Episode #116: An Incredible First Time Toy Inventor Story with Daniela Valenzuela Bomchil
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Do you have an idea, and maybe even a prototype for a toy invention, but are wondering how to get it in front of toy industry executives? You’re not alone. This is something some toy inventors struggle with. Today’s episode is all about some things you can do to make that happen, and they might be surprising to you.
I interviewed Daniela Valenzuela Bomchil, a recent student of the Toy Creators Academy. When Daniela came to the academy, I noticed that her prototypes were impeccable, and she was so prepared with amazing presentation materials. Daniela shares with you how her experience in the TCA helped her to build the confidence to pitch to large toy companies, how she got into toys from graphic design, and how she did her first pitches for the TCA Virtual Pitch Event from her car because her whole city was experiencing a power outage!
You’ll also find out 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. Toy company executives want to work with you so you really need more than just a name and an e-mail address to start building a relationship.
EPISODE CLIFF NOTES
Learn why you need more than a name and e-mail address to build a relationship with a toy industry executive. [00:01:55]
Find out how you can “borrow” a relationship in the toy industry to build rapport with toy executives. [00:02:40]
Learn how the Toy Creators Academy Virtual Pitch Event can help you build toy industry relationships on your own [00:03:23]
Learn how the confidence she gained in the TCA transformed Daniela’s outlook on pitching to toy industry professionals. [00:14:36]
Find out one of the most important qualities of a good sizzle reel. [00:15:07]
Learn how the TCA Virtual Pitch Event helped Daniela to gain the potential of working with Hasbro and Mattel. [00:16:59]
Find out how the TCA helped Daniela feel more confident to pitch to American companies even though she is located in Argentina. [00:19:18]
Learn why pitching was Daniela’s favorite part of the Toy Creators Academy. [00:21:38]
Hear why Daniela recommends the Toy Creators Academy for toy inventors and toy entrepreneurs. [00:23:40]
Learn why you need to know more than just a toy company’s name in the toy industry. [00:25:12]
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[00:00:00] Azhelle Wade: You are listening to making it in the toy industry episode number 116.
[00:00:05] Hey there toy people, Azhelle Wade here and welcome back to another episode of The Toy Coach podcast, making it in the toy industry. This is a weekly podcast brought to you by thetoycoach.com. Well toy people at the time of recording this episode, Toy Creators Academy is still open for enrollment but it won't be for long. And since we are closing up enrollment very soon on March 12th, I thought today we would chat with another student of Toy Creators Academy, a toy inventor, and chat about her experience going through the program. Lessons learned, advice, tips, and you'll hear what was holding her back when she first started the program.
[00:01:01] Now there is a theme to today's episode. I always want you walking away learning something super specific. The focus of today's episode is the importance of relationships. And I know you might think like what relationships don't have to do the toy industry, Azhelle. Relationships are what distract me from doing my work in the toy industry. But the reason I wanted to talk about relationships today is because relationships are something that most new toy creators overlook. And they think that instead of a relationship, all they need is a great idea and an email address. That's all we need or a phone number. Because once we have a number or an email, we can sell our great idea and be done. But the truth of the matter is what you really need to sell that toy game idea of yours is a relationship.
[00:01:55] And I have to say it's a little tough love, but if you are an inventor looking for a licensing deal, companies in essence are going into business with you. So you have to think, why would a company want to go into business with me if they don't know me? You want to build a relationship that is founded on reliability, credibility and respect. So that email and that phone number, they can't give you those things. They can't give you that reliability. They can't give you that credibility. They can't give you that respect, but what you need, what you really need is a good relationship and credibility. So there are a couple of ways you can go about getting those things.
