
In today’s Business News of the week episode, host Ryan Alford welcomes co-host Chris Hansen to the studio for an engaging and wide-ranging conversation. The episode kicks off with a lively debate about the appropriateness of wearing sports jerseys, setting a light-hearted tone. From there, the discussion delves into financial news, focusing on recent developments with XRP and the Bitwise XRP ETF. They also tackle broader challenges in the cryptocurrency market, including a significant incident in Argentina. Shifting gears, the duo explores the rising interest in sports cards as collectibles, sharing personal anecdotes and the thrill of uncovering valuable finds. With a mix of humor, insight, and relatable stories, the episode makes complex topics approachable and keeps listeners entertained throughout.
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A
This is Right about now with Ryan Alford, A Radcast Network production. We are the number one business show on the planet with over 1 million downloads a month. Taking the BS out of business for over 6 years in over 400 episodes. You ready to start snapping necks and cashing checks? Well, it starts right about now.
B
Hey, what's up, guys? Welcome to Right about now. It's Friday, February 21, 2025. Got my good friend Chris Hansen in the studio here, buddy. What's up? Good.
C
Good to be here.
B
Getting close here.
C
I know.
B
In the studio, live in G Vegas, we have. Hey, welcome to the snow, brother.
C
I definitely didn't plan for a snow. Snow day here in South Carolina, but.
B
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, man, you never know. We get Greenville's, you know, right at the foothills, right below the base in the mountains. We get the four seasons in two weeks. Sometimes it was 80 degrees two weeks ago. We got the snow coming down. We're at the beautiful Social House, my cowork lounge here in Greenville on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Come see us drop in anytime. You never know. Mr. Hansen might be here.
C
You know, it's a great spot.
B
We. We appreciate everyone for listening. Wherever, whenever you're catching us, we're bringing you today's hottest business news. As always, and, you know, anything else we want to get into. We might even have a second angle here today. Some of the sports card business we've been talking about. So my kids and I have been watching. I mean, it's funny. It's almost addictive of watching these YouTube videos, watching people pack open cards.
C
It's like watching online gambling. Yeah, I'll admit, I wasn't a huge believer until I was at the airport in Miami on the way here, and I see a vending machine with like, six teenage boys buying these exact sports cards. And I was like, all right.
B
Yeah, exactly.
C
There's. There's something to this. There's money in this.
B
Yeah, there is money. I. I had not seen the vending machines, but, you know, nothing surprises me anymore. So how's the week been, brother?
C
It's great. I'm happy to be up here. We've been hanging out, knocking out some stuff.
B
Yeah.
C
Hit the cold plunge last night.
B
Yes. That was interesting. I hadn't done that in a while. It was my first time. But I was impressed with you.
C
37 degrees, 2 minutes for.
B
For a beginner type.
C
Yeah.
B
Yeah, man. It's got a. Mentally strong. You know, it's gotta shut it down.
C
Yeah, you just block out the noise.
B
I don't Know anybody listening out there that's been in the cold plunge? You know, sauna and cold plunge is all the rage. Yeah, it's good for you. Chris and I ventured in. We've got another show called Vibe Science. Go check that out. We talk about all the latest in health and wellness, and we. Hey, we practice what we preach, brother.
C
Yeah. No one can say we're poses. We're doing. We're doing the deal for sure.
B
That content alone might be worth the price of admission. I'd. I can't. You know, like, I shut it down, but I don't know what facial features I had going on in the zone, man. It's gonna shut it down. Yeah. But, hey, they say it's great for you. I mean, I know we talk about on show. We have all these specialists on supposedly mentally, physically. Your body, like, just goes into this complete. You know, you can either let it overtake you, or you just gotta lock in and then the. The hour after it that you're rewarming, I think is. Is the most interesting part. It's euphoric. It's a buzz.
C
Yeah, yeah.
B
I was having. I'd had an energy drink, like, right before that combined. I'm like, yeah, all right.
