How Deep Pocket Monsters Makes Thousands Of Dollars A Month Opening Pokemon Cards!

Deep Pocket Monster was started [three years ago in January 2024] by Pat Flynn, owner and creator of Smart Passive Income - who I have been following for over 10 years.

So when I saw he was starting a new passion project revolving around Pokemon cards, I was extremely excited.

I have been a collector and card gamer since I was younger, ranging from Pokemon and YuGiOh, all the way to Magic The Gathering and Hearthstone online.

Which is what led me to following the journey of Deep Pocket Monster pretty intimately.

We're going to be discussing:

• Pat's quest for his signature series.
• Why YouTube is the perfect place for Pat to build his passion project.
• How he uses signature series to explode and goes all in when they work.
• And even his choice of niches and sub-niches, with a pivot along the way.

Deep Pocket Monster Breakdown

Deep Pocket Monster implies that Pat is going to be spending a lot of money on cards...with his deep pockets!

Pat came in with Deep Pocket Monster not only looking to use what was already working within the industry (live streams of card/box openings is one big thing he replicated), but also to pave his own way and use his unique differentiators to stand out.

We'll be discussing those things, and his choices of niches and his quest for the best positioning in the next section.

But first let's break down just a sliver of what Deep Pocket Monster has accomplished.

Deep Pocket Monster was started going on three years ago (January 1st will be the anniversary), and:

• Within One Year it Hit 100K Subscribers.
• Is Nearing 750K Subscribers Within 3 Years.
• Earns upwards of over $50,000 per month in rev.
• Has now become a key figure in the Pokemon Card world.
• Has founded Card Party, a massive gathering of fans and creators.

And, the Superfan community love (Pat Flynn) started that very first video building his network in the Pokemon Card industry (shown in the image above).

Deep Pocket Monster's Quest For His Signature Series and Sub-Niche

Deep Pocket Monster started out, as would be expected, sharing expensive cards, and how to handle (and care for) expensive cards.

So Pat made videos about grading cards, how to protect them, whether or not you should spend your money on certain packs and cards, and spending a lot of money on his collection (which he still does).

It's also important to note that Pat streamed live openings A LOT, and he knew that was going to be vital to his success in building his community, and was one of the things that already worked really well for other creators.

  Deep Pocket Monster Sub-Niches and Pivots

Pat recently released a podcast episode on Smart Passive Income (Episode 738) titled "The Niche Goal", where he discussed his niching and compared Smart Passive Income to Deep Pocket Monster for a short 17 minute episode.

The key takeaway is when Pat discussed how the graded card side of the Pokemon collecting industry is a very specific type of viewer, and while he liked being in that sub-niche for a while and thinks people can make work - he prefers reaching a wider audience.

The way I took it is that Pat would love to be able to have a 5-15 year old kid AND his 30-50+ year old father both watching the same exact video together and wanting more.

So as we make our way through, I want you to make note of the changes Pat made to his signature series, and how they effect that overall sub-niche that he was looking to hit.

Also make note of the fact that you don't need to be afraid to choose a niche if you brand for growth.

Niche Down X Brand Wide is something I teach inside The Accelerator to help creators niche for specialization and to stand out, while also allowing them to grow into much larger brands.

 Deep Pocket Monster's Signature Series

Deep Pocket Monster has a bunch of signature series, and we can analyze them to see how he tests and then decides to go all in.

Here are some signature series he started with that fazed out:

• Pull to Profit
• PSA Returns
• Cash Or Trash?
• Pokemon Card Scams
• Super Rare Pokemon Cards
• Pokemon Card Reverse Scalping

And it's not to say that these series weren't effective - Pat was able to grow to 100K subscribers in just one year.

BUT, it does help us see the growth of Deep Pocket Monster, the pivots, the tests and the quest for the very best signature series.

 The Quest For The Ultimate Signature Series

Pat now has THREE main signature series, one of which is a clear frontrunner for him.

All three have gone on for over a year, and he continues to put them out and have incredible success, while testing out new series.

In the image I shared above you can see the left side shows Deep Pocket Monster's initial quest for a signature series, and then on the right you'll see some of the newer videos that have really taken off.

Here are Deep Pocket Monster's big three signature series:

• Complete Set Challenges
• Weird Pokemon Card Etsy Buys
• Mystery Pokemon Card Collection Buys

All of these are hyper-repeatable while being unique each time, and I could (and have) sit there and watch Pat's Complete Set Challenges one after another and finish them all up wishing there was more.

