Making It in The Toy Industry

After four days of running (literally) from booth to booth, taking meetings, and soaking in the latest trends, I’m here to give you an inside look at what went down at New York Toy Fair 2025. If you missed New York Toy Fair or couldn’t see everything, check out this first episode of NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview Series. Over the next month and a half, I’ll be taking you inside the show floo...

So, you’re going to Toy Fair New York this year, but you aren’t sure you’re making the most of your trip? It’s true, without a solid plan, walking into Toy Fair New York can be completely overwhelming. You can easily get lost in a few friendly conversations, pass too much time playing with toys at welcoming booths, and end up missing opportunities to grow your business, or sell your ideas. Once yo...

Let’s be real—Toy Fair is chaotic. Buyers are rushing from booth to booth, seeing hundreds of products. If you want them to stop, pay attention, and actually care about your toy or game, your pitch needs to do more than just explain your product—it needs to demand attention. In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, I’m breaking down 3 simple strategies that will help you: ✨ Grab buyer at...

New York Toy Fair is just around the corner and if you’re preparing to launch your toy or game at this event, learn this lesson: it WON’T sell itself! Buyers see hundreds of pitches, and even the best ideas can get lost in the noise. The real secret? It’s not just what you pitch, but HOW you pitch it. So, how do you make buyers stop, pay attention, and want to play?  That’s exactly why I’m bringin...

Polarizing topic incoming... DEI.  When The Toy Coach was picking up steam, many people told me a focus on DEI and being black would be to the benefit of my business. There were so many opportunities to speak on and about diversity and struggle as a person of color that it was hard to feel justified looking the other way at those opportunities. My instincts told me that the DEI initiatives and opp...

Let’s face it: toy brands get almost ALL the glory, but the inventors behind the product—people like you—deserve the spotlight too. In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry, I’m sharing 5 lessons to take you from hidden genius to rising star, inspired by my own experience and my recent convo with Tim Walsh, inventor of ‘Blurt!’. We’re talking about why advocating for yourself matters (yes,...

What if a simple classroom activity could unite generations across decades? In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry, we’re celebrating 30 years of Blurt with its inventor, Tim Walsh, and uncovering the incredible story behind the game that connects Boomers to Gen Alpha. Discover how a third-grade classroom exercise—reading dictionary definitions aloud—sparked the creation of a timeless ga...

Building your dream toy business while working a 9-to-5 might be overwhelming, but with the right mindset and a dash of creativity, you can take small, actionable steps to turn your big ideas into reality! It’s all about getting scrappy, seeking unfiltered feedback, and spotting opportunities to stand out from the crowd. In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry , host Azhelle Wade shares t...

The highest honor your toy can get in this industry is the Toy of the Year® (TOTY®). This award is so coveted, that just a nomination alone has been said to boost sales and recognition of the brands lucky enough to earn one. A TOTY win can trigger a flood of retailers knocking on your door, desperate to get your product on their shelves. So what does it take to get a TOTY nomination? That’s what w...

Struggling to get your toy pitch noticed? 🚀 In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry , host Azhelle Wade reveals the secrets to crafting email subject lines that grab attention and boost your chances of success. Learn the powerful 'Four U’s' formula—Urgent, Useful, Unique, Ultra-Specific—and discover proven tips to make your emails stand out in crowded inboxes. From real-life ex...

Ever wondered how toys come to life through photography? 🎨✨ Mitchel Wu, an acclaimed toy photographer known for his brilliant use of motion and emotion in toy imagery, joins Azhelle Wade in this episode to unravel the magic behind his spectacular work with major clients like Marvel, Disney, and Hasbro.  Learn how he transitioned from a mundane consumer products career to mastering the niche of t...

Ready to turn your toy ideas into marketable products but feeling lost in the world of virtual pitching? 🚀 Don’t worry, this episode is definitely for you! In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, host Azhelle Wade drops all the tips you need to nail your next virtual toy pitch. Discover why energy is your secret weapon, how to create an unforgettable sizzle video, and why personalizing...