C
Ryan's sitting in the corner, kind of just staring out in the abyss for a while.
B
Yeah. Who needs.
C
But in a good way.
B
Who needs the party drugs? You go get the cold plunge.
C
Yeah, exactly.
B
But appreciate our friends at Soul Yoga, who's right here next to us on the song Private Trail. Give them a shout out. Appreciate. Appreciate them.
C
Yeah.
B
Their owner, Chris, has been on my. Our show actually here, so you can go check out that episode. He's a great entrepreneur. He's doing some amazing things, but we appreciate them and, you know, we're going to jump right at it. It's funny, I feel like we read these headlines, Chris, and it's like the same. It's nuances to the same themes. Yeah, right.
C
Yeah.
B
Okay. It's interest rates, it's tariffs. It's doge.
C
And not the. Not the crypto.
B
Not the crypto, though. It could be.
C
Yeah, it could be.
B
You have to get your insights on the crypto today. Mine, I am. The crypto's been sort of plateaued. I'm ready for. It's time for a jump. It's time, you know, that's all there is.
C
Yeah, we'll get into it.
B
We'll get into it. So here's what, you know, companies are saying about the impact of these policies. So 20, 25 earnings session insight or season Insights? Companies are grappling with the impact of President Donald Trump's policies, particularly tariffs and immigrations, as frequent topics on earnings calls. Terms like tariff, immigration and newer concepts like Doge. I don't know that's newer anymore. Department of Government Efficiency and Gulf of America are surfacing more often in corporate discussions. So all the talk, and I think, I think the jury's still out about what the impact's going to be. And I think that's why you're seeing people talk about it. It's raising eyebrows. They're like, okay, how much of this is dialogue? Yeah, that's not necessarily going to. The policy is not going to change. It's not going to affect every business. You know, back to, like we said, that negotiating tactics versus how many things are actually going to be, you know, put in place. I think that's where sort of the trepidation, depending on where you fall.
C
I think we're in this weird in between kind of where, you know, the plays have been made, the decisions have been made, and now we're kind of in that waiting period to see the, the impact. And I think obviously the press needs something to write about. It's almost like let's just write and talk theories what could, what couldn't. And you know, I think that relates to everything. I think we're at kind of a observation point right now of this administration where all right, decisions have been made, moves have been made. Now let's kind of just sit and see what happens.
B
Yeah. Says uncertainty remains across many of our core markets and the global economy. We've game planned out several scenarios and steps we could take depending on what actually goes into effect. That's from Scott Heron, CFO of Cisco. So.
C
So exactly. There's a bunch of things we could do, but we won't know until we know. Great. Thanks for the update, Scott.
B
Yeah. Yep. And this was a quote from one of the CEOs. I think Doge is going to bring meritocracy and transparency to government. I think that's exactly what our commercial business is. So since as the government continues to drive to be more efficient, we'll we, we see this as a continued opportunity for the company. That was Bill Maney, CEO of Iron Mountain. Not familiar with Iron Mountain, but clearly he made the article.
C
I think it's a hedge fund or something.
B
I think we're in this wait and see period. And all I can say is for people, most people listen to the show, Keep your head down, man. Keep your head down. And Keep moving forward.
C
Yeah.
B
The headlines are. So I found this a bit for myself. We have this show. We want to talk about news and bring value and make it actionable. But some of this stuff is like, we gotta, like, remove ourselves from a bit. It's not because we're not interested, but like, the daily impact is just. It could be distraction.
C
Yeah.
B
Versus knowledge.
C
Yes.
B
That's what it feels like right now.
C
Right. I think there's other information you could be absorbing on a daily basis that would serve you better than kind of. It's filler news. Right. Like, I don't. There's no big movement happening.
B
No.
C
They're just reporting on previous stuff that's happened and kind of speculating on the future, you know, so like you said, keep your head down, keep moving forward, whatever it is you're doing. And just. There's a light coming.