[00:02:36] You can borrow one, you can borrow a relationship. And what does that mean? That's just the thing I say. It's not like a real industry term. Don't go around saying that to people, but you can borrow a relationship in the sense that you can hire help. You can hire someone to be a sales rep for your product and sell it into retailers. You can hire someone to work with you as a distributor and sell your product. Or you could hire what they call a toy broker or toy agent and have them represent your product. So borrowing relationships is the faster way to develop your toy network because essentially somebody else is doing all the work for you. You know, you're sharing a portion of profits or you're sharing a monthly fee plus profits.
[00:03:19] But somebody else is doing the work utilizing their years of relationships to land you meetings and opportunities. That will be valuable to you, but you can also build a relationship. And that is a big part of what I like to teach students to do inside of Toy Creators Academy. But I have to say when I first started the program, I noticed everyone was too scared to reach out to toy companies just as is on their own. So that's why I created the TCA virtual pitch event. And what's really cool about this program is you're able to borrow a relationship in order to start building it. So instead of just like temporarily having these contacts and giving up a portion of your profit of your amazing toy idea or game idea you get to keep all of that.
[00:04:07] Keep that amazing toy idea. Keep that amazing game idea. Keep the ownership of it. And you'll get to utilize this program to borrow relationships. And then if you show up like a pro during those borrowed relationships, you can then build one of your own. Now I want to share with you a student of mine named Daniela. Daniela is a graphic designer and she joined Toy Creators Academy. And I had no idea what to expect from her. No, no clue at all. But Daniela shows up with the best quality prototypes I'd seen I mean years. She shows up. She had all of her materials prepared, so elegantly, so perfectly. She showed up like a pro and borrow that audience and made such an impression on them that they came back and asked her to meet yet again.
[00:05:02] And that's what I want for you. I want you to learn how to borrow and then build your very own relationships. Because once you establish those relationships, you will little by little start building credibility in this industry and that credibility and those relationships are how people make just a phone number or just an email work for their toy ideas. But first you've got to do the work of establishing the relationship. So here's my conversation with Daniela, where she shares with me, her experience going through TCA and her experience working with this company. Daniela welcome. And thank you so much for agreeing to chat with me about your experience in toy creators academy.
[00:05:50] Daniela Valenzuela: Well, thank you for inviting me. I'm very excited to talk with you.
[00:05:55] Azhelle Wade: Me too. I'm excited to hear from you, first to start, what do you think what's your final impression since you just wrapped the 12 weeks in the program, how do you feel about your time in Toy Creators Academy?
[00:06:06] Daniela Valenzuela: Well, I didn't expected to go so far in such a short time. You know, we go from nothing to believe that I couldn't present anything of my ideas or whatever to present the biggest companies in the world and to have meetings before the TCA too. So that's my impression. It's impressive. How it, in such a short time, I could reach all my expectations about what I could do with my ideas.
[00:06:42] Azhelle Wade: Well, the first thing I want to say is I don't want to give anybody any false beliefs. It's not like Daniela came in here with like no ideas and no like capabilities of producing samples. The reason you were able to get so far so fast is because you came to bat, like you came with amazing ideas, really well done, product samples, and you did that really fast. So then the doors opened up for you because of that. But I'm happy that I was able to like connect you and make that happen. But honestly, if you didn't submit the things you submitted, it wouldn't have happened.
[00:07:15] So if anybody doesn't know Toy Creators Academy is a program to learn how to do all of these things, how to develop your ideas and how to pitch them and how the toy industry works with inventors versus entrepreneurs. And then at the end, there's an event for star students called the Toy Creators Academy Pitch Event, where you can potentially pitch to people like Hasbro and Mattel and companies, you may not have heard of, but that, do you want to work with inventors like Kids Preferred and Alex brands? But, okay. Daniela, please share with everyone who you are and what you do outside of the world of toys.
[00:07:49] Daniela Valenzuela: Okay. I'm a graphic director and the graphic designer. I started in 2000 designing some merchandising and gifts for kids, but I never put my experience into toys and since I made a post grad course of toys, then I realized, I didn't know how to sell my toys, where to go. So all my creations stop there because I didn't know where to go, but mostly my daily work is about graphic design. Like I seen wrote for kids, but not specific toys.
