Building businesses, trying new tools, and making room for people. The original posts, collected in one place.
Imported October 2, 2026. This is a static archive. Posts follow their LinkedIn activity order; publication dates appear only when verified.
Showing 121–140 of 348 posts
You want proof I've built a movement and not a card store? 11am yesterday: I made a joke post. "I'm a bad son. Forgot to get my mom a Mother's Day gift. If you're stopping by today, bring her something and sign my name on the card." 6 hour…
Read the post →The end of my print-on-demand career broke my heart. Now I think it was God clearing the path. For 14 years, I poured everything into building something that, in the end, wasn't mine to keep. The stress. The pain. The slow grind of fightin…
Read the post →Quick update from the shop: I think I might be kind of a big deal. Phone rang today. Guy who owns TWO card stores in Illinois called Izzi's Gym to ask how the heck we got our store and events listed in the official MLP Card Game app. I tol…
Read the post →As Harley Finkelstein just said in today's Q1 earnings: "No group benefits more from AI than entrepreneurs." And Sidekick usage tells the same story: • Weekly active shops using Sidekick up 4x year over year • 12,000+ custom apps were buil…
Read the post →My brother Nick Hamze just pulled off one of my favorite Tier4 moves yet. He emailed Kayou and asked if he could have the source art for the ER cards in their My Little Pony TCG. Not the characters — the locations. Sweet Apple Acres. The S…
Read the post →We have the BEST community in the world. Full stop. Here's what just happened. We've been hunting the Diamond ZR My Little Pony card for months. It's the chase card. The one that lets you enter a contest to have your own pony designed by A…
Read the post →My Little Pony Fans are Amazing!!! This past Thursday and Saturday KAYOU US held two seperate events at American Dream celebrating our new My Little Pony TCG and MLP Fandom. We had an incredible turnout and got to see first hand everything…
Read the post →We barely promoted it. We deliberately kept it small — first event, didn't want to overwhelm ourselves. Over 50 people showed up. Kids and their parents. Adults with their friends. Strangers becoming opponents becoming friends across the t…
Read the post →My twin brother Nick is a genius. I've said it before. I'll say it every day. In one day, he designed, built, and shipped this: illustratedby.com It's a Pokémon TCG illustrator archive. Every card, organized by the artist who drew it. 5ban…
Read the post →At Izzi's Gym, we believe trading cards belong in kids' hands. This month, we're putting My Little Pony cards where they can do the most good: → 100 packs of Moon 2 donated to Sanford Children's Hospital → 500 packs of Fun Moments and Rain…
Read the post →They say dress for the job you want. I'm not sure what job comes with a My Little Pony suit dress code, but if it exists, I'm ready. Izzi's Gym — where the CEO cosplays for the bit and the customers somehow stay anyway.
Read the post →One of the biggest lessons from Year 1 of running Izzi's Gym: Never bring in an IP halfway. If we add My Little Pony cards, we add the blind boxes. The plush. The accessories. Everything that lets a fan live inside the world they already l…
Read the post →Eagles don't fight crows. There's something I keep coming back to. When a crow attacks an eagle, the eagle doesn't fight back. It just flies higher. And higher. Until it's at an altitude the crow won't follow and the crow turns around and…
Read the post →Unboxing a surprise reveals a special find: a Glaceon figure. Nestled amongst other treasures, this ice-type Pokémon, Glaceon, adorned with snow and ice, brings a unique spark to the collection. It's a moment of delightful discovery, showc…
Read the post →Exploring the delightful world of My Little Pony toys, featuring Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle. This collection showcases creative designs, like Twilight Sparkle's ice cream-themed cone, which offers multifunctionality. Rainbow Dash ar…
Read the post →I collect stuff. Pokémon cards, books, autographs. Bought this one on Whatnot last week. It's a salesman's sample book from the early 1900s. Basically a tiny version of a full-size general reference book — the kind that taught people every…
Read the post →Discovering a Pikachu stuffed toy holding a berry in Izzy's Gym adds a unique touch to the collection. Beyond this special find, the gym features a variety of Pikachu plushies: some are depicted waving, others smiling, and one even sports…
Read the post →Friendship dynamics can shift when new influences enter the picture. Sometimes, even the closest bonds face challenges when priorities seem to change, leading to feelings of being overlooked. Navigating these moments requires understanding…
Read the post →Exploring the vibrant local scene for card game enthusiasts! It's inspiring to see so many people engaging with events like Pokémon tournaments and Beyblade competitions right here in the community. These gatherings offer a fantastic oppor…
Read the post →It appears to be a speed trial or a challenge, with characters like Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash participating. Even in moments of perceived sadness or competition, there's a narrative of support and observation, with pets like Spi…
Read the post →