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 Rolls.

Sticki Rolls is nominated for Collectible Toy Of The Year, and if you ask me, they should be the ones taking home the TOTY. (sorry Lego!) Sky Castle built a brand, demand, and a community from scratch, and they’re only continuing to grow. Driven by viral content and partnerships with niche artists, the Sticki rolls brand is one of the few toys that can get kids excited about putting down their phones…even if it’s just to cover them with stickers. 😏

In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, co-founder of Sticki rolls, Lev Nelson, reveals how this TOTY-nominated toy went from concept to category disrupter in under two years. Sticki Rolls may look simple: “just stickers on a bracelet” but behind this viral collectible is a smart design, strategic marketing, and a product kids can’t stop sharing and sticking to everything and with everyone.

Lev shares how Sticki Rolls launched during the pandemic, innovated manufacturing, survived the shipping crisis, built a global fan base, and YouTube-first marketing engine from scratch. (That now has over a million subscribers, by the way!)

If you were considering giving another company your TOTY vote…you might want to think again after hearing this episode.

Featured in this episode:

• The top-secret rarity system built into every Sticki Rolls bracelet
• The manufacturing challenge that nearly derailed the product
• How Sticki Rolls are designed with parents in mind
• And what I think about this new brand going head-to-head with collectible giants like LEGO, Pokémon, and Magic: The Gathering for their TOTY nomination.

Sticki Rolls earned their spot among the greats and now they need your vote to seal the deal. If this episode inspired you, if this product wowed you, cast your vote for Sticki Rolls in the Collectible Toy of the Year category!

Voting is open to Toy Association members AND members of the media. So if you're in the media and you aren’t registered to vote, contact the toy association at info@toyassociation.org for details.

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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 the toy industry. I’m breaking down exactly how to get nominated, how to time your launch for max award potential, and how a TOTY nod can boost your sales, get you press, and even give your SEO a serious lift.

You'll also hear about the glamorous TOTY Gala held during New York Toy Fair, how voting works (yes, there’s a People’s Choice!), and how you can leverage a TOTY finalist spot into a powerful marketing moment.

Featured in this episode:

• How TOTY nominations can increase sales by 30%
• The step-by-step submission and voting timeline
• What it’s really like attending the black-tie gala
• Promotional spotlight opportunities for current finalists

If you’re a TOTY finalist this year (or know someone who is), now’s the time to act. Public voting is open and closes January 7, 2026! Head to this year’s nominee list, find your category, and start rallying your audience.

And if you’re ready to boost your visibility with a TOTY Spotlight feature on the podcast, YouTube channel, and beyond, grab your category-exclusive promo package before it’s gone. Let’s turn that nomination into a win!

Listen for these Important Moments!

• [00:01:41] – Learn what the TOTY Awards are, who runs them, and why they’re the Oscars of the toy world.
• [00:02:02] – Find out exactly how to qualify for a nomination: including timing, crowdfunding rules, and product availability.
• [00:03:09] – Step inside the black-tie TOTY Gala with Azhelle’s firsthand recap from red carpet to Wyclef Jean.
• [00:04:55] – How a TOTY nomination can lead to a 30% sales bump, more press, better SEO, and even job offers.
• [00:07:10] – Get details on my exclusive promo packages for 2026 finalists! (only one per category)

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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 full of the same questions: how did I get on the show, what was it really like, and what do I think of Jimmy Fallon?

This week on Making It In The Toy Industry, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my wild ride as a contestant on On Brand with Jimmy Fallon. Week after week I dreamed up campaigns, plane wrap designs, comedic commercials, and drink recipes, then pitched them to CEOs and CMOs of major brands. I was mentored by Bozoma Saint John and Jimmy Fallon, an experience that reshaped how I think about branding, marketing, and product launches.

Every week the stakes got higher. One challenge had me mapping an NYC pop-up; another had me writing and singing jingles on a deadline. I was on national TV at 24+ weeks pregnant, keeping my energy high and my creativity flowing while still speaking the language of big corporate brands. It was a branding bootcamp that pushed me past what I thought was possible while I was also building a tiny human and becoming a first time mom.

