Power Kid Podcast

BIG NEWS! The Power Kid Podcast is now a part of the Adventure Media and Events Podcast Network Family! For 2 years it has been my great pleasure to interview my friends in the industry and to meet many amazing new friends along the way - and it just keeps getting better! Tune in for James Zahn's Toy Report the Pop Insider Podcast and much more coming soon. Subscribe to the new feed now! https://lnkd.in/eaJzxta I have a favor to ask - If you left a good review for the Power Kid Podcast would you do the same over at the Adventure Media & Events network page? Thank you for helping us grow and keeping you up to date with toy news, reviews and interviews!

It is my honor this week to interview Daniel Delapa the CMO at Creative Kids. Creative Kids was founded in 1997 and quickly took the arts and craft category by storm. Since then their line has expanded into 12 categories with distribution in 70 countries!   Daniel and I discuss his experience growing up in the industry. He shares with us what sets Creative Kids apart by being a "brand incubator”. We discuss how they stay closely connect to their customers by listening and acting based on their feedback. I ask him what retailers expect from him to ensure a mutually beneficial and growing relationship.   www.creativekids.com   As always thank you for listening

My guest today Mike Gagnon is a best selling author and graphic novelist who works as a freelance writer, illustrator and colorist for publishers like Marvel, Dark Horse Comics, Jack Lake Productions and many more. He began working professionally in comics at the age of 17. He has taught art, design and writing at several animation schools and develops his own comics and media. Currently he is a writer on the creative development and promotion team for the Marvel Create Your Own Comics app!   Join our conversation today as we discuss his origin in the comics business (it involves Silly Putty!). I ask his how he keeps his stories fresh when writing for characters that have decades of backstory. We discuss his experience writing for the Marvel Handbook which tells the story of individual Marvel characters. We end with a conversation about the shift of putting the content into the hands of the consumer and Mike shares his experience of working on Marvels Create Your Own Comic app.

My guest this week Kenn Morton has won the Industrial Design Excellence Gold Award, Business Week Product of the Year Award, and participated in many others during his 31 years with Fisher-Price. He has a tremendous passion for children and parents in need and has worked with a collaboration between Save the Children, Mattel and the Ministry of Education in Indonesia to create teaching play kits.   In this episode we dive into the unique design challenges that the children’s market presents - from yo-yos to car seats! I ask him how design practices have changed throughout his years in the industry. We discuss how to balance education and fun in a learning toy which leads into a very powerful discussion about Kenn’s work with children in Indonesia.   Enjoy this insightful episode and thank you for listening!

It is such a joy to have Stefanie Eskander on the show today! She has been drawing, illustrating and designing toys for over 35 years! Her resume includes Hasbro, Mattel, Fisher-Price, Spin Master and she was the Design Manager at Toys R Us. She has a passion for girls and preschool product and has been instrumental in developing brands like Cabbage Patch, Sky Dancers, Polly Pocket and Jem and the Holograms. She is here today to share her experience and talk about her new book Toy Stories: The Secret Life of a Toy Designer.   Her book is a fantastic overview of her career and the history of the wonderful brands she has been a part of!   Buy it here: https://stefanieeskanderdesign.com/toy-stories

What does it take to connect with kids today? Listen in as Tanya Visano and I discuss this question and more! Tanya is the VP of International Strategy and Partnership Development and the Head of Canada and Mexico Consumer Products for Viacom. She has been been at the forefront of many new kids properties including Paw Patrol, Dora, JoJo Siwa and Ryan’s Mystery Playdate.   We discuss the shift we are seeing from content creation to a content discovery model. She shares 3 key insights in developing great kids content. I ask her specifically about the Canadian and Mexican market and how kids respond to content uniquely in those countries. Along the way we touch on the fresh changes to both Dora and Blue’s Clues!   Thank you for tuning in and enjoy!

So great this week to catch back up with my friend Billy Langsworthy and have a chat. Billy is a vigorous supporter of the toy design and invention community. He co-founded Mojo Nation to accelerate talent, opportunity and ideas for all levels of inventors.   Tune in today--- to learn all about what Mojo Nation offers including Play Innovation Summit, Licensed Design Challenges, Mojo Nations Summer Party, Play Creators Festival, Mojo Student Conference, and Brands Untapped. Billy unpacks each fantastic opportunity for us.   “The best idea is to have lots of ideas.”     Find out more here: mojo-nation.com   Thank you for the recent 5-star reviews!  

