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The Resilience of Latina-Owned Businesses: Thriving Despite the Odds Entrepreneurship has long been a staple of the United States’ economy. While the economic  turmoil in recent years may have damaged the often romanticized white-picket-fence dream, specific population segments have retained the dream of creating businesses to support themselves and their families. In fact, many people have emigrated to the U.S. in an effort to make a name for themselves and seek better livelihoods. Despite more significant difficulties in finding financing, narrower professional networks, racial discrimination and deeply rooted inequalities in the school systems, nearly 1 in 4 new businessesin the U.S. are Hispanic-owned. Since 2007, the number of Latina small business owners has increased faster than any other racial or ethnic segment, representing a growth rate of 172%. That’s roughly 400 Latina-owned businesses being launched daily, generating $97 billion annually for the U.S. economy. This is no easy feat considering the many barriers women, especially Latina women, face when attempting to start their businesses. Even accessing high-quality educational opportunities is a challenge to the Hispanic-American community. Although significant strides have been made in the educational sector over the last few years, Latinas have the highest high school dropout rate of any ethnicity of women, except American Indian women. Regardless of such dismal statistics, Latinas are graduating from high school and college in unprecedented numbers. Between 2000 and 2019, the number of Latinas aged 25 years and older who had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher nearly doubled. Education has long been touted as an equalizer for gender and racial gaps in income, yet in 2019, Latinas earned an average of 55% of what white, non-Hispanic men earned and 81% of what Latinos earned. Overall, increased education correlates with higher earnings and lower unemployment, yet Latina women with advanced degrees still make less than white, non-Hispanic men with bachelor’s degrees. In addition to educational impediments, Latinos face notable discrimination when accessing funding for their entrepreneurial endeavors. Roughly 26% of Latino entrepreneurs believe their ethnicity limits their ability to access capital. Hispanic-owned businesses are less likely than white-owned businesses to be approved for large loans by national banks, and Latinas face more obstacles when securing loans. Hispanic entrepreneurs have the lowest rate of using bank and financial institution loans compared to any other ethnic or racial demographic. Latino entrepreneurs face greater economic insecurity and volatility in their small businesses once established, as they rely on private funding sources rather than large financial institutions. More than half of Latinas are second-, third- and fourth-generation Americans. Yet, the ability of Latinas to build generational wealth is stagnated by deeply rooted structural inequities in education, health, and the economy, with many Latina entrepreneurs using solely personal funds for their business ventures. Furthermore, Hispanic entrepreneurs tend to have a narrower professional network with fewer growth opportunities. Latinos are less likely than their white counterparts to establish a mentoring relationship with professional advisers or colleagues. Part of this phenomenon can be blamed on occupational segregation and the underrepresentation of Larina women in well-paying sectors, such as finance, business, and upper management. One in five white women works in these occupations compared to nearly one in eight Latina women, widening the wage gap between Latina women and non-Hispanic white men. Historically, women also shoulder the bulk of domestic duties, from caring for the home and children to helping aging parents. This unpaid labor puts significantly more stress on women and has had reported effects on the mental health of Latina women. One in 5 Hispanic community members suffer from mental health issues, and Latina women are twice as likely to develop depression as any other ethnicity of man, including Latino men. Despite the odds against them, it is evident that Latina women are moving forward and making monumental steps in many spheres. With a youthful workforce — roughly 33 percent of Latino entrepreneurs are younger than 45, compared to just 22% of non-Latino entrepreneurs — the Hispanic entrepreneur community will only grow to become an even more significant segment of the U.S. economy. The resilience and strength of this community have shown that women of the Hispanic community can overcome gender discrimination, racism, and deeply rooted inequalities to create their businesses and thrive.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: A Guide for Employers This month is National Hispanic Heritage Month. Each year from September 15 to October 15, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the contributions, cultures, achievements and histories of people whose heritage is rooted in 20 countries and territories: Spain, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. National Hispanic Heritage Month began as just a week-long celebration in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson. “National Hispanic Heritage Week” was celebrated by the  Congressional Hispanic Caucus bringing media attention to notable Hispanic American contributions to the United States and increasing awareness of the legislative interests of the Latin-American community. In 1987, President Ronald W. Reagan signed the bill to expand Hispanic Heritage Week into a month-long celebration starting on September 15 to honor the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Likewise, Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain on September 16th, and Chile observes the 18th of September as its independence day. Another way to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month year-round is to regularly conduct pay audits to strive for pay parity amongst all employees and make adjustments if necessary. In 2020 Latinas were compensated just 57% of what non-Hispanic white men were for equal work. Striving for pay equity also means transparency with your employees and the public. Publishing your reports will help you remain accountable for narrowing the wage gap and will show your commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Hispanic Heritage Month is an excellent opportunity for organizations to celebrate their diverse talent and share and learn from colleagues from many backgrounds. As an employer, you can take meaningful action toward creating an inclusive workplace where workers can not only feel valued, but also thrive.

