The Toy Book Podcasts by Adventure Media & Events

In this week's episode of the "Power Kid Podcast," host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design speaks with Goliath Games' Director of Marketing Mary Higbe.

As families spend more time together amid the COVID-19 pandemic, games are experiencing a huge boost in sales. Texas-based Goliath Games offers a wide range of titles for the entire family, with products available in more than 75 countries worldwide.

On the show, Albritton and Higbe discuss the family environment that makes Goliath unique as she shares her top picks for games for players of ages. The conversation delves into what's happening at Goliath right now and how the company is working to ensure that it can still get its games into the hands of families everywhere. Additionally, Higbe shares insight into the marketing of Virus, "the contagiously fun card game" that's growing in popularity as families avoid the coronavirus.

In this week's episode of the "Power Kid Podcast," host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design speaks with Jennifer Mines, vice president of Iscream, a company that provides its fans with fun lifestyle products created under a simple motto: to "make the ordinary a little more extraordinary."

Mines' career bridges high fashion and toys. Prior to entering the toy industry at Iscream, she worked with high-profile brands such as House & Garden, Calvin Klein, Barneys, and Vogue.

On the show, Albritton and Mines discuss the similarities in working with fashion and toys and what the toy industry can learn from the fashion industry. Mines offers insight into the challenges and opportunities in managing a massive product line such as Iscream's that ranges from plush to bedding to games, drinkware, apparel, and beyond. The team at Iscream are experts in allowing their customers to tell a design story through an evolving assortment of on-trend offerings.

The first-ever Invention Week comes to a close on the "Power Kid Podcast."

This week, host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design is joined by Matt Nuccio of Design Edge for a four-part series of mini-episodes in which they delve into the various aspects of inventing including research, prototyping, presentation, and next steps. The series is designed to be an overview for newcomers to the toy industry while serving as a refresher for industry vets.

For the final installment, Albritton and Nuccio cover how manufacturers work internally to get new inventions ready for market, when money changes hands, and provide a general timeline on getting a new item onto shelves.

Here's the wind-up and the pitch as Invention Week continues on the "Power Kid Podcast."

This week, host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design is joined by Matt Nuccio of Design Edge for a four-part series of mini-episodes in which they delve into the various aspects of inventing including research, prototyping, presentation, and next steps. The series is designed to be an overview for newcomers to the toy industry while serving as a refresher for industry vets.

Part 3 covers the various aspects of presenting a new idea to buyers. What is expected of the inventor during a pitch? How can you time your pitch to produce the best outcome? Are you focused enough on the manufacturer and their needs? In this episode, Albritton and Nuccio break it all down.

For the tinkerers, builders, and sometimes mad scientists, Invention Week continues on the "Power Kid Podcast."

This week, host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design is joined by Matt Nuccio of Design Edge for a four-part series of mini-episodes in which they will delve into the various aspects of inventing including research, prototyping, presentation, and next steps. The series is designed to be an overview for newcomers to the toy industry while serving as a great refresher for industry vets.

Part 2 covers the various aspects of prototyping. A prototype can range in scale and complexity from simple paper models to heavily engineered electronic systems. Early on, inventors will need to decide the level of detail that will be built into a prototype to best demonstrate their product's "wow factor."

So much for social distancing — the "Power Kid Podcast" is coming in close for its first-ever Invention Week.

This week, host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design is joined by Matt Nuccio of Design Edge, a toy and game development, marketing, manufacturing, invention, and consulting agency. In a four-part series of mini-episodes, Albritton and Nuccio will delve into the various aspects of inventing including research, prototyping, presentation and next steps. The series is designed to be an overview for newcomers to the toy industry while serving as a great refresher for industry vets.

Enjoy part 1, research!

In this week's episode of the "Power Kid Podcast," host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design speaks with Joe Barron, founder of Gray Matter Games, a company dedicated to promoting community and fun while exercising the brain.

Barron has designed and published four games which are sold in more than 3000 stores across five countries. He was a 2019 Rising Star Innovator nominee for the Chicago Toy and Game Fair's (ChiTAG) Toy and Game Innovation Awards (TAGIEs) for The Game of Wolf, which was also a Mensa Mind Games finalist.

On the show, Albritton delves into Barron's origin story, which involves a family road trip that inspired his entrance into the game industry. Barron discusses the importance of shows like ChiTAG for meeting with the public, networking, and driving sales. Additionally, the duo discusses Barron's guiding belief that business should always be a force for good, and the work that Gray Matter Games does to support Alzheimer's research.

In this week's episode of the "Power Kid Podcast," host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design speaks with author, inventor, and public speaker Deej Johnson about all things creative.

Johnson, who recently appeared at Toy Fair New York's Creative Factor, co-authored a new book entitled The Snakes & Ladders Of Creative Thinking: Have More Ideas For Board Games, Improve Them & Get Them Ready To Pitch with Mojo Nation co-founder Billy Langsworthy.

On the podcast, Albritton delves into Johnson's backstory, which includes a Rube Goldberg machine. The discussion includes insight into Johnson's work with brands and how he uses language to target the customers' needs and help sell product. Additionally, the duo discusses the nuances of writing game rules that are both thorough and concise.

In this week's episode of the "Power Kid Podcast," host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design speaks with Flexport's Chief Economist Phil Levy to discuss the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the toy industry.

During his career, Levy has served as an adjunct professor at the Kellogg School of Management, Darden School of Business, and Columbia University in addition to serving as an associate professor at Yale.

Levy also served as Senior Economist for Trade for President George W. Bush’s Council of Economic Advisors and was a member of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s Policy Planning Staff. His research focus is on the political economy of trade agreements and U.S. economic relations with China.

On the show, Albritton and Levy delve into the impact that the coronavirus will have on toy manufacturing and the overall supply chain along with potential options for managing the interrupted logistics.

In this week's episode of the "Power Kid Podcast," host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design gears up for Toy Fair New York with The Toy Association's Marian Bossard.

For over 20 years, Bossard has served as executive vice president of global market events at The Toy Association. On the show, Bossard discusses the customer service mentality that goes into every aspect of Toy Fair. Additionally, she and Albritton discuss how Toy Fair New York has changed over the years and what new and notable events attendees should be on the lookout for at this year's show.