B
Yeah, exactly. I did. I did like this. Jumping straight to some of our, you know, lighter news. Coke launching Simply Pop. You know, this plays across both of our shows, so I thought it was interesting. It's a prebiotic soda. I want to taste this just because it looks tasty. It looks strawberry pop. I mean, who doesn't want, like a strawberry soda? I'm thinking like, you know, cross between what, like Crush, not Orange Crush, like Strawberry Crush.
C
Yeah.
B
It tastes anything like that, I'm in.
C
I mean, I'm something else. I'm a fan of these. I like to. I've had some of the other brands of the prebiotic sodas and they're definitely. I can't speak on the actual nutrition health. I feel like I'm being healthier when I drink them and they taste good enough to where I'm like, oh, this is a healthy soda. But honestly, I think it's about time. Coke out there, like, they're losing revenue on traditional soda.
B
So this is a marketing little. We're looking at our screen here of marketing.
C
Yeah.
B
This is the new term juice squeezed. It's like, it's like, like it's the benefits. It's not fresh squeezed. It's juice squeezed.
C
That's concentrate.
B
That's good marketing if I've ever heard it. Where else would have come? Of course. Hey, how can we say it's sort of like fresh squeeze but not fresh squeezed. It's juice squeeze. What the hell does. What does juice squeezed mean? How do you squeeze the juice? You squeeze the fruit. So sorry. Coke. I'm. You got a marketer here reading booze, business news. I know all the tricks. That's one of Them right there. They went to legal and said, how can we say this? Made with real fruit juice. So it's juice squeezed.
C
That looks like a little bit of a misleading marketing label if you ask me.
B
It's from concentrate.
C
Yeah.
B
Then concentrated. So it's juice squeezed, not fruit squeezed. And then concentrated.
C
We'll hear about it in six months on another show. Someone will tell us lots of pre.
B
Prebiotics. I've always thought prebiotics sounded bad. Like I had, I don't know why, but like when I first heard it and I was very ill informed, like five or six years ago, like when it was starting like bubble up, I was like. And it wasn't necessarily in the context that it is now. Oh, that doesn't sound good. I think I was like, antibiotics, like.
C
Like it's the opposite of an antibiotic, a prebiotic. Don't put that in my drink.
B
Do not put that in my drink. I want no prebiotics. I, I need antibiotics.
C
Yeah. Now it's in everything anyway.
B
Has nothing to do with that. And I was an idiot. It's something to do with your gut health. It helps your gut health.
C
It's good for your digestive health.
B
Yes. But I'm liking these flavors. I like the cans. I got the simply. I just hope it tastes good. Man. I gotta have, I gotta have good taste. That's, that's what it comes down to. Can you make it healthy and taste good? Lot of fight with one another.
C
Send us a few boxes. Let us taste it.
B
Yeah. But I will say this. As it relates to the business market, all these alternative drinks are the rage.
C
Yeah.
B
So you have declining alcohol drinkers, you have people really watching the sugar content.
C
Yeah.
B
You have people wanting alternative ways to get energy or different buzzes, electrolytes that aren't as seemingly unhealthy as alcohol and other things. So there's a lot of damn money in this. It's just, it seems like it's hard to get traction. Like we've seen a lot of companies, you know, direct to retail, all that stuff. It's just, you know, one thing, when Coke launches it, they've already got a billion places of distribution.
C
Yeah.
B
But it's big business in the, in the liquid. Liquid. Because look, people always want something fresh to drink. Yeah. You know, water's great, but I think there's always room for this stuff. But I think there's like this new. I don't know, the health drink business is supposed to like 10x for the next few years. What's your favorite Drink, Chris, that's in this space of kind of wellness.
C
I mean outside of like a natural cold pressed juice.
B
Yeah. Like anything that's like. I mean you've had it. You've had like CBD drinks or neither. Have you had any of those? Or like the mushroom ones? Have you had any of the ones?
C
Yeah, like that.
B
Not. You're not tripping or anything.
