Join Azhelle Wade as she takes you inside Toy Fest 2024, the ultimate toy industry trade show in Las Vegas. Discover the top-selling categories, emerging trends, and innovative products showcased on the floor. Plus, learn about the power of networking and collaboration in this relaxed and friendly environment where industry experts come together to share successes and learn from each other.

In Q4 some toy entrepreneurs are feeling FOMO, wishing that they made a bigger push to get into retail for this season. But don’t worry, your next big opportunity for sales is just around the corner. This week's episode is a treasure trove of insights for anyone struggling to get their toy or game products noticed by retailers. If you've been tirelessly pitching with little to no response, this episode is a turning point.

Listen in as The Toy Coach conducts several mini interviews for a deep dive into the heart of toy innovation at CHITAG, part of the People of Play Week and Innovation Conference. Episode 196 offers a unique blend of playful interviews and insightful discussions with industry innovators.

Are you passionate about toy design and eager to learn from the best in the toy industry? This episode of Making It In The Toy Industry takes you inside the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (ChiTag), a hub of innovation and creativity in the toy and game industry. Learn tips from show attendees who specialize in toy marketing, toy sales, and game innovation. Whether you're an aspiring toy inventor, a game design enthusiast, or simply fascinated by the world of toys, this episode includes 3 mini and action packed interviews.Catch the full visual experience on our YouTube channel.

In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, you'll hear an insightful conversation with our guest Alexandra C. Watkins, the creative genius behind naming consultancy Eat My Words and the innovator of iconic names like Wendy's Baconator.

Watkins shares her expertise on creating memorable and appealing names for toys and toy companies. She's learned firsthand how the power of a catchy name can drive your sales, save you money, and even turn your customers into ambassadors for your products and discusses the importance of familiarity and imagery in making a name memorable, as well as the concept of "legs" for expanding a toy's theme.

We also dive into the emotional connection that a well-crafted name can create with customers and emphasize the significance of avoiding easily misspelled names, not to mention, sharing our own experiences with memorable business names that we feel just got it right!

If you're a toy industry professional looking to create names that resonate with your target audience, this episode is a must-listen. Let's dive into the world of toy naming!

It's that time of year again, and Black Friday is just around the corner. If you're still finalizing your Black Friday promotions, or you haven’t even started thinking about them yet, stress less! This podcast episode has got you covered with 3 easy to implement, last-minute ideas to boost your holiday sales at this important time of the year. Make sure that you have important elements like abandoned cart campaigns and SMS texting setup to reach customers in unique ways. Press play, listen, learn and then take action on these last-minute promo ideas to make this holiday season a successful one for your toy brand.

Are you drowning in emails, struggling to keep up with crucial communications for your toy business? In this episode of "The Toy Coach Podcast," we're about to unveil the secret to conquering your email overload and saving sales and opportunities that are sitting unread in your inbox right now! In this episode, The Toy Coach dives deep into a game-changing tool that will revolutionize the way you handle your inbox. In this episode you’ll learn how to schedule emails for optimal timing, set intelligent email reminders, and improve your email response rate with the help of AI. And that's just the beginning – hit play on this episode to learn more.

Are you "toying" around with an idea for a toy or game that you want to license? Don’t miss the chance to pitch and playtest that idea in 2023 at POP Week. In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, Azhelle Wade aka The Toy Coach, highlights a beloved toy industry event that is designed to create opportunities for toy inventors and entrepreneurs like you. Act fast because registration for this once a year in-person event is STILL OPEN.

Want a play by play of what worked at Toy Fair New York, and what didn’t? In this new podcast episode, The Toy Coach breaks down every day of the trade show, including setup days, provides insight on what you can expect when you attend your next Toy Fair and provides tips and insights to make your next show experience better. 

Maya Angelou once said, “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”

So tell me this, at your last pitch meeting, how did you make your guest feel?

In today’s podcast episode I sat down for a hilarious and informative chat with Barry and Jason. During this call, Barry and Jason share their journey inventing and ultimately licensing the TOTY nominate, Game Night In A Can. In between jokes and chuckles you’ll get invaluable tid-bits on pitching with pizzazz, reading body language of those you’re pitching to, and where this duo finds their inspiration.

A strong takeaway in this episode is the lesson to focus on the experience of the end user before you focus on the marketability of a product. Wondering why you should you do that? Well, you’ll have to dive into today’s episode to find out.