Thank you for the great feedback on part one of my conversation with founder and CEO of 360KID Scott Traylor! In part two of our discussion Scott shares his development process called the 7 D’s. I ask him about the particulars regarding the development of children’s app and how this has changed in their short history. We discuss the rise and fall of virtual worlds like NeoPets, Webkins, and Club Penguin. Finally I ask him to peer into the future and tell us what he sees in the future for toys and tech. Follow along and download a copy of Scott’s excellent breakdown of the 2019 Toy Fair tech toys that caught his eye:   http://www.360kid.com/blog/2019/03/tech-toys-2019/   Thank you always for subscribing and listening!

My guest today is Scott Traylor the founder and CEO of 360KID. His company combines detailed child research with the latest technology trends to create successful interactive products for kids. In his career he has earned almost 60 awards and he and his team were nominated for 3 Emmy’s ands winning a collective Emmy with Sesame Workshop.   In part one of this two part episode we dive deep into tech in toys and discuss early and classic "battery and button" toys. He shares with us his experience with Sesame Workshop and how their child research continues to keep them relevant. I ask him about the challenges of creating educational content based around a mega-brand like Pokemon. He also tells us about his Emmy nominations and win and what made those projects stand out.   http://360kid.com/   Join us next week for a future-looking discussion about tech and toys!   Thank you for tuning in!

Bill Paxton has spent his life in toy invention. From Bates to Lund and Co. to Big Monster he has been a staple in the toy inventor community. Bill has just completed a biography about the enigmatic and secretive King of Toys Marvin Glass! His Book, “A World Without Reality: Inside Marvin Glass’s Toy Vault”, is truly fantastic! When this 600 page book arrived on my desk it blew my mind! It took Bill almost 10 years to research and write this amazing book and I am so glad to have him on the show to talk about it today! We discuss Bill’s origin and history in the toy biz. We discuss why Marvin Glass was worthy of a biography and his indelible mark on the industry. Bill lays out the historical factors that went into creating the first toy invention studio. Marvin Glass was notoriously secretive and we discuss the challenges Bill had to overcome to unearth the stories and fact for the book. Finally Bill discusses how Marvin leveraged early television to market home run products.   If you are a fan of toy history and great biographies you will not want to miss this book! Pre-Order now at: https://marvinglassbook.com/   Thank you for subscribing and sharing the show!

Can a pizza shaped TV remote become a smash toy sensation? We answer that question and more in this week's episode with Dan Klitsner! Dan is the founder and creative director of the toy inventing and licensing firm KID Group. He and his team have invented some of today’s most successful electronic games and interactive toys!   In our discussion we cover his early career and the formation of KID Group. I ask him to take us back to the early days of his invention Bop It™ and walk us through that experience. We discuss his focus on creating items that get the player up and moving and why that is important. I ask him to unpack his invention philosophy “R.I.T.E" ( Relationship, Idea, Timing, Execution) which helps him know when his concepts are ready for prime time!   Dan thank you for the thoughtful discussion and providing immense value to all the Power Kids!   Everyone enjoy the show and as always thank you for the good reviews!

My guest today Shane Hartley is an extremely talented art director, designer and artist wrangler. Previously he was the Art Director at Wiz Kids and a Media Designer for Microsoft. Today he serves as the Art Director for Ravenburger North America which also puts him over the Brio, ThinkFun and Wonder Forge brands. His love of fandom and pop culture shines through his work!   I ask him about his time with WizKids and HeroClix and what made those products unique. We discuss the challenges of managing an $800K sculpting budget! How did his publishing efforts compare to pure toy and game development? We discuss the tremendous success of the TOTY Award winning game Villainous! Finally we discuss the power of fandom and how toy and game developers can tap into IP deep details to create unique products.   Thank you for sharing the show and leaving good reviews!

My guest today has over 25 years experience as an intellectual property attorney and has worked with virtually every major licensor in the entertainment and merchandise industries. Howard Fine spent 10 years as the Senior VP/ General Counsel for Tiger Electronics and then Hasbro. Today he serves clients worldwide as one of the top IP and licensing attorneys in the industry. Today we discuss his early experience with electronic toys including Tiger's classic handheld games and Furby. In the wake of the Furby phenomenon I ask him what steps were taken to protect that quick growth powerful IP. We discuss several high profile legal battles in the toy industry. When should you show an invention and how can you help to keep the idea protected? What are the basic elements needed in any inventors licensing agreement?   You will want to take notes! Enjoy the show!

Shopkins, Mighty Beans, Beados, AquaSand, Treasure X, Trash Pack, Lil’ Live Pets - you won’t want to miss this one! Today I talk to Glenn Abell, President & General Manager of Moose Toys. He brings tremendous experience into the role having spent over 16 years with LEGO group.   We discuss the changes and growth he saw in his years at LEGO. Glenn is very focused on employee engagement and development and he gives us some insight on how he manages his teams. We talk about his decision to be a part of Moose and his personal “why” in his new role. He tells us his perspective on the Shopkins phenomenon and how he plans to keep momentum rolling! Finally I ask him what he thinks are the greatest challenges facing the toy industry today. Join us for this great conversation!   www.moosetoys.com   We also discuss and I am happy to promote this amazing charity Glenn is involved in. Check it out here: www.k9youthalliance.org   Thank you for the recent 5-star reviews!