C
Yeah, there's one. I think it's called Odyssey. Yeah, it's a.
B
Because I see those hit my Facebook feed like non stop.
C
They're like a mushroom elixir. It's like lion's mane. It's an energy drink. With mushrooms. With mushrooms are really good for, you know, a lot of, A lot of things, but for your brain and your physical health. But I really did like those. I tried those. Those I thought were pretty awesome. And then non energy. There's one called Mellow that's just watermelon juice.
B
Oh.
C
But they have some with like watermelon juice and ginger or watermelon passion fruit. Because watermelon juice has a lot of natural electrolytes. So it's very hydrating. So also good for your blood pressure. Good for your libido too, FYI. So that's another one that if you ask me, like what I. I used to love soda, like one, two sodas a day. That's been my now substitute at night is, you know, a sparkling watermelon drinker. And we've talked about some of the CBD drinks. You know, there's a lot of these new THC CBD sparkling beverages that are getting a lot of popularity. I've seen a lot of my friends that are moving away from alcohol like you mentioned.
B
Right? Yep.
C
These low, kind of low dose THC CBD drinks that are more social and chill. So.
B
Yeah.
C
And that's.
B
You start seeing more of that at the bars is.
C
Yeah.
B
Becomes more mainstream and obviously legal. I'm not suggesting like, you know, and bars and tribes.
C
Right. But yeah, I mean, I know in New York we had. There was bars trying to do CBD elixirs and whatnot. And then just regulation kind of got in the way of it.
B
So I think that will start to get out of the way as you see the growth and then it's just. But I do think sometimes there's like contrary. It's like if you're getting buzzed up drunk versus the mellow. Well, those are opposing parties.
C
It is. I mean, I got friends, they like beer. And you're one of those guys.
B
Yeah, I like beer.
C
You're A beer guy.
B
But I'm not like a raging, like, I don't know, I can drink 10 beers and be kind of the same guy. Yeah, some lot of people's personalities change.
C
Yeah. People pick their poison. But I think having an alternative like, like say the CBD drinks where before we'd had nothing.
B
Right.
C
It was alcohol or nothing. And even now you have some of these drinks. I forget the name of the company. Katy Perry is a partner in it. But they make these like champagne drinks that have mushrooms and L Theanine. And I. It was a friend of mine was pregnant and she introduced me to it actually. So there's. You're right, it's going to 10x. All these alternatives, all these alcohol alternatives and some of them give you a buzz and they're good for you. So I think you're going to see.
B
A lot in that. I would just caution people listening D to C is tough. Yeah, you got to get distribution.
C
Oh, I, I, we got approached. Some guys wanted to launch a drink last year and it was a great idea. Great.
B
Yeah.
C
Great branding, great formula. But it's a lot of time and energy.
B
Yeah. Pun intended. You have to drink a lot of those drinks to make it happen. The I saw this. So Elon Musk, related to doge is weighing a Doge dividend to send Americans checks using. Using saved funds.
C
It sounds like IRS repayments to me.
B
Yeah.
C
In a roundabout way.
B
He later said that DOGE parties should be on closing the federal budget deficit. So I guess he's like, I guess before we should, you know, send checks, we need to close the deficit. But nonetheless, I, you know, everybody not like that, like the way he's getting there. But I like what he's trying to do.
C
I mean, I'm enjoying watching the process just seeing all the fraud and abuse get exposed because we've all known it's there. But seeing it, you know, and these updates with the receipts they're showing of what was spent on what is really just like enraging to a degree. Right. As a taxpayer.
B
So, yeah, I like this quote right here. This is very important for people to understand a country is no different from an individual and that if an individual overspends, an individual can go bankrupt and so can a country. And the massive waste, fraud and abuse that has been going on and leading to 2 trillion a year in a deficit. That's it. Right. At the end of the day, that's.
C
What I mean when I talk about having business guys back in the building.
B
Yeah, exactly.
C
It's like Just looking at basic costs.
