Playing At Business - toy & game business podcast with Steve Reece

This episode reviews the Toy Biz trade show event in Delhi. This time round more than 400 exhibitors were at the show. Host Steve Reece runs through his experience at the event, and discusses the many opportunities for Toy & Game companies in India.

This is the question we get most often. There are a number of key trade shows in the Toy business, and historically there has been a commom complaint that we have too many of these shows and that the schedule is inefficient. The pandemic gave us a good opportunity to consider our show schedules and to reassess what makes most sense for our businesses. In this episode we run through the main shows and talk about how to decide which shows to participate in.

In this latest episode host Steve Reece shares 10 Key Success Factors for Board Games based on decades working with and on some of the most iconic Games of all times, including Hasbro's stable of Family Games such as Monopoly. Clue/do, Risk, Game of Life and many more.  Unusually Steve also acknowledges working on the worst selling board game of all time, as well as the best. If you are in the business of Games this is a must listen episode.   Sign up for our free email newsletter on the Toy & Games industry here: www.ToyIndustryJournal.com 

Another Spielwarenmesse Toyfair in Nuremberg has been and gone. This episode reviews this years show, and based on conversations at the show and market data released at this time gives an analytical outlook on the key drivers and trends of the European Toy market for 2024.   Sign up for our free Email Newsletter here: www.ToyIndustryJournal.com 

2020 and 2021 were unexpectedly boom years for the Toy business overall as locked down families invested out of season in play activities for their homebound children. 2022 and 2023 were significantly worse years for the Toy trade. The question now is what happens in 2024? Host Steve Reece talks through the factors affecting Toy market performance in 2024 in this latest episode.    For more Toy business analysis, check out our Linked In newsletter here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/toy-industry-journal-6910540635838013441/

In this episode we take a look at how choosing the right products to launch is the fundamental success factor for Toy & Games companies. Host Steve Reece uses an example of when he turned down a now famous & massively successful product as an example of how sometimes turning away good products is necessary in order to focus on what will work best for your company and the business model and market positioning of your company.   For more analysis & insights into the global Toy market, check out our Linked In newsletter which has 5000+ subscribers (including readers from all major Toy companies): https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/toy-industry-journal-6910540635838013441/

Many companies in the Toy business grow via acquisition. Company owners often want to sell up and retire or move onto other pastures. In this episode we take a look at some of the biggest Toy acquisitions of all time, we look at why and how Toy Cos are bought and sold and we discuss the details of the process of buying or selling. Maybe you have a Toy business you want to buy or sell, or maybe you just want to understand how company sales work in the world of Toys, either way this episode will have something for you.   For more Toy business analysis, check out our Linked In newsletter here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/toy-industry-journal-6910540635838013441/

In this latest episode host Steve Reece talks to Kate Scott & Declan Fahy, the Founders of Holo Toyz. Their company aims to inspire creativity and imagination via augmented reality technology. Kate stated "At our core, we believe that children should be able to experiment, play and learn through emerging technologies in a kid-safe environment away from the open web, whilst not losing touch with the physical world." We discuss this proposition, and the path from starting the business, through raising funding to achieving distribution for HoloToyz products.  This episode is a must listen for anyone interested in or actively pursuing a start up in the Toy business, as well as international distributors looking for new products and new stories to latch onto.

Join Steve Reece in a deep dive into the toy industry's recruitment nuances. Drawing from over a decade as a consultant, Steve unveils key strategies for companies to recruit effectively and tips for candidates to land their ideal roles. Whether you're hiring or job-hunting, discover invaluable insights to navigate the toy business world. Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding. 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here: www.ToyIndustryJournal.com/toy-business-consultancy 

Guess what – people have been buying Toys for adults for a very long time. Even though the 'Kidult' thing is the big thing nowadays, hobbyits sand people buying Toyetic gifts for adults have been around for a long while. Listen in to Episode 99 as we look at these adjacent areas in more detail!   Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding. 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here: www.ToyIndustryJournal.com/toy-business-consultancy     

A few episodes back we looked at why excess inventory is so dangerous - in this episode we move on to look at the practicalities of how our industry manages excess inventory, where they sell it, how it works and some major banana skins to watch out for when selling clearance stock!   Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here: www.ToyIndustryJournal.com/toy-business-consultancy   

We are living through times of massive change and disruption. Technology is advancing at a frighteningly quick rate, and the very fabric of society has been changed by our adoption and development of new technologies.  However, despite that there are 5 unchanging fundamentals of the Toy & Games business. In this podcast your host Steve Reece takes a look at what has not changed in his nearly 25 years in the Toy business, and what is unlikely to change looking forward another 25 years into the future.   Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here: www.ToyIndustryJournal.com/toy-business-consultancy   

There are some recurring characteristics of best selling Toys & Games. In this episode we run through the 5 most important features. This is not so much creative inspiration as it is a ticklist for new Toy & Games products in development.   Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here: www.ToyIndustryJournal.com/toy-business-consultancy   

Regardless of which country is your home market, the opportunity outside your borders is greater...in this episode we take a look at some simple ways to significantly increase your export sales of Toys & Games.   Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here: www.ToyIndustryJournal.com/toy-business-consultancy   

Ep 94 - 5 Key Tips To Find & Validate New Toy Factories In this episode host Steve Reece talks about his experience helping more than 100 Toy & Game companies find manufacturing around the world, and he shares 5 key tips for finding & validating new Toy factories. We look at why most companies make a massive mistake by focusing on manufacturing cost as the primary assessment factor for a new Toy & Game factory, and much more.   Our business is a Consultancy to Toy & Games companies. We have worked with more than half of the biggest Toy companies in the world, as well as 100+ startups and small businesses. Our main areas of business are: Export Sales Consultancy - let us help you sell more of your products overseas. Growth Consultancy for start ups with funding 'Traditional' distribution Consultancy for companies who launched with success on Amazon and want a fast track acceleration into other 'traditional' Toy & Games distribution channels around the world. Strategic Sourcing Consultancy - we advise companies on how to diversify their sourcing from being over reliant on China to other geographies including India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico & Europe. Recruitment - many of our clients who we have helped with expanding their distribution come back to us to help them find key staff members to allow them to go direct to retail in key markets. Consultancy phone calls - this is the entry level service we offer, comparatively low cost, but normally rated 5/5 in terms of value & impact from our clients. To find out more about our Consultancy services & how we can help your business, just click here: www.ToyIndustryJournal.com/toy-business-consultancy