Episode #140: Finding Your Toy People With Jeff Lawber & Alan Henry
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Being a toy industry entrepreneur or toy inventor doesn’t have to be a solo project. Working with a partner can help you to think outside of the box. In a mentor/mentee context, both parties can learn a lot from each other. Today’s guests met in a Facebook group and even though they haven’t met in person yet, they have created quite the toy industry “bromance.”
Jeff Lawber is an industrial designer, inventor, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and creator of Marmals, a line of beautifully designed modular and sensory magnetic toys. Alan Henry is a 2021 product design graduate and a freelance toy designer. He is also a volunteer toy designer at Marmals. The two started collaborating and developed an organic mentorship that benefited both of them.
In today’s episode you’ll learn how social media can lead to real friendships and mentorships. You’ll also find out why you might want to hire a fresh face or two if you’ve been in the toy industry for a while, and why you should stick to your toy industry dreams and toy ideas even when things get hard.
EPISODE CLIFF NOTES
Learn exactly how Jeff and Alan made a lasting connection on social media. [00:02:33]
Find out how Jeff knew Alan would be a great fit to help out with Marmals. [00:05:10]
Learn one way a mentor can benefit in a mentorship relationship. [00:08:05]
Learn how Jeff went from industrial designer to toy entrepreneur. [00:13:01]
Find out the original first name of Marmals that didn’t stick. [00:14:28]
Learn how even someone with little experience can bring new energy to the table. [00:15:33]
Find out the unique retail space where Marmals has found a lot of success. [00:21:52]
Find out how Jeff manages costs as an entrepreneur. [00:24:26]
Learn essential toy industry advice from both Jeff and Alan. [00:26:35]