About The Company
The Toy Coach Inc. is a New York State Certified Black-Owned and Woman-Owned Enterprise. We are a design, consulting, and education firm that specializes in the development and promotion of playful products, brands, and digital experiences.
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE
➡️ Design & Branding
➡️ Educational Courses & Programs
➡️ Virtual Pitch Events
➡️ 1:1 Coaching
➡️ Speaking Engagements
Since September of 2020, The Toy Coach Inc. has helped usher 150+ emerging toy and game creators from across the globe into the toy industry to pitch 70+ toy and game innovations to dozens of consumer goods and entertainment companies.
The company is founded and led by Azhelle Wade, a former toy industry executive with over 12 years of experience developing and designing trend-focused consumer products. Azhelle climbed the corporate ladder from Designer to VP of Brand and Product at companies including Toys R Us, Horizon Group, Madame Alexander, Party City, and Creative Kids.
How We Make The Toy Industry More Accessible:
Toy Creators Academy: The Toy Coach Inc. educates and connects emerging creators to the top companies, freelancers, and manufacturers in the industry so they can develop their products as efficiently and affordably as possible. Through our online program, Toy Creators Academy and virtual 1:1 coaching sessions, The Toy Coach helps refine and nurture playful brands to develop trend-focused products that fit consumer demand while uniquely standing out in a crowded industry. Click here to learn more.
Making It In The Toy Industry Podcast: The Toy Coach Inc. produces a free weekly podcast that is a secret weapon for newcomers to the toy industry and experts in the field. Through weekly toy masterclasses, this podcast gives a modern take on how to “make it” in the toy industry. Listen now.
How We Help Our Clients:
Educational Event Programming: The Toy Coach Inc. can help your organization attract, train, and retain new inventor talent through the creation of customized educational programs, motivational talks, workshops, digital resources, and/or email marketing campaigns. Contact us for details.
Former clients include: Women In Toys, Science Museum Oklahoma, and Hasbro.Digital Marketing Strategy & Implementation: The Toy Coach Inc. was built through an organic first digital marketing strategy, followed by a paid marketing strategy. Many of the tools and methods we implement can help YOU connect with your customers and increase sales on a weekly basis. Contact us for details.
Former clients include: Rigamajig and Mio Reggio
Ready To Work Together?
Let’s do this!
Our Mission
The goal of The Toy Coach and the podcast Making It In The Toy Industry, is to make the to industry more accessible and approachable to those just starting out. We accomplish that mission by continually building our online resource and community to inform and connect emerging creators, and experienced professionals in the toy and game industry.
Every bit of information we give here, focuses on clarifying your understanding of 3 major overarching topics:
✔ Keeping products toyetic for the industry.
✔ Designing simply for the customer.
✔ Answering to the needs of the buyer.
Join our email list to stay up to date with new podcast releases, guidance, news and tips on on all things toy.
The Team
About The Founder
The name Azhelle is totally made up, in case you’re wondering. Yes, it is actually the legal name on my birth certificate that was crafted by my older sister, who wanted it to “sound french”.
My love for toys actually began with a love for teaching kids. As a kid I enjoyed spending my weekends playing school with my little brother, teaching him cursive, math, and awarding him gold stars for a job well done.
He hated it. 🤣
But my mom thought it was hilarious so she continued to buy me these “teacher kits” and encourage my faux educational institution.
Fast forward about 8 years later when I had to decide what I wanted to do with my life. Teaching didn’t seem aspirational enough anymore so I decided to venture into Display and Exhibition Design with a focus on children’s exhibitions. Eventually, led by a teacher who noticed my love for displays that incorporated play, I discovered the Toy Design Program at The Fashion Institute of Technology.
And there began my career in toys. I’ve worked at companies like Toys R Us, Madame Alexander, Party City, Horizon Group USA, and Creative Kids. Since 2010, I’ve been named on 3 US patents, won multiple toy awards, and have a history of building up multi-million dollar brands.
12+ Years of Corporate Toy Industry Experience
And working in the toy industry has really been a dream. From photoshoots to product development meetings, trips to China, I really can say I love my job.
But not all that time has been fun and games I’m afraid.
There was a time in my life when I was given a horrifying diagnosis…cancer.
This was a time when I didn’t think I’d live another year.
A time when I thought my dreams would go unrealized.
And then I was blessed. I survived cancer and decided to thrive. I became a serial entrepreneur, I re-launched my convertible costume company, CostumizeMe, and eventually quit my corporate executive level toy job to focus on building The Toy Coach and my podcast Making It In The Toy Industry.
In September of 2020, I created and launched Toy Creators Academy the first-of-its-kind online toy course designed to help aspiring toy inventors and entrepreneurs develop and sell their ideas.
This online course and the success it brought the toy community in the way of guidance, support, and fresh ideas is game-changing (pun-intended). Toy tips had never been served up like this before, and I just love the process of building these resources, a helpful community, and connecting, and inspiring passionate toy people like myself.
Who was I pre-pandemic?
Pre pandemic, I traveled a lot, to Kenya for fun, to China to work, and on cross country road trips with friends.
I have a love-hate relationship with traveling. It’s always a good time, but I’m always missing someone back home.
Little known fact?
I’m also a salsa y bachata dancer and performer.
That means I will learn a routine, put on a sparkly costume, and dance my heart out on stage whenever I get the chance. I really really miss dancing with my girls.
You can reach out for toy coaching to bring your toy ideas to life.
SEE WHAT ALL THE BUZZ IS ABOUT
Testimonials
