#47: Keeping The Hobby Fun | Kyle Lescalleet, Cosmic Cards

#47: Keeping The Hobby Fun | Kyle Lescalleet, Cosmic Cards

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Kyle Lescalleet—better known online as Cosmic Cards (@CosmicCardsMD)—one of the fastest-rising content creators in the sports card hobby who has built a loyal following through humor, parody, authenticity, and lighthearted hobby content. At a time when the hobby can often feel consumed by drama, ego, nonstop hype, and financial pressure, Kyle has carved out a unique lane by bringing comedy and self-awareness back into the space. Through skits, hobby influencer impersonations, “day in the life” parody videos, card show content, and relatable collector moments, Kyle has become one of the most refreshing and entertaining voices in the hobby. In a short period of time, Kyle has amassed nearly 10,000 followers on Instagram, gone viral multiple times, collaborated with major hobby personalities, and built a strong reputation as someone helping restore positivity and comic relief to collecting culture. In this conversation, Alyx and Kyle break down how Cosmic Cards first started, where the skit ideas come from, and why parody resonates so deeply within the hobby. They discuss everything from influencer culture and hobby stereotypes to card show experiences, viral moments, and the balance between poking fun at the hobby while still genuinely loving it. They also explore the current state of the hobby and why so many collectors feel exhausted by negativity, outrage culture, social media pressure, and the constant intensity surrounding modern collecting. Kyle shares why humor can actually serve an important role in helping collectors reconnect with the fun, human side of the hobby again. The conversation also dives into the reality of setting up at card shows, building a personal brand in the hobby, navigating online attention, and staying authentic while growing an audience in a rapidly evolving space. At its core, this episode is about creativity, community, positivity, and remembering why people fell in love with collecting in the first place. If you’ve ever laughed at hobby culture, felt overwhelmed by the seriousness of the space, or just miss when collecting felt simple and fun, this is a conversation worth listening to. Sometimes the best way to understand and appreciate the hobby, is to laugh at it a little. Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, positivity, and building a healthier relationship with collecting. Watch The Episode On YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaoQTjCEriA&t=30s] Learn More & Join The Movement: Website: collectorsmd.com [http://collectorsmd.com] Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com [http://bio.collectorsmd.com] Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX [http://bit.ly/45koiMX] Contact: info@collectorsmd.com YT: ‪@collectorsmd [https://www.youtube.com/@collectorsmd] IG: @collectorsmd Follow Kyle: YT: @CosmicCardsMD IG: @cosmiccardsmd X: @cosmiccardsmd TT: @cosmiccardsmd 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 | #CosmicCards | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

#46: Turning Pain Into Purpose | Rob Sackowitz, Right Choice Recovery

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Rob Sackowitz—Founder, CEO, and Co-Owner of Right Choice Recovery, a leading addiction treatment center in New Jersey, specializing in substance use, mental health, and gambling addiction. With 13+ years of sobriety from both substance use and gambling addiction, Rob has transformed his own recovery journey into a mission to help others. What was once his greatest struggle ultimately became the foundation for Right Choice Recovery. This conversation is especially meaningful for Alyx, who attended Right Choice from 2023–2024 before later joining the team part-time. Since September 2025, he has facilitated gambling addiction groups across multiple programs, offering a unique perspective as both a former client and recovery professional. Together, Alyx and Rob explore what addiction really looks like beneath the surface, why gambling often remains hidden until significant damage has occurred, and the difference between simply stopping a behavior and building lasting recovery. They discuss accountability, step work, service, and the role lived experience can play in helping others heal. The conversation also examines the growing overlap between gambling addiction and compulsive collecting, highlighting the importance of awareness, early intervention, and adapting treatment approaches to emerging behaviors. At its core, this episode is about recovery, transformation, and turning pain into purpose. If you’ve ever struggled with gambling, addiction, or behaviors that feel difficult to control—or want to better understand what recovery really looks like—this is a conversation worth hearing. Sometimes the thing that nearly breaks you becomes the thing that gives your life purpose. Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, and building a healthier relationship with collecting. Watch The Episode On YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhvFW6DobXs] Learn More & Join The Movement: Website: collectorsmd.com [http://collectorsmd.com] Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com [http://bio.collectorsmd.com] Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX [http://bit.ly/45koiMX] Contact: info@collectorsmd.com [info@collectorsmd.com] YT: ‪@collectorsmd [https://www.youtube.com/@collectorsmd] IG: @collectorsmd [https://www.instagram.com/collectorsmd] Learn More About Right Choice Recovery: Website: rightchoicerecoverynj.com Phone: (732) 733-4584 YT: @rightchoicerecovery IG: @rightchoicerecovery FB: Right Choice Recovery TT: @rightchoicerecovery 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 | #RightChoiceRecovery | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

