Episode #110: Why You Can Only Sell A Toy Idea When It's R.i.T.E. with Dan Klitsner
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Have you ever wanted to pick the brain of an award winning toy inventor? Ever wanted to know how iconic toys, like BopIt, got their start? Today you will get that chance! This episode is so helpful if you dream of creating the next big thing, if you want to learn more about pitching, or just want to hear about why you should be marketing their products on Tik Tok.
Today’s episode features an incredible interview with the amazing Dan Klitsner, the inventor of BopIt, Simon, and Hyper Dash, and a co-creator of the Perplexus Line. Dan shares how the mistakes he made on his first licensing deal taught him a lot, how he pitched BopIt, and why he likes to share some of his ideas on Tik Tok and Instagram instead of keeping them a secret.
You will learn ways the toy industry has changed in the past 25 years, what R.i.T.E. stands for (and how this acronym can help you), and why there are no right answers when pitching, but there are wrong ones. This interview is so informative and packed with useful details.
EPISODE CLIFF NOTES
Learn the similarities between industrial design and toy design [00:03:10]
Find out what prolific toy Dan actually invented that became “shareware” [00:06:15]
Learn the everyday household object that was the inspiration for BopIt [00:19:12]
Find out the feedback from a Parker Brothers executive that made Dan’s blood boil, but ultimately led him to create BopIt [00:26:23]
Learn why a foam core model worked for pitching BopIt [00:29:36]
Find out why there is no right way to pitch something, but there are wrong ways [00:33:30]
Find out how Toy Far was different in the 90s [00:35:26]
Learn what R.i.T.E. stands for and why it’s important [00:40:01]
Find out why it could actually be a good idea to share your ideas on social media [00:47:47]
Learn how brainstorming is different from collaboration [00:50:12]