Making It in The Toy Industry

Can a circular business model find success in a pandemic? Yes, it can! And today’s guest, Lauren Gregor is going to share with us exactly how she made that happen. All new businesses require sacrifice and involve uncertainty. But “pivot” is an understatement for what this entrepreneur did when her big launch season ended clashing with the start of COVID-19. With tradeshows moved online or canceled...

As much as we love toys, we have to be honest with ourselves and recognize the heavy toll that toys take on our planet. This episode focuses on sustainable materials and practices that can help make toy products less harmful to the environment. Today’s guest, Leticia Suarez, comes to the show with over 10 years of experience in toy and product design with a focus on sustainability. Leticia joins T...

Have you ever had a toy mentor? Have you ever searched for one? In today’s episode, The Toy Coach gives you four tips for attracting a valuable toy mentor. A toy mentor is someone who is more knowledgeable than you in a specific area of the toy industry, who may agree to educate, guide, advise, and motivate you as you develop your toy career. And the most valuable mentor you can have is one that a...

If you are a fan of the Netflix show, The Art of Design, you may already be familiar with today's guest, Cas Holman. Now if you're just starting out in the toy industry, you may not know that there are many different categories that you could design, sell, and market your toys in. My guest today designs toy products that tote the fine line between fine art and toy products. Cas is the fo...

Are you ready to learn more about the value of having a sales partner in your toy licensing journey? Well, this week I’ve got a licensing agent to introduce you to named Michael Goodman. Michael is the founder and head of MLGPC Licensing Agency where he represents toy designers, authors, animators, show creators, IP owners, and illustrators to sell and license their creations. In this episode, Mic...

Hello again, toy people! To continue the conversation we had last week, The Toy Coach will dive deeper into the world of those who are passionate about one particular toy idea or brand and decides to develop, produce, and sell that product independently: The Toy Entrepreneurs. In today’s episode, Azhelle explains the type of personalities that thrive as Toy Entrepreneurs and the mindsets they must...

Toy Inventors spend their days coming up with new ideas, tinkering with prototypes, and pitching their creations to potential licensees. But what exactly makes them successful? In today’s episode, The Toy Coach explains the necessary mindset behind these professionals as well as the best and worst parts of being a toy inventor.  Are you ready to know the most common challenges that Toy Inventors f...

Have you ever wondered if you are a Toy Inventor or a Toy Entrepreneur? In today's episode, The Toy Coach is back to explain the differences between the two and point out why you might be both. Azhelle walks you through the meaning of their roles at both the corporate and independent levels and explains how your toy career could benefit from seeing yourself as both! You’ll learn what aspects...

For many of us, this is "launch season" for our toy and game products.  And even though this podcast has given plenty of valuable information about launching a successful crowdfunding campaign, there is always more to learn. So The Toy Coach is back at it, asking questions and getting answers about launching a product on Kickstarter, but this time...it's with a focus on games! This...

When you first came up with your most recent toy idea, did you stop to consider what your target customer might think it's worth? Well, perceived value is extremely important to toy industry professionals when they are evaluating your toy product. The size of the package that holds your toy, the weight of it, and the price point are all data points swirling in the minds of your target custome...

It's no secret that the toy industry is heavily influenced by popular media. Many people in toys compare it to the fashion industry because both are all about fast-moving trends. Traditionally, the most popular toy lines were created around popular network tv shows and blockbuster movies. But thanks to the growth of social media, and the disruption of the movie industry due to the coronavirus...

Are you ready for an inventor story? My guest for today's episode is Karen Bonnici, creator of the Super Blanky® and the Super Towel®. This inventor mom joins Azhelle Wade on today's episode to talk about her journey inventing and licensing the popular product, currently sold at Target. This inspiring and lesson packed story starts at a sewing table and ends on the shelf! Karen shares wi...

