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EDUCATION | ACCESS | GROWTH

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Pitch Your Product or Idea

Build Your Brand
Learn All About Licensing

Empower your business, your career, your product — It's bigger than you think.​

 

Thursday, May 23, 2024
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
@ Licensing Expo | Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas | South Seas Ballroom

 

WiT Empowerment Day is your exclusive ticket to unrivaled education, access and growth. We'll connect you with the companies and industry experts who have the knowledge and resources to help solve your challenges -- and work with you to propel your product onto store shelves. Not ready to pitch, but just want to learn more about the industry from expert mentors? This once-a-year event is your ticket to success.

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Get All of This and More

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  • Product / Concept Pitches to over 10 top Toy and Game Companies and Walmart Buying Team.

  • Priceless education and industry trends from our Keynote and Panel Speakers.

  • Your industry "MBA-in-a-Day" at Mentor Roundtables in over a dozen areas of specialty.

  • "Walk with WiT" Show Floor Tours: Explore Licensing Expo with your very own WiT ambassador by your side. Get insider insights, access to hidden gems, and tons of new discoveries at every turn.

  • Licensing 101 Session: Get the lowdown on licensing basics. Kickstart your journey with expert guidance.

  • Phenomenal Networking with other creators, industry executives, and Licensing Expo attendees.

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April 30, 2024  |  Pitch Registration Closes
May 10, 2024  |  Event Registration Closes

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PRE-CONDITIONS

  • Active WiT Membership - Click here to join

  • $50 Empowerment Day Registration Fee (proceeds benefit the WiT Foundation Scholarship Program)

  • $50 Licensing Expo Attendee Pass (10% discount code provided to Empowerment Day Registrants)

STEP 1: 

COMPLETE PITCH APPLICATION FORM         

STEP 2: 

REGISTER FOR EVENT AND PAY

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ABOUT THE EVENT

PRODUCT PITCHES

 

Get ready to shine! Pitch your products or concepts to over a dozen leading toy and game companies and a team of Walmart buyers. These private 15-minute sessions are more than just a pitch opportunity; it's your chance to receive valuable feedback, industry insights, and guidance from key industry players.

PITCH-PREP

SERIES

 

We’ll get you ready for your pitch meetings with our exclusive Empowerment Dy Pitch Prep program, led by Azhelle Wade, a.k.a. The Toy Coach. This program includes everything you'll need to get pitch-perfect ready, including on-demand video lessons, digital workbook and a virtual Prep Session. 

MENTOR ROUNDTABLES 

 

Learn from the best! Meet with industry experts on Business & Brand Beginnings, Digital Ads, Ecommerce, Entertainment IP, Intellectual Property & AI, Licensing, PR, Marketing, Market Research, Product/Packaging Design, Publishing, Sales & Distribution, Testing & Safety, and more.

WiT BREAKFAST @LICENSING EXPO!

 

Join us the day before Empowerment Day for our annual WiT Breakfast @Licensing Expo, at Border Grill in Mandalay Bay on Wednesday, May 22! Get your networking head-start here, and connect with over 200 Licensing Expo attendees and exhibitors. 

AGENDA

MORNING

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7:30 -  Registration Opens

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7:45 - Light Breakfast and Networking

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8:15 - Welcome 

Ehi Oviasu-Kahn, Gena Lavallee, Leila Nosrati

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8:20 - Keynote | Licensing Unlocked! Keys to Success in the Licensing Business by Leveraging Trends in Toys and Entertainment

Lisa Whitaker 

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8:55 - Fireside Chat | Licensing In & Out: Key Legal Insights 

Michele Martell & Stephanie Pottick

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9:30 - Break + Networking

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10:00 - Product Pitches & Mentor Roundtables

AFTERNOON

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12:00 - Lunch

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12:30 -  Masterclass | Commercializing Creativity

Sharon Weisman

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1:00 - Inventor-tainment  | Sparking Ideas, Powering Up Pitches, and Having Fun with Failure 

