#178: Inside the World of Toy and Collectible Licensing

#178: Inside the World of Toy and Collectible Licensing

In this episode, we talk with Julian Montoya, a licensing leader whose career spans Lucasfilm, Warner Bros, and now Noble Collection. Julian traces his path from the VHS era to negotiating the first Lego Star Wars deal and pushing Funko Pop through approval back when it was called Funko Force. He shares what it takes to build a strong licensee relationship, find a clean lane in a crowded market, and become the kind of partner licensors want to keep. He also discusses how Noble Collection uses 3D printing to speed up development, and why persistence and networking matter most in this business. If you've ever wondered what happens behind the scenes of your favorite licensed toys, this one's for you.

#177: Four Family Members, One Growing Game Company

In this episode, we sit down with Bryan, Michael, Carson, and Angie Tamietti, the family team behind Ghetti Games. They share how a years-long idea became their first game, Oh Crud, made in the USA and launched on Amazon in 2021, plus manufacturing lessons learned along the way, from sourcing dice overseas to switching manufacturers after a misprint. They also discuss how the whole family got pulled into building their newest game, Cat-in-8, now live on Kickstarter, what it's really like running a business as a family, the challenges of marketing and Amazon compliance, and how Toy Launch has helped them advertise profitably. If you've ever wondered what it takes

#176: Why Passion Alone Won't Sell Your Idea

In this episode, we sit down with Daniel Henao and Daniella Leoni, the real-life couple behind Why Don't We, a global brand built around games for couples. They share how they designed their first game, Talk For Hours, in a single night with just four hundred dollars, and how they went from side hustle to full-time business in a year and five months. Daniel and Daniella also open up about adapting eight games for different cultures, building a free couples magazine to connect with customers outside Amazon, and running a company together as a nomadic couple who move every few months. If you have ever wondered what it takes to turn a relationship into a business, this one is for you.

#175: Waterbear Workshop: Building Community One Game at a Time

In this episode, we sit down with Shadoe Konicek and Sydney Whalen, the husband-and-wife team behind Waterbear Workshop, a family-owned board game company. They share how a COVID layoff sparked their publishing journey, starting with their self-funded debut game, The Mire. We dig into Tardigrade School, their print-and-play resource for teachers, and the Indie Game Bazaar, a community event they built that raised money for Extra Life for Kids. They also open up about balancing the business with day jobs and raising a nine-year-old son who's already their first playtester.

#174: The Excel Game Designer: Crunching the Numbers on Fun

In this episode, we sit down with Troy Rasmussen, founder of SadStretch Games and a self described data nerd who treats game design like a spreadsheet problem. Troy shares how a napkin sketch became his first game, Flu Season, in just thirty minutes, and how he built Horror Season with his wife over two years. He explains how Excel and Power Query help him balance every card, what two separate Kickstarter campaigns taught him about grassroots marketing, and how his blunt nephews playtest his new anime dungeon crawler. If you've ever wondered how math and mechanics come together to make a game fun, this one is for you.