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#260: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with Jayson Esterow & Gavin Lawler
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 Making It In The Toy Industry!
In this episode, Jayson Esterow, President of License 2 Play Toys, shares how he turned a viral trend into a major licensing deal with Jeep. If you’ve ever heard of Jeep Ducking, you know how passionate Jeep owners are about their community. Jayson saw an opportunity to take this organic, fan-driven movement and transform it into an officially licensed toy line.
Gavin Lawler, Creator of Deddy Bears, fresh off his TOTY win for Collectible of the Year, opens up about the challenges of breaking into the toy industry and how he used his F.B.O. (First, Best, Only) formula to develop a product that stands out. Plus, we dive into his major collaboration with Liquid Death and why identifying white space in the market is the key to launching a toy brand that captures attention and drives sales.
#253: 4 Key Lessons to Launch and Scale Your Toy Business While Juggling a 9-to-5
Building your dream toy business while working a 9-to-5 might be overwhelming, but with the right mindset and a dash of creativity, you can take small, actionable steps to turn your big ideas into reality!
In this episode, host Azhelle Wade shares the four key lessons, inspired by her previous interview with Ron Weizman, that will help you launch and scale your toy business—even if you’re working full-time.
If you’re dreaming of creating your first toy or looking for strategies to grow, this episode gives you the tools to take your toy business to the next level, one small, strategic step at a time!
#252: How One Company’s Bubble Toy Got Nominated For A Major Toy Award with Ron Weizman
A Toy Of The Year Award (TOTY) nomination can boost sales and recognition of the brands lucky enough to earn one.
So what does it take to get a TOTY nomination? That’s what we’re breaking down in today’s episode.
In this episode, Ron Weizman, co-founder of South Beach Bubbles, shares how his team turned classic bubble play into the never-before-seen Poppin Colorz line, and how it made its way to be nominated for a TOTY® Award. If your eye is on a future TOTY nomination, this episode is one you can’t miss.