For years, international toy sellers had a semi-secret shortcut to ship goods under $800 tariff free. That shortcut? Gone. And if you’re not prepared, your business could feel it fast. As of August 29th, the De Minimis Exemption was officially eliminated for many international shipments to the U.S. Using a mind map, I’ll guide you through the four big areas impacted by this shift: the immediate chaos it’s caused, what strategies and tools are suddenly more valuable, what old tricks are now holding brands back, and who’s rising to the top as this new landscape takes shape.

When The Toy Coach was picking up steam, many people told me a focus on DEI and being black would be to the benefit of my business, but… my instincts said otherwise. And now? I was right.

This episode explores my personal feelings about the DEI initiative rollbacks that started with the US federal government and spilled out into a few corporations, how we feel, what we think, and what we’ll do now. 

Be sure to check the show notes for links to black-owned businesses you may be interested in buying from.

What is the "Underconsumption Core" TikTok trend and how might it effect the toy industry? From "Loud Budgeting" to "Underconsumption Core" Gen Z and Millennials are leading an era of saving over spending, and they aren't keeping quiet about it. As the cost of living skyrockets while wages remain stagnant, the U.S. is bracing for a financial downturn. But this time, consumers are anticipating, preparing, and talking about how they're cutting back, all over social media. If you haven't yet explored the implications of this trend on the toy industry, now is the time.