by AZHELLE WADE, founder, Toy Creators Academy
“I didn’t choose the toy life. The toy life chose me.” That tends to be a common thread among most career “toy people.” A majority of the people working in the toy industry initially chose other careers or followed different dreams that somehow led them to the toy life.
Back in college, I remember telling my best friend that I wanted to create, and that was my vision for life: I wanted to create beautiful things. Little by little, the desire to create began to merge with my desire to educate.
CHOSEN BY THE TOY LIFE
As if a lightbulb suddenly went off, somehow all of the choices I made throughout my life as a young adult led me straight into the toy industry. Soon, many late nights were spent creating packaging mockups for Toy Fair New York amid the stress of deadlines, product reviews, and an evolving business in which companies shut down and misunderstandings with overseas factories are commonplace. In between all of it, that came with indescribable moments of pure joy in what was being created.
The toy life is for those with a desire to learn more, do more, and grow more. It’s a life for those who can’t fit happily inside one little box no matter how hard they try. It’s for those who find joy in multitasking and consistently challenge and change the status quo with measured risks and a relentless work ethic.
MAKING A NEW BOX
Many working in the toy industry will find that their interests will evolve over time, and as that happens, my advice to you is simple: Don’t waste time ignoring new interests. Instead, indulge in them and give yourself the time to imagine where they might lead if you properly embrace them.
Early on in my career as a toy designer, I realized that my interests reached far beyond design. At the time, my only options were to go back to school for a graduate degree that I couldn’t afford or to find a new position that would foster career growth and exploration. I chose the latter and made my own box. By pushing myself into new and uncomfortable waters, I was able to become a design-savvy product manager.
THE GOLDEN AGE OF LEARNING
As the toy industry has evolved, so has its entry point as the old ways are retired in favor of digital education for an increasingly mobile world. Many companies are working to evolve their digital marketing and lead generation strategies in ways that are breaking ground for high-level opportunities that very few are “traditionally” qualified for. The doors are wide open for motivated individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset to evolve their skills by learning online at their own pace. While you may not have the ultimate goal of owning a business, the entrepreneurial mindset is simply just a way of thinking. It means that you are a skilled and decisive problem-solver who never stops learning because learning is like breathing. It’s a constant drive to do better work each and every day.
WELCOME TO THE STARTING LINE
Whether you’re new to the toy industry or you’ve reached the point of evolving interests, there are many opportunities out there to learn online, a good portion of which will only cost you some time. Many current and former toy and game executives are using trusted platforms such as LinkedIn to share best practices and digital courses that can strengthen current skills or help drive a career shift.
Podcasts have become an incredible way to passively learn about any topic you’re interested in — and the toy industry is no exception. Stay away from the lifestyle or mindset podcasts and become hyper-focused on skill-building by seeking out specific topic areas.
Those interested in digital marketing should explore Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield; while those interested in learning about Facebook ads should check out The Art of Online Business; and those interested in sales should give The Advanced Selling Podcast’ a listen. And, if you’re interested in being a creative in the toy business, my podcast — “Making It in the Toy Industry’’ — is just the place to start your journey. Regardless of the focus industry, if you find a podcast that you love, you will become excited with each new technique while discovering new communities of individuals on a similar career journey.
You may be a toy person for life, but there are dozens of different toy careers out there that might be waiting for you. Now is the perfect time to take your toy experience, build upon it, and combine it with new skills to make your own box.
This article was originally published in the May 2021 edition of the Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue!
