Power Kid Podcast

Today we have a very timely tariff conversation with industry expert Lutz Muller. Lutz is a graduate of the Harvard Advanced Management Program and has an MA and MBA in Business Administrations. He has been active in the toy industry since 1984. His network of retailers, buyers, third-party manufacturers and distributors keeps him on the cutting edge. We quickly dive into the topic of tariffs and I ask him how toy manufactures can lessen the impact of a 25% tariff on our China goods.

My honored guest this week has been involved in the development of hundreds of games selling over 7 million copies in over 15 countries!  A game guy to his core, Tim Walsh is also the co-producer of the documentary Operation: Operation which uncovers the story of Operation inventor John Spinello. He partnered with Reyn Guyer to write Right Brain Red: 7 Ideas for Creative Success and authored Timeless Toys which chronicles the experiences of over 70 toy inventors and their inventions.

What do you get when you mix a media/technology attorney with decades of marketing experience? - my guest today, the brilliant Michele Martell! Today we discuss her experience at the Jim Henson Company and WWE and the different lessons she learned in these environments. II ask her about the future of YouTube marketing and what regulations may be coming down the pipe. We discuss the growing market of connected toys and how toy companies need to navigate the concerns that have arisen in this category.

For 21 years Alan Dorfman founded and developed Basic Fun into a well respected impulse toy company. Now serving as the President of Super Impulse - a division of Topcat World Wide - he has launched well know brands like World’s Smallest, World’s Coolest, Tiny Arcade, the Original Wizzzer and many more.  His experience and insight in the toy industry is tremendous and it is an honor to have him on the show.

My honored guest this week is Rusty Tracy the VP of Wind Dancer Films. They have generated over 4 billion dollars in revenue from film and television properties that the company has created and produced. Rusty spent 10 years at Nickelodeon Animation Studios and his animation work includes the 2012 Ninja Turtles series, Ready Jet Go on PBS, Not a Box for Universal Kids and many more.

Micheal Keaton spent 16 years with LEGO in various capacities and locations around the globe including Denmark, Australia and Connecticut where he oversaw 460 people in 8 countries as the VP of Shopper Marketing Agency. Currently he is the CEO of Toysmith. Micheal shares with us his concept of "A-Game" which can help us connect with our families through play. As he steps into his role at Toysmith I ask him about his goals and vision for the future.

This week I sit down for an excellent conversation with Michael Wilde. Michael was Senior Director of Global Brand Marketing and Business Development for Spin Master. Previously he was the VP of Global CPG Strategy, Licensing and North American Retail Development for WWE and VP of Global Brand Marketing and Business Development at Jakks Pacific. He now leverages his skills helping his clients execute winning marketing strategies.

Quiz time - What one toy can teach social skills, empathy, responsibly, imagination and compassion? Dolls are simply one of the most powerful play tools we can offer a child.  My guest today has been designing dolls for over 20 years. Stephen Sumner has worked on the most recognizable doll brands including Barbie and My Little Pony Equestria Girls. He has also developed dolls under licenses like Marvel, Lord of the Rings, and Dreamworks.

My guest today Matthew Hammersley has created a new way for you and your children to enjoy reading together! Matthew co-founded Novel Effect with his wife in 2015 to use voice recognition and sound effects to enhance story time for parents and children. The technology supports over 150 children's stories and they are working on other applications for language learning and entertainment.

This week it is my honor to speak with the CEO of Highlights for Kids Kent Johnson. Founded in 1946 by his great grandparents, Kent is only the third CEO to hold the position. Educated at Amherst College and earning a Doctorate in Physics from Harvard, Kent has a tremendous passion for science and finds himself inspired everyday by Highlight's mission to help children become their best selves.

Welcome to this week's Wicked and Cool podcast! It is my honor to have Jeremy Padawer as my guest. As Co-President and Partner of Wicked Cool Toys Jeremy and his team have brought some amazing products to market including Pokemon, Cabbage Patch Kids, Teddy Ruxpin and many more.

Blake Wright is the Indiana Jones of the toy world. His book series “The Toys That Time Forgot” successfully launched on Kickstarter and volume 2 is available now! It is the culmination of years of intense research and travel to track down the stories and artifacts behind toy lines that made it to the prototype stage but were never released to the public.

New York Toy Fair 2019 is behind us and I am excited for the coming year! I enjoyed catching up with many friends and had the opportunity to record some great conversations as I walked the aisles. In this episode you will hear from Billy Langsworthy as we discuss our love of toy design. I reach out to 3 new attendees in the Launchpad and we discuss their unique products. Finally Steve Reece and I cap it off with a review of the fair and the year to come.

The Strong Museum in Rochester New York is an interactive, collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration of play. It is one of the largest history museums in the US and one of the leading museums serving families. It is my privilege this week to speak to Christopher Bensch a 29 year veteran of the museum who serves as the VP of collections. We dive into all the museum has to offer and we discuss one of their most prized possessions the original Monopoly board!

I am honored to speak with JP Stoops today on the Power Kid Podcast! JP has spent 16 years in consumer products with a focus on toys. He managed licensed retail business development for Discovery Communications. He directed all aspects of DiscoveryKids.com including site management, e-commerce, marketing, operations, social media, branding, and creative. Today he is focused on building his company Pixl Toys which focuses on creating tech toys that utilize smart phones and encourage active and creative p