Tips for Creating and Building a Personal Brand to Promote Your Business Digitally by KIARA IMANI, Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment Board Member and Co-Founder, LikeU Creating a strong brand with high visibility is one of the best things you can do if you run your own business. But establishing your brand identity, coming up with an exciting elevator pitch, and learning how to promote your business effectively takes time and practice. It’s easier said than done. If you’re feeling imposter syndrome or fear of failure — you’re not alone. Here are some steps you can take to empower yourself and market your business. IDENTIFY YOUR STORY Do you know what your brand is? In the age of social media, we all have a digital footprint that people use to define us online. Businesses are no different, people often draw conclusions based on the way a brand presents itself digitally. Additionally, in order to create an unforgettable brand, it’s important to consider how others perceive your brand and the emotions it evokes. When thinking about your brand, ask yourself these questions: Who are your primary and secondary audiences? What is the clear messaging behind your product? What are your brand’s values and your goals? What do people feel when they encounter your merchandise? What is the common thread you can integrate into all of your offerings? There are many excellent examples of a successful brand. Take Mattel’s Barbie —a brand built so well that people immediately recognize the color, song, and look associated with the doll line. The common thread of your brand story may be parenting, education, empowerment, STEM, sustainability — whatever is at the core of your brand, people should be able to see it in everything your brand puts out in the world. DEVELOP YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH Once you feel confident about your brand story, it’s time to think through your “elevator pitch.” This is a 30-second version of your story that you should always have at the ready. Here are a few things you should keep in mind as you develop the pitch: Keep your pitch relevant to the situation. You should always start your pitch with your name and a relevant title summing up what your company or brand does. Your brand may have many offerings or facets to its brand identity, but again, it’s important to focus on that common thread that ties everything together. Don’t just list off all your brand’s impressive accomplishments — this can get overwhelming and confusing for whoever you’re pitching to. It’s okay to attach an “ask” to your pitch. It’s important to be clear with yourself on what it is you actually want for your business. What do you want to get out of pitching your brand? Are you looking for new intellectual property (IP) to potentially license? Are you seeking more ways to implement STEM in your toys? Do you just want to connect with better warehouses to combat the global supply chain issue? Whatever it is, ask for what you want directly. Don’t be afraid to show your excitement. In the business world, there’s often a belief that you must always be reserved and professional. But when you’re genuinely excited about your work, it’s more than okay to share that. That excitement can be contagious and can actually help you more effectively share what you’re about. Preparation and practice matter. Before sharing your pitch publicly, write it out and practice it. Ask a friend or colleague to listen to your pitch and provide feedback. Be open to criticism, and don’t jump to the conclusion that anyone who doesn’t like your pitch is trying to tear you down. SPREAD THE WORD Once you feel good about your brand story and elevator pitch, it’s time to start sharing it with the world. Social media is one of the best ways to share your brand story, but social media can be intimidating, and it can even feel awkward at times to brainstorm posts. But those visiting your social media profiles are eager to find out more about your brand. They want to better understand what your brand offers and if you don’t post frequently, they will end up drawing their own conclusions. It can be helpful to set goals and create useful social media habits. For example, a good benchmark to follow is to actively engage on at least three of the major platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, or Twitter. Decide the platform you would like to use based on the audience of each platform. Once you’ve decided on the platforms you’d like to use, decide on your posting cadence. Will you post once a day or a few times a week? This will depend on your personal bandwidth and overall goals. Another helpful tool for self-promotion is email. This medium is key when there are specific people or organizations, you’re eager to share your personal story and elevator pitch with. If you can’t find the email address of the person you’re looking for, one thing you can try is guessing the email based on the organization’s general email address format. For example, many organizations style their addresses as first.last@company.com. If you do sleuth your way into an individual’s inbox like this, make sure not to spam everyone else in their organization with your pitch. Do your research and find one or two people who you want to reach out to. Finally, don’t be afraid to look in paid PR options to help you with your self-promotion. It can be challenging to keep up with social media and email hunting on top of everything else you do. Although paid PR can be expensive, it may be worth it for you to have someone dedicated to making people aware of your brand and what you’re working on. DON’T GET DISCOURAGED Throughout this process, you may often find yourself wondering if what you have to offer is really worth promoting. Of course, you will fail at times — we all do at some point in our lives. But being afraid of failure can drastically hold you back. It can lead to feeling like everything you create or put out in the world needs to be perfect. And that perfectionism can lead to being frozen. To move past this, try setting time limits on your projects. For example, if you want to share an Instagram post today, tell yourself you only have 10 minutes to get it done. At the end of that 10 minutes, put out whatever you have created, whether or not it’s perfect. Remember: Practice makes progress, not perfection. Putting your business out there can feel challenging. But if you don’t engage in promotion, no one else will be able to witness the greatness your company has to offer. Empower yourself to tell it to the world.

