Week 6: Building Your Pokemon Business Team

Week 6 prepares you to scale beyond solo operations. Learn when and how to build your Pokemon business team so you can grow without burning out.

What You'll Master This Week

Scaling from solo to team seems daunting, but Week 6 breaks it down into manageable steps. You'll learn exactly:

• When you actually need help (and when you don't)
• Where to find Pokemon-knowledgeable people
• How to interview and hire without legal mistakes
• Training systems that create competent team members
• Creating positive Pokemon business culture
• Basic leadership skills for young entrepreneurs

Bottom Line: You'll know how to build a team that multiplies your capacity without creating chaos.

Module 1: When You Actually Need Help

Signs You're Ready to Hire:

• Turning down customers: Too busy to fulfill all orders
• Working 60+ hours weekly: Unsustainable, heading toward burnout
• Missing growth opportunities: Can't pursue new channels/products because maxed out
• Business makes enough profit: Revenue after expenses covers potential salary
• Repetitive tasks consuming time: Work that could be delegated

Signs You're NOT Ready:

• Revenue under $3,000/month (not enough to cover help)
• You're disorganized (fix systems before adding people)
• Haven't mastered the work yourself (can't train what you don't know)
• Only need help a few hours per month (not worth hiring complexity)

Financial Reality Check:

Can you afford help?

• Part-time help: $12-18/hour × 10-20 hours/week = $480-1,440/month
• Your business needs $1,000-2,000+ monthly profit after all other expenses
• Rule: Only hire when profit consistently exceeds 2X cost of help

Alternatives to Hiring:

• Automation tools (repricing software, bulk listing tools)
• Better systems (batch processing, templates)
• Cutting low-profit activities (focus on highest ROI)
• Family help (spouse, kids can help part-time)

Module 1 includes readiness calculator to determine if you should hire now.

Module 2: Finding Pokemon-Knowledgeable People

Where to Look:

Local Game Stores:

• Ask store owners for referrals
• Talk to regular players and collectors
• Post "Help Wanted" on store bulletin board

Pokemon Events and Tournaments:

• Meet active community members
• Identify reliable, passionate players
• Network with Pokemon-loving individuals

Online Pokemon Communities:

• Discord servers (local Pokemon groups)
• Facebook groups (announce you're hiring)
• Reddit (r/PokemonTCG - check rules first)

Your Existing Customers:

• They already know and trust you
• Understand your business standards
• May welcome opportunity to work in Pokemon

Local Schools/Colleges:

• Students need flexible work
• Often Pokemon fans
• Available part-time
• Tech-comfortable

Skills Beyond Pokemon Knowledge:

Don't hire just because someone loves Pokemon. Prioritize:

• Customer service: Friendly, helpful, professional
• Reliability: Shows up on time, follows through
• Basic math: Can calculate prices, count change
• Tech-comfortable: Can use platforms, spreadsheets
• Learning mindset: Willing to be trained your way

Truth: You can teach Pokemon knowledge. You can't easily teach reliability or attitude.

Module 3: Hiring and Interviewing Without Legal Mistakes

Good Interview Questions (Legal and Effective):

Pokemon Experience:

• "How long have you been involved with Pokemon TCG?"
• "What Pokemon sets or cards do you collect/play?"
• "Are you familiar with card grading and conditions?"

Customer Service Scenarios:

• "A customer says a card you sent is more damaged than described. What do you do?"
• "A customer wants to negotiate a price down 30%. How do you respond?"

Availability and Reliability:

• "What days and hours are you available?"
• "Do you have reliable transportation?"
• "Tell me about a time you had to be somewhere important. How did you ensure you arrived on time?"

Learning and Growth:

• "How do you learn new things quickly?"
• "Tell me about a time you made a mistake. How did you handle it?"