THAT'S what makes a great signature series.

Deep Pocket Monster's Signature Series Layers and Constant Optimization

As you guys know, I believe you should be creating the best media type for you, on the specific platform that matches your energy and that style of media.

For me, that's writing, which is why I started with Superhero Jacked and now lead with writing for my personal brand (here in the Creator Case Studies, the newsletter, and even on Twitter and LinkedIn).

That said, YouTube was the PERFECT place for Pat to go all in, for multiple different reasons.

We're going to start there, and it will lead us right into breaking down his top signature series.

 Why Was YouTube Perfect For Pat?

First off, Pat loves a few things (other than Back To The Future and Pokemon Cards):

• Storytelling
• Building Community
• Creating and Editing Video
• Optimizing for The Algorithm (Thumbnails/Editing)

YouTube was an obvious choice for him, but that doesn't mean it's an obvious choice for you.

Pat's passion shines through in all his videos, and that also allows him to be extremely creative and look forward to all the tests and optimizations he continuously makes when putting out new content.

If it wasn't the perfect fit for him, he would have likely never found his unique signature series.

Let's break it down.

 Deep Pocket Monster Signature Series Deep Dive

Before I do a deep dive into Deep Pocket Monster's most successful signature series, Complete Set Challenge, I want to start by acknowledging that the things that make the quest for the perfect signature series successful carry through in all his videos - but because he is so passionate about optimization and creativity - he continues to test new video styles.

Let's break down his most successful video to see some of the key factors that make it so awesome.

He has two that have hit 10 million views, so I'll be going with the one that is a 24 hour challenge (he has now done 1 hour or less, 2 hours, 48 hours, and all different variations).

Before even clicking the video Pat is building intrigue and telling a story, right in the headline and thumbnail.

• Headline: Complete Set in 24 hours or Lose Them All (RISKY)...
• Thumbnail: Pat showing complete set, one card missing, and a timer above his head.

When you click into the video, Pat doesn't waste any time: text and a timer are popping up all over the screen as Pat jumps in and out of frames while showing us a binder of cards that he needs to fill.

Pat explains: "I have less than 24 hours to finish this binder of Pokemon cards...or else!..."

He then goes on to explain if he doesn't finish the set, he loses ALL OF THEM...FOREVER!

Still jumping frames, Pat has now built up even more intrigue and began telling his story.

Pat moves into the story, calling a store to make sure they're selling the cards for the specific set he's collecting, and then explains [to us] his son challenged him to complete the rest of the set (he's 28 cards away) within 24 hours.

And then boom, it's non stop incredible editing and storytelling with Pat doing voiceovers through his journey, showing us him opening tons of packs, and taking us through the journey.

He goes from opening packs with someone at the first store, to a new store to hunt for more, to a lunch break, and even to some fishing (literal fishing) to kill time before a card party that Pat plans on trading cards at.

Next up Pat finds someone on Facebook Marketplace that has some of the cards and he takes us on the journey to see if Dan has anymore cards that can help.

(And sure enough, he does).

We finish the journey off at Game Zone, another card shop, and all the while Pat is telling us how many cards he has left, but begins building intense intrigue with the countdown running down with only 2 hours left.

You'll need to watch the full video to see if he finishes.

Intrigued? See how that works?

Pat is not only an incredible storyteller, but his edits are incredible, and he keeps us engaged throughout the entirety of the video.

This is what it takes to be a master of YouTube.

You need to love the journey.

How To Replicate Deep Pocket Monster's Success

This is definitely my favorite Creator Case Study so far (sorry to my brother, my friend Max, and even myself ).

If you are afraid to dive into a passion niche and niche down, I hope this gives you the courage to get started.

Here are some clear takeaways from Deep Pocket Monster's Creator Case Study:

1. Never stop optimizing.
2. Start in a Niche YOU Love.
3. Build on a Media/Platform YOU Love.
4. Don't be afraid to pivot out of sub-niches.
5. Continue your quest for the ultimate signature series, even after you have initial success.

If you want the full video case study intensive I did on Pat, and tons of other creators, you can get it inside The Accelerator and start finding your own signature series.

Pat will hit 1M subscribers next year, his fourth year in.

And host his second annual CARD PARTY in Orlando (I just might be there ).

And he's loving every second of it.

So remember: Build a business you wake up excited about, to live the life you dream about.