How the Metaverse and NFTs Are Changing Brand Marketing Whether you consider yourself tech-savvy or hopeless when it comes to technology, you’ve likely encountered the terms “metaverse” and “NFTs”. With the pandemic, many people substituted their in-person interactions with online communities — such a drastic worldwide shift has accelerated the progression of society towards virtual life. It is estimated that by 2026, 25% of people will spend at least one hour a day in the metaverse, with Gen Z currently driving this seismic shift. The metaverse market size was estimated to be worth around 40 billion USD in 2021 and is a crucial tool for capturing younger demographics. If you’re wondering how your brand can harness this purchasing power and benefit from entering the metaverse, continue reading this article based on the WiT webinar: “Bringing Your Brand Into The Metaverse.” The metaverse can be defined as any virtual space where users can interact within an immersive environment with other users. This is a deceptively simple definition that encompasses many already thriving communities online — but a central theme of the metaverse is decentralization. A single corporation or company cannot own it or run it, such as web giants like Meta or TikTok, and access to the metaverse is open and reachable to all. NFT stands for “non-fungible token,” meaning it is a unique, non-exchangeable digital asset. While the most common forms of NFTs are images, they can be any digital file, such as audio or video. The critical difference between an NFT and a digital item is with the former, you have proof of ownership and authenticity. That means that the digital asset is uniquely yours, and you have the right to do with it what you please. Selling and buying NFTs simply requires a transfer of ownership of that asset. Now, you may be asking yourself, how are the digital sales of images and other files creating such significant demand that people are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars on them? The short answer is: marketing. When you buy an NFT, you become a member of an   exclusive community of similar asset holders. You may gain access to events run by a related club, both in person and online; you may gain access to a niche online community to chat with on platforms such as Discord; you may even gain access to restaurants that solely serve club members with specific NFTs. A notable NFT club is the Bored Ape Yacht Club, which has garnered attention for the outrageous bid prices for their assets and cult-like following of celebrities. Access to this exclusive club entails limited edition merchandise and collaborations with high-end designers such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Club members are even gifted additional NFTs that can be sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars, making it a large return on your investment for a seemingly innocuous digital image. According to MetaBrands founder and president Tamara Knepfer, “NFTs can transform relationships between brands and consumers.” We have seen the proof with the high demand for certain NFTs and new marketing strategies for the metaverse. Notable metaverse marketing campaigns utilize already popular platforms, such as gaming platform Roblox or Fortnite, to get their products in front of a new audience by offering digital assets such as skins to users. Ralph Lauren successfully ran a marketing campaign in the metaverse platform game Roblox by offering iconic clothing to be purchased for avatars, seeing a 40% increase in digital business shortly after the launch. Traditionally an older demographic clothing line, Ralph Lauren’s marketing on a kid’s game allowed a newer generation to be exposed to the brand name and build upon a strong interactive community, forging a deeper connection with the consumer. Successful NFTs and metaverse marketing create a community that encourages interactions through platforms such as Discord, which allows you to utilize this tight-knit community to instill brand loyalty, promote new product events and launches, collect data, and increase repeat purchases of your product. Social media-based campaigns or influencers are frequently onboarded to increase the initial popularity, or clout, of metaverse products and applications. It’s essential to recruit celebrities that your target demographic will flock to, such as gaming streamers or similar-aged influencers. Digital events with well-renowned artists and musicians are a great way to capture attention in the metaverse and drive brand awareness as virtual concerts gain popularity. The metaverse will play a decisive role in the future of business and digital marketing, and all brands will need to be involved in some way to remain competitive. Utilizing the strong community base that the metaverse has fostered over the years through social platforms can help your product reach new audiences, instill brand loyalty, and promote new products. As with all recent tech innovations, the most important aspect to successfully harnessing the full potential of the metaverse and NFTs requires constant learning and actively searching for current trends to help your business grow. This blog is inspired by WiT Webinar “Bringing Your Brand Into The Metaverse: How to Get Started – from Virtual Worlds to NFTs.” Watch it on WiT’s Webinar archive HERE.

How Your Company Can Increase Mental Health Support in the Workplace During the pandemic, women faced an unprecedented mental health crisis, leading to a  mass exodus of women from jobs across multiple industries. But it wasn’t just the pandemic — as WiT President and Head of Global Licensing at American Greetings Entertainment Janice Ross said, “… even before COVID hit, women in the workplace have always faced specific challenges around mental health.” And often, organizations are not set up to support women and their mental health. According to the 2020 National Institute of Mental Health survey, nearly one in five adults in the US live with a mental illness. That’s a whopping 52.9 million people, not accounting for the statistical inaccuracies contributing to people not wishing to disclose their mental health issues due to the stigma. The prevalence of mental illness is higher among women at 25.3%, versus men at 15.8%. Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and are more likely to battle eating disorders. Some of this can be attributed to women facing pay inequity, having a higher share of caregiver responsibilities, and gender-based violence. In addition, issues with infertility, menopause, and postpartum depression can increase the chances of mental health issues among women. With so much pressure on the modern woman, it’s no wonder that mental health issues have become rampant. Still, as a business owner or leader, you can help support the women in your workplace through some of these steps outlined by the WiT Webinar series: Supporting Mental Health & Wellness For Women in the Workforce. Make mental health a top priority at work. It can be as simple as making sure your employees know they have access to resources such as literature on healthy habits and lifestyles, counseling, and support programs. Stress the confidentiality aspect of therapy and support programs to make employees comfortable enough to come forward and avoid the stigma of seeking help or the fear of their sessions becoming weaponized in the workplace. Even something simple as changing the terminology of “sick day” to “wellness day” to cover all reasons a person may need a day off will help create a more inclusive and healthy work environment. As Janice Ross pointed out in the webinar, “…employees need and expect sustainable and mentally healthy workplaces, which requires taking on the real work of culture change.” Reintroducing the human connection to remote work. One of the most significant difficulties of working from home has been the lack of support that we have become dependent on in the workplace, whether it be simple coffee check-ins with colleagues or more intimate conversations over lunch. Without these necessary interactions, it’s easy to feel isolated and alone, aggravating already present mental health issues. It’s important to check in on your employees — take time at the beginning of meetings to go around and ask how everyone is doing or share what they did over the weekend. These seemingly trivial moments help bridge the missing emotional proximity from our usual office routines. Another healthy way to reinstate the human connection is to create monthly employee events to come together and regain that sense of community lost in remote work. This can be done over Zoom, like a game night, book club, or craft-specific meetings. Alternatively, you can host an outdoor event to allow employees to gather safely, like a picnic or day in the park. Focus on promoting a healthy work/life balance. Before the days of remote work, many of us  had a dedicated routine for getting ready to leave the house, which created a  physical separation between  work and home life. In the modern workplace, the lines between the two bleed into one another, which can lead to employees feeling frustrated and burned out. Encourage your employees to schedule small breaks throughout the workday to help themrecenter and refocus their energy. One idea is to introduce mindful minutes, where everyone takes a few minutes a day to meditate and reflect on their personal goals. You could also introduce your office to chair yoga to reduce stress and improve focus, or even dedicate a few daily minutes to a dance party to boost morale. Mentorship and modeling healthy practices. Ultimately, humans are creatures of habit, and we tend to mirror behaviors around us. Suppose employees see unhealthy coping mechanisms or our coworkers and higher-ups putting aside their own needs in favor of deadlines. In that case, they will most likely emulate this and ignore their mental wellbeing or assume it’s expected by the company to put work first at all costs. Provide courses or opportunities for managers to learn how to support staff living with mental health issues.  Remember:one-size-fits-all approaches are never effective. Start a one-on-one mentorship program that can meet once a month to bring back the human connection we are missing working remotely; this allows higher-ups to have a more intimate view of their employees’ lives and wellness. With remote work, it’s much easier to sweep the subtle signals of a person struggling under the rug. Those office chats during coffee breaks or around the water cooler not only provided connection — they also allowed people to see if their colleagues  needed more support or assistance at work. Now, more than ever, educating staff about mental health resources is critical to avoid burnout and other mental health complications. Companies that invest in the mental health of their employees through open dialogue can create a supportive and inclusive workplace where all people will enjoy working.

