Today, I serve as the Founder and CEO of the Certified Trading Card Association (CTCA), a nonprofit trade association dedicated to bringing trust, transparency, education, and accountability to the trading card industry. My work focuses on uniting businesses, building industry standards, developing certification programs, and creating solutions that strengthen the hobby for everyone.

One experience that shaped me as a leader was my time in corporate operations management, where I learned that leadership isn’t about titles or authority—it’s about accountability, earning trust, developing people, and delivering results. Those lessons ultimately gave me the confidence to build something from the ground up. I’ve learned that meaningful leadership requires the willingness to challenge the status quo, bring people together around a shared vision, and take action when others simply talk about problems.

One of the most difficult decisions I’ve made as a leader was stepping away from the security and stability of a traditional corporate career to build the Certified Trading Card Association from the ground up. There was no blueprint, no guarantee of success, and plenty of uncertainty. But I saw an industry that needed stronger leadership, greater accountability, and a unified voice.

Ultimately, I had to decide what mattered more: personal comfort or the opportunity to create meaningful, lasting change. I chose purpose over certainty. That experience reinforced something I believe strongly about leadership: the right decision isn’t always the easiest or most popular one. It’s the one that aligns with your values, serves the greater good, and allows you to look back knowing you did what you believed was right.

Earlier in my career, I believed strong leadership meant having the answers, making the decisions, and personally driving results. Experience has taught me that the most effective leaders don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. They need to bring the right people into the room, listen to different perspectives, and empower others to succeed.

Building the CTCA has reinforced that belief. You cannot unite an entire industry by thinking you have all the answers. You do it by building relationships, earning trust, and creating a shared purpose. I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about controlling everything. It’s about creating an environment where people believe in the mission, take ownership, and accomplish more together than any one person could alone.

One thing I consistently do is make sure people understand not just what we’re trying to accomplish, but why it matters. I believe people perform at their best when they feel connected to a purpose rather than simply completing tasks.

I strive to be accessible, encourage open communication, and give people the freedom to bring ideas forward and take ownership of their work. I also believe in recognizing contributions and giving credit where it’s earned. Leadership isn’t about getting the best out of people through pressure; it’s about creating an environment where they feel trusted, valued, and motivated to give their best because they believe in what we’re building together.

Looking ahead, I want to help build a trading card industry where trust, transparency, education, and accountability are the standard, not the exception. Through the Certified Trading Card Association, we’re creating the infrastructure, certification programs, industry standards, and resources needed to make the hobby safer, smarter, and stronger for everyone involved.

But my vision goes beyond individual programs. I want to change how an entire industry works together, moving from fragmentation and competition toward collaboration and shared responsibility. This matters to me because the trading card hobby is more than a business. It’s a community built around passion, relationships, memories, and opportunity.

Ultimately, I want to build something that outlasts me. If the CTCA can help establish a foundation that future generations of collectors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders can trust and build upon, then we’ll have accomplished something truly meaningful. For me, that’s what leadership and legacy are all about.