B
We need to balance the budget as the first priority. Agreed. Means we've talked about this a lot. If we ran our companies the way the government runs, you know, and the only way they get away with it is because then they can just say, well, they're protecting the people. It's different, you know, but it's not different. So we'll see how it gets there. Nonetheless, it's fun. I thought this was fun. So the Golden State warriors have launched a record label. The Golden State warriors are making ways beyond the court by launching their own record label. This move reflects the growing synergy between sports and the music industry, allowing athletes and franchises to tap into the cultural influence of hip hop and other genres. Kind of cool. I, you know, I see the crossover. Right.
C
Especially I forward thinking if you got guys with nil licensing and stuff.
B
Yep.
C
It's like, hey, we have a studio now as part of your package, so we need 20 of whatever revenue.
B
Exactly right. Expect to see exclusive tracks, collaboration with big name artists, and crossover content that deepens fan engagement. It's interesting. So.
C
And the NBA, and I'll say NBA and hip hop has always been very intertwined.
B
Very. It, it strikes me as the right marriage. Yeah, for sure.
C
Especially if you think about like, you know, warming up.
B
I play basketball, life, you're warming up. You got, you got pumping up, pumping up. You got music playing. It's part of the experience of the games.
C
Yeah.
B
It's interesting though, how the Golden State, you know, not that they can't get over this, but it's one team. So you got those players, I'm sure they'll integrate. But like if LeBron James plays for the Lakers and he wants to, you know, if they got a record label that they start, they've got a rapper working with LeBron James. Do you get in those conflicts or are they gonna separate? You would think they're going to separate church and state between the team and individual players and stuff. Otherwise it comes limited because what is it just gonna be? Steph Curry? Yeah, because golden stuff, this is gonna.
C
Become a bunch of players like having beef with other players with their own like teams.
B
Rap label, another Tupac and Biggie Biggie incident. But with NBA teams, the record labels clashing on the court, off the court, in the bars. This is good marketing behind the scenes. Yeah.
C
It makes sense though so far too, like mellow. Didn't he just release that song and went viral?
B
He did.
C
You got a lot of athletes that try to be artists. You know, Antonio Brown, for Example is one.
B
But nostalgia is proving to be a major driver in fashion trends as retro football jerseys take over fashion. Hey, what's always new again? And this is not a, this is a new trim but an old trend.
C
Right? This is, this is a trend that's went on from the beginning of time.
B
Yeah, yeah. Like every 20 years this becomes a thing.
C
You're rocking it because there's new vintage. Every 20 years.
B
I gotta find my old Larry Bird jersey. I don't know where that thing is. I think it got sold in the garage sale. But that thing would be Right.
C
I like the old vintage like Buccaneers and Dolphins stuff.
B
Once confined to game days, these vintage pieces are now becoming staple street wear worn by celebrities, influencers and everyday fashion forward consumers. High end brands and sportswear giants alike are capitalizing on the trend by reissuing classic jerseys.
C
Gonna start seeing these around a lot of bit.
B
Yeah, I just.
C
Does that devalue.
B
Do you feel like you can rock it like an NBA jersey though, and not look going to a game but like walking around?
C
And I will say this, I will never wear, I don't wear jerseys. I just am like a big weird thing of like, why am I rocking another dude's last name on my body Now I'll wear a team shirt or something like that. But let's be real, I've never been a big enough fan to like follow players and even like go purchase a jersey. Like that's part of it I get. Right. But no, I'll get one of those vintage with no name. Get my own name on the back maybe.
B
Yeah, I can't, I can't pull that off. And I didn't really.
C
Would you rock it with the T under or just tank. Tank style?
B
I just wouldn't rock it.
C
You're just, you're like, this is dope. But I just can't pull it off.
B
You know, like, hey, there's.
C
Hey, I respect even like NFL jersey.
B
Maybe, maybe, but not that you could get. You could, yeah, NFL.
C
Yeah, you could get away with that.
