Remember Brexit? Well, back in late January when that the UK left the EU, I reached out to a Toy Safety expert friend of mine and asked, “What is this going to do to our labeling requirements?” The answer was a little when it comes to testing and a lot when it comes to paperwork. Today’s podcast episode is our Toy Safety 102 lesson, and we spend about 90% of this conversation focusing on the cost, complication, and changes in labeling and testing requirements brought about once the UK split from the EU. At the end of the episode, you’ll gain a little bit of perspective around accepting international orders for your product line too soon. If you don’t know anything at all about toy safety, you might want to check out episode number 43, Toy Safety 101.

If you’ve ever looked into attending a toy tradeshow and thought, “Nope. Toy trade shows are for the big toy companies with thousands and thousands of orders at least, they’re not for me.” Well, it’s time to declare that a myth right here and right now my friend. Today’s podcast episode we dive into a review of the ASTRA Marketplace and Academy that takes place every year to connect specialty toy retailers with the manufacturers that make creative, innovative specialty toy products.

You know that feeling when you submit a job application but you’re pretty sure no one is going to see it? Well today, the ever-growing social media platform, TikTok has stepped up to the plate to create a more personal hiring experience that can almost ensure your resume gets seen…at least once. The hashtag TikTok Resumes has almost 300 million views and hopefully the program will return in full force very soon. But until it does, this episode will help you prepare to be an early adopter of the latest revolution in job hunting and recruitment. When you’re ready to learn about the future of the job market, listen in to this episode.

How much do you know about how the toy products that you make and play with get to you? Most likely, they were shipped to the city you bought them from, on boats in containers. In January of 2021, shipping container prices started to climb. By early spring they were double the standard pricing and today shipping container prices have been reported to have increased 4x what importers are used to paying to ship their products. In this episode you’ll learn the history of the shipping container, gain an understanding of pricing and functionality of them but most importantly we’re going to wrap this episode by building out an extensive Market Shift Mind Map around the shipping container crisis. Whether you’re new to the industry or an experienced toy professional this is a great exercise to appreciate the history of shipping and to think ahead for its future.

I absolutely love talking marketing. Both digital marketing, traditional PR, and earned media are the main ways you can create awareness for your business. Before you spend any money developing your toy idea, I want you to have a realistic plan to build awareness around your product before you launch it. Our guest today, Harold Chizick points out telltale signs of marketing agencies that are likely to give you a cookie cutter solution and gives straight forward advice on how important research is in digital marketing.

Getting publicity for your toy business can seem like a daunting task at first. Imposter syndrome is often the culprit preventing many toy entrepreneurs from getting their name and toy products a well-deserved spotlight. Having been featured on NBC’s Access Daily, interviewed by Marie Forleo, and Amy Porterfield, I have a few tricks up my sleeve to teach you about getting media coverage. by the end of today’s episode, you’ll have to tools you need to start highlighting and pitching your creative business to get major publicity.

Amy Porterfield is an online marketing expert and the host of the top-ranked podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy. Before building a multi-million-dollar digital course business, Amy worked with mega brands like Harley-Davidson and Peak Performance Coach, Tony Robbins, where she oversaw the content team and collaborated on ground-breaking online marketing campaigns.

Are you in the process of sourcing a factory overseas? Or perhaps you’re in the middle of working with a factory to produce your toy product. Or maybe you’ve just been considering reaching out to a factory in China but you haven’t taken the leap just yet. If you answered yes to any of those questions, then today’s episode is a must listen. In today’s episode I walk you through three of the 3 BIGGEST and most common mistakes you need to avoid when you start working with factories. Some of today’s lessons are taken directly from the early days of my toy career, so listen up, learn from my mistakes, and save yourself time and money!

Today’s episode is for all of the aspiring professional toy designers out there who have reached out at one time or another for advice on how they can get a job in the toy industry. Perhaps you have a degree in industrial design, graphic design, or illustration, and you’ve recently discovered this podcast and realized—wait a minute. I want to be a toy designer. Well finally I have the perfect episode for you.

This episode is your guide to transitioning into the toy industry even if you have no experience in it at all. You will also learn the specific steps I took over my 10 year toy career to overprepare myself for my toy job interviews. If you want to jumpstart your toy career, then this episode is a must listen.

If the expense of returning to in-person toy trade shows has you a little worried, then there’s a year-round toy trade show platform that you need to know about. In today’s episode we take a behind the scenes look at Toy Fair Everywhere, a year-round, 24/7 virtual trade show that is changing the way the toy entrepreneurs and buyers connect and do business. The platform functions as a product discovery tool for buyers and a wholesale ecommerce site for sellers.

For today’s episode of the show, I invited three of my star students of Toy Creators Academy to be guests on the podcast to share their experiences pitching their ideas right to major toy companies. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear understanding of what it takes to pitch your toy ideas in a virtual event, you’ll learn some lessons, and be inspired to take action whether you’re a toy inventor or toy entrepreneur.

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!

If you’re wondering how to break into toys, just know this. There are MANY paths into the toy industry. Get ready to hear how a self-published author found herself as the VP at a major toy company leading Marketing and Emerging IP’s. Discover a path for creatives seeking for lucrative self-publishing options that allow you to keep upwards of 70% of profits instead of the typical 5% royalty. If you have ever had an idea for children’s book, then this is an excellent episode for you to dive into.

Do top toy companies really want to work with inventors? Today’s episode answers that question with a resounding YES! Our guest today is Zack Pentecost of ZURU Toys. If you don’t know the name ZURU, you most definitely know some of their smash hit toy brands. Inventor, if you’ve been feeling restless because you haven’t heard back from your latest pitch submission, this is the episode for you. Inventors, this episode is filled with nothing but love and appreciation for the way you think and create for the toy industry.

In today’s episode we have an illuminating conversation with PSi’s National Accounts Manager, Greg Watson. Greg shares what he believes is most important in game play, as well as the current perspective of distributors and retailers in retail. If you don’t know the retail lingo but you have a killer game idea, PSi may be your perfect toy biz match. Listen to this episode to learn more about working with a distributor in the toy and game industry.

Do you know the definition of toy photography? Well in this episode, Mitchel and The Toy Coach define toy photography as the creation of art using toys as a vehicle for storytelling. Mitchel Wu is known in the toy industry as an expert in creating impactful imagery that drives engagement and conversation. Mitchel comes on the show today and shares his personal journey leaving behind a job he didn’t love to find his passion in photographing toys as well as tips on how you can take better photos of your toys.