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PODCAST

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business

Azhelle Wade | The Toy Coach | Toy Creators Academy

How do I bring my toy ideas to life? How can I pitch my toy concept to top toy companies like Hasbro, Mattel, or Goliath Games? What does it cost to make a prototype, and where can I get one made? Are there toy manufacturing options outside of China? These are just a few of the questions that will be answered on this weekly podcast, Making It In The Toy Industry. In addition to mini toy masterclasses, and step-by-step guides, each episode is designed to help you take immediate action toward

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

47:26

#274: Turn Your Hobby Into a Best-Selling Board Game...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/06/18

What are your hobbies? I personally enjoy dance, specifically latin dance and often I wonder, “What if I could translate salsa dancing into a toy or game?”. Well today, we’re going to explore that possibility. Today my guest shares how she turned her hobby into a best selling board game!In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry, I’m joined by Elizabeth Hargrave, award-winning board game designer and co-founder of the Tabletop Game Designers Association. You might know her from her hit game

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27:48

#273: The Tabletop Game Licensing Blueprint that...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/06/11

Licensing a tabletop game doesn’t require years of experience or a perfectly polished prototype. What it really takes is a strong idea, a strategic approach, and the confidence to put yourself out there.In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, I’m sitting down with April Mitchell, motivational speaker, licensing expert, TCA Alumni, and founder of 4A’s Creations, LLC. This past year April licensed 6 tabletop games!How did she do it? April shares the creative system and pitching approach that

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36:55

#272: How Labubu Became The Most Wanted Plush in the...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/06/04

It started with a fuzzy little monster, hiding in the pages of a picture book inspired by Nordic fairy tales. She wasn’t famous. She didn’t have a movie deal. But when one K-pop superstar hugged her on Instagram… everything changed.This week on Making It In The Toy Industry, I’m diving into the jaw-dropping rise of Labubu, the “ugly-cute” character from POP MART that took the toy world (and TikTok) by storm. From a picture book to plushies on Birkin bags, this fuzzy fanged friend is a case study in

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41:26

#271: Email Marketing Rules You Can’t Break

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/05/28

Are you sleeping on the money-making magic of your email list?If you've been pouring all your energy into TikToks, Reels, and likes… hold up. Because while social media might be where the buzz is, your email list is where the buying happens. It’s your direct line to superfans, curious retailers, and future customers who actually want to hear from you.In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, I’m breaking the idea that email marketing doesn’t work anymore and showing you exactly why it’s

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19:53

#270: The Pricing Strategy That’s Getting Buyers to...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/05/21

What if your toy’s price point was the only thing standing between you and a “yes” from a major retailer? You’ve got the product, the mission, and maybe even a booth at Toy Fair but if buyers are walking by without placing orders, it might not be your toy that’s the problem… it might be the price.In this episode, you’ll hear how one Toy Creators Academy alum adjusted her pricing to better meet buyer expectations and how that decision opened the door to more retailer interest and shelf space.I’m

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16:12

#269: Thinking Differently About Toy Production with...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/05/14

Before we dive into one of the most creative plush lines I’ve ever seen, we need to talk about something serious — TARIFFS.In this episode of Making It in The Toy Industry, I’m kicking things off with an urgent update about the current U.S.–China tariff situation and how it could affect your toy business. I’m sharing what I would do right now if I were launching a toy brand from scratch and why diversifying your manufacturing isn’t optional anymore, it’s essential.Then, I take you inside my

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45:32

#268: The Truth Behind Being a Game Inventor with...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/04/30

Behind every “yes” in the toy industry, there’s a mountain of “no’s,” countless hours of hustle, and more trial and error than most people expect. At one point, he came close to walking away from it all—until a single line from an episode of Bluey reminded him that making games was exactly what he was meant to do.In this episode Making It In The Toy Industry, I’m joined by the incredibly talented Jeremy Posner, owner of Shenanigans Toys and Games, the inventor behind hit games like Beagle or Bagel,

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48:29

#267: Winning a TOTY Award and Scaling a Toy Business...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/04/23