From Mattel, MGA, Jakks Pacific, Funrise and Spin Master Christine Trageser has run the gamut of great product launches! Now a Senior Brand Manager at Spin Master, she is instrumental in developing and promoting that funny ugly monster line you know as Fuggler! Her roots in sculpting give her a very unique perspective on product development and brand management.   I ask her about her education in sculpting and how it supports her work in the toy industry. We talk about her brand management efforts and how we keep brands fresh. I ask her how she approaches new brands that have no market precedent. She tells the fantastic story behind Fugglers and her work on those adorable little weirdos : )  Finally we discuss the importance of storytelling and how Monster Jam is finding new customers by telling great stories.   Join us for this super fun conversation!   http://www.fuggler.com   Like the shows? Leave a good review!

Today we have a very timely tariff conversation with industry expert Lutz Muller. Lutz is a graduate of the Harvard Advanced Management Program and has an MA and MBA in Business Administrations. He has been active in the toy industry since 1984 and has followed and reported on the toys from that time. He now operates Klosters Trading where he provides business intelligence to the toy industry worldwide. His network of retailers, buyers, third-party manufacturers and distributors keeps him on the cutting edge. I ask him about his early days in the industry and the changes he has seen along the way. We quickly dive into the topic of tariffs and I ask him how toy manufactures can lessen the impact of a 25% tariff on our China goods. We discuss what companies and brands may not be affected by the tariffs and why. Could the toy industry be “devastated” and what does that look like in reality? Are there categories that will be more or less affected? Finally I ask him what steps toy manufactures can take now to navigate the tariffs.   I would encourage you to also educate yourself and sign the petition here: https://donttaxtoys.com/   Thank you Lutz for the conversation and thanks to all the listeners!  

Tri-Bond, Piggy Pile Up, Balancing Bees, Mad Gab, Blurrt - My honored guest this week has been involved in the development of hundreds of games selling over 7 million copies in over 15 countries!  A game guy to his core, Tim Walsh is also the co-producer of the documentary Operation: Operation which uncovers the story of Operation inventor John Spinello. He partnered with Reyn Guyer to write Right Brain Red: 7 Ideas for Creative Success and authored Timeless Toys which chronicles the experiences of over 70 toy inventors and their inventions.   Join us today as I ask him about his early experiences launching Tri-Bond. We discuss his passion and efforts in promoting the toy inventor community. Tim contrasts his experiences in toys and publishing. We talk about how great toys typically break a rule and we share stories of how successful toy and game ideas can come from anywhere.   www.getta1games.com   Join us for this fun and insightful conversation!  

What do you get when you mix a media/technology attorney with decades of marketing experience? - my guest today, the brilliant Michele Martell! She provides business, legal, marketing and brand strategy services to clients across the media and technology spectrum. She is also involved in content creation, production, financing, distribution and licensing for all platforms (live action and animation). She has served in VP role for both The Jim Henson Company and WWE. Currently she is the Board of Directors/Programming Chair for Women In Toys.   Today we discuss her experience at the Jim Henson Company and WWE and the different lessons she learned in these environments. She takes us inside the animation studio as we discuss how popular brand strive to keep their characters and content relevant. Michele has deep knowledge and experience with YouTube marketing and influencers so I ask her about the future of this outlet and what regulations may be coming down the pipe. What can we learn from the Children’s Television Act that we might apply to the future of YouTube ads? Finally we discuss the growing market of connected toys and how toy companies need to navigate the concerns that have arisen in this category.   martellmediahouse.com   Tune in to this valuable episode and subscribe!

You will not want to miss Alan Dorfman talking about the industry he loves. For 21 years Alan founded and developed Basic Fun into a well respected impulse toy company. Under his leadership Basic Fun gained worldwide distribution and became a category leader in licensed and novelty products. Now serving as the President of Super Impulse - a division of Topcat World Wide - he has launched well know brands like World’s Smallest, World’s Coolest, Tiny Arcade, the Original Wizzzer and many more.  His experience and insight in the toy industry is tremendous and it is an honor to have him on the show. In our conversation he recounts the story of his early career and we discuss the birth and fantastic success of the Super Soaker keychain. We breakdown the marketing shift in toys and games and how social media is giving new life to the the Rubik's brand. As toy company marketing budgets are now split between TV, digital and social spend we discuss this reality and speculate on the future of toy marketing. I ask him about his experience with mergers and acquisitions in the industry. Finally we discuss his non-traditional experience in licensing toys from toy companies to create great new items. https://superimpulse.com   If this is your first time checking out the Power Kid Podcast this is an excellent place to start! Thanks for joining us!