Barry & Jason

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1:30 - Product Pitches & Mentor Roundtables

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3:30 - Wrap up

SPEAKERS

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Lisa Whitaker

Co-Founder,

Kidfinity

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Sharon Weisman

CEO

​PowerStation Studios LLC

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Michele Martell

Media, Tech & IP Attorney - Martell Media House PLLC 

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Barry McLaughlin

Jason Lautenschleger 

Owners - Barry & Jason Games & Entertainment 

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Stephanie Pottick

Licensing, TM & Copyright Attorney - Pottick Law, PC

INVENTOR RELATIONS

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Arielle Egoian

Coord., Inventor Relations

Spin Master

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Deirdre Cross

Senior Vice President, Games - Moose Toys

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Jay Foreman

CEO

BasicFun!

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Magdalena Eichhorn

Inventor Relations Manager -

Jazwares

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Nick Tourville

Product Designer - Ravensburger/ThinkFun

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Sarah Franco

Inventor Relations Manager -

Mattel

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Brian Weiss

Global Head of Toys - Goliath Games

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Fraser Paterson

Head of Design & Product
Development - Moose Toys

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Josh West

Product Designer - Ravensburger/ThinkFun

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Mark Garcia

Inventor Relations Associate Manager – Hasbro

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Nikole Murphy

Product Designer (Blue J) -

Jazwares

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David Winter

VP, BlueJ - Innovation & Design

Jazwares

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Janene Russell

Sr. Product Dev. Mgr, - Educational Insights​

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Julien Sharp

Country Manager / GM

Asmodee US

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Naomi Brugnatelli

Inventor Relations Manager – Hasbro

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Sara Furay​

Inventor Relations - Goliath Games​

MENTORS

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Ali

Mierzejewski

Editor in Chief - The Toy Insider

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Toy Awards

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Bart Lipski

CEO​

TOYMAK3RS 

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E-commerce

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Chris Byrne

President -

Byrne Communications,  Inc.

 

Market Research

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Iris Solomon

Owner/Partner

Hahn Solo Consulting

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Business & Brand Beginnings

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Josslynne Welch Johnson

President - Litzky PR

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Public Relations​

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Kim Criscuolo

Director of Sales & Business Dev - Unitec Laboratory Svcs.

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Testing & Safety​

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Lisa Whitaker

Founder - Kidfinity​

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Marketing

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Max Wunderle

Chief Commercial Officer - 

Toysmith

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Sales & Distribution

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Patti Becker

CEO & Founder

Becker Associates LLC

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Licensing & Negotiations

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Stephanie Pottick

Licensing, TM & Copyright Attorney - Pottick Law, PC

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IP, AI & Data Privacy​

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Aneesah R. K. Williams

Founder/CEO

MONARK

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Brand Marketing Consulting 

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Billy

Langsworthy

Co-Founder

MojoNation & Brands Untapped

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Invention, Design & Communities

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David Katzner

Founder/President

The National Parenting Center

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Toy Awards

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Janice Lam

Head of Hardlines & Publishing, North America Moonbug

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Entertainment & IP​

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Karen Kilpatrick

Founder & CEO - Kayppin Media / Genius of Cat Books

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Entertainment & IP

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Linda Morgenstern

VP, Brand Management -

Beanstalk

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Licensing & Negotiations

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Lizzy Ellis

Strategic Brand Success Manager - Faire.com

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Sales & Distribution

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Michele Martell​

Media, Tech & IP Attorney - Martell Media House PLLC

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Business & Brand Beginnings​

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Rachel Murray Meyer​

Principal - Toy Safety & Quality, Inc.

