What happens when a frustrated parent channels her passion into playtime? For Jana Hallam of Wonderwell Toy Co., it sparked The Kindness Mouse - an ingenious plush toy system inspiring kindness and empathy in kids through irresistible storytelling and activities. Tune in for her inspiring entrepreneurial journey and how Toy Creators Academy became an integral part of it.

Discover how Ehi Oviasu-Kahn's journey from attorney to toy inventor was inspired by her daughter's birth during a pandemic. In this episode, Ehi shares how motherhood fueled her passion for creating educational toys and how she navigates the competitive toy industry with creativity and data.

In this episode of "Making It in The Toy Industry" podcast, host Azhelle Wade aka The Toy Coach interviews Dr. Amanda Gummer, a research psychologist and founder of Good Play Guide, a service that provides independent product evaluations and accreditations for children's toys and games. Azhelle asks Dr. Gummer, about her work and the importance of evaluating toys for children's development. Dr. Gummer talks about her passion for helping people make good toys for kids and raising standards within the industry. She also shares details about Good Play Guide's accreditation program and how it helps prevent products that could damage a brand's reputation.

The conversation talks about the Toy Associations new STEAM accreditation, established in 2021 and details how it follows the same principles as the Good Play Guide. The Toy Coach and Dr. Gummer discuss the value of having an independent, research-based evaluation program for toys and games that involves children in the testing process. Dr. Gummer shares some of the most recent Good Play Guide award winners, as well as construction toys that are becoming more environmentally friendly.

Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the importance of independent toy evaluations and how they can help the industry create better products for children's educational development.

Did you know that you can turn everyday experiences into great toy ideas? Today’s podcast guest noticed that her toddler loved to play with pretend food toys. However, she saw that the food toys on the market didn’t represent what was popular in Hawai’i, where she lives. So, she created a toy company that started with Hawai’ian food toy sets and has now branched out with toys that represent other cuisines found in Hawai’i like Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese.

April Hail has lived in Hawai’i for between 20 and 30 years of her life. There, she started Keiki KauKau, after being inspired by her kids’ play patterns and the popular foods in Hawai’i. April shares about the struggles of being a parent and being an entrepreneur who is running a small one-person company. Her kids inspired her to create the business, but she also seeks to have balance so she can spend plenty of time with them. You’ll also learn about the unique struggles of importing from China to Hawai’i while also selling to the mainland US, which shipping platform you may want to try to save money, and advice on how to market a niche toy.

Today’s podcast episode touches on a subject we haven’t covered yet: faith. Today’s guest shares how her faith not only inspired her to create what became a popular product but also kept her going during challenging moments. My guest today believes that everyone has a God-given purpose and that finding that will help each person find the most fulfillment in life.

Angie Cella is a mom of four children, a Christian author, and the inventor and chief dreamer of Blinger, an amazing tool for both kids and adults that you can use to add crystals to your hair. Her incredible and unique story starts with a prayer and a dream. However, it wasn’t a metaphorical dream that led Angie to create Blinger. It was a literal nighttime dream that gave her inspiration. Listen to today’s podcast episode to learn how she made her dream into reality over the next four years, how she made it work financially with four children, and how her faith kept her going through it all. You’ll also learn why she first licensed her toy but then decided to get her license back after a few years, and about the miracle that helped her write her book, Blinger: An Entrepreneur's Faith-Based Journey.

How do you go from a dreamer with comic book aspirations to a toy industry legend and award-winning toy designer? Today’s guest, David Vonner, shares his incredible journey as an artist, parent, and toy designer from the 1990s until now. His original dream was to be an illustrator for Marvel Comics. However, his family and those surrounding him encouraged him to go down a path that would ensure a career. David worked at Marvel as a toy designer for 5-6 years, before moving on to Hasbro to work on their Marvel-licensed products. Finally, David started his own design studio, Vonner Studios. In today’s episode, you will learn how connections helped David to advance in the toy industry, how he went from traditional employment to starting his own company, and his best piece of advice for people in the toy industry today. His story is captivating, informative, and inspirational!

Today’s guest, Theresa Duncan, started a toy store, Villa Villekulla Toys, in her local community with her dad. Together they turned it into a successful family business over the eight years it has been open. Listen to the episode to find out the differences between starting a digital business and a brick-and-mortar business and the importance of a business plan. She also tells how she got the idea to quit her job and start a neighborhood toy store, how focusing on the community can help your small business, and tips for getting your product into a neighborhood toy store.

Today’s episode is the first-ever live broadcast of an episode of Making it In the Toy Industry. Today’s guest, Marjorie Spitalnik gives a raw view into all the ups and downs of being a toy industry entrepreneur, how it can affect your mental health, and how to keep going with your ideas even when it seems like things haven’t gone your way. Marjorie is the founder and CEO of Little Rebels, a popular plush doll collection featuring historic female figures. However, Marjorie’s journey to success in the toy industry was full of twists and turns that affected her mental health. Marjorie tells listeners how she dealt with imposter syndrome, and the unique type of therapy that got her to move out of a depressive episode and into success with Little Rebels.