My honored guest this week is Rusty Tracy the VP of Wind Dancer Films. They have generated over 4 billion dollars in revenue from film and television properties that the company has created and produced. Rusty spent 10 years at Nickelodeon Animation Studios and his animation work includes the 2012 Ninja Turtles series, Ready Jet Go on PBS, Not a Box for Universal Kids and many more.   In this episode we dive into Rusty’s experience with Nickelodeon Studios and TMNT - from unpaid intern to Creative Director! He gives us an inside look at the conversations between animators and toy makers to ensure brand integrity. What are the important considerations when developing animation for children of all ages? What are the challenges of creating animation that is both fun and educational.   Enjoy this fun and insightful episode. Thank you for listening!

Micheal Keaton spent 16 years with LEGO in various capacities and locations around the globe including Denmark, Australia and Connecticut where he oversaw 460 people in 8 countries as the VP of Shopper Marketing Agency. For the next 3 years he served as the president of Schleich North America. Currently he is the CEO of Toysmith.   We discuss his calling into the toy industry and how he and the LEGO team overcame several challenges together. I ask him about his worldwide experiences and the cultural differences in the global industry. We discuss the steps Schleich took to expand their product offerings and how important it is to listen to your customer.   On a personal note Micheal shares with us his concept of "A-Game" which can help us connect with our families through play, even in the midst of our demanding jobs. Finally as he steps into his role at Toysmith I ask him about his goals and vision for the future.

This week I sit down for an excellent conversation with Michael Wilde. Michael was Senior Director of Global Brand Marketing and Business Development for Spin Master. Previously he was the VP of Global CPG Strategy, Licensing and North American Retail Development for WWE and VP of Global Brand Marketing and Business Development at Jakks Pacific. He now leverages his skills helping his clients execute winning marketing strategies.   Michael share the story of how he followed his passions into the toy industry. What strategies does he use to keep his product development and marketing teams aligned? How does the unboxing phenomenon affect his marketing plans? What are the challenges of growing classic brands like WWE? We also discuss the origin and challenges of the Big Figs line from Jakks.

Quiz time - What one toy can teach social skills, empathy, responsibly, imagination and compassion? Dolls are simply one of the most powerful play tools we can offer a child.  My guest today has been designing dolls for over 20 years. Stephen Sumner has worked on the most recognizable doll brands including Barbie and My Little Pony Equestria Girls. He has also developed dolls under licenses like Marvel, Lord of the Rings, and Dreamworks.   In todays show we discuss the importance of dolls in all cultures. We discuss how to make your doll line unique (but not so unique it is unreliable to your customers). We discuss the biggest mistakes that companies make when releasing a new doll line. Finally he gives us some insight into his work with Hasbro's Equestria Girls and explains what makes them great

My guest today Matthew Hammersley has created a new way for you and your children to enjoy reading together! Matthew co-founded Novel Effect with his wife in 2015 to use voice recognition and sound effects to enhance story time for parents and children. The technology supports over 150 children's stories and they are working on other applications for language learning and entertainment. Together they have been on Shark Tank, completed a 3MM funding round, closed deals with major publishers and expanded the application!   We discuss the origin story of this great concept (it all started at a baby shower!). It cannot be overstated the importance of reading to your child but in order to gain those benefits the child must be engaged in the story. Matthew shares with us how Novel Effect helps to keep kids engaged in the story. I ask him about the challenges of building a startup  team to develop a complex tech product. He also tells us about the content creation studio they are developing to allow you to create sound effects for your own books!   Stay tuned after the show to hear a demonstration of Novel Effect!   Story time will never be the same!   https://www.noveleffect.com/  

If you are like me you have vivid memories of Highlights magazines in the waiting rooms of every doctors office you ever visited. As a kid having access to a bright fun issue with puzzles and word games could help ease my nerves no matter why I was seeing the doctor. Today my family gets to have Highlights delivered every month to our door. It is a great dose of nostalgia to see them enjoying the magazine like I did. This week it is my honor to speak with the CEO of Highlights for Kids Kent Johnson. Founded in 1946 by his great grandparents, Kent is only the third CEO to hold the position. Educated at Amherst College and earning a Doctorate in Physics from Harvard, Kent has a tremendous passion for science and finds himself inspired everyday by Highlight's mission to help children become their best selves.   In this episode Kent takes us back to the origin of Highlights. We discuss what we think it means for a child to be their “best self”. I ask him how he and team consistently balance between fun and educational value. I also have him recount the story and marketing effort that lead to millions of Highlights magazines showing up in waiting rooms around the country! You will also be interested to hear how the Highlights brand in leveraging technology to grow in new and exciting ways!   Enjoy the show and thank you for subscribing, commenting, reviewing and listening!  

