Want To Start A Collectible Action Figure Line? This TCA Alumni Created A Toy Line So He Could Play At Work
9 to 5 Warriors represents an attempt by Brandon Braswell to bring back the unique toys that existed in his youth, bringing to the toy industry a new look for nostalgic toys. Brandon Braswell spent almost 10 years curating and perfecting this line of nostalgic toys, and his efforts have come to fruition as his toys are available through several retailers, including his own website, the official 9 to 5 Warriors store.
Meet Brandon Braswell, Mastermind behind the 9-5 warriors
Before he began his product line and began working, Braswell attended and graduated from the Miami International University of Art & Design. This served as a stepping stone towards his future career as a freelance producer and video editor in 2007, giving him expertise in videography and product design. From 2010 to 2011, he also worked as a motion graphic artist. Once he got to designing his toys, his eye for detail through videography and knowledge of product design all proved useful in making his toy ideas come to life. In 2013, he began his first drafts toward designing his 9 to 5 Warriors product line. Around 10 years later, he was able to release his finished pieces to the world.
Why He Created 9-5 Warriors
Braswell grew up in the 80's and 90's, a period when most kids had to entertain themselves outside of school. This made it so he spent a lot of his time daydreaming stories with thought-out characters and plots, which even led him to create a prototype for his first character, "Major Eraser."
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As Braswell grew up, whenever he looked at the toy market, he felt as if there were not enough unique toys being created. This feeling led him to create the 9 to 5 Warriors, as he felt they would evoke the same nostalgic feeling he would get when he looked at the old toys he grew up with. He first had the idea for these toys in 2012 while he was in a toy store, and he initially launched it in 2013, but it was really from 2020 till the present that he was able to fully focus on the product line and build the brand that exists today.
Where 9 to 5 Warriors are Sold
As of July 2024, 9 to 5 Warriors is available at the following stores:
Located on: 321 Smc Dr, Somerset, WI 54025
Located on: Ervin + William Taylor, 29 Forum Shopping Center, Chesterfield, MO 63017
Brothers Toys and Collectibles
Located on: Kyle Maggart, 12206 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS 66216
Located on: Kenny Koepnick, 5960 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield, OH 45014
Number: 513-TOY-DEPT (513-869-3378)
Located on: Dominick, 5227 West Broward Blvd, Plantation, Fl 33317
Brandon sells his products through his website, brick-and-mortar store, as well as bigtoys.com. Thus, he mainly works with email and eagerly awaits updates from manufacturers and stores often.
Their Top Marketing Strategy
Braswell's primary marketing strategy initially involved the use of Kickstarters to fund his project, creating little animations and short storyboards for the action figures, and helping local stores promote the toys. Later on, he realized there were some shortcomings in this strategy. Thus, he partnered with an external company for his second round of pre-orders, which allowed him to leverage their expansive network and reach to heighten his products' visibility and engagement.
Braswell also participated in The Toy Coach's Toy Creators Academy, a program designed to help new toy creators navigate through the toy industry. Through this program, he received valuable information regarding project planning, research, and foundational marketing strategies applicable across various industries. All of this helped him zero in his marketing efforts on his main mission, his nostalgic toys. Thus, he began to leverage his background in videography more carefully to create engaging content promoting his 9 to 5 Warriors through engaging story-telling. He also worked with brick-and-mortar stores, making price deals with them as he knew that as a small indie company/toy creator, it would be best to work with other small businesses to get his action figures on the shelf.
Another point Braswell highlighted was, that rather than closely following what he put on paper regarding his marketing efforts, he chose to seize opportunities as they arose. When asked how he managed to expand his brand while maintaining a full-time job, he explained, "I think I put it out there, and people come to me. One day, a guy randomly contacted me saying he loved selling toys and asked if he could sell my product. I was like, 'Sure, why not? You want to take commission? It was that simple. I was easygoing and didn’t have to search for anyone. He's one of the reasons why my toys are in major stores now.".
Mistakes Made
Like many toy inventors, Braswell faced challenges when he first created and released his product line. He initially began the line in 2013, but went on an 8-year hiatus, releasing his kickstart campaign in 2021. Unfortunately, it failed due to the lack of appeal the designs of the prototypes had with the marketing efforts. He believed this to be useful as it allowed him to see an issue with his designs early on in his toy creation process. It was around this time he also joined The Toy Coach's Toy Creators Academy to enhance his efforts. Run by Azhelle Wade, this program was designed to help aspiring toy creators and helped Braswell see many of the shortcomings of his initial plan.
Braswell's original vision for the 9 to 5 Warriors was to license the products and earn royalties while also retaining creator rights. He wanted to bring his nostalgic toys to market and then take a step back. However, during his time at TCA, he learned through the various courses and lessons that if he were to license his idea, he wouldn't be able to maintain full creative control of his brand. He wanted to make sure that the 9 to 5 Warriors rose to their full potential without a larger brand getting the way of his dreams.
Favorite Resources and Advice for Other Entrepreneurs
Braswell recommends that small businesses and creators collaborate with brick-and-mortar stores to get their brands out there.
Related Links
Braswell also highlights the need for aspiring toy creators to properly research and plan before getting started on creating or marketing their ideas. Thorough research to understand market gaps and consumer preferences is a must to capitalize on new trends and survive in the ever-changing industry. Thus, we recommend listening to Episode #1: Unlocking Your Great Toy Ideas of The Toy Coach's podcast!
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