The Power of TikTok: Making Products Go Viral While many of us may be familiar with TikTok because of its viral dance videos and challenges, it has quickly become one of the leading social media platforms for sales. TikTok was originally launched in China as “Douyin,” and entered the U.S. market in 2017 under the name TikTok, where it quickly grew in popularity with the teen market. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, TikTok experienced unprecedented growth, and was the number-one most downloaded app of 2021. Compared to Instagram, it took TikTok only four years to reach the same level of users that took Instagram 9 years to reach. According to Custodio, the average time spent per user on TikTok is now higher than on YouTube in the U.S. and U.K., with “90% of TikTok users visiting the app more than once per day.” While still most attractive to Gen Z audiences, over 40% of TikTok users are over 30, and brands are recognizing the power of harnessing such an active social media platform. According to AppAnnie, TikTok is the number-one app for driving consumer spending and in 2022 users spent $2.3 billion dollars on the app, compared to $1.3 billion the year before. The app’s viral hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt showcases the undeniable power of user-generated videos pushing sales to outside platforms. In August 2021, Shopify and TikTok created a new integration of click-to-buy shopping, further increasing the sales potential of the app and creating a retail “infinite loop.” A user could potentially see a product, make a purchase, and then post videos about their purchase, offering feedback and spreading awareness to their own friends and family. Following a purchase, one in four users has made a post about their new product, and one in five has made a tutorial video. Several brands and small businesses have gone viral through TikTok’s natural algorithm regardless of their social media following, which is a unique feature of the app. While this may seem like a blessing, small businesses are dealing with the backlash of frustrated customers as they are unable to keep up with the enormous increase in demand. Small businesses can use TikTok’s interest-based algorithm to get their product in front of their target audience as the algorithm identifies the viewers’ interests and puts specific videos into their feed. One success story of utilizing the power of TikTok for toy sales is the product Blinger by Wicked Cool Toys. Angie Cella, the inventor of Blinger, spent years trying to get her product in stores and launched globally after a successful WiT Empowerment Day pitch. Blinger worked with TikTok influencer Jasmine Gonzalez in a video where Gonzalez decorates her brothers’ shoes with the Blinger kit. The video, which shows how happy her brother was with his newly decorated shoes, went viral and garnered over 1.3 million views. As with most TikTok campaigns, the video wasn’t a sales pitch — it was a lighthearted video showcasing the product, focusing on a genuine reaction to receiving the product. To add to their TikTok success, Blinger focused on organic growth and high engagement with their audience, promoting user-generated content that was genuine and led to other users buying the product. Another success story of #toytok has been WowWee’s Got2Glow Fairies, boasting over 37,000 followers to their channel on TikTok. Early on, WowWee realized the wide audience they captured with viral TikTok videos, causing surges in toy sales and creating unique touchpoints for customers and retailers alike. Sydney Wiseman, WowWee’s VP of brand development and creative strategy, attributes their wild success on TikTok to understanding the audience and creating engaging content by closely monitoring trends, eventually creating a marketing department solely focused on TikTok engagement. While these are larger companies that have found success with TikTok, even small businesses can utilize a similar approach to capture the unparalleled organic growth from the popular platform. In contrast to Instagram, TikTok has a greater focus on unfiltered and unposed content — the audience prefers videos shot on phones, as it portrays authenticity. Anything too polished content-wise can seem like an ad, and will not be as successful on the platform. Users look for genuine reactions, unscripted videos, and a more personalized flair. Reaction videos, unboxing videos, and behind-the-scenes are popular styles of video that can showcase your personality and product in the more personable way that TikTok has become known for. Finally, the fastest way to go viral on TikTok is by partnering with an influencer who genuinely believes in your product. You can utilize an influencer-first ad campaign as a jumping-off point to collaborate with the community and start a hashtag challenge that will generate more user content that promotes your brand. When shopping around for an influencer, look for someone who is active on the platform and aware of shifting trends, as the TikTok algorithm is fickle and ever-evolving. Choose an influencer who aligns with your values and brand views. And most importantly, ensure that this person will genuinely enjoy your product — authenticity is key to creating a viral marketing campaign on TikTok. TikTok is a necessary marketing tool in today’s world, regardless of age and what industry you’re in. There is a high return on investment for toy marketing with the platform’s younger audience. It’s not too late to orient yourself on the app and create organic sales growth for your brand through these tips.

