Hey there! I'm Barry, and my journey into content creation started in 2020 under the username @yo_barry_yo on TikTok. Like many others, I found myself diving back into the world of Pokémon, and around the same time, I had just started painting. Not long after, I came across @pokemonkardart, who was painting Pokémon cards, and I thought—why not give that a shot? That curiosity quickly turned into a creative adventure, pushing me into wild painting challenges, from using my nose, an Xbox, and even a grain of rice to create Pokémon card art.

In 2021, I launched the Poké Hype House on TikTok—a community-driven space where Pokémon creators could collaborate, connect, and create together. It was an incredible experience, bringing so many people together, and one of my proudest moments within the Pokémon community. Though the Poké Hype House wrapped up just shy of a year due to the challenges of running such a large group, the experience was unforgettable.

After stepping away from content creation for some months to refocus, I teamed up with @mannysimonecards to launch The Hobby Podcast in 2023. While our initial episodes didn’t take off as planned, we had a vision: we’d meet in person at a convention in November 2023, after knowing each other online since 2020. There, we conducted interviews with convention guests, and the response was amazing! However, since we live so far apart, it became difficult to continue working together. Because of that, I started attending conventions on my own to keep the interviews going and share more great conversations with the Pokémon community.

By spring of 2024, the podcast evolved into PokéTalk, a name that truly represents what I do—talking all things Pokémon! Attending conventions, meeting incredible people, and sharing conversations has been an absolute blast. Even better, my son and nephew have joined in, making this not just a passion project but a family experience.

If you’ve ever watched my content, been interviewed, or even just stopped by to chat at a convention—thank you! This journey has been incredible, and I can't wait to keep growing, meeting new people, and creating more unforgettable moments in the years ahead!

-Barry