What if your toy’s price point was the only thing standing between you and a “yes” from a major retailer? You’ve got the product, the mission, and maybe even a booth at Toy Fair—but if buyers are walking by without placing orders, it might not be your toy that’s the problem… it might be the price.

I’m sharing a powerful conversation I had at Toy Fair with Samantha Ong, founder of Joey Dolls — the World’s Most Diverse Asian Doll brand. Before launching her toy line, Samantha was a professional photographer, and now she’s built a brand that's not only beautiful, but mission-driven and retail-ready.

You’ll learn how to use trade shows to gather feedback that helps refine your pricing and packaging strategy, the exact price point that helped Samantha grow her product line, and which packaging details buyers actually care about. We’ll also get into how working with reps and consultants can seriously boost your visibility at trade shows.

Hit play and find out how a smart pricing pivot and trade show prep made all the difference for this toy creator.

Before we dive into one of the most creative plush lines I’ve ever seen, we need to talk about something serious—TARIFFS.

In this episode, I’m kicking things off with an urgent update on the U.S.–China tariff situation and sharing what I’d do if I were launching a toy brand today—and why diversifying manufacturing is essential.

Then, I take you inside my exclusive Toy Fair interview with Lisa Doiron, VP of Global Brand Marketing at Basic Fun.

Lisa introduced me to ThreadZ—a limited-edition plush line made with excess fabrics, designed for Gen Alpha’s love of individuality and “get-it-before-it’s-gone” energy.

You’ll hear why now’s the time to rethink manufacturing, how to make your toy line more flexible, what Gen Alpha really wants, and how to apply a big-brand, small-batch strategy to your own biz.

Hit play now and get inspired by a big-brand strategy you can actually use!

Have I ever told you that I’m allergic to cats? Well, lucky for me I recently met Katharine Burke, the creator of PurryFuls, a purring plush cat that is designed for on demand comfort that only a purring cat can provide.

In this episode we go into detail about the skills that Katharine had to develop to create her first prototype, and why those skills likely saved her thousands of dollars. If you’re interested in hearing a case study of a fellow startup toy entrepreneur taking a leap of faith on their toy product, give this episode a listen.

With over 13,000 followers on TikTok and millions of video views, Lost Boy Entertainment is forging a new path for launching a successful game brand. To continue our New York Toy Fair 2025 interview series, I sit down with Cameron Ring, co-founder of Lost Boy Entertainment.

This episode is a great 101 on the power of identifying a market gap, filling a need, and self funding your launch. If you’re considering a show like New York Toy Fair might be the best next step for your brand, listen in on why rushing in too soon could actually hurt your business.

My favorite takeaway from this interview with Cameron revolves around distribution channels, but you’ll have to hit play to find out exactly what was so insightful about that conversation.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to run a business with your spouse? Is it all fun and games, or does every dinner conversation turn into a boardroom meeting? Do you get to celebrate the wins together, or do you find yourself debating packaging details at 10 PM on a Friday night?

If you missed New York Toy Fair or couldn’t see everything, check out this first episode of NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview Series.

Over the next month and a half I’ll be taking you inside the show floor for exclusive interviews with toy designers, licensors, CEO’s, entrepreneurs and inventors who are Making It In The Toy Industry!

In this episode, Jayson Esterow, President of License 2 Play Toys, shares how he turned a viral trend into a major licensing deal with Jeep. If you’ve ever heard of Jeep Ducking, you know how passionate Jeep owners are about their community. Jayson saw an opportunity to take this organic, fan-driven movement and transform it into an officially licensed toy line.

Gavin Lawler, Creator of Deddy Bears, fresh off his TOTY win for Collectible of the Year, opens up about the challenges of breaking into the toy industry and how he used his F.B.O. (First, Best, Only) formula to develop a product that stands out. Plus, we dive into his major collaboration with Liquid Death and why identifying white space in the market is the key to launching a toy brand that captures attention and drives sales.

Toy Fair is chaotic—buyers are rushing from booth to booth, seeing hundreds of products. If you want them to stop and actually care about your toy or game, your pitch needs to demand attention.

In this episode, I’m sharing 3 simple strategies to help you:
✨ Grab buyer attention in seconds (without feeling salesy)
🎉 Make your pitch an experience they won’t forget
👀 Spot buyer body cues so you know when to pivot or close

These tips come straight from Barry McLaughlin & Jason Lautenschleger, game inventors who turned quirky pitches into real shelf space.

If you’re heading to Toy Fair and serious about landing deals, this episode is a must-listen. 🎧 Hit play now!

New York Toy Fair is just around the corner and if you’re preparing to launch your toy or game at this event, learn this lesson: it WON’T sell itself! Buyers see hundreds of pitches, and even the best ideas can get lost in the noise.

The real secret? It’s not just what you pitch, but HOW you pitch it. So, how do you make buyers stop, pay attention, and want to play? 

In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, Barry & Jason share their wildest Toy Fair pitch stories, including the time Jason literally proposed with Game Night in a Can—and walked away with a deal!

In this episode, learn how to grab attention, keep buyers engaged, and turn a pitch into an unforgettable experience. Put your headphones on and get ready to SELL MORE TOYS!