The A merican S pecialty T oy R etailing A ssociation aka ASTRA was founded in 1992 by store owners who noticed the value in collaborating in the specialty toy space. A big part of an ASTRA membership is the open and supportive community that it provides. Within this community, you will find the opportunity to connect and learn from buyers, manufacturers, and sales reps through the specialty segme...

This week's episode is fan-requested and is ALL about Licensing Week Virtual and the Las Vegas Licensing Expo. This industry event is known as the go-to destination for the biggest licensing deals of the year, and it's typically an in-person show, in Las Vegas. But for 2020 due to the coronavirus, this show was moved completely online. So I interviewed Steven Ekstract, the Brand Director...

Have you ever wanted to launch a Kickstarter campaign but you’ve been overwhelmed with where to start? Well in this episode of Making It in The Toy Industry, Azhelle Wade, The Toy Coach, sits down with a fellow toy creator to dive into 8 Kickstarter Secrets to 8x your funding goal.  Learn the importance of having a crystal clear brand message and target market BEFORE your Kickstarter launch, cleve...

Making an impact is one of the most important parts of the job when you're a toy person. But when you first start out in the industry, making big moves to make a difference for and in our industry can seem like a daunting task. But it's important for ourselves, and our industry that we put our best foot forward and implement those seemingly overwhelming ideas. So for today's episode...

This past week has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me, and if you've been seeing the onslaught of racially charged media reports, then you may feel the same. What I didn't want to do for this episode, is to have a generic conversation about the state of America that didn't relate to the listeners of this podcast at all. But I did feel the need to seize the opportunity to addres...

As of today you might not be in the toy business. You might be in advertising, you might be a school teacher, or you might be a waiter, and the idea of being a toy inventor or a game inventor may have never crossed your mind until this very moment. Today's guest on Making It in The Toy Industry is Rob Angel, the creator of the highly popular family board game of quick draw, Pictionary. At age...

Are you feeling isolated on your journey of creating your own toy or game product? If you find it hard to connect with other passionate toy people from varying specializations, then this is the episode for you. In this episode, Azhelle Wade shares a valuable new virtual networking initiative just launched by Women in Toys Licensing and Entertainment. This initiative introduces a portal in which me...

Having a mentor can drastically change the course of your career, help ease times of professional confusion, and provide a vision for the future. Women In Toys, Licensing, and Entertainment, partnered with The Mattel Foundation to launch The Ruth Handler Mentorship Program for WIT. This virtual mentorship program is the first of it's kind for our industry. For today's episode, I sit down...

Starting off in the toy industry can be difficult, and doing so while observing #stayathome orders may make it seem impossible. Well for today's episode, The Toy Coach introduces you to a non-profit organization that works in favor of the advancement of women in the toy industry. This community has continued to keep its members connected via weekly webinars, email updates, and the launch of a...

What if you launched your Kickstarter, and just a few days later the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic? Well, that's exactly what happened to my guest today Marjorie Spitalnik. Marjorie walks us through her Kickstarter experience as she learned to pivot in the most uncertain of times. Our guest today learned everything she knows about running a successful Kickstarter during her cam...

If you're considering launching a Kickstarter campaign, or if you're in the middle of prepping your KS launch, then this episode is here for you! Julie Underwood Richardson is the inventor of Shoe Bae and also the creator of the Women Inventors - Product Based Entrepreneurs on Facebook. Julie is a champion for helping women inventors succeed within her group, and her informative and hone...

This episode is part 2 of the mini-series aimed at guiding inventors on how to nurture their creativity and develop their ideas while stuck at home. In this episode learn how to make a game of brainstorming and developing your idea with friends and family. You'll also learn how to playtest and vet your toy concepts from home. Learn the best ways to use video chats, online surveys, and snail-m...

With 42 states practicing either partial or statewide stay at home orders, our lives are looking very different than they were just a few weeks ago. We're spending a lot of time at home, and attempting to use technology to maintain our relationships and workplace productivity. All this change makes it the best and worst time to innovate, all at once. This episode is Part 1 of a 2 part mini-se...