B
But going to a game or going to a party, I just don't know about rocking it.
C
Like, like right now it'd be a little fun.
B
It was a sports show maybe, but I don't still know I can pull that off. No, I don't know if I want.
C
To pull it off.
B
But I, I like them. I see other people and I'm like, maybe for Halloween.
C
Yeah, like you could be like, yeah.
B
I'm actually Larry Bird. Yeah, exactly.
C
Tall white guy.
B
Yeah, I love it. The XRP News Bitwise XRP ETF clears first hurdle towards 8 billion jackpot Bitwise just cleared a huge hurdle towards launching a spot XRP exchange traded fund, part of a bigger big 8 billion inflows. The security Exchange Commission has acknowledged the asset manager's application to launch, making it the third applicant to pass this important milestone. The likelihood of an XRP ETF approval is high. Would that send XRP itself up?
C
Yeah, absolutely, of course, because now you have it. I mean it's a true security. Like that's, that's where your parents are going to their stock broker down the road and they're saying, okay, Mr. Mrs. Alford, we're going to put 10 in this XRP ETF and they'll say, okay, that sounds safe and good. That's what I see happening, right?
B
What's going on with the market in general?
C
It got slammed this week and from what I'm reading again, I'm no freaking crypto expert or no financial advice, but crypto Chris? Yeah, I'm getting educated on crypto Twitter, which you've been on that it's like the trenches if you don't even open it, it's like Reddit. But the big news this past week was involving Argentina in a project called Libra. And essentially this project was, you know, the president of Argentina tweeted out about it and kind of under the assumption people thought this was like Argentina's new currency, their cryptocurrency, their stable coin. So it obviously valuation shot up, ton of people invested and then guys basically just drained it, sucked out. I think it was close to a billion, maybe I can't remember the exact number, but did not look good. For Argentina it was a big bad thing, reputation wise for the industry. It makes it, you have genuine people really trying to change their currencies, right? You have countries like El Salvador where they have a bitcoin reserve and Argentina I think for the first time in many years had just gotten out of a deficit. I believe too this new president was doing a good job economically, but this now drained a ton of liquidity. A lot of normal retail investors, normal Argentinian people lost a lot of money and but it does look like the guys behind it are addressing it or you know, there'll be some consequences. But as a whole that shook everything up, scared a lot of people. That was the biggest thing that I was kind of aware of going on that shook a lot of people because really when you have news like XRP possibly getting an ETF approval like that, should you know, signal the market to move up. And that's kind of what everyone anticipated with this administration, with all these pro crypto policies like this happening. But that doesn't mean it's still kind of the wild west. And. And you got bad players. And anywhere there's big money, you're going to have bad people try to get their hand in. Unfortunately.
B
So I see My.
C
Hey, you're looking good with. You're. You're. I know you're an XRP guy.
B
You're. Yeah.
C
That's good news for you.
B
Yeah, I know. It's up 5% today.
C
Or $2.67 and money rewards the patient.
B
Yeah, exactly. See, I mean, I just keep hitting refresh. Oh, 4.4. This is what you do to yourself.
C
Yeah.
B
Refresh, refresh, refresh. What are we up to? 268 went up a cent while we were talking, so I don't know.
C
Hey, it's on the green.
B
It's in the green. Last six months, it's up 372%.
C
That's what I'm saying. You know, if you zoom out, be a little patient and. And that can apply to even the general news. Right. We're just. You don't need to necessarily be in it every day. There's nothing. Always stuff that you need to know. Go read a book. Take a walk.
B
Yep. See, I bought it about right here.
C
I'm pretty sure 90 of the general population is not going to have an influence on tariffs, so we might as well stop reading about it every six hours.
B
Yeah, exactly. But you can go buy XRP and watch it.
C
Yeah. Go up 300, hopefully.
B
Yeah, exactly. We've been talking about sports cards. Sports cards trading. The sports card market size is worth $20.48 billion. It will be by 2030.
