Behind the Desk: One Year Later

Last weekend, we found ourselves back at the Vancity Card Show, but this time, things were a little different. We weren’t walking around the show scrambling, trying to figure out what to buy for a store that didn’t exist yet. We were on the other side of the table this time, as vendors. representing a business that, at the time of our first visit, was still just an idea we were hoping would work.

That realization hit me a little harder than I expected. A year ago, I walked into that show knowing very little about the ins and outs of the hobby. I knew I loved collecting cards, I knew I wanted to open a store, and I had a general idea of what I wanted Cardera to be. Beyond that, there was a lot I didn’t know.

Cardera was still in its early stages, and we were trying to find inventory for the shop we were hoping to open. I remember walking around looking at tables filled with products I recognized, products I didn’t recognize, cards I knew were valuable and cards that I had absolutely no idea about. There were people who seemed to know the hobby inside and out, and I was trying to absorb as much information as I possibly could.

I had questions about everything. What makes a good buy? What should I be looking for? How do vendors decide what to bring? How do you negotiate? What products actually move? What do collectors want? What should I be paying for something? What should I be selling it for? And, probably most importantly, what the hell was I doing?

At the time, I didn’t have a lot of answers.

Now, a year later, I can look back and realize just how much has changed. We have a much better understanding of the products we carry, the different games within the hobby, the nuances of collecting, grading, condition, market trends and what our customers are actually looking for. I’m still learning every day, and I don’t think that ever really stops in this hobby, but the difference between where I was a year ago and where I am today is pretty incredible.

Last weekend, standing behind our table at that same show, I had a completely different perspective. Instead of walking around wondering what we should buy, we were deciding what we wanted to showcase. Instead of being nervous about whether a vendor would take us seriously, we were having conversations with other vendors about the hobby and the business. Instead of looking at the card show as someone trying to figure out how this industry worked, we were now actually participating in it. One year smarter. One year in the game. One year more experienced. And while there is still a lot I don’t know, I’m a hell of a lot more comfortable admitting that now.

 

More Than a Store, Cardera has Become a Home

 

As Cardera approaches its one-year anniversary this December, I’ve been thinking a lot about what this year has actually meant to me.

When I started this, I wanted to build a business. I wanted to create a card shop that I would actually want to visit. I wanted it to feel organized and welcoming, and I wanted people to feel comfortable asking questions whether they had been collecting for twenty years or were buying their very first pack.

What I didn’t necessarily expect was to find a community that would become such a meaningful part of my life. I have the privilege of waking up every day and doing something I genuinely love. That is not something I take for granted. I know how fortunate I am to have found something that gives me that kind of excitement, especially after spending so much of my previous career working in environments where I never really felt like I had found my place.

Cardera has become a new home for me in a lot of ways.

That is largely because of the people who walk through our doors. Some of you come in looking for a specific card. Some of you are here every week for events. Some of you come in with collections to show us. Some of you just want to hang out and talk about Pokémon for a while. Some of you have been with us since the beginning, and some of you only discovered us recently. Whatever brought you through the door, you’ve all played a part in building this thing. To be embraced by this community the way we have has been incredibly humbling. The amount of love and support we’ve received over this year to date, has honestly been more than I ever expected.

 

One Year Later

 

I’ve said it before, but I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished in our first year, but I’m even more grateful for the people who helped us get here.

You took a chance on us when we were brand new. You trusted us with your collections, your purchases, your trades and your experiences. You gave us feedback when we needed it, supported us month over month and, most importantly, kept coming back.

That support has turned what started as a pretty scary bet on myself into something I genuinely love waking up to every morning. So, from me and the entire Cardera team, thank you.

Thank you for giving us a chance. Thank you for trusting us. Thank you for supporting us.

Thank you for laughing with us. Thank you for growing with us.

And thank you for letting us be a small part of your hobby.

We want to keep this ride going for as long as you’ll have us. That means bringing you more products, more hits, more events, more laughs and hopefully a whole lot more memories. Everything we’ve accomplished in year one thus far, has only made me more excited about what comes next.

One year ago, I walked into the Vancity Card Show as someone who was hoping to open a card shop.

One year later, I walked out as a vendor representing a business that has become a huge part of my life.

That’s a pretty cool feeling.

And if year one has taught us anything, it’s that we’re just getting started.

 

Thank YOU, Cardera CREW.

Here’s to wrapping up our first year on a high note!! 

 

– Ken