Welcome to this week's Wicked and Cool podcast! It is my honor to have Jeremy Padawer as my guest. As Co-President and Partner of Wicked Cool Toys Jeremy and his team have brought some amazing products to market including Pokemon, Cabbage Patch Kids, Teddy Ruxpin and many more. If you enjoy Jeremy's LinkedIn posts you will love this episode!   www.wickedcooltoys.com   In this show learn his toy industry origin story. We do a deep dive into the collectibles market and what drives collectibility. I ask him about his involvement with the 200X re-launch of Masters of the Universe. Wicked Cool holds the master toy license for Pokemon and we discuss how they are developing toys to capture the excitement surrounding the new movie. Finally we discuss the recent news of the Toys R Us return and what it could mean for the industry!   Subscribe so you never miss an episode. If you haven’t already leave us a 5-star review in iTunes so we can attract more great listeners!

Blake Wright is the Indiana Jones of the toy world. His book series “The Toys That Time Forgot” successfully launched on Kickstarter and volume 2 is available now! It is the culmination of years of intense research and travel to track down the stories and artifacts behind toy lines that made it to the prototype stage but were never released to the public. Volume 1 chronicles over 20 instances of these types of projects and includes Hasbro’s Dark Crystal line from the 80’s and unreleased Krull, Bucky O’Hare, Osmosis Jones, Star Wars and many more!   Join us today as we discuss what it took to track down these hidden toy stories.  He tells us why some of these lines never came to fruition. He also gives us a glimpse into Volume 2 and the popular lines featured there.   Check it out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/712321210/toys-that-time-forgot-vol-2-a-book-about-unproduce.

New York Toy Fair 2019 is behind us and I am excited for the coming year! I enjoyed catching up with many friends and had the opportunity to record some great conversations as I walked the aisles. Several of you stopped me to chat about the podcast and although it might have been the first time meeting you it was amazing to experience that immediate connection and friendship!   In this episode you will hear from Billy Langsworthy as we discuss our love of toy design. I reach out to 3 new attendees in the Launchpad and we discuss their unique products. Finally Steve Reece and I cap it off with a review of the fair and the year to come.   I invite you to check out these new brands that caught my eye!   Dejan Mitrovic with Densters - https://kidesign.org/   Sam Lacasse and Wrap N Snaps - https://wrapnsnaps.com/   Jake Minor and his customizable action figure line Character Creator - http://umakeitcc.com/   Thank you for joining me on my Toy Fair adventures!

It is so good to connect with many friends and colleges in NY again this year! I look forward to sharing some great conversations from this years Toy Fair! Given everyone's intense schedules and focus on the future I wanted to offer up a fun show that lets us look back through time at the roots of our great industry. The Strong Museum in Rochester New York is an interactive, collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration of play. It is one of the largest history museums in the US and one of the leading museums serving families. It is my privilege this week to speak to Christopher Bensch a 29 year veteran of the museum who serves as the VP of collections.   www.museumofplay.org/   We dive into all the museum has to offer and we discuss one of their most prized possessions the original Monopoly board!  http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2011/02/27/original-monopoly-game-sold-for-150k/   Enjoy the episode - recoup, refresh and I'll see you soon!   https://lnkd.in/dzKJtsf - iTunes   https://lnkd.in/d7aB-Kr - Stitcher

I am honored to speak with JP Stoops today on the Power Kid Podcast! JP has spent 16 years in consumer products with a focus on toys. He managed licensed retail business development for Discovery Communications. He directed all aspects of DiscoveryKids.com including site management, e-commerce, marketing, operations, social media, branding, and creative. Today he is focused on building his company Pixl Toys which focuses on creating tech toys that utilize smart phones and encourage active and creative play.   I like JP’s way of describing his skills -  think like a consumer, act like a retailer and deliver valuable products - and I ask him to break this down for us. We discuss in depth how he sees online retail changing the way we find and buy products. How did his years as a buyer affect his decision to create and market Pixl Play?   Check it out here: https://pixltoys.com/   Thank you for joining us!

Valerie Vacante is recently back from CES and the Alexa Expo and she has tons to share on this episode of the Power Kid Podcast! Valerie stays on the edge of technology and consumer goods in several industries including toys and games. Today she shares with us some emerging technologies and how they are being re-imagined and used on playful products. She provides helpful tips for manufacturers looking to integrate new tech. I ask her what companies are having success leveraging new technologies. Check her company out here: www.collabsco.com With so many options available - IOT, AI, Robotics, AR/VR, Data Over Sound, Voice, Wearable, NFC/RFID, Social, EdTech - which technology aspects should you be focused on? We break it down for you on this show!   We also discuss how these great companied are innovating play:   Swapbots - http://www.drawandcode.com   Mekamon - https://mekamon.com/   Birde - https://birde.co/home   X2 Games - https://x2.games   Immplay - https://www.immplay.com/   Tech up and enjoy!