Kids play with a lot of toys so it only makes sense that they would come up with some incredible toy ideas. Mia Monzideliz came up with the idea for the Power Pony at only 5 years old. Now, at 11 years old, she is bringing her insights as a seasoned kid-preneur to today’s episode. The idea was born when she got the idea to put a large stuffed pony on a hoverboard. Now the Power Pony is a successful product that is only available on the company’s website. With the help of her parents, Mia created the business from the ground up, helping with every aspect of toy development. In today’s episode you will learn all about her perspective as a young entrepreneur, and her wise advice for anyone in the toy industry.

Finally, this beloved toy and game innovation conference returns in person. The People of Play Innovation Conference is the largest global innovation conference in the toy and game world, welcoming over 50 companies from across 17 countries to review pitches from students, new inventors, and professional inventors. If you’re new to the toy industry and you’ve heard rumblings about POP week or the Innovation conference, and you weren’t quite sure what either were…then this episode is just what you’ve been waiting for. In today’s podcast episode, we dive into the details of how to register and why you should join the POP Inventor & Innovation conference.

Have you been considering joining Toy Creators Academy to develop your toy or game idea? Do you still have a few questions about how the program works, when it starts, or what it covers? This episode is perfect for you! In today’s podcast episode, The Toy Coach addresses the most frequently asked questions about this 12 week group coaching program. Toy Creators Academy is the only toy education and implementation program of its kind that not only shows you how to fully develop your toy or game idea like a pro — but also how to properly pitch that idea to buyers and toy companies. Are you ready to bring your toy and game ideas to life? Make it happen with the guidance and support provided by Toy Creators Academy.

Searching for a unique way to promote your toy product or toy brand? The ASTRA Toy Boat may be it! On February 20th, 2023 the first ever toy trade show on a boat will depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and make its way to the Bahamas. In just a few days you’ll have the opportunity to exhibit your latest products, promote your services, or find the next hit toy to fill your store. The ASTRA Toy Boat is designed for retailers, manufacturers, and inventors to come together for a networking event unlike any you’ve ever experienced.

You have to be an adult to start your own business and make your toy ideas real, right? Today’s guest, Zoe Oli, proves that completely wrong. At just 7 years old she created a line of toys to empower young black and brown girls. Now 10, she offers toy industry experts and newbies some sage advice. At 6 years old, Zoe Oli’s mom bought her a black doll but the doll had straight hair. Zoe wanted to see dolls that had hair just like hers: curly, and sometimes braided. So, her mom helped her to create the brand Beautiful Curly Me. Under the brand, Zoe has written two children’s books and created a line of dolls with different skin tones and natural hair styles including braids and afros. Beautiful Curly Me also sells hair care products. The dolls have been featured on Oprah’s favorite thing, and Zoe has even made an appearance on the Kelly Clarkson Show. In this episode, you’ll learn the process of creating a business as a 7-year-old. You’ll also find out some wise advice that applies to anyone in the toy industry, young or old.

Kickstarter is just a platform for product presales? Right? Wrong! Today’s episode is all about how Kickstarter can actually help you develop an authentic community for your toy or game idea. Today you will hear from Joe Slack, a board game designer, instructor, and writer. He funded his solo play board game Relics of Rejavihara on Kickstarter in just 4 days, then also funded the board game expansion pack Montalo’s Revenge on the platform. Joe tells you how he used social media to get people interested in his board game, how he strategically planned his second Kickstarter campaign, and some of the options for fulfillment and shipping partners when doing a Kickstarter for a game. You’ll also find out what a pledge manager is and why you might want to use one once your Kickstarter campaign is over. If you’ve got a crowdfunding campaign going for your toy or game, or you’re thinking about making one, listen to this episode!

Todays’ podcast guest, Isaac Elliott-Fisher’s, experiences in the film industry as a cinematographer led him on an unexpected journey to creating The Village Toy Castle, a destination that is part museum, part toy store, part play space, and soon to be the center for his new manufacturing techniques for plastic toys and toy parts. In today’s episode, you’ll find out how much money goes into creating a brand new toy store, what kind of out-of-the-box thinking helped the process, and about the benefits of having a generous and open mindset. You’ll also find out how to get in touch with Isaac about pitching your product for his store!

What happens after you go viral? How do you go viral in the first place? There is no perfect formula to make something go viral on social media, but there are things you can do to make it more likely. Today’s guest, Danielle Murrell Cox, self-published a coloring book called Black Queens & Kings, and then went viral, which led to a publishing deal with Harper Collins. Now she has created her own line of plush toys, Zuri and Dre, based on the characters she created. In today’s episode, you will learn what factors led to Danielle going viral, and what happened afterward. You’ll also hear about the personal experiences that led Danielle to create her characters with wide noses and natural hairstyles. Finally, you will find out some amazing tips for how to progress in your business when you’re not sure what to do next.