Hi Ronnen, thank you for making time for us today. I'm about halfway through your book and absolutely loving it. It's remarkable how quickly you and your co-founders made decisions, embraced change, and pivoted as opportunities presented themselves. It's a wonderful reminder that great companies are built not just on great ideas, but on the willingness to learn, pivot, and keep moving forward… and being in your twenties is a significant advantage!

For those who may not know your story...  What is your role in our industry?

I am one of three co-founders of Spin Master, a children’s entertainment company known for creating iconic brands like PAW Patrol, Bakugan and Hatchimals as well as being a trusted steward for brands like Rubik’s Cube, Tech Deck and many more. My role as Chair of the Board is to continue to build and sustain a culture around innovation and design and diversity of thought, remaining open to ideas wherever they come from, driving innovation and a desire to bring the magic of pixie dust to kids. Spin Master is really focused on redefining play and storytelling.

I am one of three co-founders of Spin Master, a children’s entertainment company known for creating iconic brands like PAW Patrol, Bakugan and Hatchimals as well as being a trusted steward for brands like Rubik’s Cube, Tech Deck and many more. My role as Chair of the Board is to continue to build and sustain a culture around innovation and design and diversity of thought, remaining open to ideas wherever they come from, driving innovation and a desire to bring the magic of pixie dust to kids. Spin Master is really focused on redefining play and storytelling.

What is it about the toy and game industry that you love? 

That you never run out of good ideas. I thought we would run out of ideas, but the industry constantly surprises you with what stories can be told, which characters can be created and what toys can be developed to capture the hearts and minds of children - of every birth year and of every generation. 

Claim to fame?

I’ve never done a power point presentation in your life. 

Do you have a mantra that you live by?

If you don’t go you don’t get

or

the magic happens outside the office.

Dream dinner party guests?

John F. Kennedy, Ben Gurion and Jerry Garcia 

Favorite project to date?

It has to be Bakugan. It was an idea that turned into a global phenomenon and became part of the cultural zeitgeist creating fans for life.

What advice would you give a young adult graduation from high school or college today?

Lead with your curiosity & passion. Ask for advice, but at the end of the day it’s your decision to make, it's your life. Don’t live the life other people want you to live - stay true to yourself. 

What advice for people starting in your industry?

Travel to all the toy shows around the world, walk every hall, develop relationships with companies in Japan – I think it’s the epicentre of toy creativity. Stay current with trends, mix with people that are involved with all aspects of toys - from inventors to marketing people to sales. Walk retail constantly, talk to the customer, and when you’re at retail always ask, “What’s selling and what’s not?”.

Why do you think starting a business in your 20s is the best time?

For so many reasons. Because everyone is rooting for you—there is a power in not knowing. It’s the easiest time to find partners. You’re closest to the zeitgeist—you’re so close to the zeitgeist you practically are the zeitgeist, and when you’re close to the zeitgeist you’re able to identify white space opportunities and turn them into great businesses. And when you start building equity in yourself when you are young it will compound over a longer period of time and be worth a lot. If you start young, when you hit middle age you can do something different and kind of have two lives in one. 

What is the worst job you’ve ever had and what did you learn from it?

It’s a tossup between selling cable subscriptions over the phone or going door to door selling lawn fertilizer, take your pick. I learned that selling things you’re not passionate about drains your energy and your life force. It’s like watching paint dry. Better to do something that matches your skill set and curiosity to unlock your potential. 

What and/or who inspires you?

Reading books based on wisdom and philosophy from incredible authors like Eric Fromm, Martin Buber, Carl Jung, Rabbi Steinsaltz and many, many more.

How do you recharge or take a break?

Go for a run, play tennis, do yoga, swim in the Mediterranean, stand on my head, and go on a great road trip. 

What words describe how you think or how your brain works?

I am a lateral thinker, connecting the dots, reading the visual cues, observing body language, reading the room, gathering multiple inputs that build a story. I’m less analytical and more observational and intuitive. 

What is one mistake you've made, and what did you learn from it?

When Universal Studios offers to do a live action film for Bakugan that they will spend millions of dollars making, say yes. Don’t say no.

Do you have any special talents or superpowers?

I don’t know if it’s a superpower, I believe I can convene a talented group of individuals to bring out their best and through conversation generate ideas that were never thought of before. I can convene creative people to take a germ of an idea and bring it to reality and birth it to the world. Take an initial seed of an idea and develop it and shepherd it along the way to turn it into reality. 

Or to create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their best ideas 

Actually, let’s come at it like this: the belief that anything is possible and things will work out and the patience to stick with things for long periods of time. 

What do you hope your legacy will be?

That the Spin Master culture will be able to live on beyond the founders.  

Everything would have been different if...

I cut my hair …. And if I never went to Western University.

I’m lucky that …

I grew up in Canada and I got identified with my learning disability at 10 years old that gave me extra help; or else I might have ended up in jail.  

Be sure to check out and preorder Ronnen's book No Experience Necessary: Why Betting on Yourself in Your Twenties Is the Best Decision You'll Ever Make