Mike Horn is responsible for some of the most accurate and detailed licensed collectibles of all time. His career has included early comic conventions to buying for Diamond Distributors to forming Palisades Toys and beyond. He has manufactured and distributed 100’s of original and IP products including action figures, statues and printed items. He is also a proud inductee to the Pop Culture Hall of Fame!   Today we discuss his early involvement with a growing comic convention scene and the crossroads between comics and toys. He shares the stories behind Palisades' Muppet figures and play sets. I ask him about the experience of being inducted in the Pop Culture Hall of Fame. Finally he takes us inside his new venture Global Strategic Development.   Find out more about Golden Strategic Development - http://blog.gogsd.com/   Check out Mike and all the inductees at the Pop Culture Hall of Fame - https: -//www.popculturehall.com/   Thank you all for subscribing. Don’t miss an episode!

The Chinese toy market is on the rise! With an average annual growth rate of almost 20% and the implementation of the two-child policy many in the industry are looking to develop hit toys for the over 236 million children under age 14 on the mainland.   Today I interview China market expert Kirsten Ytterbo to discuss the opportunities and challenges of selling to China. Previously she spent almost 5 years in Shanghai and Hong Kong as a Merchandising Manager for Toys R Us and she is the former Senior VP of King Bee Toys. She has immersed herself in the culture and has some great advice to share!   Listen in as we discuss what brands resonate with the Chinese market and what cultural faux pas to avoid. In contrast to the US adult collector market why is the China market comprised almost entirely of purchases for children? Learn why top brands in China are splitting into 2 pricing tiers. We also discuss the impact of Tmall.com and online shopping in China.   Listen, learn and enjoy the show!

Ben Callicott is focused on helping the toy community create forward thinking, ground breaking and important toys. While serving as the Head of Product for Primo Toys and launching the coding robot Cubetto (2MM raised from 10K backers) he became passionate about toys that teach modern day skills. His current project, the Toy Pioneers Club, is designed to help innovative toy startups succeed and navigate the myriad of challenges they face.   Get involved and check it out here: www.toypioneers.club

Happy New Year! We start the year right with a conversation with one of the most experienced sales representatives I know, Les Friedland. He has worked in the toy industry for over 45 years and understands what will and won’t work at retail. He founded Les Friedland Associates in 1982 and has repped countless products to retail success. He and his award winning team are expert at sales, in-store positioning and analysis. In our conversation Les shares his sales wisdom and we discuss the strategy differences between selling an item versus a category. What should the retailer expect from a manufacture and vice versa? How should you prepare to meet your buyer with a new concept? How can you work with your buyer to ensure sell through (or help them move inventory if it does not).   This episode is packed with valuable and thought provoking information that you will not want to miss!   Check them out here: https://www.lesfriedland.com   May your 2019 be blessed with much sales success!

I want to take a moment to say thank you to all of the listeners and subscribers we have gained this year. Thank you for the emails and phone calls of encouragement! Thank you for your shares, comments and likes! It is my honor to bring you these conversations each week.   In this special holiday episode we explore Nerf past, present and future! Reyn Guyer the inventor of Twister and the first Nerf ball walks us through the birth and early days of the Nerf brand. Later in the show Nerf blaster reviewer Brain Vasquez brings us up to date with the current state of the Nerf brand and some great new developments on the horizon!   Enjoy! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

John Cowan is the only person I know to hold both mantles of practicing neurosurgeon AND toy company executive! John has a BS in Physics from Davidson College and Doctorate of Medicine from Johns Hopkins. He completed his neurosurgery residency at the University of Michigan. Raised with an inventive spirit John heads operations at Cortex Toys. He is also no stranger to the US patent system holding a number of patents for implants and medical devices that are improving lives right now!   In today's show we talk about the joy of inventing and what he looks for when reviewing toy products. I ask him how his experience as a neurosurgoen has helped him develop toys. We also discuss his hopes and dreams for Cortex Toys long term.   Check out Cortex Toys here!    https://cortextoys.com/

Joe Loesch is an award winning spoken word producer, voice actor and coach. Joe has produced over five hundred hundred audiobooks, voiced dozens of national commercial ads, audiobooks, corporate narrations and cartoons for the Disney channel. He produces the Baby Looney Tunes sound-books. His first voice over student was Reece Witherspoon!   Today we chat about the challenge of working with kids in voice over. What are the important considerations when writing and producing a children’s audio product? What makes a great character voice?   Check him out here: http://www.joeloesch.com/   https://lnkd.in/dzKJtsf - iTunes   https://lnkd.in/d7aB-Kr - Stitcher   A big thank you to all the listeners!

