Have I ever told you that I’m allergic to cats? Well, lucky for me I recently met Katharine Burke, the creator of PurryFuls, a purring plush cat that is designed for on demand comfort that only a purring cat can provide.

Katharine left a high-stress tech job to build Purryfuls, and in today’s episode she shares exactly how she went from zero toy product experience to debuting her brand at New York Toy Fair and getting featured in Forbes!

In this episode we go into detail about the skills that Katharine had to develop to create her first prototype, and why those skills likely saved her thousands of dollars. If you’re interested in hearing a case study of a fellow startup toy entrepreneur taking a leap of faith on their toy product, give this episode a listen.

Listen for These Important Moments:

• [02:23] – Burned out from a high-pressure tech job, Katharine made a bold decision that completely changed her life. She walked away to follow her toy dream.
• [05:21] – When she couldn’t find a plush that mimicked a cat’s purr, she realized something big: this product didn’t exist yet… and she was going to make it.
• [07:02] – No sewing skills? No problem. Katharine taught herself everything from scratch (including coding) to bring her purring plush to life.
• [17:15] – Just one day into Toy Fair, her brand was already featured in Forbes. This unexpected media moment changed everything.
• [22:51] – Instead of diving straight into retail, Katharine took a smarter path that gave her more control, and it's one you might want to follow too.

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With over 13,000 followers on TikTok and millions of video views, Lost Boy Entertainment is forging a new path for launching a successful game brand. To continue our New York Toy Fair 2025 interview series, I sit down with Cameron Ring, co-founder of Lost Boy Entertainment.

Lost Boy Entertainment is a rising game company that started with just 500 copies of their first game in 2020 and now has products online and in major retailers.

The company is composed of 3 cousins who handle everything from designing games to shipping orders and marketing. In our talk Cameron shares how they started small on Amazon, shipping games from their garage and how they eventually expanded into retail.

This episode is a great 101 on the power of identifying a market gap, filling a need, and self funding your launch. If you’re considering a show like New York Toy Fair might be the best next step for your brand, listen in on why rushing in too soon could actually hurt your business.

My favorite takeaway from this interview with Cameron revolves around distribution channels, but you’ll have to hit play to find out exactly what was so insightful about that conversation.

Listen for These Important Moments!

• [04:40] - Cameron and his cousins manufactured just 500 copies of their first game Plunder, and after selling out multiple times on Amazon, they realized they had something special on their hands.
• [08:10] - Learn why Cameron says he values selling in multiple channels for different reasons.
• [14:39] - How did Cameron and the Lost Boy Entertainment team know that they were ready for New York Toy Fair? Well they started building at smaller shows first.
• [20:00] - What has been the biggest secret to the success of Lost Boy Entertainment? Was it TikTok marketing, smart distribution, or steady and slow growth? Perhaps all three…

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Your Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps
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Have you ever wondered what it’s like to run a business with your spouse? Is it all fun and games, or does every dinner conversation turn into a boardroom meeting? Do you get to celebrate the wins together, or do you find yourself debating packaging details at 10 PM on a Friday night?

I was so curious about this dynamic that I sat down with Alex and Whitney Kimerling, the husband-and-wife team behind Hootenanny Games. But instead of just interviewing them together, I decided to interview them separately, asking them the exact same questions!

Alex and Whitney have built a thriving inventor-driven game company, and in this episode, they share what it’s really like to run a business together, how they develop games, and why they love working with inventors.

You’ll get an inside look at both the best and hardest parts of running a toy business with your spouse. You’ll learn why Hootenanny Games exclusively licenses inventor-created products and what they look for in a game pitch—plus how you can pitch to them.

If you’ve ever thought about inventing board games or working in the toy industry, you don’t want to miss this one! And if you’re curious whether Alex and Whitney’s answers matched up… you’ll have to listen and find out. 😉

Listen for These Important Moments!

• [00:02:16] – A unique twist makes this interview extra fun. Alex and Whitney are being asked the same questions separately to see how their answers compare.
• [00:03:12] – Sharing the best parts of working together, they highlight how their strengths complement each other—one handling the business side while the other focuses on creativity.
• [00:08:48] – At the heart of Hootenanny Games is a simple but powerful mission: to bring people together through play and make them smile.
• [00:11:27] – Unlike many game companies, Hootenanny Games doesn’t create their own games—every single one is licensed from independent inventors.
• [00:16:09] – Rough concepts with strong mechanics stand out the most in a pitch. Games that leave room for collaboration and creative development tend to be more appealing than those that feel too locked in.
• [00:21:28] – The best way to pitch? Video calls over emails. A live conversation makes it easier to share excitement and showcase why a game is special.
• [00:22:41] – Playtesting is key! The strongest game pitches come from inventors who have refined their ideas by watching real players react and engage.
• [00:23:12] – Before closing out, a special listener review gets a shoutout, and everyone is encouraged to check out the other interviews in the New York Toy Fair 2025 series.

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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 <<