Wondering if there are any manufacturing options for you that are outside of China? More and more toy makers, toy creators, and even toy companies want to expand their manufacturing resources beyond China, but they don’t know where to start. Major toy companies and retailers have announced goals to move 30%-60% of their manufacturing of toy products out of China by 2023. And where will they move them? Likely India. India is an emerging country for manufacturing in general, but especially is a current hotspot for toys, in part thanks to today’s guest. Today on the podcast, I chat with Joshua Punin, the owner of Source 4 India. He and his business partner created this manufacturing resource for toy and game companies in the beginning of the pandemic by partnering with India based factories and educating them on the needs of the toy industry. If you’re looking for new options to manufacture your toy products, today’s episode is a must listen.

Do you know how to play? It seems like a simple question and your first thought might be, “of course I do!” but many adults today have forgotten how to play. As toy people, we know that play is necessary for the growth and development of children…but what about play in adults? Play is proven to help ease stress and inspire creative problem solving. So what do you do when the stresses of life stop you from playing or worse yet, you forget what play is to you? Well that’s where my guest today might be able to help. This episode offers great insights for entrepreneurs and inventors who are starting to test their products with consumers. This episode is also great for parents and corporate executives who want to infuse more play in their everyday lives.

Some hopeful toy inventors struggle with how to get their ideas in front of toy industry executives. Does that sound like you? Today’s episode is all about some things you can do to make that happen, and they might be surprising to you. Today I interviewed Daniela Valenzuela, a recent student of the Toy Creators Academy. Daniela shares with you how her experience in the TCA helped her to build the confidence to pitch to large toy companies, what she learned from the TCA, and how the pitch event helped get her products in front of top toy industry executives to begin fostering an ongoing relationship. This episode highlights the importance of building relationships in the toy industry.

Wondering what toy entrepreneurs like you do to get their product placed in retail? In this episode, The Toy Coach sits down with Nicole Hawthorne, student of Toy Creators Academy and co-founder of Jaylas Heirlooms dolls. Nicole is a researcher at heart, and her devotion to the craft of Googling helped her find the roadmap that she so desperately wanted. Nicole shares how she devoured the podcast way back in season one, enjoying episode after episode. A few years and a few grants later, Nicole Joined Toy Creators Academy to get the full picture of what it takes to take her toy product to the next level.

The Toy Coach is sharing a presentation and step-by-step roadmap on How To Break Into Toys. The lessons taught in today's episode are applicable if you are hoping to be a toy inventor, entrepreneur or find a corporate toy job. In today’s episode you’ll learn two ways to educate yourself in the toy industry from traditional to digital. The Toy Coach shares mindsets that hold aspiring toy people back including the inability to think outside the box when looking for toy companies to work for.

Does this sound like you? You have a life outside the toy industry, but you have ideas. There’s something from your daily life that has inspired an idea for a toy or game. How do you take that from inspiration to product? In today’s episode, I share stories from my students who took their products from idea to reality with the help of The Toy Creators Academy. After 11 years in the Toy Industry and working with more than 100 students as The Toy Coach, I’ve seen so many different kinds of people turn their expertise into a toy or game. Listen to this episode to find out what kinds of ideas have worked and why, and hear a few inspiring stories of toy industry success.

Listener Erika wrote in asking how you can “Make It” in the toy industry when you’re just starting out with ZERO contacts. So, for today’s episode we will dive into 3 networking strategies that will help you jump start your toy network to connect with toy brands and toy people. In this podcast episode The Toy Coach dives into the top 3 networking strategies that you can start using and implementing TODAY to grow your own toy network. To learn how to make the most of your non-toy skills, your unique toy story, and free toy communities online, tap play and listen to this episode.

Whether or not you’re completely addicted to Wordle, you’ve probably heard of it. It’s the latest viral fad that everyone is talking about. In today’s episode, I examine 3 toys and games that went “viral:” Wordle, Pokemon Go, and Silly Bandz. In just 2 months, Wordle had 300,000 players. Pokemon Go saw even more exponential growth with over 100 million users the month after it launched. Shortly after they launched, Silly Bandz were so popular that they got banned from many schools. You’ll learn about 3 of the toyetic traits that helped these products succeed with such a big burst of energy.

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.

Today’s episode is all about the bi-annual pitch event, The TCA Virtual Pitch Event, held for graduates of The Toy Creator’s Academy and why you should attend. Today in Episode 109, you will learn who you can meet by attending this event and what you can gain by doing it. You will also hear about what it is like to attend this event, and how going through the Toy Creator’s Academy can prepare you for success in the toy industry!

Did you ever wish there was a magical solution that could automate all those tedious processes you do every day for your business? Well, there is one! Today’s episode is all about saving yourself time and money using an incredible automation tool called Zapier. My guest today is Kelly Goss, a Zapier certified expert and the founder of Solvaa, a company that helps businesses become more efficient through automation. In today’s episode, Kelly gives you what I would consider “Zapier 101.” She tells you the basics of using Zapier, including a step-by-step review of how to automate a process. You’ll also learn the benefits of automating tasks, what types of processes you can automate, and which ones you should avoid applying automation to.

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.

How can you weave your own personal story into your product and make a powerful connection? Today’s guest, Cher Hale, founder of Gingko PR, shares her experience in helping diverse clients do exactly this. She also shares how she started working with the types of clients that she wanted to help to get their stories out there. Cher shares her moving story about why she wanted to help people facing systematic barriers tell their own stories. She also shares how adding diverse voices to the mix through PR helps to create social change and why many people from a minority background feel uneasy about telling their stories.

With the Great Resignation of 2021, some companies recognized their inability to retain diverse talent. Since diversity is a major factor in innovation, many companies are in search of a way to attract and retain diverse talent on their teams. The guest on today’s podcast, Minda Harts, shares how her personal experiences with racial microaggressions in the workplace led her to become a thought leader in diversity and become a workplace and equity consultant. Minda explains the important difference between equity and equality, how mentorship adds value for both the mentor and the mentee, and how companies can create a more supportive environment for people of color. If you are ready to increase your awareness and understanding of issues that prevent equitable work environments, listen to this episode.

Want to know how to protect your products and intellectual property when dealing with Chinese manufacturers? Dan Harris, a lawyer who specializes in International law, with a focus on China, gives you extremely detailed insider tips in today’s episode. I learned a lot and I know you will too. Dan tells you why you should go with an NNN agreement versus a typical NDA when dealing with Chinese firms, among other useful tips. This is a truly informative episode with extremely valuable information so make sure you take notes if you’re planning on working with overseas factories.

Are you sure that toy you got is the real deal? Counterfeit toys are on the rise, and they could be dangerous not only for kids but also your brand. Some people who purchase counterfeit toys do so purposely to save money, but others just see a good deal and assume it is the real thing. Listen to today’s podcast episode to find out how you can spot a counterfeit and how you can protect your toy ideas from counterfeiting. With online shopping growing during the COVID-19 pandemic, this is an issue that is not going away any time soon!