What do plush toys and tech startups have in common? If you ask Landon Brett, the answer is everything.

Landon is the CEO of Makeship, one of Canada’s fastest-growing creator economy companies. Makeship launched in 2018 with just $8,000 and a bold idea: help online creators bring their characters to life through limited-edition plush toys. Today, Makeship has grown into a global business with over 65 employees and more than $20 million paid out to creators, without taking on a dime of outside funding.

In this episode, Landon joins us to talk about Makeship’s journey from its Kitchener roots to the global stage, the power of fan communities, and how his team is building trust at scale with creators big and small. Plus, he shares what it takes to scale, why being scrappy still matters, and how Makeship plans to hit $100 million in annual revenue in the next three years.

00:00 – What do plushies and startups have in common?

01:47 – From $8K to crowdfunded success

06:15 – Superfans know their stitching

09:20 – The road to $100M

13:50 – Platforms shift, creators adapt

18:30 – Tariffs, transparency, and trust

23:35 – Leading through chaos

27:40 – Plushie wishlist and career tips

Visit makeship.com to learn more about the company (and get yourself some plushies). Need help getting your startup off the ground? Visit communitech.ca to learn how we can help!