
Making It In The Toy Industry is your secret weapon for showing up like a pro in the toy and game industry.
What do you need help with today?
#263: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with Cameron Ring
With over 13,000 followers on TikTok and millions of video views, Lost Boy Entertainment is forging a new path for launching a successful game brand. To continue our New York Toy Fair 2025 interview series, I sit down with Cameron Ring, co-founder of Lost Boy Entertainment.
This episode is a great 101 on the power of identifying a market gap, filling a need, and self funding your launch. If you’re considering a show like New York Toy Fair might be the best next step for your brand, listen in on why rushing in too soon could actually hurt your business.
My favorite takeaway from this interview with Cameron revolves around distribution channels, but you’ll have to hit play to find out exactly what was so insightful about that conversation.
#262: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with Hootenanny Games
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to run a business with your spouse? Is it all fun and games, or does every dinner conversation turn into a boardroom meeting? Do you get to celebrate the wins together, or do you find yourself debating packaging details at 10 PM on a Friday night?
#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.
#258: 3 Ways To Grab Buyer Attention and Land More Deals at Toy Fair
Toy Fair is chaotic—buyers are rushing from booth to booth, seeing hundreds of products. If you want them to stop and actually care about your toy or game, your pitch needs to demand attention.
In this episode, I’m sharing 3 simple strategies to help you:
✨ Grab buyer attention in seconds (without feeling salesy)
🎉 Make your pitch an experience they won’t forget
👀 Spot buyer body cues so you know when to pivot or close
These tips come straight from Barry McLaughlin & Jason Lautenschleger, game inventors who turned quirky pitches into real shelf space.
If you’re heading to Toy Fair and serious about landing deals, this episode is a must-listen. 🎧 Hit play now!
#257: How To Win Over Buyers at Toy Fair with Barry & Jason
New York Toy Fair is just around the corner and if you’re preparing to launch your toy or game at this event, learn this lesson: it WON’T sell itself! Buyers see hundreds of pitches, and even the best ideas can get lost in the noise.
The real secret? It’s not just what you pitch, but HOW you pitch it. So, how do you make buyers stop, pay attention, and want to play?
In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, Barry & Jason share their wildest Toy Fair pitch stories, including the time Jason literally proposed with Game Night in a Can—and walked away with a deal!
In this episode, learn how to grab attention, keep buyers engaged, and turn a pitch into an unforgettable experience. Put your headphones on and get ready to SELL MORE TOYS!