[00:08:29] Azhelle Wade: So did you say you went to a post-grad school for toys, toy design?
[00:08:34] Daniela Valenzuela: Yes. I did. Here in Argentina in the university you have a post grad about toys and games and they taught me a lot of things, but I couldn't understand how to sell my ideas and outside my little world you know? Something like that. And when I finally, found you in internet was like, whoa, she will help me to go there. I found your, podcast all the content you posted and everything so useful to finally go where I was trying to go before.
[00:09:10] Azhelle Wade: Oh, I love hearing that. Thank you. Tell me, why did you want to design or invent toys at all?
[00:09:18] Daniela Valenzuela: I love toys of course. I always, when I go to a toy store I want to buy everything because I really love toys.
[00:09:27] Azhelle Wade: where are you from? I know you're nervous about your accent. Where are you from shared that as well?
[00:09:31] Daniela Valenzuela: I'm from Argentina. I hate doing these in English. I am so much funny. I am a great speaker. If you want, I can say my testimony in Spanish. (speaking in Spanish)
[00:09:54] Azhelle Wade: I was following for about a sentence. I heard my name. I heard you didn't know where to go. I think you said, I don't know. Thank you. I will be reaching out to my fiance once he gets off work tonight and having him translate this for me. Thank you. That was beautiful. I'm sure. Okay. Tell me if you don't mind, tell me in English, what was your experience pitching to toy companies, even though you did have to do it in English, what was that experience like for you?
[00:10:22] Daniela Valenzuela: Well, the first time was very difficult because if you remember all my whole city the power was turned off. So I had to be from the car with my phone. I was so nervous because I have my teleprompter prepare. I have everything to be great. And to say everything, how I wanted to say it, and it didn't work. So I was very difficult, but it was great because they call me in any way. They like the concept and they call me. We have connection, although they are not interested in this specific idea, they want me to submit some ideas for them every time I have it.
[00:11:07] Azhelle Wade: Okay. So I love hearing that because when Daniela came, I can't quite remember what company, but I remember you messaged me and you're like Azhelle, I lost power, my whole city lost power. I don't know what I'm going to do. And I was like, don't worry about it because for students in the TCA Pitch Event there's a online portal where you have to like upload things to have them reviewed. And the benefit of that is that when something like this happens, I have access to all of your stuff. So I shared my screen and then you just talked through it, but you were so nervous. In my head, I was like, don't even worry about it. Like, I just felt like we were prepared because we had the files. I could show them, you know, your stuff back in front, you could talk to it. And as soon as you got over the fact that it wasn't going perfect, it went really well. I think obviously.
[00:11:56] Daniela Valenzuela: Yes.
[00:11:57] Azhelle Wade: Before you took TCA, had you ever pitched your toy game ideas to anyone?
[00:12:00] Daniela Valenzuela: Never. Never. Because I didn't know how to do it. I had my ideas, I had my concept. I haven't developed the prototype or the sizzle, I didn't have the materials and so I thought I wasn't prepared to present my ideas.
[00:12:18] Azhelle Wade: So before you took TCA, you were struggling with just figuring out how to pitch your ideas. How has your perspective changed on that? Do you think it's possible for someone who isn't based in like the UK or the U S to pitch to these major toy companies that are based in the UK, the U S a couple in Australia that are really big. Do you feel like it's possible now?
[00:12:39] Daniela Valenzuela: Totally possible. Now I feel like I can reach any company because really I feel that confident, you know, because I managed to do it with so big companies. You taught how to do it. So. I think it just follow the rules, you know, it doesn't matter where are you from, you have an idea you want to show. It doesn't matter if you speak like me because you've got a sizzle.