5 Tips to Get Your Digital Product Pitch Sold In an increasingly remote world, digital product pitches have risen to prominence as an effective method to sell your idea to retailers, agents, and manufacturers alike. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or an inventor, it can be an intimidating process to pitch your product, especially remotely. In the WiT Webinar “How To Create Digital Product Pitches That Sell,” Azhelle Wade, founder of The Toy Coach, outlined the best practices of digital product pitching that will help you feel more confident about your pitch and get your products sold. Read on to learn the key takeaways that will make your next remote pitch successful. Choose a format that will be most relevant to your audience. A digital product pitch essentially tells the story of your product concisely and sells your product to whoever you are pitching to. Two popular formats include the one-sheet and the PowerPoint presentation. While both are affordable and fast options to get your information across to the viewer, there are differences you should consider. A one-sheet is more general, so you can send them to multiple retailers or manufacturers to give them a taste of what your product is all about and the preliminary information needed to consider taking on your product. A PowerPoint presentation goes into more depth than a one-sheet and can provide an opportunity to tell a complete story of your brand and the development process behind your product. In addition, a PowerPoint can include wholesale information, packaging and display details, as well as your vision for the future of the brand. Up the visual appeal of your pitch with solid branding and distinct logos. A one-sheet, in particular, requires a strong visual appeal to convey your product information and brand. To elevate your pitch, have your logo clearly visible, and if you’re using additional elements, match the style to the logo to make your pitch look more refined. To remain consistent, think about your target audience and what would appeal to them — what visuals can enhance the pitch without taking away from your product. Create a clear product description that explains what you’re pitching. This description should include what your product is, who will want this product, and what the customer is getting for the retail price. If your product comes in multiple parts or needs assembly, break down the specifics of what is included. You can also explain how the product will be used by your consumers or suggest ways to interact with the product. Include appealing lifestyle photos for your target market and the product image. Lifestyle photos must align with your brand identity and, ideally, show your market and how they will interact with your product. When a buyer is looking at your lifestyle images, you want them to imagine which of their customers will gravitate towards this merchandise. Incorporate packaging specifications and case pack information. If a buyer is interested in your product, they need to be able to visualize selling it in their stores, and they will consider the packaging size in relation to shipments and storage. Provide accurate package sizing so buyers can come up with projections of whether or not this item will fit well within their stores. The case pack information does not need to be as detailed as the packing, as buyers often change these to their specifications. While it can be nerve-wracking to pitch the inventions or designs you’ve worked so hard on, digital product pitches are a powerful way to promote your products remotely to agents, manufacturers, and retailers. As Azhelle said in the webinar, “…sometimes we fall so in love with our product, that we forget that we have to sell it.” But keeping in mind these tips will help ensure your success. This blog is inspired by WiT Webinar ‘How To Create Digital Product Pitches That Sell.’ Watch it on WiT’s Webinar archive HERE.

According to a study done by the non-profit organization Catalyst, women are far more likely than men to feel overlooked in virtual meetings. Forty-five percent of women business leaders say it’s difficult for women to speak in virtual meetings, and 42% of their male business leaders agree. With the modern workplace transitioning to a fully remote or hybrid environment, concise and assertive communication is more critical than ever, not just for advancing your career but also for bolstering your self-esteem. In the WiT Webinar “Speak up, Be Heard,” Melody Wilding covers the three essential pillars of assertive communication and dissects the bad habits that may be holding you back. Read on to learn tangible techniques for strengthening your written and verbal communication across various professional contexts. The first pillar of speaking up more powerfully and assertively is being proactive and taking the initiative. The overwhelming majority of people who hesitantly talk in meetings do so because they do not feel comfortable speaking in front of others or are afraid of judgment. To eliminate this fear, try to get to know your colleagues and counterparts outside of meetings through coffee chats. Having a better relationship with your coworkers will ease the burden of sharing your thoughts in meetings and allow you to communicate more effectively. Another important aspect of being proactive with your communication is making sure that your message is concise and tailored to your audience. Focus on the essentials, and if you have time in advance, create a pre-read document that covers essential background information or context on the topic to avoid rambling or going off-topic. A lousy communication habit to break is using speech qualifiers to diminish yourself or your knowledge on a topic. The biggest culprit is the overuse of the word “just” in our speech patterns. For example, “I’m just checking in” gives off hesitance and a lack of confidence. Instead, say “I’m checking in on this,” or an even more assertive variation would be “I’d like an update by the end of the week.” A common phrase over-exhausted by women is “sorry.” Rather than diminishing yourself by apologizing, turn the apology into a “thank you.” “I’m sorry for the delay” becomes “thank you for waiting,” or “I’m sorry for the typo” becomes “Thanks for catching that mistake, I’ll make that change.” For written communication, emails should not be longer than five lines or five paragraphs; otherwise, it should be a call or a meeting. Ensure the email is easily scannable with plenty of spacing and paragraph breaks to make it more digestible. The second pillar of solid communication is what you say or the actual content of your message. Draw people’s attention to critical points by flagging statements, such as “it all boils down to” or “the heart of the matter.” Another valuable trick for effective communication is using bridging phrases to transition from topics you are unsure about to territory you are confident in. An example of steering the conversation this way is “I can’t speak to X, but what I can say is Y.” An unfortunate reality for women in the workplace is the frequency we are interrupted by our male colleagues.However, there