What then got you to the point where you went from, hey, I'm an accountant inside of this HVAC company to now I want to go launch my own marketing agency.

Yeah, I'm going to have to give you a A quick story on that, because my first HVAC experience, I was there for about three and a half years.

I was hired as an accountant because I was doing accounting work for a real estate management company.

And I saw this ad and I honestly, I couldn't even have told you what the V in HVAC stood for at that point in my life.

I'm like, I have no idea what that means.

I just know it's heating and air conditioning.

And so I get started.

And if you're able to share, like, what's that difference of what you were charging back then versus now?

Man.

Just too serious.

And a lot of the guys that I was growing up with, because I felt like I had to be super serious and super locked in, and a lot of the guys that I was in my career with, with the Tigers, they would tell you straight up, like, dude, you were intense to play with.

Like, super intense.

Because I felt like that's what I had to do to elevate my game.

But then what I found out later on down the line, obviously maturing a little bit in the game, is – that also burned me out.

And that got me into some like anxiety type deals because I'm constantly worried about the result and constantly worried about what people are thinking of me and constantly worried about the uncontrollable things.

Is that correct?

I believe it.

Well, that's another thing about this hobby that's kind of light side, dark side, but I'll kind of focus on the light side portion of it is we've built friendships through transactions when a lot of times this hobby is very transactional.

So people don't necessarily get to know people that they're buying from or trading with or talking on a daily basis, whether it's just... buying from that person on a weekly or regular basis.

We, you know, we actually talk to each other.

We don't just talk about the hobby we talk about life we talk about our kids we talk about all kinds of other things and that's something that's blossomed over the years from the hobby so that's a you know a great thing that's happened is like we've all like watched our families grow we've watched each other grow in our jobs and stuff like we watched chris retire and become a toy seller you know we uh You know, it's, it's, it's, it's been cool to see everybody's growth and not only like in their personal lives, but in their collections, like Chris has sold off and then started collecting other things like the lunch boxes and the rim codes, Charles sold off everything.

And now he collects little knickknacks.

Um, Oh, Legos.

but yeah this is uh this has been a great hobby um and you know like i said before it's one that that i've been involved in on and off since i was i mean trading star wars figures on the playground i guess

There's going to

be a ton of people that we all – we may not know them personally, but we know all the names of people that are going to be there for sure.

Just like looking at in multiple groups where people are making those little posts or whatever, saying, hey, who's going to the great Ohio? I mean, you know, a lot of those people I've never personally met, but I know their names just from being in the group.

So, yeah, it's going to be big.

It's going to be a big show because they're just coming off their what, 10th anniversary that they had in March, right?

Speaking

of cards, I was at Target this afternoon about 2.30 after visiting a customer.

I stopped by just to get some random things.

they were like why does this squid head have a red cape what is this

right it was on the toy mob uh sal and um oh what's the other guy's name anyways they lit they're in like i think they're jersey or philly or they're northeast as well but anyways they were selling the magnum pi ferrari made by ljn yes Steering wheel? Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Steering wheel is there.

Oh, there you can see it.

Don't have the figure, but this was made in 1982 Universal Studios, LJN.

It's still got the sticker on there.

It's the Empire Strikes Back poster.

I mean,

we always would have, I think.

Central time, baby girl's usually done eating by that time.

You usually cleaned up the kitchen.

So, I mean, you guys could, I mean, if you guys had me on again or whoever, central time, you could move it up almost 30, 45 minutes would be kosher.

And that would still give you another half hour of sleep.

But it's been fun the last 18 months or so.

We all value your friendship.

Right.

And over the years, you know, we had some, some pro guys that came through the town that played back in the '70s and '80s, and they would help us out a little bit.

But I think just the camaraderie of playing together from a young age allowed us, I mean, we went to the Dixie World, Youth World Series, and we won the World Series twice, came in second, and came in third.

So we had a very well-known group of people, uh, by that time, our reputation built through the rec league and through travel ball.

And it's funny too, 'cause I ran into some people in pro ball that were like, "Dude, I saw you're from Sebring, Florida."Like, did y'all play for that team, Team Sebring? And I was like, "Yes, yes, that was us." And they were like, "Dude, y'all beat the crap out of us."

Okay

...

I still stay in contact with a bunch of them obviously, uh, even though I got rule five to the Angels.

Okay.

And Cincinnati, a couple other like mid-major schools.

But when I was at junior collegeOur junior college had connections to them, so when I went to go play summer ball in Orlando, they would just pop on over a little bit, and I was getting some high, some recommendations from some people that they knew that, "Hey, you know, you should check out this kid," blah, blah, blah.

And then they ended up being there, had a few good games, and then obviously they had a need at the catching position as well at UCF.

They didn't have an upperclassman really.

So I was, I was the guy, and I really...

UCF was actually the first offer I got in junior college, and I just straight up took it.

What?