[00:13:06] Azhelle Wade: I do agree. Like you would get so nervous about how you sounded, but your sizzle did all of the talking. So Daniela's first couple sizzles they were completely in Spanish and I was like on Google translate, trying to translate every word. But even when it was in Spanish, I could understand the gameplay. And as I'm saying that that should be, that should be everybody's measure of, is this a clear sizzle? Turn off the sound. If you turn off the sound and you still understand what this product is about, that's a good sizzle or if you're still intrigued by the product, when you turn off the sound, that's a good sizzle. All of your sizzles had that. Like, I didn't have to speak Spanish to be able to understand what was going on and and know that it was great. So, that's fantastic. Okay. Before you took Toy Creators Academy, how big was your toy company contact list Daniela?
[00:13:59] Daniela Valenzuela: Zero.
[00:14:01] Azhelle Wade: And now that you've taken the program, how big is your toy company contact list?
[00:14:06] Daniela Valenzuela: Oh, I have all the companies in the world to reach, I just have to have the time to reach them. Because now I'm so busy with the ones I met in the TCA, but I know that I can reach anyone.
[00:14:23] Azhelle Wade: So I know in the pitch event you got, I think, mashed with the most companies, because I just thought your product was so cool. And you would have been matched with more. I just felt bad. I was giving you too many meetings, but I think I matched you with the most companies because of the quality of your pitch materials and the quality of your concepts. But I'm am curious if before the pitch event or since the pitch event, have you put any of the tips into play to do your own outreach and meet people on your own?
[00:14:51] Daniela Valenzuela: Not yet.
[00:14:52] Azhelle Wade: Not yet. I want to hear what happened.
[00:14:55] Daniela Valenzuela: From my own no, because they contact me. So I'm talking with Mattel and tomorrow I will have a meet with the team of the Hasbro toys. because they love not only my concept that they are considering, but all the presentation, all the stuff I made and that because you have me make it. They wanted to meet me and to share in some brief with me. So I work like 12 hours a day, so I couldn't reach other companies yet.
[00:15:28] Azhelle Wade: So how many different toy ideas or game ideas are you working on today? Do you have new ones or you're still working on the ones from the program?
[00:15:36] Daniela Valenzuela: I'm working in two main ideas that I presented that TCA and then have other ideas would be the next ones I will develop.
[00:15:46] Azhelle Wade: So Daniela, we didn't talk about how you got into TCA. You got a scholarship, is that right?
[00:15:54] Daniela Valenzuela: Yeah, that was really amazing. Never happened something like that in my entire life, because I was listen your masterclass. And I think Sunday, like seven o'clock here and I was listening the masterclass, and then Richard Derr and said, Hey everyone who is here, listen to Azhelle I will give you a scholarship. And I was like, what? Because I was trying to take everything you put in internet and whatever, because for me it was a little hard to pay the course because of the peso Argentino and the dollar, it's not a good deal. So it was a lot for me. And I was thinking about doing it, but I wasn't sure and then Richard appeared and said that it was like an angel. I couldn't believe that something like that could happen to me. I'm really greatful with Richard because he changed my toy life, really. I think this is the first step for many. This is because he was so generous. He wasn't taking anything from us. Just helped someone with passion to make the dream come true. That was really amazing. That doesn't happen every day.
[00:17:16] Azhelle Wade: Yeah. I'm getting goosebumps now thinking about it because that night I also saw that come through the chat and I think you saw me read it live right. Not realizing what I was reading. And after I read it, I said, I don't know who this Richard person is, but he must be joking. It changed my life too, because I want to do this business of teaching, but you know, everything I put out is free. I don't, this is the thing I sell. So when he said that it was honestly a huge weight for me, because now it's like, oh, that's so wonderful I had 10 spots to just give, and I don't have to stress or worry about selling those spots. That, I mean, that was exciting for me too. I was like, I didn't believe I called him the next day. And I said like, who are you? Why are you doing this? Why? What's the catch, you know? But he's great.
[00:18:09] Daniela Valenzuela: I wrote him after the Facebook meeting and I wrote in saying, this is real, this is real because I really want a scholarship. This is my life dream so please.