Can 3D printing really replace traditional toy manufacturing? One founder says “absolutely” and she’s got the award to prove it.In this episode, I’m chatting with the amazing Courtney Peebles, founder of Solobo Toys, about how she won a TOTY Award for her hit plush toy, Emotional Baggage, and how rising manufacturing challenges pushed her to transform her business using 3D printed toys.Courtney gets real about the challenges she faced with manufacturing overseas, and how jumping into 3D printed toys

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43:38

#266: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/04/16

“There are no tired brands, just tired marketers.” That quote alone has been living rent-free in my head since this interview. It has challenged me to take a look at my own brand and ask, am I doing everything I can to keep it thriving?In this episode, Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop and Chairwoman of the Toy Association, shares how she turned around a failing classic brand, and ushered it into a new era of profitability and heart. Sharon walked me through her approach

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63:54

#265: Navigating the Tariff Changes in The Toy...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/04/09

Is it time to stop manufacturing overseas? Or are these tariffs just temporary chaos?In this episode we're talking about the massive new tariffs shaking up the toy industry and what they mean for your bottom line. With import costs from China jumping up to 54% April 2nd, and a potential 104% threat looming over the horizon, toy creators everywhere are wondering what to do next. Should you absorb the cost? Raise prices? Cancel a launch? Shift production? I’ll walk you through what’s really

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25:21

#264: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/04/02

Have I ever told you that I’m allergic to cats? Well, lucky for me I recently met Katharine Burke, the creator of PurryFuls, a purring plush cat that is designed for on demand comfort that only a purring cat can provide.Katharine left a high-stress tech job to build Purryfuls, and in today’s episode she shares exactly how she went from zero toy product experience to debuting her brand at New York Toy Fair and getting featured in Forbes!In this episode we go into detail about the skills that

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22:12

#263: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/03/25

With over 13,000 followers on TikTok and millions of video views, Lost Boy Entertainment is forging a new path for launching a successful game brand. To continue our New York Toy Fair 2025 interview series, I sit down with Cameron Ring, co-founder of Lost Boy Entertainment.Lost Boy Entertainment is a rising game company that started with just 500 copies of their first game in 2020 and now has products online and in major retailers.The company is composed of 3 cousins who handle everything from

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26:22

#262: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/03/19

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to run a business with your spouse? Is it all fun and games, or does every dinner conversation turn into a boardroom meeting? Do you get to celebrate the wins together, or do you find yourself debating packaging details at 10 PM on a Friday night?I was so curious about this dynamic that I sat down with Alex and Whitney Kimerling, the husband-and-wife team behind Hootenanny Games. But instead of just interviewing them together, I decided to interview them

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41:08

#261: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with Thin...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/03/12

Are tariffs here to stay or not? That was the hot topic at New York Toy Fair 2025, and trust me—it’s still got the toy industry buzzing. In Q1 of 2025, the Trump administration announced a 20% tariff on Chinese imports, and with 80% of all toys made in China, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers are all bracing for impact.So, who's really going to absorb these extra costs? Will factories take the hit? Will retailers adjust their pricing? Or will consumers end up paying the price?Inspired by

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28:51

#260: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/03/05

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 floor for exclusive interviews with toy designers, licensors, CEO’s, entrepreneurs and inventors who are

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42:18

#259: How to Maximize Your Experience at Toy Fair New...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/02/26

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 you walk through the doors of the Javits Center, the impact of the show is bound to hit you. So let’s take

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21:50

#258: 3 Ways To Grab Buyer Attention and Land More...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/02/19

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 attention in seconds (without feeling salesy)🎉 Make your pitch an experience they won’t forget👀 Spot buyer

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47:16

#257: How To Win Over Buyers at Toy Fair with Barry &...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/02/12

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 bringing back an episode with Barry McLaughlin & Jason Lautenschleger, who share how to pitch and stand out

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33:38

#256: Why We’re Not Surprised About The DEI Rollbacks

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/01/29

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 opportunities offered, while tempting, were not solid ground to build a business upon….and unfortunately, I

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28:30

#255: 5 Lessons to Take You From Hidden Genius to...

Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business ·

2025/01/22

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, you can request your name on the box), how to time your ideas to ride the perfect trend wave, and why

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296 results

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