Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business
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!
Making It in The Toy Industry | Start A Toy Business
#264: NY Toy Fair 2025 Exclusive Interview with Purryfuls
Have I ever told you that I’m allergic to cats? Well, lucky for me I recently met Katharine Burke, the creator of PurryFuls, a purring plush cat that is designed for on demand comfort that only a purring cat can provide.
Katharine left a high-stress tech job to build Purryfuls, and in today’s episode she shares exactly how she went from zero toy product experience to debuting her brand at New York Toy Fair and getting featured in Forbes!
In this episode we go into detail about the skills that Katharine had to develop to create her first prototype, and why those skills likely saved her thousands of dollars. If you’re interested in hearing a case study of a fellow startup toy entrepreneur taking a leap of faith on their toy product, give this episode a listen.
Listen for These Important Moments:
- [02:23] – Burned out from a high-pressure tech job, Katharine made a bold decision that completely changed her life. She walked away to follow her toy dream.
- [05:21] – When she couldn’t find a plush that mimicked a cat’s purr, she realized something big: this product didn’t exist yet… and she was going to make it.
- [07:02] – No sewing skills? No problem. Katharine taught herself everything from scratch (including coding) to bring her purring plush to life.
- [17:15] – Just one day into Toy Fair, her brand was already featured in Forbes. This unexpected media moment changed everything.
- [22:51] – Instead of diving straight into retail, Katharine took a smarter path that gave her more control, and it's one you might want to follow too.
Popular Masterclass! How To Make & Sell Your Toy Ideas
Your Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps
>> https://learn.thetoycoach.com/masterclass <<