[00:18:24] Azhelle Wade: Thank you, Richard. Thanks for Azhelle. Thanks for Daniela.
[00:18:28] What is the biggest thing you learned about developing ideas through pitching to all these companies?
[00:18:34] Daniela Valenzuela: I learned how to organize the materials, what is important, how to reach them, what to not do, what to do. I didn't know. When you know that you feel confident that you are doing great because otherwise you always are in doubt. If you're okay in the way you are doing and being confident is the most powerful thing to go further with your ideas. That's what happens to me, now I feel confident. So all the barriers I've done for me, I think.
[00:19:11] Azhelle Wade: Oh. You make me cry Daniela.
[00:19:13] Daniela Valenzuela: It's true. I wouldn't say if it is not true. I really feel that way. I feel confident and because I'm so far away too, from United States and from the big companies, and this makes me feel so close, you know, all this process make me feel that I can be with you or whatever in the world. That's great for me.
[00:19:38] Azhelle Wade: As you said that I remembered exactly what it was, who I was talking to. That reminded me of this conversation. It was you. When I sent out the Toy Creators Academy notebook, you emailed me and you said exactly that you said I live so far from everything. And just, this makes me feel so close. So thank you.
[00:19:58] Daniela Valenzuela: Was great to receive that notebook, was wow this is really happening, you know. I'm really there. And so what's great to receive. That is beautiful too. I have all my stickers in my computer.
[00:20:12] Azhelle Wade: What would you say was the hardest part of Toy Creators Academy? Let's get into the hard stuff.
[00:20:18] Daniela Valenzuela: I know the hardest part, the prototype. In the summ er here in Argentina, when no one is here to help you is very, very stressful. Just having a few weeks to make it and without knowing how to make it. Was very stressful, but when I finished was amazing to have it in my hands. I could do that. So that was the hardest part.
[00:20:39] Azhelle Wade: I'm curious, how did you make your prototype? Did you use the resources in the program? It look like you handmade a lot of it yourself too.
[00:20:47] Daniela Valenzuela: Yes. I'm not very good at handmade, but I did it. I don't know how, but I did it. So I took several pictures because I didn't believe that I did that. Well I did this with my hands and I could make the case in 3d and I made it printed for print house. So I did it myself.
[00:21:08] Azhelle Wade: You did an amazing job. And what was the, your favorite part of Toy Creators Academy?
[00:21:14] Daniela Valenzuela: The feeling of pitching was so great. Having my prototype was incredible. And then to show it, and feeling that everything is connecting and it's working and they loved the concept that I thought I was not prepared to present. Was incredible to feel that I couldn't reach, these companies to finally have amazing feedback. Was incredible to me.
[00:21:41] Azhelle Wade: And we can't share details of your project because you're an inventor and everything's hush hush, but I want to at least tell people Daniela's inventions were not like mechanical. They didn't have mechanisms built into them or electronics. It was just a really clever use of existing materials that are already in the toy and arts and crafts world that she combined to with such a perfect theme and such a perfect play pattern. That is what blew everyone away that she pitched it to. And then you had a game also, which again, didn't have mechanisms or anything like that, but it was a clever play pattern and application, and it was a very timely theme that you built that whole game around. Because everyone's worried about like the environment right now.
[00:22:28] So I just want people listening to know that you don't have to be an industrial designer or a mechanical engineer to be able to create something. You just have to take time to analyze existing materials and things in the toy industry and figure out clever ways to combine them. Ways that will take a theme to the next level in play. Okay. If you were talking to somebody right now who was unsure, if they should take toy creators academy and they want to make a toy and they either, they want to pitch it to a company like you did, but they're just not sure. What would you say them? You can say it in English and then you can say it in Spanish. Okay.
