Podcast
Making It in The Toy Industry
Hosted by Azhelle Wade | The Toy Coach · EN
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!
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
S6E10 | The AI Toy Sales Tool Smart Toy Companies Are Already Using
Apr 800:22:42Tap to summarizeLike 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 volume up because I'm sharing every bit of juicy data from this industry wide survey.And then FINALLY the moment I've been waiting for all season. I'm introducing you to a tool that utilizes AI to help you find qualified toy stores where your product fits the demographic, the vibe, and the audience to thrive. This new AI sales tool is called The Toy Matchmaker and you don't need to know anything about AI or have a single AI subscription to use it.🔗 Limited availability for The Toy Matchmaker is opening soon. Get on the list: https://thetoymatchmaker.com/ 📅 Free AI Tools for Business Masterclass with me on April 15th: thetoycoach.com/aiSend The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
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S6E09 | Why Stickerbox Changed My Mind About AI Toys
Apr 100:36:15Tap to summarizeI 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. In this episode, Arun Gupta, co-founder of Stickerbox, shares how his team built a product that feels more like a tool for creation and not consumption.Mentioned in this episode:StickerboxToy Creators AcademySend The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
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S6E08 | The Inventor of Bop It on AI, Execution, and Creating the Next Classic Toy
Mar 2500:50:26Tap to summarizeWhat 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 Bop It. We talk about the upcoming 30 year anniversary, how he’s been celebrating milestones over the years, and we dive into a chat about AI, execution, and what it really takes to create the next classic toy.We get into how inventors can use AI as a tool, why execution can sometimes become the real invention, and what originality means in a world where ideas are easier than ever to generate.If you’re a toy inventor, designer, or product creator trying to figure out where AI fits into your process, this episode is for you, my friend!Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
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S6E07 | The Best AI Platforms for Toy Businesses in 2026
Mar 1800:14:18Tap to summarizeAI 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 peek at Toy Biz Backup, my upcoming AI support team built specifically to help your toy businesses, and hear an important update about the Toy Coach Showcase at ASTRA 2026.In this episode you'll hear about:Why most people get bad results from AI and what's actually going wrongWhat projects, gems, and skills are (and why they're the new baseline for AI use)Why now is finally the right time to commit to learning AI toolsWhat's covered in the free AI Tools for Business Masterclass (April 15th, 12 to 1PM ET)A sneak peek at Toy Biz Backup, an AI support team built for toy businessesThe Toy Coach Showcase at ASTRA 2026, only 2 spots left!Mentioned in This Episode:🎓 Free AI Tools for Business Masterclass (April 15, 12 to 1PM ET) thetoycoach.com/ai🆕 Toy Coach Showcase at ASTRA 2026 (only 2 spots left!) learn.thetoycoach.com/showcase🥊 Higgsfield AI (multi-tool AI platform mentioned) higgsfield.aiSend The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
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S6E06 | Should You Learn Claude Code? Build AI Apps for Your Toy Business
Mar 1100:31:30Tap to summarize1.5 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 it’ll take a good 200 hours of use before you start to “get it”, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make some pretty cool things along the way.This week’s episode dives into Claude Code, how I used it, what you can do with it, and how to get started.🧸 Mentioned In This Video 🧸🔗 Resources:Claude & Claude Code – https://claude.aiClaude Max plan (used while building) – https://claude.aiThe Toy Matchmaker (beta) – https://www.toymatchmaker.comToy Creators Academy – https://www.toycreatorsacademy.comThe Toy Coach – https://www.thetoycoach.comSend The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
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S6E05 | Why Human Touch Still Wins At Retail with Pyper Bleu