Legal Don'ts (Illegal Questions - Avoid):

• Don't ask: Age, marital status, kids, religion, disabilities, race
• Do ask: "Are you 16+" (for work permit age) or "18+" if needed for your business
• Focus entirely on job-related qualifications

Red Flags to Watch For:

• Bad-mouths previous employers excessively
• Can't provide references
• Vague about availability
• Overemphasizes Pokemon obsession but lacks practical skills

Module 4: Training Your Team Effectively

Training Topics for Pokemon Business:

Card Condition Grading (Critical):

• TCGPlayer grading standards (NM, LP, MP, HP, DMG)
• Practice grading 20-30 cards together
• Test understanding before letting them grade independently

Product Knowledge:

• Major Pokemon eras (Base Set, WOTC, Modern, etc.)
• Popular Pokemon (Charizard, Pikachu, Eeveelutions, etc.)
• Card types (holos, reverse holos, full arts, secret rares)
• Set symbols and identification

Price Research Tools:

• TCGPlayer Market Price research
• eBay sold listings analysis
• When to price higher/lower (condition, demand)
• Your specific pricing strategy

Customer Service Standards:

• Response time expectations
• How to handle common questions
• Escalation process (when to involve you)
• Your brand voice and tone

Inventory Procedures:

• How you organize cards
• Where things are located
• How to log new inventory
• Packaging standards
• Shipping processes

Training Timeline: 2-4 weeks for basic competence, 3-6 months for independent operation.

Documentation is Key: Write down all procedures so training is repeatable and consistent.

Module 5: Creating Positive Pokemon Business Culture

Your business culture attracts (or repels) great people.

Pokemon Business Culture Elements:

Celebrate Releases Together:

• Open new set booster boxes as a team
• Attend prereleases together
• Share excitement about Pokemon news
• Make work fun, not just transactions

Learn as a Team:

• Watch Pokemon TCG content together
• Discuss new strategies and decks
• Share market insights
• Encourage curiosity and questions

Have Fun While Professional:

• Pokemon is inherently playful
• Enjoyment doesn't mean unprofessional
• Balance fun energy with reliable work quality
• Create environment people want to be part of

Build Community Connections:

• Attend local events as a team
• Support local game stores and players
• Give back to Pokemon community
• Build reputation together

Recognition and Appreciation:

• Acknowledge good work
• Thank team members regularly
• Celebrate wins together (big sales, milestones)
• Make people feel valued

Module 6: Basic Leadership for Young Entrepreneurs

You might be young or new to business. You can still lead effectively.

Lead by Example:

• Work harder than your team
• Follow the same rules you set
• Admit mistakes openly
• Show the behavior you want to see

Earn Respect Through Competence:

• Know your products deeply
• Make good decisions consistently
• Solve problems effectively
• Demonstrate expertise

Communicate Clearly:

• Give specific instructions ("List these 20 cards by 3pm" not "list some cards")
• Check understanding ("Can you repeat back the process?")
• Provide feedback regularly (both positive and corrective)
• Be available for questions

Admit When You Don't Know:

• No one knows everything
• "I don't know, but I'll find out" is respectable
• Ask team members for input (they may have ideas)
• Learn together

Learn From Mistakes:

• You'll make hiring, training, and leadership mistakes
• Acknowledge them, adjust, improve
• Show team that mistakes are learning opportunities
• Resilience is leadership

Module 6 Insight: Great leadership is learned, not innate. Start practicing these skills from day one.

Week 6 Action Steps

By the end of Week 6, you'll have:

• ✅ Assessed if you're ready to hire (financial and operational readiness)
• ✅ Identified 3-5 places to find potential team members
• ✅ Created interview question list (legal and effective)
• ✅ Documented training procedures for key business tasks
• ✅ Defined your Pokemon business culture (what you stand for)
• ✅ Committed to leadership development practices

Why Week 6 is a Game-Changer

Most Pokemon businesses stay small because the owner can't scale beyond themselves. They either:

• Burn out trying to do everything solo
• Hire poorly (wrong people, no training)
• Create chaos (no systems, poor leadership)
• Give up on growth

Week 6 gives you the team-building system to scale sustainably.

Your Pokemon business doesn't have to be limited by your personal capacity. Build a team that multiplies your impact.

Get the Complete Course

Enroll in Complete Course →

---

Week 6 of 8. Complete course →