Can you be a collector and successful seller also?

[homerunhitter]

When you look at the big names in our hobby the big sellers such as Burbank sports cards and probstein, they almost never mention their PCs or what they collect. It seems they are only in the hobby to flip cards and make money, not really into collecting cards themselves so I ask, can one become a successful seller if they are collectors Also? Or do successful sellers only focus on making money and flipping cards? (No attachment to personal collections or collecting) I also ask because I noticed that when I sell on eBay, I spend all my money on buying more cards for my collection!

[G1911]

Well Burbank and Probstein, full fledged businesses for which this is their livelihood, of course have to be at least mostly sellers or investors. Probstein isn’t even selling things he or his business owns, they are consignment.

You can do both, you can do one or the other. Depends what you mean by successful, but if we’re talking full businesses like these, they are all going to be primarily or entirely sellers. Someone selling opportunistically or extras on the side is in another ballpark as someone who does this to pay the bills as their daily job for them and their family.

[homerunhitter]

I’m meaning successful as in being a full time seller

[G1911]

Well, if your business is to sell a product and you have a personal interest in not selling your product but instead keeping it, I doubt you will find much success as a businessman.

[homerunhitter]

I guess it’s hard to explain what I’m trying to get at. Basically can someone sell full time but also be a collector. Or should the focus only be about making money

[G1911]

If you have a product, and your livelihood depends on selling that product, then you can’t keep that product; you must sell it.

[Lucas00]

I find buying and selling things I don't like very much but have wide appeal is the best way to do it.
No attachments at all. Build yourself a niche collection that you love. Sell what you don't.

[BCauley]

I believe it's certainly in the realm of possibility but whoever is successful at doing it would have to draw a really hard deep line in the sand between their business and their personal life and stick to it.

[RayBShotz]

I know a few LCS Owners who have personal collections.
It's not finite to think card dealers never collect for themselves.
RayB

[packs]

I think it's possible if you bought early and leverage your savvy buying into a business that allows you to trade up on the personal collection side of things. But I guess that's not a business for general profit as much as it's a business for personal profit.

[Republicaninmass]

Don't forget the #1 crack commandment

[homerunhitter]

Or I guess a simpler way to ask it would be: have you noticed most big sellers don’t collect cards themselves!?