Quicksilver
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻)
Want to know what makes the top guys in the hobby tick? Over the next few months we will endeavour to Talk to as many people in the industry as we can to find out just what drives them to be a part of the hobby we love so much!
First up
Mr Brian Gray the head honcho at LEAF cards! It was great of him to take the time to answer the questions I sent off
1. Who are you and what is your role at Leaf?
I am not only the owner of Leaf, I am its CEO and CHO (Chief Hobby Officer- a role invented by me in recognizing the importance of a company’s leader truly understanding the hobby)
2. How do you go about acquiring licenses and independent deals, do personalities and companies come to you or do you see the potential and approach them?
We obviously do deals of both kinds and the origins of these ideas are both established names and properties for which there is established interest or would be if someone had the vision to create a product.
3. Once you have a broad outline of what you want in a set how do you decide what images go on a card?
We have a team that scours the available images to attempt to find unique (not overused) images…
4. Collectors love designing their own cards, would the chance to create a card ever be something your company would be willing to offer in a competition?
We would consider this… Ill take it to my team…
5. Redemptions are a necessary evil in the business how do you go about in minimising those and the wait for collectors?
Leaf is easily one of the best companies when it comes to minimizing redemptions. We do whatever it takes to make the deadline. Whether it is flying to New York to get that one missing athlete or personally calling the athlete explaining the pain to collectors, we do whatever we can.
6. what prompted you to ender the trading card/Memorabilia business?
Ive done this in a substantial way since 1986. I have worked for/owned retail stores, hobby distributors and now manufacturing. It has been my every waking moment since then.
- If it was due to childhood collecting experiences what did you collect?
Primarily baseball, but I was an early speculator in 1990 when people starting buying football and basketball.
I remember buying a 100ct lot of Bird/Magic 80-81 topps at $8 per.. lol
- What do you have in your collection now?
I honestly no longer collect cards myself. I speculate on prospects (not Leaf cards) and definitely break cases of product to see what is going on in the market. My collection is substantially consisting of autographs and movie worn costumes.
7 . Have they watched any Aussie sports?
I watched Australian rules football back in the old days when it was on ESPN all the time.
I have seen a number of rugby matches. My favorite team is the Springboks (S.A.)…
8. If you could swap spots with any sports person active or retired who would it be?
My favorite player of all time is Shaq O’Neal… He redefined the position (which is my goal in the hobby as well).
9. What courses did you study to enter or that helped you enter the business?
I have my business degree from the University of Texas. While this is useful, its my masters degree hobby experience that differentiates me form the other hobby CEO’s who are generally quite educated, but rookies in the “card” business…
10. What is the favourite product you have worked on at your time with the company?
I love doing Pop Century. I am a pop culture maniac and it is my passion meeting and doing products featuring the greatest names anywhere.
11. Do you have any anecdotes about the business you could share?
I could share them, but then Id have to kill you. Lol…. But seriously, way too many to even pick one good one over another.
12. Have you tried Vegemite and if not would you try it if we sent you some?
What is it? Sounds scary, but ill listen!
First up
Mr Brian Gray the head honcho at LEAF cards! It was great of him to take the time to answer the questions I sent off
1. Who are you and what is your role at Leaf?
I am not only the owner of Leaf, I am its CEO and CHO (Chief Hobby Officer- a role invented by me in recognizing the importance of a company’s leader truly understanding the hobby)
2. How do you go about acquiring licenses and independent deals, do personalities and companies come to you or do you see the potential and approach them?
We obviously do deals of both kinds and the origins of these ideas are both established names and properties for which there is established interest or would be if someone had the vision to create a product.
3. Once you have a broad outline of what you want in a set how do you decide what images go on a card?
We have a team that scours the available images to attempt to find unique (not overused) images…
4. Collectors love designing their own cards, would the chance to create a card ever be something your company would be willing to offer in a competition?
We would consider this… Ill take it to my team…
5. Redemptions are a necessary evil in the business how do you go about in minimising those and the wait for collectors?
Leaf is easily one of the best companies when it comes to minimizing redemptions. We do whatever it takes to make the deadline. Whether it is flying to New York to get that one missing athlete or personally calling the athlete explaining the pain to collectors, we do whatever we can.
6. what prompted you to ender the trading card/Memorabilia business?
Ive done this in a substantial way since 1986. I have worked for/owned retail stores, hobby distributors and now manufacturing. It has been my every waking moment since then.
- If it was due to childhood collecting experiences what did you collect?
Primarily baseball, but I was an early speculator in 1990 when people starting buying football and basketball.
I remember buying a 100ct lot of Bird/Magic 80-81 topps at $8 per.. lol
- What do you have in your collection now?
I honestly no longer collect cards myself. I speculate on prospects (not Leaf cards) and definitely break cases of product to see what is going on in the market. My collection is substantially consisting of autographs and movie worn costumes.
7 . Have they watched any Aussie sports?
I watched Australian rules football back in the old days when it was on ESPN all the time.
I have seen a number of rugby matches. My favorite team is the Springboks (S.A.)…
8. If you could swap spots with any sports person active or retired who would it be?
My favorite player of all time is Shaq O’Neal… He redefined the position (which is my goal in the hobby as well).
9. What courses did you study to enter or that helped you enter the business?
I have my business degree from the University of Texas. While this is useful, its my masters degree hobby experience that differentiates me form the other hobby CEO’s who are generally quite educated, but rookies in the “card” business…
10. What is the favourite product you have worked on at your time with the company?
I love doing Pop Century. I am a pop culture maniac and it is my passion meeting and doing products featuring the greatest names anywhere.
11. Do you have any anecdotes about the business you could share?
I could share them, but then Id have to kill you. Lol…. But seriously, way too many to even pick one good one over another.
12. Have you tried Vegemite and if not would you try it if we sent you some?
What is it? Sounds scary, but ill listen!
