384: How To Make It In The Toy Industry W/ Azhelle Wade

Side Hustle Pro

Nicaila Matthews Okome | Side Hustle Pro Media

Nicailamatthewsokome, Blackwomenentrepreneurs, Sidehustle, Blackpodcast, Sidehustlepro, Marketing, Sidehustles, Business, Smallbusinesspodcast, Sidehustleshow, Blackownedbusiness, Blackwomenownedbusiness, Blackwomen, Blackentrepreneurs, Smallbusinessshow, Businesspodcast, Entrepreneurship, Smallbusinessowners

4.8 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 27 December 2023

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This episode we’re getting a masterclass from The Toy Coach herself, Azhelle Wade. At first second-guessing herself, Azhelle eventually found confidence in her talent, leading to her working for big toy companies like Mattel and Toys R Us. She's climbed up and across the ladder in the toy world, starting out as a designer, later gaining 3 toy patents, and eventually becoming a VP at a toy company. Her online course, Toy Creators Academy empowers newbies in the toy industry with step-by-step guidance, downloadable worksheets, and group coaching.

In this episode she shares about:

Choosing between the corporate path vs inventor path vs entrepreneur path in the toy industry
How she found her niche of coaching toy makers while also pursuing her own toy aspirations
The success she has found in marketing through her podcast Making It In the Toy Industry and maintaining an Evergreen model for her courses

Highlights include:

04:14 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

06:56 Understanding the Different Paths in the Toy Industry

08:40 The Transition from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

17:15 The Benefits of Having a Podcast

25:05 What Sets The Toy Coach Apart

32:25 The Stress of Running a Hands-On Course

34:47 The Strategy of the Evergreen Model & Seasonal Webinars

40:20 The Importance of Promoting Your Course

46:25 The Strategy of Targeting Local Stores First

53:20 The Challenges and Opportunities of B2B Consulting

55:48 Advice for Side Hustlers Transitioning to Full-Time Entrepreneurs

Check out episode 384 of Side Hustle Pro podcast out now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

This episode is brought to you by:

HubSpot Podcast Network- The audio destination for business professionals with content designed to help you listen, learn, and grow. Listen to Side Hustle Pro and more shows on the HubSpot Podcast Network, at https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork.

Gusto offers modern, easy payroll, benefits, and HR to small businesses across the country. Sign up and give it a try at gusto.com/shp.

Links mentioned in this episode

Azhelle’s Website: Website: https://www.thetoycoach.com/
Azhelle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetoycoach/
Afro Unicorn SHP Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlAld_Fcwso
Easy Webinar: https://easywebinar.com/
Amy Porterfield: https://www.amyporterfield.com/amy-porterfield-podcast/

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Announcements

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Guest Social Media Info

Azhelle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetoycoach/

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you're hustling in the trenches to build a business or bootstrapping one of your own,
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0:48.0	and help out of the campaigns so you can get back to growing your business. Work smarter not harder at hubSpot.com
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0:54.0	You're listening to Side Hustle Pro,
0:59.0	the podcast that teaches you to build
1:01.0	and grow your Side Hustle, from passion project to profitable business and I'm your host
1:06.1	Nikala Matthew Zakome so let's get started Hey, hey, friends. Welcome, back to the show. Today in the guest chair I have
1:19.3	Agil Wade. A jel spent the past 12 plus years working for companies like Toys R Us, Party City, and Madam
1:26.4	Alexander, just to name a few.
1:28.3	She has climbed up and across the ladder in the toy world, starting out as a a designer later gaining three toy patents and
1:34.7	eventually becoming a VP at a toy company. But after building and mentoring a
1:40.1	diverse and talented team towards success she had the vision to do the same with newcomers to the toy
1:45.6	industry. With that thought, Agile combined her industry knowledge, inspirational mantrasas,
1:51.5	and extra passionate toy talks to create the now highly rated toy
	...

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