roasting to keep everybody honest. Guest Bob McGough (author, game designer, and professional chaos gremlin) drops in to talk vending numbers with ruthless transparency—what it cost to be there, what it takes to break even, and the oddly satisfying moment when the “I’m $50 short” math flips into “everything from here is profit.” Along the way, bad dad jokes hit the floor, ramen gets romanticized as “fancy broke,” and we get a peek behind the curtain of con life that’s equal parts hustle and heart.

Then the episode swerves into the stuff that sneaks up on you: parenting teenagers and trying to stay connected while they morph into whole new humans in real time. It’s real talk—movie nights, anime bonding, board games, sending cosplay pics from the con floor—plus one unexpectedly touching origin story about why Bob writes “redneck meth wizard” books (and how giving broken people a happy ending can be its own kind of magic). It’s funny, a little unhinged, and surprisingly heartfelt… like most of the best conversations are.

• Break even on purpose: If you vend at cons, track your costs (table + hotel + parking + travel) and set a clear “break-even target” before you ever show up—everything after that becomes intentional profit, not a mystery.

• Make connection a habit, not a special event: With teens, don’t wait for the “perfect moment.” Build recurring touchpoints (movie night, board games, shared shows) so connection is normal, not awkward.

• Meet them where they are (even if it’s not your thing): Sometimes the win is simply sitting with them in their fandom (anime, games, cosplay), because what they’ll remember is the attention, not the content.

• Use micro-moments to show you’re thinking of them: A quick text of “I saw this cosplay and thought of you” can land harder than a whole lecture about family time.

• If you’re building a vendor hall or con experience: Prioritize variety and “true creatives” where possible—audiences feel it when the hall is diverse instead of duplicated (even if that hot take hurts somebody’s Funko feelings).

“You can beat addiction. You can’t beat redneck.” — Bob McGough