Making It in The Toy Industry
Azhelle Wade | The Toy Coach
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About This Podcast
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 Host
Azhelle 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!
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Recent Episodes
S6E5 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…
S6E4 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…
S6E3 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…
S6E2 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…
S6E1 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…
S5E300 #300: What I’ve Learned, What’s Changing, and What Comes Next
After 299 weeks of toy talk, our 300th episode marks the closing of one chapter and opening another. This little podcast that started as “let’s see what happens” has turned into a full-on resource…
S5E299 #299: How Swift Clicks Heishi Bracelet Maker Became A Creative Toy Of The Year Finalist with Gena Lavallee
Before Swift Clicks ever hit the shelves, the team at Make It Real was staring down the brutal math of the craft aisle: rising costs, shrinking margins, and kids who expect faster, cooler results…
S5E298 #298: Why The Nee Doh Cube Nice Cube Is A Finalist For This Major Toy Award with Paul Weingard
Can a $5 squishy toy really outsell the competition and take home a Toy of the Year award? Schylling’s CEO Paul Weingard is betting on it and honestly, the numbers are on his side.The NeeDoh Nice…
S5E297 #297: How South Beach Bubbles Became a 2-Time TOTY Finalist with Ron Weizman
They sold out before summer, got emails from retailers and industry outsiders, and scored a back-to-back TOTY nomination… so how did they do it?In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry, I…
#296: ESPN Virtual Reality Experience Nominated For A Major Toy Award with Steve Rad
What does it really take to make an ESPN-licensed toy? Imagine teaching kids about sports from inside SportsCenter.That’s exactly what Abacus Brands pulled off after 27...yes, twenty-seven licensing…
S5E295 #295: How Sticki Rolls Went From 1 Billion Views To Toy of the Year Finalist with Lev Nelson
What started as an inventor's pitch, evolved into a collectible phenomenon. Sky Castle Toys is showing us what happens when you combine viral content with collectibility… and it’s Sticki…
S5E294 #294: Why the TOTY Awards Are the Oscars of the Toy Industry
You’ve heard of the Emmys, the Oscars, and the Grammys... but what about the TOTYs?In this episode, we’re going to dive into the TOTY (Toy of the Year) Awards and why they’re a huge deal if you're in…
S5E293 #293: How I Landed On Brand with Jimmy Fallon and Pitched National Campaigns
In spring 2025 I was invited to join On Brand with Jimmy Fallon as 1 of 10 creatives selected to pitch national campaigns to major brands on national TV. Since the episodes aired, my DMs have been…
S5E292 #292: Toy Creators Academy Accelerator Coaching Call with Durratussharaf
You’ve got a product idea that means the world to you… maybe it’s cultural, personal, or rooted in your own childhood traditions. But making it retail-ready without losing your mission? That’s the…
S5E291 #291: Toy Creators Academy Coaching Call with Melanie Palmer
Your toy is 90% done… for the fifth time. You keep playtesting, tweaking, second-guessing, and you’re convinced it’s not ready. But what if all that perfectionism is what’s actually holding you…
S5E290 #290: Toy Creators Academy Coaching Call with Melissa Brody
Big feelings deserve a safe space and sometimes, that space looks like a soft, huggable friend with swappable expressions and a whole lot of heart…eyes!In this episode of Making It In The Toy…
S5E289 #289: The TCA Journey Behind a Toy Empowering Kids to Choose Kindness with Jana Hallam
A toy doesn’t need to be loud or flashy to leave a lasting impact. The most meaningful ones teach kindness, spark empathy, and build something real in a child’s heart. That belief is what led today’s…
S5E288 #288: How an Industry Veteran Rebuilt His Toy Knowledge Through TCA with Gerardo Davila
Every once in a while, I meet a toypreneur whose journey reminds me why I started this podcast… and today’s guest is one of those people.In this episode, we’re bringing back the story of a Toy…
S5E287 #287: Looking Back at a TCA Alum’s Journey as a Game Designer with Chrissy Fagerholt
You know I love celebrating a toypreneur's full-circle moment and today’s episode is just that.We're revisiting the incredible journey of TCA alum Chrissy Fagerholt of EAP Toys and Games, from her…
S5E286 #286: 3 Surprising Ways To Use AI To Save Money In Your Toy Business
Toy people, I see you. You’re trying to run your business, deal with tariffs, build your brand, pitch your ideas, and maybe even answer customer questions at 3AM. But what if I told you that AI could…
Frequently Asked Questions
Making It in The Toy Industry has published 306 episodes since January 2020, covering topics in Business, Education.
Making It in The Toy Industry is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 36m.
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