#45: From Sneakers To Cards | Kickstradomis

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Sal Amezcua (@kickstradomis), one of the most well-known sneaker customizers in the world whose work has been worn by NBA players on the court, and the founder of Kicksverse, a platform merging sneaker culture, art, and collectibles. Kicks is an artist who’s built a brand at the highest level of culture. From designing custom sneakers for athletes and celebrities to expanding into trading cards and art, he’s carved out a lane that blends creativity, community, and commerce. Alyx and Kicks explore the crossover between sneaker culture and the modern hobby—two worlds driven by passion, scarcity, and hype, but also increasingly shaped by scale and pressure. They also discuss intentional collecting, staying connected to passion as the hobby becomes more transactional, and how Kicks' journey as an artist has shaped his approach to collecting. With over a million followers and global influence, Kicks shares his perspective on the hobby, the responsibility of influence, and navigating a space where entertainment, commerce, and culture intersect. They also discuss legacy, giving back, supporting emerging artists and brands, and continuing to push creative boundaries through Kicksverse. This isn’t just a conversation about sneakers or cards—it’s about building something real in a space that’s constantly evolving. At its core, this episode is about creativity, culture, and the difference between collecting, creating, and chasing. If you’ve ever thought about the intersection of art, sneakers, and collecting—or wondered where passion fits into a space driven by hype—this is conversation will resonate. Building and chasing are simply not the same. Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, creativity, and building a more intentional relationship with collecting. Watch The Episode On YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QwKEVVunX8&t=1870s] Learn More & Join The Movement: Website: collectorsmd.com [http://collectorsmd.com] Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com [http://bio.collectorsmd.com] Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX [http://bit.ly/45koiMX] Contact: info@collectorsmd.com [info@collectorsmd.com] YT: ‪@collectorsmd [https://www.youtube.com/@collectorsmd] IG: @collectorsmd [https://www.instagram.com/collectorsmd] Learn More & Follow Kickstradomis: Website: thekicksverse.com | kickstradomis.com YT: @kickstradomis IG: @kickstradomis X: @kickstradomis TT: @kickstradomis 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 | #Kickstradomis | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

#44: The Sports Card Hobby’s Gatekeepers | Rob Livingston

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Rob Livingston—better known as @Jaybelleshhb [https://www.instagram.com/jaybelleshhb/]—a respected voice in the hobby, longtime Collectors MD community member, and someone who’s been consistently showing up, speaking honestly, and supporting others behind the scenes. Rob isn’t just observing the hobby—he’s living it. Through over 1,300 posts and a growing following, he’s built a reputation for calling things as they are, while also being open about his own journey with addiction, overspending, and the work it takes to stay grounded. In this conversation, Alyx and Rob unpack the current state of the hobby—what’s working, what’s not, and where things are starting to break down. From influencers and major platforms to bad actors, incentive structures, and the lack of real guardrails, they explore the growing tension between entertainment, commerce, and responsibility. They also dive into Rob’s personal story—how awareness started to take shape, what it meant to speak openly about it, and how being part of the Collectors MD community has played a role in his recovery and continued growth. This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about seeing the system clearly—and asking what needs to change. At its core, this episode is about awareness, accountability, and what happens when you can no longer ignore what’s right in front of you. If you’ve ever taken a step back and questioned where the hobby is headed—or your place within it—this is a conversation worth listening to. Because once you see it clearly, it’s hard to go back. Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, and building a healthier relationship with collecting. Watch The Episode On YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQF55tWVZgw] Learn More & Join The Movement: Website: collectorsmd.com [http://collectorsmd.com] Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com [http://bio.collectorsmd.com] Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX [http://bit.ly/45koiMX] Contact: info@collectorsmd.com [info@collectorsmd.com] YT: ‪@collectorsmd [https://www.youtube.com/@collectorsmd] IG: @collectorsmd [https://www.instagram.com/collectorsmd] Follow Rob: YT: @Jaybelleshhb IG: @jaybelleshhb X: @jaybelleshhb TT: @jaybelleshobbyhotbox Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER [https://800gambler.org/] This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case [https://alltouchcase.com/], 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 | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

#43: Losing It All On Sports Cards | Sean

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Sean—one of our very first community members and someone whose story sits at the core of why this movement exists today. Sean isn’t just a guest—he’s been with us since day one. From early Instagram Live ripping days, to becoming one of the most active and impactful voices within the CMD community, Sean’s journey reflects both the highs and lows that exist within today’s hobby. Alyx and Sean go all the way back to those early days—what it felt like to be “whales” in the hobby, the energy of live streams, the attention, the identity—and how quickly things can shift when the experience starts to take over. They unpack the moment that changed everything for Sean: a $5K Sandy Koufax auto that planted the seed and set off a chain reaction. What started as excitement quickly turned into chasing that first high, eventually leading Sean deeper into Whatnot, repack breaks, and five-figure nightly spending sessions that spiraled beyond his control. Sean opens up about how fast it escalated, what he was really chasing in those moments, and how the line between collecting, entertainment, and addiction completely blurred. The conversation doesn’t shy away from the reality of what followed—losing his marriage, his home, his financial stability, and being forced to confront the full weight of it all. But more importantly, this episode focuses on what came next. Sean shares what recovery has actually looked like for him—not perfectly, but honestly. From showing up to weekly meetings, to writing some of our most impactful Daily Reflections, to now stepping into a role as a peer support host, his journey highlights what it means to rebuild in real time. This isn’t just a story about loss. It’s a story about awareness, accountability, and what it takes to come back from a place that feels impossible to return from. At its core, this episode explores a bigger question: how does something that starts as a hobby turn into something that can take everything—and what does it take to stop, reset, and rebuild? If you’ve ever felt the pull of the chase, questioned your habits, or wondered how far things can go—this conversation will hit home. Sometimes the difference between a hobby and something else entirely isn’t as clear as we think. Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, accountability, and building a healthier relationship with collecting. Watch The Episode On YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SFsFmA3rJA] Learn More & Join The Movement: Website: collectorsmd.com [http://collectorsmd.com] Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com [http://bio.collectorsmd.com] Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX [http://bit.ly/45koiMX] Contact: info@collectorsmd.com [info@collectorsmd.com] YT: ‪@collectorsmd [https://www.youtube.com/@collectorsmd] IG: @collectorsmd Follow Sean: IG: @bfb_suburban_sports_cards 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 | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly