Your toy is 90% done… for the fifth time. You keep playtesting, tweaking, second-guessing, and you’re convinced it’s not ready. But what if all that perfectionism is what’s actually holding you back?

In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, I’m coaching Melanie Palmer, Toy Creators Academy alum and founder of Emmers, a joyful toy brand designed to help kids build emotional skills through stories, games, and play.

With a psychology degree from Duke, an MBA from Harvard, and over a decade working in emotional education, Melanie had the passion and the credentials. But when it came time to create and launch a physical product? She quickly found herself overwhelmed, overthinking, and stuck in the playtesting loop.

Inside Toy Creators Academy, she got the clarity, tools, and support she needed to stop spinning her wheels and finally bring her vision to life.

Here’s what we dig into:

• The perfectionism trap that kept her game in development for over a year
• How her early interviews revealed a huge white space in the market
• Why she’s choosing to not be the face of her brand and what’s taking the spotlight instead
• The heart-melting moment that showed her product really works

If you're building something with purpose and wondering, "Am I doing this right?", Melanie’s story is proof that you don’t need to rush, and you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Enroll today at thetoycoach.com/tca

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Popular Masterclass! How To Make & Sell Your Toy Ideas
Your Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps
>> https://learn.thetoycoach.com/masterclass <<

Big feelings deserve a safe space and sometimes, that space looks like a soft, huggable friend with swappable expressions and a whole lot of heart…eyes!

In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, we’re opening up another coaching call episode featuring Toy Creators Academy alum Melissa Brody, a licensed therapist, entrepreneur, and new mom who turned her passion for emotional wellness into Emotipals, a plush toy line designed to help kids understand and express their feelings through play.

Inspired by her late father, a pediatric neurologist, and grounded in her own clinical experience, Melissa created Emotipals to give children a tangible way to explore emotions. With 21 mix-and-match Velcro pieces, each Emotipals helps kids learn emotional vocabulary, empathy, and regulation, while bringing laughter and connection to the playroom or the therapy office.

You’ll hear Melissa share:

• Her journey from private practice to product creation
• How motherhood reshaped her business mindset
• The honest challenges of balancing life and entrepreneurship
• Why narrowing your niche can open even bigger doors
• How listening to your most passionate customers can shape your next big win

Whether you’re in the thick of toy development or dreaming up your very first idea, this episode will remind you that clarity, connection, and community are key ingredients to growing a purpose-driven brand.

Feeling inspired to bring your own toy idea to life? Learn more about Toy Creators Academy at www.toycreatorsacademy.com.

Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!

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Popular Masterclass! How To Make & Sell Your Toy Ideas
Your Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps
>> https://learn.thetoycoach.com/masterclass <<

A toy doesn’t need to be loud or flashy to leave a lasting impact. The most meaningful ones teach kindness, spark empathy, and build something real in a child’s heart. That belief is what led today’s guest to create a toy that’s about so much more than play.

In this special replay episode, we’re passing the mic to guest host Virginia Lette, who sits down with Jana Hallam, a Toy Creators Academy alum who felt the same way and turned that feeling into a mission-driven brand. After struggling to align with a well-known holiday tradition, Jana set out to create something that better reflected the values she wanted to teach her kids: empathy, emotional awareness, and the courage to be kind.

Her solution? The Kindness Mouse, the debut product from Wonderwell Toy Company. It’s a magical, story-driven play experience featuring a plush mouse, storybook, and activity cards that inspire kindness in young children through social-emotional learning.

You'll hear the origin story of The Kindness Mouse and why kids instantly connect with this unlikely hero. We dive into how empathy, SEL, and the idea of “wiring them young” became the foundation of Wonderwell Toy Co. Jana shares how trusting her gut (and even starting over) was key to moving forward, how Toy Creators Academy helped her navigate product safety, playtesting, and manufacturing, and why community is essential when you're building a brand from scratch.

Whether you’re dreaming up your first product or knee-deep in development, this conversation will remind you that a strong why is the most powerful tool a toy creator can have.

Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!

Support the show

Popular Masterclass! How To Make & Sell Your Toy Ideas
Your Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps
>> https://learn.thetoycoach.com/masterclass <<