Switching careers isn’t easy, but Chrissy Fagerholt has made it look like a breeze. Coming from a background in floral design, Chrissy has become a recognizable voice in the toy industry. She’s built a reputation for guiding aspiring toy creators through the process of turning their ideas into shelf-ready products—especially when it comes to landing in big-name stores like Barnes & Noble. In this post, we will explore her inspiring career path, the passion that drives her, and the strategies she uses to help others succeed in the toy industry.

Creating toys is not just a business—it's a blend of imagination, engineering, and marketing skills. If you have a brilliant toy idea but have no clue how to turn it into a reality, then Toy Creators Academy is the perfect place to start your journey in the toy industry. If you're unsure as to whether this program is the right fit for you, keep on reading to learn more!

Toy Creators Academy is an innovative educational platform designed specifically for aspiring toy creators. It provides a wealth of resources, including expert-led courses, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Whether you're a novice or someone with a few projects under your belt, the academy aims to nurture creativity and equip you with the skills necessary to succeed in the toy industry.

Making the switch from one industry to another is never easy, especially when one goes from being a successful health journalist to a toy entrepreneur. Marina Khidekel, creator of Hugimals, took on this challenge and set out on a mission to address the emerging issues of anxiety and stress through her weighted plush toys. The two year old award winning toy and wellness brand has been featured in prominent media outlets such as Time Magazine, Parents Magazine, Good Housekeeping’s Best Toys, and the Today Show’s It List.

Joeydolls celebrates Asian heritage and culture by producing a high quality, and authentically representative toy line. Now available in 19 stores across the world, you may be surprised to know that this small toy business began during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and was funded by 1 powerhouse mom, Samantha Ong. The brand has won three awards for its effort towards creating more inclusivity and diversity during a period of Asian-hate, has just paired up with five new retailers to make its diverse, award-winning dolls more readily available to the public.

Dreaming of launching a toy store that becomes a beloved fixture in your community? Follow these expert steps outlined by Theresa Duncan, owner of Villa Villekulla Toy Store, to transform your passion into a successful business. Learn the essentials, from identifying your niche in the toy market to developing a robust business plan and selecting the perfect location. Discover the importance of curating a unique inventory, building a strong brand identity, and implementing an effective marketing strategy. Plus, explore the power of community engagement to foster a loyal customer base. For an in-depth journey into Theresa's successful launch of Villa Villekulla Toys and her focus on community connections as a marketing tool, watch the full interview. Turn your toy store dream into reality with these expert tips and Theresa Duncan's inspiring story.

Azhelle Wade, AKA The Toy Coach, is well known for her toy industry expertise. She has over a decade of experience in working with major brands and is a 3x patented toy inventor.

In 2020, Azhelle quit her corporate job to focus on building The Toy Coach, including the podcast, Making It In the Toy Industry, and The Toy Creator’s Academy, the only toy program that helps people develop and pitch their toy ideas. As The Toy Coach, Azhelle helps people develop their ideas into actual products and market those products for success.

Over the past 2 years, media outlets including Podcast Magazine, The Marie Forleo Podcast, Access Daily, and The History Channel have sought out and featured Azhelle’s industry knowledge. Recently, Azhelle was honored to have her second appearance on Access Daily.

Access Daily is a daytime talk show hosted by Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, and Scott Evans. It’s a lighthearted spinoff of the show Access Hollywood. Access Daily focuses on pop culture with fun celebrity interviews and lifestyle segments to inform viewers about interesting trends.

Azhelle’s most recent segment on the show featured products made by three inspiring kid entrepreneurs. Kids are so creative. They’ve always come up with great ideas, and with extra time on their hands due to staying home during the pandemic, some enterprising kids really got their creative juices flowing and put on their inventor hats. Entrepreneurship projects can be fun for the whole family.

Here’s some solid toy advice: before you even create your product, you need to have a marketing plan. Having marketing at the core of your toy creation will allow you to do more than just make it, it will allow you to sell it!

This 3-step toy marketing triangle creates a solid foundation and lets you know where you can begin with your marketing plan. This plan is accessible to anyone, and can be scaled up or down depending on your needs and budget.

Greg Watson, the national account manager for Publisher Services, Inc. (AKA PSi), one of the top toy distributors in USA, says that at PSi, they consult with buyers to learn about their needs. That allows them to pick the perfect products for their markets. Then, they also work with publishers and game developers to figure out how to provide the most value to the buyer.

You’ve got this great idea for a product but now you realize you’re drowning in the prospect of toy safety testing. The whole process seems overwhelming and a bit scary. But here’s a guide to get you started on the process. Don’t let the safety rules intimidate you.
Why are there so many regulations? Well, in 2008, there was a big safety scandal that led to the creation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act(CPSIA). The toy industry had to quickly adapt to the new regulations.

Coming up with toy ideas is fun, and over time it gets easier and easier. And vetting ideas that you’ve come up with is the trickiest step of all, because of our own ego. Ego can get in the way of you recognizing if your latest toy or game idea is really GREAT or just OK.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to write and illustrate a children's book? Maybe you have a few ideas but you’re not sure if they’re good. Or maybe your book is complete but you don’t know what to do next. How do you find a talented editor, agent, or publisher? Most people have a great idea to create something but they get caught up in the little things, which stops them in their tracks. Instead they watch other people’s ideas come to life.

Finding the right factory doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. But there are very specific steps you should follow on this journey. It’s a journey that you should document in as much detail as you can in an Excel file.

Amazon Live video is an interactive product commercial. The show’s host, whether it’s an Amazon influencer or the product’s manufacturer, can interact with the live attendees of their show via Chat. This offers a unique opportunity to answer product questions and concerns in real time, while showing the benefits, features, and value of your product on the exact platform where your ideal target market (ITM) is shopping for them.

Podcast Magazine recently featured Azhelle Wade aka The Toy Coach for an incredible interview about the vision that pushed her to leave her 9-5 to help aspiring toy inventors and entrepreneurs with her podcast, Making It In The Toy Industry with The Toy Coach. Azhelle’s podcast has been releasing episodes every single week (sometimes more than once a week!), since its inception in 2020. The show is credited with inspiring and educating listeners from across the globe and giving them the tools they need to take the next step in their toy businesses.

During the pandemic, consumers purchased, what we refer to in the industry, as “traditional toys”. The sales went to games and puzzles, outdoor and sports toys, building sets (such as LEGO), arts and crafts, and dolls (notably Barbie). I guess it’s easy to see why these categories were top choices. Families were stuck at home with lots of hours to fill and screen-fatigue quickly set in. We’ve all spent way too much online this year, don’t you agree?