Making It in The Toy Industry
Making It in The Toy Industry
Azhelle Wade | The Toy Coach
How do I bring my toy ideas to life? How can I pitch my toy concept to top toy companies like Hasbro, Mattel, or Goliath Games? What does it cost to make a prototype, and where can I get one made? Are there toy manufacturing options outside of China? These are just a few of the questions that will be answered on this weekly podcast, Making It In The Toy Industry. In addition to mini toy masterclasses, and step-by-step guides, each episode is designed to help you take immediate action toward developing, presenting, licensing, and producing your next big toy or game idea. Learn how to find the right factory, negotiate manufacturing costs, and use successful sales techniques to get your product noticed by major toy companies.Meet Your HostAzhelle Wade, aka The Toy Coach, has been in the toy industry since 2010. With 3 toy patents, multiple toy awards, and a track record of managing multi-million-dollar toy lines for companies like Toys R Us, Party City, Madame Alexander, and Creative Kids, Azhelle brings passionate and enthusiastic toy industry expertise to every episode.Join thousands of toy creators and entrepreneurs who are making their toy dreams real with Making It In The Toy Industry!
S6E10 | The AI Toy Sales Tool Smart Toy Companies Are Already Using
Like any good season finale, I'm putting it all on the table. Episode 10 marks the END of our season all about the Impact of AI on The Toy Industry. In this week's episode we're revisiting everything we covered this season from the environmental and mental impact of AI usage, to it's organizational benefits and need for a human touch. Then, I'll be sharing the results from my survey on AI Usage in The Toy Industry. So if you're here for the chisme, start poppin' that popcorn now, and turn the...
Apr 8
22 min
S6E09 | Why Stickerbox Changed My Mind About AI Toys
I once told CNN that some AI toys feel like a wolf in sheep’s clothing because it can be hard to tell how much privacy you’re giving up. While I'm a fan of AI use in business, I’ve been skeptical of AI toys for a while. But in today's interview, the Stickerbox genuinely changed my mind. Instead of using AI to keep kids on a screen, or to get them to develop a relationship with a robot, instead, Stickerbox uses AI to help kids turn their ideas into something physical, creative, and hands-on. I...
Apr 1
36 min
S6E08 | The Inventor of Bop It on AI, Execution, and Creating the Next Classic Toy
What if I told you Dan Klitsner discovered AI 30 years ago and used it to invent Bop It? Well, he didn’t. But I did ask Dan how AI might have influenced the creation of his hit game if it did exist when he was first starting out. Dan’s breakout invention sold over 50 million units, and those numbers put the “song” associated with the game at Diamond status. (Dear music industry, he’s still awaiting his plaque.) This week on the podcast, I’m sharing a chat with Dan Klitsner, the inventor of Bo...
Mar 25
50 min
S6E07 | The Best AI Platforms for Toy Businesses in 2026
AI is changing fast, but for the first time in a while I'm feeling that we've hit a moment of "stability". That means NOW is the perfect time to learn to apply the latest AI tools to your toy business. In this mini reset episode, I break down why so many people are getting mediocre results from AI, and announce a free live masterclass where I'll walk you through the three AI tools + new-ish features that every toy company needs to know: ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. You'll also get a sneak pee...
Mar 18
14 min
S6E06 | Should You Learn Claude Code? Build AI Apps for Your Toy Business
1.5 million people left Chat GPT and went running to Claude for all the wrong reasons. Claude isn’t just the more ethical AI tool. It’s THE tool built for serious businesses. One of the most popular topics of conversation right now is Claude Code. I myself have been obsessing over it lately, finding myself dreaming of code to the point where I wake up thinking I’ve finished a debug. The bigger question isn’t just HOW to use Claude Code but it’s really, SHOULD you be using it? I’m estimating i...
Mar 11
31 min
S6E05 | Why Human Touch Still Wins At Retail with Pyper Bleu
My friend (and On Brand with Jimmy Fallon co-star) Pyper Bleu is joining me on the podcast today to share her perspective on the effects of AI and the algorithm on retail. Our conversation starts with Pyper peeling back the curtain on how she built a platform of 400K subscribers on her YouTube channel Lyfe of Pyper, and why she decided to shift offline and open a retail shop — plus she explains how they're so different. We also get honest about AI in our day-to-day — from using it to soften a...
Mar 4
33 min
S6E04 | 5 Foundations Your Toy Company Needs BEFORE Integrating AI (Custom GPTs, Automations & More)
So I finally convinced you that you can’t ignore AI… and you’re ready to implement it in your toy business. Go you. Love that for you. 👏🏾 But before you go trying to haphazardly plug AI into every little task, you need to build your AI foundation. Your AI foundation is a series of files, records, strategy, and frameworks that you as a business use on a day-to-day basis. You may already have it documented somewhere, living in your head, or is just something your team knows how to execute. In t...
Feb 25
28 min
S6E03 | The $5 AI Agent That Thinks Like a Toy Expert
My new AI agent completed 2 months of research and idea development work in 20 minutes! And the cost? About $5. If you bumped into me at New York Toy Fair you already know how excited I am about the AI integrated automations I am currently building. The ability to utilize AI reasoning in everyday business tasks will soon be the defining rift between thriving modern businesses and those struggling with ancient processes, overworked employees, struggling to keep up with workload. If you are o...
Feb 18
52 min
S6E02 | Is Amazon AI Selling Your Products Without Consent? with Angie Chua
Amazon’s new “Buy For Me” button sounds helpful… but is it quietly rerouting your customers and sales without your consent? In this episode, I’m joined by Angie Chua of Bobo Design Studio to break down how this Amazon Buy For Me feature actually works, how it integrated her shop without her opting in. Plus we dive into what every small business, maker, and toy brand needs to watch out for when Amazon “digitally dupes” your product. If you sell on your own website, Etsy, Shopify, or anywhere ...
Feb 11
30 min
S6E01 | The Hidden Cost of AI In The Toy Industry
With every major advancement in science or technology, there is bound to be pushback. AI is no exception. This season is for toy and game creators navigating AI in the toy industry. In 10 episodes we’ll explore how to use AI while maintaining your taste, trusting your judgement, protecting your IP, and actually saving time. This first episode is the foundation for the coming weeks. Before you dive any deeper into AI, let’s get real about the risks of operating it with little to no guardrails....
Feb 4
38 min
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