Tune into this podcast if you want all the BTS tea including:

• The branding moves that helped me get cast (and how you can use them to stand out)
• What it’s really like working with Jimmy Fallon and Bozoma Saint John
• A new brand strategy I’m calling the Connect & Invest Loop that could change the way you launch and market forever
• How toy creators and creative entrepreneurs can build buzz before a single product hits the shelf

If you are building a toy brand or a creative business, and want to grow your visibility this is your playbook.

Listen for these Important Moments:

• [00:01:25] - Learn how strategic visual branding, owning your lane, and consistent content helped me stand out to casting directors and how you can do the same.
• [00:08:58] - Get the surprising lessons I learned from Jimmy Fallon and Bozoma Saint John about showing up, shifting gears, and being “too much” in corporate spaces.
• [00:11:20] - Find out why separating your campaign concept from the activation is crucial and how it could strengthen your creative pitches or product launches.
• [00:16:17] - This show unintentionally unlocked a brilliant marketing framework, perfect for brands navigating today's trust recession and attention-starved audiences.
• [00:26:14] - Real-world examples of toy entrepreneurs involving their audience early, creating investment, loyalty, and funding success before the product hits shelves.

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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 challenge.

In this episode of Making It in the Toy Industry, I’m coaching Durrat, Toy Creators Academy alum, Accelerator grad, and founder of Dcraftsource, a culturally-inspired craft kit brand built to celebrate every kid and every culture.

It all started with one handmade Ramadan kit for her daughter. And now, her card-making craft kits for Eid, Diwali, Christmas, and birthdays are bringing diverse celebrations into homes, classrooms, and (hopefully soon!) retail stores.

Here’s what we talked about:

• The packaging tip that instantly leveled up her product
• How crafting can spark deeper cultural connection for kids and families
• How she turned one niche seasonal kit into a scalable product line
• What’s stopping her from breaking into retail and how she’s moving past it
• How her Amazon launch blew up with no big ad spend

If you're trying to figure out how to go from maker to brand, or you're wondering how to bring more authenticity into your product line, this episode will inspire you to stop waiting and start building.

Listen for these Important Moments!

• [00:04:52] – Durrat reveals how one shift in her packaging design instantly elevated the perceived value of her product.
• [00:07:18] – Starting with a single Ramadan craft kit, Durrat shares how she built a full product line simply by keeping the structure the same and swapping out the themes.
• [00:10:34] – We explore how hands-on crafting opens the door to powerful conversations about identity, tradition, and cultural pride for kids and families.
• [00:21:47] – From hesitation around trade shows to confusion about retail outreach, we uncover what’s been holding Durrat back and how she’s building a smarter path forward.
• [00:29:13] – Her Christmas kit hit #1 in Amazon’s new releases category and she did it with no paid ads or big campaigns, just smart positioning and great timing.

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Your Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps
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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 back?

In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, I’m coaching Melanie Palmer, Toy Creators Academy alum and founder of Emmers, a joyful toy brand designed to help kids build emotional skills through stories, games, and play.

With a psychology degree from Duke, an MBA from Harvard, and over a decade working in emotional education, Melanie had the passion and the credentials. But when it came time to create and launch a physical product? She quickly found herself overwhelmed, overthinking, and stuck in the playtesting loop.

Inside Toy Creators Academy, she got the clarity, tools, and support she needed to stop spinning her wheels and finally bring her vision to life.

Here’s what we dig into:

• The perfectionism trap that kept her game in development for over a year
• How her early interviews revealed a huge white space in the market
• Why she’s choosing to not be the face of her brand and what’s taking the spotlight instead
• The heart-melting moment that showed her product really works

If you're building something with purpose and wondering, "Am I doing this right?", Melanie’s story is proof that you don’t need to rush, and you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Enroll today at thetoycoach.com/tca

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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 <<

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 Industry, we’re opening up another coaching call episode featuring Toy Creators Academy alum Melissa Brody, a licensed therapist, entrepreneur, and new mom who turned her passion for emotional wellness into Emotipals, a plush toy line designed to help kids understand and express their feelings through play.