are ways you can mitigate these interruptions and still get your message across. One such way is circling back to the topic or idea you presented by requesting feedback so that you can avoid someone else taking credit for your opinion. Another option is employing the “broken record” technique. If you are interrupted, repeat “I’m speaking” or “I was saying” when restarting your train of thought. A final approach to avoiding interruptions is the “pass the baton approach.” Review the meeting agenda in advance and find a place you wish to contribute. Contact the meeting organizer to let them know that’s where you’d like to interject. It allows the speaker to give you the floor and provides greater credibility to what you have to say. The last pillar of concise communication is delivery, which encompasses presentation, body language and even your speech patterns. Women tend to inflect at the end of sentences, or “uptalk,” which can make you perceived as less competent or knowledgeable on a topic and causes listeners to question your credibility. Recruit a trusted colleague or boss to give feedback on how you present yourself to avoid making this mistake. Presentation on camera also plays a huge role in succeeding in today’s professional world. Take calls standing, if possible, and take up space, both figuratively and literally, as it shows greater confidence. Position your camera, so your upper chest and head are visible; avoid having the camera cut off your head. Avoid shadows or being backlit on video calls, and ideally, take calls in front of a window, as harsh artificial lighting can distract from your message. While naturally, we look at our colleague’s faces on camera when speaking, practice looking directly into the camera. A way to make this easier is by placing a sticky note with a smiley face above your camera and looking at that instead of your screen. Doing this will help you focus less on people’s reactions and more on your communication points. Turning off self-view mode can also make it easier to project your most confident self. Whether you’re advocating for your ideas in a meeting or asking for a raise, it is necessary to learn how to be heard and stand your ground with tact to succeed in today’s professional world.

According to a study from Edelman Earned Brand, almost two-thirds of consumers will buy from — or boycott — a brand due to its stances on social or political issues. With such a surge of buyers supporting inclusive businesses, more and more companies are working to become more inclusive. Yet, there’s a fine line between performative allyship and truly making a workplace or organization more inclusive for all… If you’re a business owner working to create a more inclusive company, or an employee looking to become a better ally to your colleagues, read on for some top tips from our Allies in Action Roundtable, featuring Bisma Ansari, Dion Vlachos, Sara Rosales, Sascha King, Steven Wolfe-Pereira, and Terri-Nichelle Bradley. First and foremost, to be a proper ally as a business owner, you need to create a diverse environment through inclusive hiring practices. That means working with your talent acquisition team to prioritize conscious and inclusive hiring and checking their unconscious biases. Hiring leaders, and the organization as a whole, must advocate for candidates throughout the process, and be open-minded to interviewing people from all backgrounds. There’s a tendency to look for talent with similar social circles, hobbies or education to current and past employees, which limits the acquisition of qualified candidates who may come from marginalized populations or less traditional work fields. Blind resume-screening — removing names, genders, and other affiliations — can reduce the role of bias during the interview and hiring process, and attract a greater variety of candidates. The people you hire as a business owner reflect the values of your company, and ultimately can influence whether consumers will be willing to buy your product. Another aspect of having a diverse team is including a wide range of people in management positions and senior roles. Promoting diversity from within is crucial to creating a work environment that is inclusive to marginalized groups and discourages discrimination. Furthermore, having higher-ups that are part of an underrepresented group will encourage a broader range of candidates to apply for open positions, as it signals your business is a supportive workplace. There is strong evidence that diversity in the workplace can unlock innovation and drive market growth by establishing a culture in which all employees feel free to contribute ideas, and diversity in leadership positions is one of the easiest ways to create such an inclusive environment. Without diverse leadership, women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ individuals are less likely to win endorsement for their ideas. This costs their companies crucial market opportunities because diverse contributors understand the unmet needs in under-served markets. Hiring candidates from underrepresented backgrounds is just one part of being an ally. Maintaining a safe and inclusive environment that can retain such talent is the second part. Employee resource groups (ERGs) are an essential resource that benefits not only marginalized groups, but the whole company. ERGs help provide necessary mentorship opportunities, as well as tools and education that employees need to be great allies and change the company culture. What differentiates good allyship from performative allyship is knowledge and empathy. Education on socio-political issues, inclusion, and anti-discrimination helps foster empathy in employees and gives them solutions to a variety of workplace situations. When workplaces are more equitable, employees of all backgrounds and identities are happier and more committed to their jobs. As Sascha King said in the Allies in Action Roundtable “[Being an ally is] having conversations that are uncomfortable. It’s knowing when to shut up. It’s knowing when to speak up when required for somebody else on their behalf if it’s needed.” Allyship is really about raising your voice with empathy, using your privilege to help others who don’t have that same luxury, and calling out problematic behaviors. If you’re running a meeting and notice that a small percentage of people are taking the majority of the time talking, set timers to allow each person to have equal time to speak. Some of the most powerful allyship actions can be the ones done behind closed doors, like recommending a colleague from an underrepresented background for a promotion, or leadership having meetings with employees and accepting feedback. Becoming a better ally can seem like a daunting task with so many nuances to take into consideration, but imperfect action is better than no action at all. As long as you move forward with empathy and a willingness to have open conversations, you can achieve a progressive work environment that is inclusive to people from all walks of life. This blog is inspired by WiT Webinar ‘Allies in Action Roundtable’. Watch it on WiT’s Webinar archive HERE.