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Testing & Safety

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Anthony

Verna

Managing Partner​

Verna Law, PC

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IP, AI & Data Privacy

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Cassie Slane Guglielmo

Licensing & Content Development

Crazy Aaron's Enterprises

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Business & Brand Beginnings

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Hollie Holmes

VP Global Licensing - Moose Toys

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Licensing/Negotiations

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Joan Grasso

Head of Consumer Products - The Americas - Moonbug

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Entertainment & IP

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Kelli Schmitz

Brand Development Director - Asmodee/CATAN Studio

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Marketing

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Lisa Orman

President -

KidStuff Public

Relations

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Public Relations

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Matt Nuccio​

President - Design Edge Inc.

 

Invention, Design & Communities

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Natalie Rebot

Chief Brand Officer

TOYMAK3RS

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Invention, Design &  Communities

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Stephanie Bailey

Global Consumer Products and Retail Executive

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Licensing & Negotiations

WiT Empowerment Day
is held in partnership with Licensing Expo.

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WHAT PAST ATTENDEES SAY...

"Thank you for organizing the event. My trip was pretty surreal. Not only did I have the opportunity to present and learn at the WIT Empowerment Day (possible opportunities there), but I also met some amazing connections at Fall Toy Preview.  I probably should have stayed another day - first lesson learned! The industry was so kind and I was introduced to quite a few people that can help me bring my product to market. Feeling pretty excited."

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Joan Colvin

"Empowerment Day was a wonderful & insightful experience. I have already been contacted by one of the companies I pitched!  Thank you for all the support"

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Chantel Calloway

"First, I wanted to let you know how FANTASTIC Empowerment Day was!! I can’t imagine anywhere else that would offer the pitching opportunities, information sharing, ane more. I can’t wait to move forward with our project AND partake next year"

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Jackie Khoenle

"It is not easy to take a few days away from the office to go to an industry event, even if the event is designed to help improve and grow ones business. The WIT Empowerment day was very valuable not only because I took away so many new bits of information, it was very inspiring and provided a needed energy boost going into the 4th quarter."

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Christy Kaskey CEO Kaskey Kids, Inc.

"Empowerment Day was so valuable! I got interest from two toy companies and now I'm working hard and fast to provide them the additional information they requested. I'm learning a lot in this process so that even if nothing comes of it, I could attend next year, more professionally prepared.I really benefited from the mentoring sessions too and found it wonderful to get helpful advice from women more experienced."

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Maxine Schur

"It was totally worth coming all the way (from India) to attend the event. I got an opportunity to meet and learn from many experts in the toy industry."

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Rohini Natti

"Wow! The WIT Team really nailed it with this event. As a toy inventor, this was such a fantastic opportunity for me to network with peers and customers, make industry connections, and get feedback on our products. I personally appreciated the WIT team's cohesiveness and professionalism, and their dedication to supporting female founders. Thanks WIT!"

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Jessica Cohen

"Empowerment Day was my first WIT experience, and I found it to be a very comfortable space to ask questions and get to know other talented women and men in the industry. I'm incredibly happy with my decisions to join WIT."

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Jenna Harlander Marketing Director Blip Toys

"I appreciate the education, experience, and exposure I received at WIT Empowerment Day as I began my journey 2 years ago. I was able to share my Lumi-Niter products with major players in the field such as WalMart, Hasbro, Spin Master, and Jazwares, to name a few, and am excited that Lumi-Niter is now on WalMart.com. I have attended two Empowerment Day events, and both had a huge impact on the direction of my company and brand."

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Angel Trichak, Xtraordin Air Toys

"Empowerment Day was a phenomenal event! It is amazing what WIT has done in one day that can help inspire, motivate, and change the course for so many (both female and male)."

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Jennifer Kosmo

"I have delayed launching our craft kits for years using my lack of “know how” as an excuse. In one day, every question was answered. I no longer have an excuse and I was completely energized by the conversations. I will be in a very different place next year when I return."

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Laura Kelly, Owner, The Handwork Studio

"Being green to the toy industry and event like empowerment day gives me great encouragement and insight. Thank you WIT for this fantastic opportunity"

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Maggie Held, Scribfolio

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