C
It's only five years.
B
Yeah, I know. Exactly. I mean, dude, there's some real damn money in this.
C
Those vending machines, man.
B
I know. That's why we're gonna open some plaques here. Open some packs.
C
So we got any money rolling in today?
B
Yes. What we got? Hey, our good friends at Panini, Don, Russ. You never know what you're going to get. It's like lottery in a pack, man.
C
It's. You know what it is? It's scratch offs for children. And you're getting. No, I'm just saying. They got you. Yeah, they're getting the same dopamine hit.
B
Yeah, exactly. We got our camera view even on this one. So you get a little closer up. Oh, yeah. Look at that. Chris, isn't that tight. Look at that.
C
Oh, they're giving me nostalgia.
B
They. They obviously agreed to. Who would be on the COVID of these way before they came out? I mean, Aaron Rodgers kind of fizzled like the wind. Who's on the front of the COVID But you never know. If you're not watching the. The YouTube video, you're not getting the full effect here. You're on YouTube, Spotify, or @ryan is right.com. you get links to this stuff. So we'll get in. It's kind of hard to do it in reverse, but look. All right, who we got here? Who we got? Who we got? Who we got? No, these first four up. Jimmy Smith, nobody.
C
I don't see any holographs.
B
Tank Dell. Tank Dell. No autographs. And then this. Who's this? Tank Dell. Two Tank Dells in one. He's two Dells in one. Roma Dante. Gonna be pretty good as it comes up. Not bad. This would be the three hit to the card. Oh, this is my boy, though. T. Higgins, Clemson guy. Gotta get that out. Check those out, man. Hey, look at. Look at the detail on these cards, though. I mean, they got the foil on that thing. I think we need, like, official cards of us with the foil on it, you know, Panini, you get it in there. Sports cards, hopefully. Tank Dells.
C
I feel like they're smaller than they used to be.
B
It's because your hands are bigger. You're not 12 years old anymore. You know, you were a. As a kid.
C
I was a big MLB card guy.
B
Exactly. You never know. You never know. Tank Dell. I hope you have a great season. We got two of you, so you never know what's going to happen. Shout out to our friends Don, Russ and Panini. You never know what you're gonna get. It's a lotto in a pack. Hey, should be a dm. I might send you one of these Aaron Rodgers lovely packs. You never know. You can pull a downtown. I may enumerate Uno. I didn't tell you about this. Chris was in Asheville last week. They make these cards that are essentially, you know, like this, but it's like a downtown logo and it shows the backdrop of, like, almost like a artwork. It was. I pulled a gold Josh Allen, one of 10. It's a $5,000 card.
C
I hope you put it in plastic.
B
Put it hard sleeve. Dude. Dude. $20 pack. Five grand. Crazy.
C
That's crazy.
B
I know. It's crazy. What some of these things were one of these packs right here. You never know. Lotto in the pack. Oh, that's all we got today. That's major. But giving you the latest, the greatest, the things to do. Any final words, my friend?
C
Hey, everybody, we're getting the end of February. Lock it in if you haven't already.
B
Hey, lock it in. Make the best. Follow the trends but don't let them get in your way.
C
Yeah.
B
Ryanisright.com you'll find all the highlight clips. Hey, you gotta look at these Holly clips. I got Kristen studio looking nice and dapper here in 4K.
C
Doing my best.
B
We appreciate wherever you're, whenever, however you're listening, always love you for loving us. We'll see you next time. Right about now.
A
This has been right about now with Ryan Alford, a Radcast network production. Visit ryanisright.com for full audio and video versions of the show or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities. Thanks for listening.
Right About Now with Ryan Alford: Business News of the Week Summary
Release Date: February 21, 2025
Host: Ryan Alford
Guests: Chris Hansen
In this episode, Ryan Alford and his co-host Chris Hansen delve into the ongoing effects of President Donald Trump's policies on the business landscape. The discussion highlights how tariffs, immigration policies, and emerging concepts like the Department of Government Efficiency and the Gulf of America are becoming focal points in corporate earnings calls.