Mar 400:33:16Tap to summarizeMy 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 angry emails (there's humanity in that) to realizing AI-written "thank you" messages feel worse than no reply at all. Pyper shares why she stopped using AI for correspondence and actually got faster, and I open up about using AI to learn rather than just get answers. Plus, Pyper drops a killer tip about packaging that every toy inventor needs to hear.If you're feeling a little AI overwhelmed, this podcast is your safe space. Cozy up with a warm cup of tea and give it a listen.💜 Welcome, Toy People! 👋🏽 Thanks for being part of this playful community.🧸 Mentioned In This Video 🧸🔗 Resources:https://pyperbleu.com/Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
Transcribe →S6E04 | 5 Foundations Your Toy Company Needs BEFORE Integrating AI (Custom GPTs, Automations & More)
Feb 2500:28:53Tap to summarizeSo 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 today’s episode, I’m breaking down exactly:What you need to documentHow to pull that information togetherWhat you’re actually going to use it forAnd how to use it to benefit your process TODAY.I’m also sharing a tool I made that will help you build this foundation a whole lot faster.I know I say this all the time, but… DO NOT miss this episode!Key Moments:01:00 – Why you cannot layer AI on top of messy data and undocumented processes02:00 – Foundation #1: Your Golden Data (sales data, product list, customer profile)11:00 – The brand voice problem that makes AI sound generic (and how to fix it)14:00 – Foundation #3: Your tech stack audit17:00 – Foundation #4: SOPs (yes, you must have them)21:00 – Foundation #5: Folder structure + the “Chief Operations Officer” promptMentioned in This Episode:AI Blueprintthetoycoach.com/aiToy Coach Showcasehttps://learn.thetoycoach.com/showcaseConnect With MeIf you’re ready to implement AI into your business and you want it done for you, email me at: info@thetoycoach.comSend The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
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S6E03 | The $5 AI Agent That Thinks Like a Toy Expert
Feb 1800:52:40Tap to summarizeMy 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 one of those companies whose employees are struggling with the number of products on your line list, or the number of POs they’re processing daily, you cannot afford to ignore this episode.Before you lose your talented team because you’re overworking them with tasks way below their paygrade, listen to this episode and learn how you can give them back more time to be creative, feel inspired, and LOVE their work. Let AI handle the research, and let your creative team flow in their zone of genius.In this episode I’m sharing a few AI agents I’ve created that are doing just that for me. Giving me more time to write, design, plan, and build my business and that of my clients.If you plan to be in business in 10 years, you absolutely need a personalized team of AI agents. And this episode is how to get started.💜 Welcome, Toy People! 👋🏽 Thanks for being part of this playful community.🧸 Mentioned In This Video 🧸🔗 Resources:thetoycoach.com/aiSend The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
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S6E02 | Is Amazon AI Selling Your Products Without Consent? with Angie Chua
Feb 1100:30:52Tap to summarizeAmazon’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 online, you need to understand how features like Amazon Buy For Me could impact your margins, your customer data, and the future of your business.✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:What the Amazon “Buy For Me” button is and how it’s using AI to complete ordersHow Angie discovered strange “@buyforme.amazon” emails and what they meant for her shopWhy this feature is a potential wolf in sheep’s clothing for indie brands and toy businessesSteps you can take to protect your customer relationships and pricingHow to think strategically about marketplaces vs your direct-to-consumer channelsFor the links mentioned in this episode visit: www.thetoycoach.com/602Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
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S6E01 | The Hidden Cost of AI In The Toy Industry
Feb 400:38:18Tap to summarizeWith 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.In this episode, we’ll talk about:digital amnesiathe environmental impact of AIthe hidden ways AI is already showing up inside your tool stackAI use cases that dull your brain and personalitySeason 6 begins now.Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showAbout My NEW Podcast Art:The podcast art for Season 6 of Making It In The Toy Industry features product illustrations of toys and games I helped guide in Toy Creators Academy and TCA Accelerator. Tap the brand name below to check them out!Playcor by Courtney Smithee9 to 5 Warriors by Brandon BraswellCatoms by Kieche O'ConnellThe Lunch Room by EAP Toys and Games founder, Chrissy Fagerholt
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