It is my honor this week to speak with long-time toy industry veteran Thierry Bourret. Through Konomocha (HK) Ltd Thierry runs a vast international sales territory and has been involved in the toy industry for many years. He is an expert networker and is constantly growing his list of toy business contacts around the world.   Join us today as we discuss the challenges and opportunities of distributing toys internationally. I ask him about the origin and success of his Toy Thursday networking group that meets on the third Thursday of every month in TST. We also chat about the importance of Tsim Sha Tsui to the industry at large. He was the International Sales Manager for Marvin’s Magic and still holds them as a client so I take the opportunity to ask him about the attraction of magic themed toys and games.   Check out more about Toy Thursday here: http://konomocha.com/toy-thursday/   Thank you Thierry for sharing your insight and thank you Power Kids for joining us every week!

Anything that helps my kids get to bed has a BIG thumbs up from me! This week Natalie Rebot takes the mic and gives us an inside look at the history and ongoing success of her invention - Moonlite. The perfect parental peripheral : ) Moonlite uses the flash in your phone to make bedtime stories come to life with full HD images and in-app sound effects. Crushing it’s goals on Kickstarter in 2017, it quickly made many Top Toy lists, including Target's Top Toys of the Year, CNN, and Forbes.   In this episode we cover these questions and more: How was the idea born? What was the initial reaction of the first investors you approached? Why was Spin Master an attractive licensing partner? What are the challenges of getting publishers to partner with this new technology?   https://mymoonlite.com   Also check out her new Kickstarter campaign with a *limited-edition Rose Gold Moonlite Pack*. For every pack sold, they will be donating 10 BOOKS to children living in poverty.   https://lnkd.in/dJEpTzA   Thank you for listening!  

You will not want to miss today’s episode! The youngest CEO in the UK, Jenk Oz is a 13 year old entrepreneur, professional actor, singer, dancer, accomplished musician, presenter and public speaker. Though his creation icoolkid.com he has created a world wide “show and tell” for tweens and teens. He keeps a finger on the pulse of what kids think is cool and allows them to share events, fashion and trends.   What advice does he have for those of us trying to market to Generation Z? What does the toy industry need to do to appeal to this generation? How can we leverage social media to capture Gen Z’s attention?    One of the unique aspects of Jenk’s site is its focus on encouraging young entrepreneurship. Listen in as Jenk gives us his 5 key elements for any young person who wants to start or grow a business.    Check out: www.icoolkid.com   Also check out Jenk’s TEDx talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIGkTz089jU  

Hello Power Kids! Join Jenny Faw and I today as we discuss the nuances of inventing for infants and young children. Working with Hallmark, Current, Mickey and Company and Summer Infant she has a 20 year track record of creating top-selling products for infants, children and the home. Today Jenny is the Chief Product Development Officer at Dibzy where she and her team connect inventors and designers with great manufacturers and help them get their concept to market.   What are the special considerations an inventor must think about when designing for infants? How important is it to consider the unboxing and surprise experience of a new product? How can inventors develop a better pitch?   Join us and thank you for listening!  

This week it is my honor to present my conversation with Choon Ng. Choon’s invention Rainbow Loom created a huge toy craze in 2013 and 2014. Millions of looms where sold and wrists all over the county were decorated in his amazing creation!  In this episode Choon tells us the story of the early years of his invention from inspiration to the first prototypes. We discuss some of the challenges he overcame in communicating the products use to his customers. We also do a deep dive into the importance of multi-level play as Rainbow Loom offers both a creative outlet and encourages social engagement. Listen, learn, and enjoy!    https://www.rainbowloom.com/   Remember good reviews help us to reach more great listeners like you!

Family First, Earn Always, Save Often, Spend Wisely! Michelle Salsberry started her company Fam-ess in 2014 to teach families and children the impact of their spending decisions. Having developed several levels of financial curriculum she is passionate about teaching children important money skills. She tracks consumer trends and has deep insights into what children spend their own money on. http://www.fam-ess.com/ Why is it important to teach young children about financial responsibility? Why is there an educational gap in this area? How does a buying decision change when the child’s own money is involved? What does it take for a child to be motivated to save for a high dollar item? Interested in what kids ages 5-16 want to spend their own money on? Click the link below to receive a discount on the excellent 3 year report we mention in the show: http://www.fam-ess.com/retailer-purchase.html  

Stefanie Botelho's background in investment banking and venture capital management is serving her well in the toy industry! She is the founder of Fitzroy Toys which provides a new spin on B to B wholesale buying and selling. Fitzroy is adept at bringing new distribution opportunities to brands that have built a customer base either through crowdsourcing or other means. She asks and answers the question: Once you have a funded project and manufacture has started, what then? In this episode we discuss the pain points and solutions for inventory management, packing, freight and reaching new buyers. We discuss her continuing success with Marissa Louie's Animoodles and Stefanie answers questions about her team of Merchandising Editors that help pick the right retailers for Fitzroy’s represented products. Learn how Fitzroy utilizes data to connect great products with interested buyers!  