Although the conversation around mental health has become more widespread in recent years, we still live in a world where mental illness and its treatments are stigmatized. It can be hard to ask for help when you’re in need. It can be even harder when you fear the judgment of others. Even when individuals are able to overcome the barrier that stigma creates when it comes to mental health, asking for help is only the first step. To really make progress, individuals must have the emotional skills to first understand how they’re feeling, and then how to address the challenges they face. As a psychotherapy professional, I have found that this is easier said than done. Emotional skills are actually developed in early childhood, and although they can also be learned later in life, helping patients unlearn any negative relationship they have with feeling or expressing emotions can be a challenge. That’s why the toys, media, and experiences we create for our children are so important, and why it’s imperative that we steer away from gendered play. Think about it: Boys are often guided towards active play culture, while girls are encouraged to play with dolls or other toys that foster empathy and emotional intelligence. Having the opportunity to gain those skills at a young age strengthens a child’s ability to recognize their emotions as they grow into adulthood. In fact, research shows that while both men and women experience mental illness at similar rates, men are far less likely to seek mental health treatment than women. The stigma surrounding mental health is a major contributor to this, but so is the stereotype that men should suppress their emotions in order to be seen as “masculine.” In my own work, I have found that my male clients often have a much higher threshold for accessing different types of support services. Often, they only seek help when the problem they’re facing is already interfering with their lives in a holistic way. It is often easier for them to present me with a concrete problem as the reason for an appointment, rather than discuss their mental health as a whole. This can leave men to struggle with the negative feelings generated by their problems without adequate support, which puts them at greater risk of social exclusion. It is only once we have tackled their initial challenge together and created an atmosphere of trust that the client opens up and begins to discuss other issues they may be facing. Even once we create that trusting relationship, it can be hard to create an environment when my male clients feel comfortable being honest about their emotions. When I ask a male client directly about his feelings, the confusion that this question evokes in him is often palpable. Differences in emotional skills between men and women have been extensively documented. But despite these differences, we must remember that emotions are, and should be, a part of everyone’s lives, regardless of gender. We must encourage our children, inclusive of all genders, to feel and express their emotions from a young age. But we must also put the systems into place now to support them as they work through the mental health challenges they face. When designing and implementing support services, it’s important to take a gender-sensitive approach into account, and to innovatively develop new ways of approaching these issues

According to the 2020 CGS US Consumer Sustainability Survey, 73% of consumers say that sustainability factors into their buying decisions. Many toy companies are attempting to capture this segment of consumers – and do right by our planet – by designing more eco-friendly packaging, as single-use packaging is one of the largest contributors to purchase waste. However, developing eco-friendly packaging, or true zero-waste packaging, as an independent designer or small company can be a daunting task. So as part of sustainability month, we want to share some do’s and don’ts of decreasing your packaging’s footprint, inspired by the “Less is More: Creative Solutions for Sustainable Packaging” WiT Webinar by Kristin Bautel. Kristin is the Art Director at Epoch Everlasting Play, and has been a leading sustainable packaging designer for over 15 years. Keep on reading for the complete list of takeaways from the webinar or click HERE to watch the video. Don’t rely heavily on plastics in your packaging. If plastics end-up in nature, they don’t biodegrade, causing harm to wildlife. Sadly this happens to 19% of plastic worldwide, according to a McKinsey report on packaging sustainability. Only 16% of plastic gets recycled. The majority goes to incineration (25%) or landfill (40%), with 7 billion of the 9.2 billion tons of plastics produced from 1950-2017 ending up that way. And while already-recycled plastic does seem a more sustainable packaging option – using-up waste and boasting a much lower carbon footprint than new plastic – given the above statistics, we must be mindful of where it will end-up after its short lifetime. Do consider ways to reduce plastics by using old-fashioned cardboard and paper – or new alternatives, such as bio-PET – instead. Bio-PET is a bioplastic made from agricultural waste. Being made from plants makes it renewable and carbon-neutral (in contrast to petro-PET). And bio-PET is a “drop-in” bioplastic, molecularly identical to petro-PET and so can be recycled along with it – bio-PET does not require special recycling facilities. Don’t use packaging that combines different materials together. Oftentimes, separating the different materials for recycling is too difficult or time-consuming, so the whole package goes to general waste instead. Do try to design a solely foldable dieline that requires no additional materials, and thus can be easily recycled. There are many resources available online for clever solely foldable dielines, or you can even try taking apart other products’ packaging to find new dielines to use. Don’t use blister packs or additional packaging, such as plastic twist ties. These additional materials end up in landfills and only bring further frustration to the consumers opening the package. Do use a snug-fitting box for your products to have a better product to packaging ratio. Another new trend is designing packaging that can be used as part of the product, or can be reused with a separate purpose, such as a playmat. It allows all parts of the packaging to be reused, and ideally also eventually recycled. Don’t use UV coating – the really glossy coating common on cardboard packaging. It’s plastic, so has a high carbon footprint, doesn’t decompose if it ends-up in nature, and composite materials (like cardboard bonded to UV plastic coating) are hard to recycle. Do ask your trusted printers if they offer acquiesced coatings, which are water-based rather than plastic-based, allowing them to decompose and be recycled more easily than UV coating. Don’t use traditional petroleum-based inks, which contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are released when these inks dry. The EPA says they are bad for our health and contribute to smog. Do use plant-based inks, such as soy, which contain a lot less VOCs than petroleum-based inks, and have a lower carbon footprint. As an industry, we must be more aggressive in our approach to addressing sustainable packaging, not just to meet consumer expectations, but to protect our planet. Although it can be intimidating to know where to start, we hope these tips give you some knowledge and inspiration to move forward. This blog is inspired by Kristin Bautel’s WiT Webinar ‘Less is More: Creative Solutions for Sustainable Packaging’. Watch the webinar on WiT’s Webinar archive HERE.