What happens when you’ve got a great idea for a toy, you have inventory, and you want to break into a major toy show or media event but you just simply don’t have the funds left to make it happen? Well, in the past there wasn’t an option, but now for NEW creators there is The Toy Coach Showcase. Listen to this Part 2 Episode where we explain what The Toy Coach Showcase is and how you can get involved. This showcase has become an industry game-changer as it provides a more affordable entry point for aspiring creators. In this episode, hear brief yet powerful interviews from showcase participants who are the creators of social emotional MESH toys, construction sets, dolls, and more, as they open up about their toy journeys.

Are you ready for a thrilling episode filled with innovation, inspiration, and the untold stories of toy and game creators? Join us as we delve into The Toy Coach Showcase, an extraordinary platform creating a revolutionary entry point for newbies in the industry. Get ready to be inspired as you hear firsthand from the creators themselves. Engage in brief yet powerful interviews, where they open up about their journeys, the motivation behind their creations, and the overwhelming response they've received. As you listen, you'll be amazed by their resilience, as they share stories of overcoming brain tumors, combating colorism during pregnancy, and finding solace through trauma toys. These creators have not only turned their struggles into triumphs but have also built vibrant communities around their brand missions.

If you want to get your toy or game product into toy stores, have you considered starting with specialty stores first? In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, learn how you can start selling your toys in specialty retailers. If you don’t know what a specialty toy retailer is, don’t worry! This episode has got you covered. You’ll learn what specialty toy retailers are, how to connect with owners of specialty toy stores, and why you might want to start your journey as a toy entrepreneur in the specialty market.

This episode provides insight into the upcoming toy trade show, the ASTRA Marketplace, and addresses the costs involved in setting up a booth, as well as pre-show preparations which can range from DIY solutions to professional setups. Discover what is most important to the retailers attending this show, find out what other manufacturers are attending, and learn how this opportunity can be a worthwhile investment for your toy business.

In December of 2022, The Toy Coach Team ventured out to the windy city to set up a live podcast recording booth at Chicago Toy and Game Week, also known as CHITAG by Mary Couzin and People of Play. This annual, public toy and game fair is where toy and game brands connect with the consumers who love their products, debut new lines, and marketing activations. During this 2 day fair, I interviewed 10 toy and game creators during this fair to learn about their toy journeys and ask them to share any toy biz wisdom they’d gathered along the way. This is Part 3 of a 3 part interview release series featuring my interviews with the founder of Tragos Carolina Acosta, who created the games company that works to remove the stigma of not being Latino enough" through cards that almost any Latin@ can identify with regardless of how much Spanish they speak or where they were born. After that, we'll go right into an interview with Fungisaurs a true augmented reality collectible toy and IP. And finally, we'll wrap up today's episode with Mary Kay Morrison, the author of the grandparent guidebook, Legacy of Laughter.

In December of 2022, The Toy Coach Team ventured out to the windy city to set up a live podcast recording booth at Chicago Toy and Game Week, also known as CHITAG by Mary Couzin and People of Play. This annual, public toy and game fair is where toy and game brands connect with the consumers who love their products, debut new lines, and marketing activations. During this 2 day fair, I interviewed 10 toy and game creators during this fair to learn about their toy journeys and ask them to share any toy biz wisdom they’d gathered along the way. This is Part 2 of a 3 part interview release series featuring my interviews with Kate Hunt, a current student in toy creators academy and the creator of the Ultimate Treehouse game. After that, we'll go right into an interview with Joe Barron Gray Matters games,  the games company with a devotion to supporting brain health. In short, they believe that exercising the gray matter in your head…matters! And finally, we'll wrap up today's episode with Rebecca Jatton of Goliath Toys and Games.

In December of 2022, The Toy Coach Team ventured out to the windy city to set up a live podcast recording booth at Chicago Toy and Game Week, also known as CHITAG by Mary Couzin and People of Play. This annual, public toy and game fair is where toy and game brands connect with the consumers who love their products, debut new lines, and marketing activations. During this 2 day fair, I interviewed 10 toy and game creators during this fair to learn about their toy journeys and ask them to share any toy biz wisdom they’d gathered along the way. This is Part 1 of a 3 part interview release series featuring my interviews with Dolphin Hat Games, Eblox, Pockimals, and Project Genius.