[00:23:09] Daniela Valenzuela: I was not sure, of course. I thought it wasn't the time to take the cards, because I saw that I couldn't take advantage of all the course so I wasn't sure, but when you start, you make the time because you start thinking all day about that. So the time is now. What happened to me the thing about you are not prepared and then to pitch to these big companies, because you could taught me how to do it, that was incredible and anyone can go this away, you know, from believing that what they have is not enough to have it. Yeah. I think you should try, although you think it's not the time. Also you think it's not the perfect toy, it's a way to go to there.
[00:23:59] Azhelle Wade: Don't you think the lessons also sparked a lot of new ideas for you. So even if you don't have the perfect toy idea to start, you might get ideas through the lessons.
[00:24:08] Daniela Valenzuela: Totally. Yes. All the lessons give me something to put in the toy. Was always keeping me thinking about, how can I complete my toy with these lessons? What can I put to my toy that I can take from these lessons? Was great because it kept me thinking about my toy during all the weeks.
[00:24:29] Azhelle Wade: Before the Toy Creators Academy, how much did you know about like toy companies and all their products that they have?
[00:24:37] Daniela Valenzuela: Of course I knew the companies because I love toys. I researched a lot for doing my toys. That's the thing that changed, when I saw a toy, I knew that it was Hasbro or Mattel, whatever, but I didn't think why that toy was from that company you know. Or I didn't know that I have to understand that. That's the real lesson here I think, to know that you have to know the companies more than just knowing the toys. You have to understand the type of toys they create. They usually make collectibles or things with have wow factor more than others. This is a real changing game when you have to pitch to someone, and understand what they will be glad to see.
[00:25:25] Azhelle Wade: Yes. Yes. Oh, that's great. Going back to, what would you tell somebody if they're unsure, if they're on the fence about joining Toy Creators Academy, but this time you can answer in Spanish.
[00:25:36] Daniela Valenzuela: (speaking Spanish).
[00:26:12] Azhelle Wade: Ah, thank you Daniela. Gracias. Thank you so much. It was a pleasure having you talking to you today. I'm really, really happy that Toy Creators Academy made such an impact for you. And I'm glad that you could make it to all of the pitch meetings that I scheduled you for. I know it was crazy. But thank you, thank you for being a part of the program and I'm going to go have my fiance translate everything in Spanish that you said today.
[00:26:45] Daniela Valenzuela: Thank you Azhelle I really need to say that all the content you put there was incredible. So I could take every step of the way, not only the TCA, but all the content you put in the podcast because they were guide to me. So thank you.
[00:27:01] Azhelle Wade: You are so welcome. Thank you. Take care.
[00:27:05] Well, there, you have it toy people. That's my interview with Daniela and I hope you learned something valuable about this program, but also just about building your own relationships with toy companies. Now, of course, there are definitely stories out there where relationship building is an important, but I have to say. If you are going to build one thing, you want to either build a relationship or credibility, you want to build something so that when you reach out to toy companies, you stand out from the crowd, the larger the company, the more pitches they receive. Previously on this podcast I interviewed, Tanya Thompson of Hasbro, and we learned that companies the size of Hasbro and Mattel get around 3000 pitches a year. So you really want to stand out in any way you can, whether that's because you've built a relationship as a pro toy inventor, or if that's, because you've built some credibility in the toy industry as a whole, and you've become known because you are a pro toy inventor.
[00:28:10] Now, if you are a toy entrepreneur that happens to be listening to today's episode, then I want to invite you to listen to last week's episode, episode 115, because there, we shared a story of a student of toy creators academy who is a toy entrepreneur and got her product placed in a store as a result of participating in this program. If you love this podcast and you are looking to work with me, I'm telling you, there is no better time for it than right now and in toy creators academy. This program is so much more than just an online course. I am there with you coaching in the group coaching sessions, and you can even upgrade to one-on-one coaching with me. As always thank you so much for showing up here today. I know your time is valuable and that there are a ton of podcasts out there. So it means the world to me that you tune into this one. Until next week. I'll see you later toy people.
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