- Joe DePasquale sells sports cards online under the brand “Joe Hollywood.”
- Last year, his company made more than $5 million in sales.
- He wants to use his wealth to give his kids the resources they need to succeed.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Joe DePasquale, founder of the Joe Hollywood brand. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Growing up, I didn’t have much. My dad was involved in drugs, and my mom struggled with a mental illness that sometimes made it difficult for her to even go outside. It was a really difficult atmosphere. I remember coming home one day to strangers at our house; it was the local church dropping off donations for us.
My prized possessions were my sports cards. My grandfather bought me my first pack when I was 8, and I absolutely treasured the cards even as I got older. I went to college in Manhattan and missed many classes because I was buying cards for 5 or 10 cents on the street corner.
Eventually, I dropped out of college to take a job in finance, making $200 a week. That job felt like a bridge between where I was and where I could be. I moved up the corporate ladder, eventually reaching leadership in my finance company. But I never felt fully financially secure, especially seeing firsthand how tumultuous the market can be.
I started selling millions worth of sports cards
All the while, I was still buying trading cards until I had more than half a million of them. I rented a storage unit to keep them all. In 2022, I relocated from New York City to Atlanta for my finance job. I had my dream house and decided to bring my cards home. They filled almost my basement, so my wife, Dori, suggested it was time to sell some.
My oldest son, Joe Jr., was 10 at the time. He was excited by the idea, so we started selling cards online and eventually on WhatNot, a livestreaming marketplace. At first, we were filming in the basement boiler room; the show would end when my phone battery died. As we sold more, we moved to my younger son’s train table and eventually to the Ping-Pong table.
Soon, we outgrew that, and I could justify converting a bedroom into a home office for selling cards. Last year, my company did more than $5 million in sales on WhatNot.
I take each of my kids on individual trips
I don’t like to talk about my personal wealth or net worth. But it’s clear my three children, who are now 13, 10, and 6, are growing up very differently than I did.
We like to travel as a family, including a recent Thanksgiving trip to the Bahamas. Dori and I also do smaller trips with just one of our children at a time. We’re preparing to take Joe Jr. to Disney — he’s never been, and neither have I. This past fall, we took our daughter to New York City and did everything she wanted, including seeing the Rockettes. Our youngest wanted to eat grilled cheese on the beach, so we took him to Turks and Caicos.
Because of my success, I can spend quality time with each of my kids. That makes up for the fact that my quantity of time is sometimes limited since I stream for 24 hours each Friday through Saturday. I still reserve Sundays for faith and family, though.
I want my kids to have resources
I want my children to have access to every resource they need to succeed. Joe Jr. loves basketball, so I pay for every basketball team or clinic he asks for. Whether it’s dance lessons or tutoring, I’m willing to spend on it. I want my kids to work for their success, but I’ll be right at their side as they do.
I know the differences resources can make. My mom didn’t have money but wanted me to attend a private high school. She asked my grandmother to pay for my schooling; in exchange, my mom didn’t get anything in the will when my grandmother died since the tuition was her inheritance. I’m lucky not to have to make difficult choices like that, but I’m motivated to give everything I can to my kids.
More than anything, I want my children to grow up in a positive, encouraging environment. They’ll need to work hard and be leaders, but I want them to know life isn’t just about making money; it’s about being a good person.
