Blogs

Maxine Clark is the Founder and past Chief Executive Officer of Build-A-Bear Workshop. She started the iconic company, brand, and experience in 1997. It is renowned for its unique DIY experience and u...

Spin Master was founded in 1994 by two childhood friends, Ronnen Harary and Anton Rabie, and their classmate, Ben Varadi, soon after graduation from The University of Western Ontario\'s Richard Ivey Sc...

How I Discovered the Wisdom of Fun and Created FunosophyWhen my daughter, Nikki, was born in 1995, I knew I wanted to say “yes” to her as often as possible and minimize the “no’s.” This...

Brain Matters! By Gert Garman, The Head Broad, Broad Perspective, LLC  According to the theory of left-brain or right-brain dominance, each side of the brain controls different types of thin...

“Get out of Your Head and Get into Action”These were the words I heard repeatedly during the entrepreneurial training I undertook at the beginning of my journey with Funosophy, the consulting firm...

MC. How long have you been part of the Toy Industry?   BW. 41 years! Quite frankly, I can’t believe it has been that long. It just goes to show time really does fly when you are havi...

As we saw the news of Covid-19 ravaging India between March and May of 2021, inquiries backed off on business development, overseas manufacturing, and production.  Another set back into Indi...

What Do Paw Patrol, Harry Potter, and Simone Biles Have in Common?“No Job is Too Big. No Pup is Too Small.” This is the rallying cry of Paw Patrol, a group of pups who come to the rescue...

Transitions, Gardens, and the Cycle of LifeSuccessful transitions help you thrive in life. Transitions are those high stakes periods when you leave the comfort and certainty of the status quo and...

It\'s always interesting when you switch companies and see the same brands pop up. Here\'s an example of where, despite the amazing talent, creativity and execution of my team, due to entertainment busi...

When a film, TV show or other IP is really toyetic, the ideas flow like water. This brand was such a property, and Bandai\'s first brand with Disney! Bandai\'s mix of Japanese and Western thought-leader...

We often wrack our brains trying to create a great toy for great license, but sometimes the great toy is just waiting for the right license. This is a tale of one toy, two companies and two brands. Sh...

Sometimes the simplest toys can be the most fun, and sometimes the most innovative part of a project is the process leading to an insanely fast schedule. This brand includes both! Shout outs to B...

Guillermo Martínez is the Founder of Ayúdame3D, a Spanish organization, that promotes social equity through 3D Printing. They create \"Trésdesis\" which are 3D Printed Prosthet...

Why and how did you get into the Toy and Game industry?   In 2007 I fought to get my internship approved at the National Lekotek Center, a toy lending library and resource center for children w...

At Crazy Aaron\'s we make Thinking Putty®, Land of Dough and other creative, innovative products to inspire curiosity, wonder and to educate and delight our customers all over the world.&...

        Hidden Role: The Brains Behind your Favorite Games --- In this episode, Randy Klimpert, toy inventor and Chief Creative Officer at Creata, tells us how he i...

      Hidden Role: The Brains Behind your Favorite Games --- What makes a good name for a game? Where do good ideas come from? How do you make a game accessible? Tim Wals...

  A Throwback to November 2010! An interview with John Ratzenberger over lunch one day – love his passion for young inventors! John on Working with Young Inventors and Creative Play ....

Hello. My name is Graeme Thomson. I’m the Managing Editor of The Bloom Report, and though I have been doing this job for slightly more than a year, this is the first time I have felt the need, or de...

A little about us. LPR is a boutique public relations agency that has been of service to the toy industry since the ‘80s. I founded the agency in 1988 after a career in consumer package go...

  Q: Do Details Matter? A: Um, yes. Q: Whose job on the Product Team is it to pay attention to details? A: Um, everyone’s. Q: What does Paul McCartney have to do wi...

How did you begin inventing toys and games?   I came into this fun business by meeting some wonderful toy people, Laurie and Maureen Trotto.  I happened to write a charming song for k...

Sometimes licenses that are really popular are still a challenge to make toys. I\'ve worked on the NASCAR brand in three companies now, and these are by far my favorite NASCAR toys to play with. Shout ...

Introduced in 2009, the Barbie Basics Collection took the collecting world by a storm. Suddenly, there was an abundance of beautiful, diverse dolls with a variety of face sculpts, skin tones and hairs...

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    Hidden Role: The Brains Behind your Favorite Games --- With Twister, Nerf, and decades of experience under his belt, Reyn Guyer is one of the most respected inventors in th...

        Hidden Role: The Brains Behind your Favorite Games --- When inspiration strikes, how does someone take it from an idea to a success story? Learn from t...

      Hidden Role: The Brains Behind your Favorite Games --- Dan Klitsner breaks down his creative process and takes us on a Bop It journey. The beloved toy is fast appro...

      Hidden Role: The Brains Behind your Favorite Games --- From McDonalds happy meal toys to Pretty Pretty Princess to Outburst Jr. to Mad Gabs, Peggy Brown is a serial...