Key Insights:
Uncertainty in Markets: Many companies are currently in a "wait and see" mode, evaluating how these policies will translate into tangible impacts. Scott Heron, CFO of Cisco, emphasized the importance of scenario planning amid these uncertainties. (04:35)
Balancing Act: The hosts underscore the complexity of distinguishing between marketing dialogue and actual policy implementation. They caution businesses to remain adaptable and focus on strategic planning rather than getting bogged down by speculative discussions. (04:15)
Notable Quote:
"A country is no different from an individual, and if an individual overspends, an individual can go bankrupt and so can a country." — Chris Hansen (16:01)
The conversation transitions to the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies, focusing on Dogecoin (DOGE) and XRP. Ryan shares exciting news about Elon Musk's consideration of a DOGE dividend to assist in closing the federal budget deficit, signaling potential positive movements for DOGE holders.
XRP ETF Progress:
Market Cautions:
Notable Quote:
"Crypto Twitter is like the trenches; if you don't even open it, it's like Reddit." — Chris Hansen (23:15)
Ryan and Chris turn their attention to the burgeoning sports card industry, projecting its market size to reach approximately $20.48 billion by 2030. They highlight the addictive nature of sports card trading and unpack the significant revenue opportunities it presents.
Key Highlights:
Vending Machine Popularity: The duo observes the rising trend of sports card vending machines, noting their appeal similar to online gambling with the excitement of "packing open cards." (01:38)
Collector's Experience: They share personal anecdotes about unwrapping sports cards, emphasizing the nostalgia and thrill associated with rare finds, such as limited edition cards featuring athletes like Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen. (27:53)
Notable Quote:
"It's a lottery in a pack." — Ryan Alford (27:00)
The episode explores contemporary marketing strategies in the beverage and fashion industries, focusing on Coca-Cola's launch of "Simply Pop," a prebiotic soda, and the resurgence of vintage sports jerseys in mainstream fashion.
Prebiotic Soda Launch:
Product Appeal: Ryan expresses enthusiasm for Coca-Cola's new prebiotic soda, praising its health benefits for gut health and its appealing taste profiles, such as strawberry flavors. (08:44)
Marketing Tactics: The hosts critique Coca-Cola's marketing terminology, questioning the authenticity of terms like "juice squeezed" and how they balance health perceptions with taste. (09:15)
Vintage Sports Jerseys:
Nostalgia-Driven Trends: The conversation shifts to the trend of retro football jerseys becoming staple streetwear, driven by nostalgia and high demand from both consumers and high-end brands. (20:14)
Cultural Integration: They discuss the seamless integration of sports apparel into everyday fashion, highlighting how vintage jerseys are embraced by celebrities and influencers alike. (20:35)
Notable Quote:
"Every 20 years this becomes a thing." — Chris Hansen (20:18)
Wrapping up, Ryan and Chris encourage listeners to stay informed without getting overwhelmed by daily news cycles. They advocate for strategic focus and patience, especially in volatile markets like cryptocurrency and evolving industries like sports cards.
Closing Advice:
Stay Focused: "Keep your head down, keep moving forward." — Ryan Alford (07:25)
Selective Information Consumption: The hosts suggest prioritizing meaningful knowledge over constant news consumption to maintain productivity and mental well-being. (07:45)
Notable Quote:
"Knowledge versus distraction." — Chris Hansen (07:46)
This episode of Right About Now with Ryan Alford provides a comprehensive overview of current business trends and market dynamics, from policy impacts and cryptocurrency advancements to the explosive growth of the sports card market and innovative marketing strategies. Ryan and Chris deliver their insights with a blend of expertise, humor, and practical advice, making complex topics accessible and engaging for listeners.
For more detailed discussions and updates, visit www.RyanIsRight.com or follow @rightaboutnowshow and @ryanalford on Instagram.