Inspired by her late father, a pediatric neurologist, and grounded in her own clinical experience, Melissa created Emotipals to give children a tangible way to explore emotions. With 21 mix-and-match Velcro pieces, each Emotipals helps kids learn emotional vocabulary, empathy, and regulation, while bringing laughter and connection to the playroom or the therapy office.

You’ll hear Melissa share:

• Her journey from private practice to product creation
• How motherhood reshaped her business mindset
• The honest challenges of balancing life and entrepreneurship
• Why narrowing your niche can open even bigger doors
• How listening to your most passionate customers can shape your next big win

Whether you’re in the thick of toy development or dreaming up your very first idea, this episode will remind you that clarity, connection, and community are key ingredients to growing a purpose-driven brand.

Feeling inspired to bring your own toy idea to life? Learn more about Toy Creators Academy at www.toycreatorsacademy.com.

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Popular Masterclass! How To Make & Sell Your Toy Ideas
Your Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps
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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 guest to create a toy that’s about so much more than play.

In this special replay episode, we’re passing the mic to guest host Virginia Lette, who sits down with Jana Hallam, a Toy Creators Academy alum who felt the same way and turned that feeling into a mission-driven brand. After struggling to align with a well-known holiday tradition, Jana set out to create something that better reflected the values she wanted to teach her kids: empathy, emotional awareness, and the courage to be kind.

Her solution? The Kindness Mouse, the debut product from Wonderwell Toy Company. It’s a magical, story-driven play experience featuring a plush mouse, storybook, and activity cards that inspire kindness in young children through social-emotional learning.

You'll hear the origin story of The Kindness Mouse and why kids instantly connect with this unlikely hero. We dive into how empathy, SEL, and the idea of “wiring them young” became the foundation of Wonderwell Toy Co. Jana shares how trusting her gut (and even starting over) was key to moving forward, how Toy Creators Academy helped her navigate product safety, playtesting, and manufacturing, and why community is essential when you're building a brand from scratch.

Whether you’re dreaming up your first product or knee-deep in development, this conversation will remind you that a strong why is the most powerful tool a toy creator can have.

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Your Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps
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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 Creators Academy grad who went from leading sales at Mattel to launching a heartfelt plush brand that’s changing bedtime for kids everywhere.

Meet Gerardo Davila, the creator of Angelitos Mágicos, a magical line of plush guardian angels that deliver encouraging messages to children overnight. What started as a way to comfort his own daughter turned into a product with purpose, backed by positive psychology and wrapped in cultural love.

Even though Gerardo spent years in the toy industry, he still joined Toy Creators Academy to learn how to bring his vision to life. In this episode, he shares how the program helped him overcome the challenges of solo creation, especially in areas like packaging, retail strategy, and website optimization.

Inside this episode:

• What sparked the idea for Angelitos Mágicos (hint: it involved childhood nightmares and a clever mom!)
• Why even toy industry veterans can benefit from structured learning and support
• How small changes to his website and packaging made a big impact
• What it takes to prep a brand for retail shelves, and future global expansion

Feeling inspired to bring your own toy idea to life? Learn more about Toy Creators Academy at www.toycreatorsacademy.com.

Listen for these Important Moments!

• [00:04:54] - Learn why even a seasoned Mattel exec realized he needed help navigating solo toy creation and how structured guidance can fast-track your launch.
• [00:08:03] - Get inspired by how a parenting moment turned into a toy brand that helps children feel safer and more confident.
• [00:10:56] - Discover how shifting from eCommerce to retail requires a whole new packaging strategy and what details matter most on-shelf.
• [00:13:41] - See what it really takes to go from selling online to getting your toy into stores.
• [00:16:47] - Planning to expand beyond your home country? Hear what Gerardo is doing to adapt his toy line for the U.S. and beyond.

Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!

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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 <<