August 17-23, 2025

Another productive week in the CardTechie ecosystem! I'm building a comprehensive platform for trading card data and tools, and I believe in sharing the journey openly. Here's what got done in the past 7 days.

The Big Picture

I'm working on solving a fundamental problem in the trading card industry: there's no good, accessible data infrastructure. Collectors, app developers, and businesses all struggle with fragmented, incomplete, or expensive card data. My solution is a multi-pronged approach:

• Trading Card API - Clean, comprehensive data for developers
• Card Almanac - Consumer-friendly card database and checklists
• Open Checklist Project - Community-driven data collection
• Developer Tools - SDKs and admin interfaces

This Sprint's Highlights

🎯 Strategic Pivot: From "Ready" to "Beta"

The biggest change this week was shifting my messaging from "production-ready API" to "early access beta program." This isn't about the technology being unready—it's about building community and gathering feedback before the full launch. Sometimes the best way forward is to be more honest about where you are in the journey.

🚀 Major Technical Upgrades

• Upgraded to Laravel 12 and PHP 8.4 (staying on the bleeding edge) (cardtechie.com)
• Deployed the Trading Card API docs to DigitalOcean App Platform (tradingcardapi.com)
• Modernized Docker Compose syntax across all projects

📊 Data-Driven Improvements

• Implemented Google Analytics GA4 on cardtechie.com
• Added proper social media sharing with Twitter Cards for cardtechie blog posts
• Enhanced SEO with better meta tags and structured data
• Fixed duplicate title tags and other technical SEO issues

📝 Content & Community Focus

This sprint had a heavy content focus (9 out of 31 items), which reflects my strategy of building in public and creating resources for the community:

• Complete homepage redesign focusing on developers and collectors
• New "Early Access" page explaining the beta program
• Enhanced blog posts with proper images and social sharing
• Updated documentation across multiple projects

The Numbers

31 completed items across 4 different repositories:

• 65% focused on the main CardTechie site
• 19% on Trading Card API documentation
• 16% distributed across supporting projects

This distribution shows I'm prioritizing community building and clear messaging—essential for a developer-focused API business.

What's Next

The beta launch strategy is taking shape. Instead of trying to perfect everything in isolation, I'm planning to:

1. Find 3-5 committed beta developers who want to build with trading card data
2. Charge $99/month for beta access (manual billing to start)
3. Gather real feedback on API design and missing features
4. Build relationships with developers who will champion the platform

Why I Share This

Building in public isn't just about transparency—it's about accountability and community. When you share your progress, people can see the real work happening. They can offer feedback, ask questions, or even get inspired to start their own projects.

The trading card industry has been slow to adopt modern technology. My bet is that by building excellent developer tools and being open about the process, I can help change that.

Want to follow along? I'm @cardtechie on Twitter and always happy to chat about trading cards, APIs, or building in public. If you're interested in the beta program, reach out!