Ever wonder how a kid from the South Bronx grew up to be a superstar children's book author and illustrator? 🚀 In this episode of Making It in The Toy Industry, join host Azhelle Wade as she chats with Charles George Esperanza, the creative mind behind Boogie Boogie Y’all ! 🎨📚 From dreaming of drawing comics to becoming a HarperCollins author, Charles shares his journey full of ups, downs,...

How do you pivot your toy business when your current model isn’t working? In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry, Azhelle Wade chats with Tyler Turk, founder of Crated with Love, about his journey from subscription box entrepreneur to retail board game powerhouse. When Tyler’s subscription box business skyrocketed during the pandemic, it seemed like a dream come true—until the workload b...

Are you skeptical about integrating AI into your toy business? In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry , host Azhelle Wade, also known as The Toy Coach, shares her AI expertise from this year's People of Play Innovation Conference and ChiTAG -  Toy and Game Fair in Chicago, where she presented her talk on 'How AI is Making Toy Innovation and Pitching Easier Than Ever Before.&apo...

Have you ever wondered how a simple office toy evolved into a toy phenomenon?  In this episode of 'Making It In The Toy Industry', host Azhelle Wade sits down with Aaron Muderick, the creative mind behind Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty. From a child's love for tinkering to creating a renowned brand, Aaron's journey is a testament to innovation, persistence, and passion. He d...

Have you ever wondered what it takes to successfully launch on a crowdfunding platform?  Many creators go to the world of crowdfunding believing it's simply about having a great idea and posting it online. However, there's far more strategy involved than we realize. The process requires meticulous planning, audience engagement, and a strong narrative to capture backers' hearts and m...

Ever wondered how to truly captivate buyers in the toy industry? Or why do some sales pitches fall flat even when the product is amazing? In today’s episode, we will talk about the magic of storytelling in the toy industry! We’ll cover how sales reps and vendors approach things differently, plus the secrets to crafting pitches that go beyond a quick sale and build lasting customer relationships. D...

Want to know how to ‘wow’ your way into the competitive toy industry? In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry , host Azhelle Wade looks into Richard North 's life, sharing how he went from a determined 19-year-old to a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and the founder of Wow! Stuff. You will learn about his career’s turning points, such as being featured in Channel 4's Secret Mil...

Curious about what happens when major toy industry players team up? In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, host Azhelle Wade cracks open the toy box on the epic merger between The Toy Association and People of Play . You’ll hear straight from the toy legends — Mary Couzin and Greg Ahearn—as they give us backstage passes on their big plans for events like POP Week and ChiTAG, and how thi...

Ever wondered how a toy brand can also serve as a wellness tool? In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, Azhelle Wade interviews Marina Khidekel, the founder of Hugimals World. Discover how Marina transitioned from a successful health journalist to a toy entrepreneur on a mission to address anxiety and stress with weighted plush toys. Marina shares personal life experiences that inspired...

Have you ever thought about switching careers and diving into a completely new industry? In this episode of 'Making It in the Toy Industry,' student host Virginia takes the reins to interview Chrissy Fagerholt, a former floral designer turned toy entrepreneur. As one of the first graduates of the Toy Creators Academy (TCA), Chrissy shares her incredible journey, discussing the challenges...

Want to learn secrets to growing your toy brand online? In episode 238 of Making It In The Toy Industry, host Azhelle Wade revisits an extended interview with her mentor, Amy Porterfield, a multi-million dollar online business owner and expert in email marketing. During the podcast, Amy shares her journey from corporate life to becoming an entrepreneur, highlighting the importance of list building...

Ever wondered how to turn your toy idea into a fully-funded product without breaking the bank? In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry , Azhelle Wade sits down with two crowdfunding experts from BackerKit, Lafia and Maddie, to spill all the secrets behind running a successful crowdfunding campaign. They dive into how BackerKit helps creators manage backers, collect pledges, and fulfill re...

What Can a Pediatric Occupational Therapist Teach Us About Toys? In Episode 236 of "Making It in the Toy Industry," host Azhelle Wade chats with pediatric occupational therapist, Keri Wilmot, who has a treasure trove of insights from her nearly 25 years in the field. Keri uses toys to help children improve fine motor skills, coordination, and overall performance in self-care tasks. Her w...