“There are no tired brands, just tired marketers.” That quote alone has been living rent-free in my head since this interview. It has challenged me to take a look at my own brand and ask, am I doing everything I can to keep it thriving?

In this episode, Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop and Chairwoman of the Toy Association, shares how she turned around a failing classic brand, and ushered it into a new era of profitability and heart. 

If you’re sitting on a brand that you know has potential but you’ve been feeling stuck on how to help it gain momentum, this episode will certainly give you a new perspective.

We're talking about the massive new tariffs shaking up the toy industry and what they mean for your bottom line. With import costs from China jumping up to 54% April 2nd, and a potential 104% threat looming over the horizon, toy creators everywhere are wondering what to do next. Should you absorb the cost? Raise prices? Cancel a launch? Shift production? I’ll walk you through what’s really happening, what’s coming next, and how to make a smart move without panicking.

On April 4th, I held a Tariff Toy Talk for Toy & Game Creators where we could get together and discuss what to do in light of the Trump administration's tariffs that are decimating our economy, and threatening the life of the toy industry. 

Since so many of you reached out wanting to hear the recording, I thought it would be best to make this talk readily available on this podcast.

Have I ever told you that I’m allergic to cats? Well, lucky for me I recently met Katharine Burke, the creator of PurryFuls, a purring plush cat that is designed for on demand comfort that only a purring cat can provide.

In this episode we go into detail about the skills that Katharine had to develop to create her first prototype, and why those skills likely saved her thousands of dollars. If you’re interested in hearing a case study of a fellow startup toy entrepreneur taking a leap of faith on their toy product, give this episode a listen.