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!

Behind every “yes” in the toy industry, there’s a mountain of “no’s,” countless hours of hustle, and more trial and error than most people expect. At one point, he came close to walking away from it all—until a single line from an episode of Bluey reminded him that making games was exactly what he was meant to do.

In this episode, I’m joined by Jeremy Posner, owner of Shenanigans Toys and Games, the inventor behind Beagle or Bagel, Bears in Barrels, and Piggy Piggy. He’s worked with toy giants like Hasbro and Mattel, won Game Innovator of the Year at the TAGIEs, and been named to the Mojo Nation 100 six times. But here’s the twist: it still took him eight years to consistently meet his royalty goals.

You’ll learn why licensing a game doesn’t mean you’ve made it, what makes a concept truly “sellable,” and how long it actually takes to start seeing returns. Jeremy also shares how he trained his brain to be more creative.

Hit play and steal a few smart moves for your next big creative leap.

Can 3D printing really replace traditional toy manufacturing? One founder says “absolutely” and she’s got the award to prove it.

In this episode, I’m chatting with the amazing Courtney Peebles, founder of Solobo Toys, about how she won a TOTY Award for her hit plush toy, Emotional Baggage, and how rising manufacturing challenges pushed her to transform her business using 3D printed toys.

Courtney shares how 3D printing helped her cut costs, improve margins, and build a profitable direct-to-consumer brand. We’ll also cover how she handled safety testing, embraced sustainable manufacturing, and scaled her business without relying on overseas factories.

If you’ve ever dreamed about taking your toy idea from sketch to shelf without a big factory or warehouse, you need to hear this one! 

Listen now and let Courtney’s story inspire your next step in the toy industry.

“There are no tired brands, just tired marketers.” That quote alone has been living rent-free in my head since this interview. It has challenged me to take a look at my own brand and ask, am I doing everything I can to keep it thriving?

In this episode, Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop and Chairwoman of the Toy Association, shares how she turned around a failing classic brand, and ushered it into a new era of profitability and heart. 

If you’re sitting on a brand that you know has potential but you’ve been feeling stuck on how to help it gain momentum, this episode will certainly give you a new perspective.

We're talking about the massive new tariffs shaking up the toy industry and what they mean for your bottom line. With import costs from China jumping up to 54% April 2nd, and a potential 104% threat looming over the horizon, toy creators everywhere are wondering what to do next. Should you absorb the cost? Raise prices? Cancel a launch? Shift production? I’ll walk you through what’s really happening, what’s coming next, and how to make a smart move without panicking.

On April 4th, I held a Tariff Toy Talk for Toy & Game Creators where we could get together and discuss what to do in light of the Trump administration's tariffs that are decimating our economy, and threatening the life of the toy industry. 

Since so many of you reached out wanting to hear the recording, I thought it would be best to make this talk readily available on this podcast.

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?

Are tariffs here to stay or not? That was the hot topic at New York Toy Fair 2025, and trust me—it’s still got the toy industry buzzing. In Q1 of 2025, the Trump administration announced a 20% tariff on Chinese imports, and with 80% of all toys made in China, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers are all bracing for impact.

So, who's really going to absorb these extra costs? Will factories take the hit? Will retailers adjust their pricing? Or will consumers end up paying the price?

Find out:

🔥 Why Chinese factories can’t absorb the tariffs, and what that means for production

🛒 How major retailers are pivoting their strategies to stay competitive

⚖️ If companies should rush their products to market before the tariffs take full effect

🔍 Shifting buyer patterns at Toy Fair 2025

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.

So, you’re going to Toy Fair New York this year, but you aren’t sure you’re making the most of your trip? It’s true, without a solid plan, walking into Toy Fair New York can be completely overwhelming. You can easily get lost in a few friendly conversations, pass too much time playing with toys at welcoming booths, and end up missing opportunities to grow your business, or sell your ideas. Once you walk through the doors of the Javits Center, the impact of the show is bound to hit you. So let’s take a little time to pre-plan and make this show a success for you.

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!

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.

Let’s face it: toy brands get almost ALL the glory, but the inventors behind the product—people like you—deserve the spotlight too. In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry, I’m sharing 5 lessons to take you from hidden genius to rising star, inspired by my own experience and my recent convo with Tim Walsh, inventor of ‘Blurt!’.