Have you ever wanted to know how iconic toys, like BopIt, got their start? 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 why there are no right answers when pitching, but there are wrong ones.

What if you could get the inside scoop on pitching from an industry executive at a major toy company? Just imagine if someone from, say, Hasbro, told you exactly what pitching to their company is like, step-by-step. Stop imagining! That is what today’s episode is all about. Tanya Thompson, the Senior Director of Inventor Relations for Hasbro Gaming sees around 1,500 submissions per year, so Tanya really knows what works in a pitch and what doesn’t. She shares information on how to pitch directly to Hasbro, when to put text in your sizzle, and whether or not you need to make a prototype. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants to gain confidence with pitching and improve their pitching materials using tips from an expert.

Finding the courage to pitch your toy or game idea can be challenging, so that’s where important industry events like the one covered in today’s episode come in. Today on The Toy Coach podcast you’ll discover yet another in-person pitch event turned virtual for 2021 because of the pandemic. What we’ll learn in this week’s episode is that there is a huge benefit to going virtual for toy industry pitch events. The Women in Toys Empowerment Day helped connect over 80 women inventors and entrepreneurs to decision makers and professionals in the toy industry. In this episode you’ll learn what this event is, who it’s for, and how you can make the most of the incredible opportunities It creates.

If you’ve ever had a toy idea or a game idea, it’s likely that you’ve wondered where you should go to get that incredibly groundbreaking idea in front of toy companies. Well, this week on The Toy Coach Podcast, we are going to learn about one of the biggest toy industry events for toy inventors and game inventors that you need to know about. The event, formerly Chitag, is currently called the People of Play Innovation Conference. The event is entirely virtual for the second year in the row which makes it extremely accessible no matter where you are in the world.

Do you have an idea for a game? Well, you’re in luck because to close out Hispanic Heritage Month, The Toy Coach sits down with Christian Castro, the Design Director of What To You Meme? to talk about what makes a great game idea…GREAT! If you absolutely love the insights into the toy industry you get from this podcast, but you never thought that YOU could come up with a toy or game idea, then you need to press play right now. We touch on how classic games like Candyland and brands like Spongebob weren’t invented by toy industry pro’s, they were created by everyday people outside of our incredible industry.

Have you been looking for an overview on all the possible career paths in the toy industry? Wondering what it takes to make it as an inventor or corporate toy person? Well during my chat with the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures I covered just that. And lucky for you, that incredibly valuable talk is now available right here on your favorite podcast.

This conversation, called Meet the experts, was the result of an invitation extended to The Toy Coach to teach what it’s like to have a career in the wonderful world of the toy industry. If you’re curious what it takes to Make It In the Toy Industry, then pop your earbuds in and listen.

The first ever Toy Creators Academy virtual pitch event concluded at the end of May 2021. Over a dozen toy companies, reviewed dozens of product pitches in 2 weeks of speed-dating style toy and entertainment pitch meetings. If you are curious about the TCA Virtual Pitch event, and are considering attending the next one, listen to this episode to find out more about who the event is for and what is required to be eligible to apply for this incredible opportunity. If you are a toy entrepreneur, toy inventor, or one in the making this new virtual pitch event is one you won’t want to miss out on!

It’s important to stay relevant and change with the times as a toy person and the latest skill you’ll need to add to your repertoire is a doozy. What skill is that? Well, it’s video editing. But don’t stress out too much, video editing is much simpler today. There are apps that have simplified the process to it’s almost as simple as drag and drop! In today’s podcast episode we’re going to go over 7 tips that will help you improve your next virtual toy pitch.

Have you ever thought about inventing or designing a game? There are two markets you can create games for. The mass market and the hobby market. Eric shares with us the process he uses to develop his game concepts, and this process is proven and works!

This season we’ve all cozied up and scrolled through Netflix trying to find the perfect holiday flick, but there’s one in particular that will resonate well with my fellow toy inventors. The movie is called Jingle Jangle, and it’s a musical adventure about a toymaker’s journey from which we can take away 7 valuable lessons about designing toys!

Currently, the People of Play Young Inventors Challenge is in full swing. Kids from all over have submitted their toy inventions and game ideas for a chance to be named Young Inventor of The Year. Which makes this week the perfect week to celebrate young inventors. And what better way to do that than to have my first kid inventor on the podcast? I have two guests today, kid inventor Sebastian Flores, and his supportive mompreneur Melanie Flores, the creators of the patented line of greeting cards, OctoGifts. Octo Gifts offers DIY, 3 dimensional, functional greeting cards that dispense candy.

Toy Inventors spend their days coming up with new ideas, tinkering with prototypes, and pitching their creations to potential licensees. But what exactly makes them successful? In today’s episode, The Toy Coach explains the necessary mindset behind these professionals as well as the best and worst parts of being a toy inventor.

Have you ever wondered if you are a Toy Inventor or a Toy Entrepreneur? In today's episode, The Toy Coach is back to explain the differences between the two and point out why you might be both. Azhelle walks you through the meaning of there roles at both the corporate and independent levels and explains how your toy career could benefit from seeing yourself as both!

Are you ready for an inventor story? My guest for today's episode is Karen Bonnici, creator of the Super Blanky® and the Super Towel®. This inventor mom joins Azhelle Wade on today's episode to talk about her journey inventing and licensing the popular product, currently sold at Target. This inspiring and lesson packed story starts at a sewing table and ends on the shelf! Karen shares with us the creative process she went through to conceptualize Super Blanky, her path to protecting her idea, and how she determined if she had a marketable concept in the first place!

What if you launched your Kickstarter, and just a few days later the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic? Well, that's exactly what happened to my guest today Marjorie Spitalnik. Marjorie walks us through her Kickstarter experience as she learned to pivot in the most uncertain of times. Our guest today learned everything she knows about running a successful Kickstarter during her campaign and she is certain that if she could do it, you can too.