My friend Dave Schultze has created an exciting new game called Gridopolis. As an industrial designer, he has developed products for Microsoft, LG, Umbra, and Hasbro. He has won multiple industrial design awards and his work has been recognized in media coverage worldwide. In 2001 he began teaching in the Toy Design department at Otis College of Art and Design focusing on 3D visualization. His Bachelors in Architecture and Masters in Industrial Design contribute to giving his game a unique look, gameplay and expandability. https://www.gridopolis.games/ In this discussion we cover the similarities between architecture and industrial design. He shares with us his experience as a toy design teacher and we discuss the origin of Gridopolis - both the game design and the rule set development. Dave gives us the play-by-play breakdown of how he took his game concept from a sketch to a finished product and how he is prepping for a successful Kickstarter! We also discuss the importance of building great relationships along any product development journey. BONUS: 1. Leave a good review, 2. email me at design@philalbritton.com and 3. WIN a FREE Gridopolis Starter Set! Thank you for joining us and enjoy the show!  

I had so much fun recording this podcast with Jackie Breyer! Between her work with The Pop Insider, The Toy Insider and The ToyBook she is immersed in the toy industry daily. She oversees all print and web content for these great publications and loves to be on the front lines of toy industry news and trends. Today she shares with us the history of The Toy Book and we get the inside scoop on how she tracks trends. She walks us through each of her publications and shares what makes each one unique. We also discuss our love of nostalgic toys and brands! Don’t miss this episode and check out all of these valuable publications! https://thepopinsider.com/ https://toybook.com/ https://www.thetoyinsider.com/

Valerie Alva-Ruiz and Courtney Stillwagon are on a mission to promote diversity and cultural understanding. Together they have created an adorable new doll line called Selma’s Dolls. Each doll represents an opportunity to broaden a child’s horizon and respectfully expose them to new cultures. The doll line includes Lola a Mexican-American, Ameena a Muslim, and Annie a child with Down Syndrome. In this conversation they give us tips for using their creation to start these important conversations. They share with us the challenges of developing plush line and book from the ground up. They also share some time management tips they have learned as they developed this line while raising young children and holding full time jobs. Join us for this important conversation! www.selmasdolls.com

Tom Dusenberry has been at the forefront of some of the most exciting ventures in the history of the toy industry. As CEO of Hasbro Interactive he brought Hasbro into the digital games market and grew the games publishing business to 200MM in six years. Tom introduced the first Monopoly/ McDonalds promotional partnership and took the Nerf brand outdoors for the first time. He continues to have a tremendous career in toys now operating Dusenberry Entertainment, staying on the technological cutting edge for his toy, game and digital content clients. http://www.dusenberryentertainment.com/ Today we discuss his storied career and he gives the inside scoop on inventor relations, marketing new concepts, pivoting huge brands, and the power of gamification! It is my pleasure to bring you this conversation. Subscribe now to never miss an episode!

Families continue to rely on influencer content to make many of their shopping decisions. Today on the Power Kid Podcast I interview Justin Moore CEO and founder of Trending Family. His company specializes in connecting brands with the top family-friendly, video-focused social media influencers. After growing an audience of over 1,000,000 subscribers and working with 100’s of brands Justin and his family now share their formula for successful brand-influencer partnerships. www.trendingfamily.com How are video influencers affecting how families buy toys? How do we define the type of relationship that develops between an influencer and a viewer? What are the key characteristics of toys that attract all members of a family? And a very interesting phenomenon - what happens when the influencer becomes the brand?! Looking at you Ryan’s World!  

From Campbell’s Soup to Kimberly Clark and now at Step2, Bridget Roche has been tracking parent shoppers her entire career. She has worked directly with every major retailer to provide shopper trends and insight. Want to know how your customers shop? Listen in! Today we pull back the curtain on her work with the wonderful people at Step2. They are the makers of some of the most imaginative, playful and durable products in the industry and they do it all in Ohio! In addition you have the opportunity to win a Step2 My First Christmas Tree! All you have to do is leave a good review on iTunes and email me at design@philalbritton.com telling me you did so. Your name will go in a drawing to have this great product mailed straight to your door at no cost! Deadline is September 14th so do not delay! Join us for this excellent conversation! Listen, Like, subscribe, review and WIN!