As members of the toys, licensing, and entertainment industries, we have a big opportunity with the products and media we create to protect our climate, our planet, and our children’s safe futures. But we’re not there yet, and it can be challenging to know how to even get started. How can you design a sustainable toy? How can the content you create engage kids and their families on topics like sustainability? And how can you encourage your colleagues to be part of the change? If you have a lot of questions about sustainability — we hear you. The good news is, our community is filled with tons of brilliant people who have the answers, ideas, and energy we need to move the needle on sustainability. WiT’s new Sustainability Learning Community will be a place to ask these questions, find answers, and create change, together — not with “expert presents” webinars, but as a community where we give and take and work together to figure it all out. We’re so excited to bring this community to life at WiT. But it would not have been possible without the help of its co-chairs, Paola Dyboski, Owner and Managing Director of Dr Zigs and Sharon Keilthy, Founder and CEO of Jiminy Eco Toys…so let’s start by meeting them. Tell us a bit about yourselves and your WiT journey. Sharon: It was 2018, and I wanted a nice, plastic-free, locally-made toy for my daughter’s fourth birthday — but I couldn’t find one! I later learned that the toy industry is the world’s most plastic-intensive industry. In fact, we’d have to plant 1 billion trees to absorb all of the CO2 released while making plastic toys. Then, after reading the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, I redefined myself as an environmental activist. It felt like there was nothing more urgent and important I could be doing. So I put the two together and created Jiminy Eco Toys — the world’s first eco-activist toy company. Jiminy exists to inspire a playfully sustainable world for us all – to make “sustainable” the new normal for toys. It wasn’t until 2021 that someone told me about WiT. I joined 30 minutes later, and my life was instantly enhanced! WiT is so well-organized and such a helpful community to be part of! Paola: My background is in Marine Conservation, studying cetaceans — whales and dolphins. Before that, I was a professional sailor, and I grew up on the Ligurian coast in Italy. I am passionate about nature. When I was about seven years old, there was a huge sewage spill on my area of pristine coastline. The water — our environment — was suddenly not safe, and it took years for it to recover. I think that’s when I became an environmental activist. Then in my twenties I sailed the Atlantic. And there, in the stunning beauty of the wild open ocean, between sightings of Sperm Whale – I first saw drifts of plastic, and I really began to question our impact on the earth. I’m also the child of a Polish refugee, and that has marked my life. I’m passionate about justice and human rights, and to this day, I work with refugees, including, increasingly, climate refugees. When my youngest son, Ziggy, was a toddler, he fell in love with bubbles. He’d get those crazy contagious giggles every time he saw them. So I made more and bigger bubbles until it became too good not to share. That’s how my company, Dr Zigs, and our line of eco bubble toys, was born. It was pretty obvious then that every bubble toy on the shelf was cheap, low quality, plastic and mostly made in China. So I thought I could re-invent these for the 21st century. I worked to redesign and reinvent what I found. I went from selling what I made at my kitchen table out of the boot of my car, to local markets, then larger festivals, then pop-up shops, then a retail outlet — and now, our Dr Zigs Bubble toys are available in 18 different countries worldwide. From the very beginning I based Dr Zigs around the principles of sustainability — from ingredients, to materials, to calculating our carbon miles. And at the heart of Dr Zigs is our “Bubbles Not Bombs” program. We work with refugees and with kids who need bubbles around the world. Our bubbles have been sent to children in Chernobyl, Kenya, Delhi, and just this week, they arrived at a refugee camp in Lebanon and in Lviv, Ukraine for kids arriving there every day, tired and traumatized. I came across WiT when I was exhibiting at the Spielwarenmesse, the Toy Fair in Nuremberg in 2018. It was pre-COVID, so I actually managed to meet some of our wonderful members “in 3D,” as my son now says. I was really thrilled to find this group and to find such friendly, supportive allies in this world of toys. I have been blown away by the opportunity and support this group gives — including the ability to suggest the idea for the Sustainability Learning Community. And wow, here we are! Sustainability as a term has become a bit mainstream and it is sometimes used interchangeably with a variety of meanings. In your own words, how would you define sustainability and why is it important in the design and development of consumer products? Paola: Sustainability for me means that it has to last into the future without damage to our present. Including people and the physical world around us. And while the concept of Sustainability is huge and global, meaning our planet and our resources, I like to take this down to the every day and personal level. When I set up Dr Zigs, for example, it had to be sustainable for me and my family. I have three kids, one of whom is autistic. That meant slower growth for the company, traveling less, etc. Dr Zigs also HAD to be sustainable in terms of the environment, of course. Sourcing locally when appropriate, harvesting water, and offering £3 off refills for our customers — we did these things from the very beginning when I started the business 10 years ago. On a daily level, sustainability also means carsharing to work, or living close enough to cycle or walk. It means counting the tons of waste we recycle. It means we plant bee-friendly plants outside our factory. And it means becoming detectives to hunt down the origin of every component and ingredient in our product line. I also work with a global group of women tackling the issue of microplastics in our oceans. Plastic is a huge issue worldwide. Sustainability here looks like closing the loop on refuse in the system. That’s why we created our “For Hire” range. And for me, from the micro to the macro, from local to global, sustainability includes education and information — empowering people, and kids especially, to BE THE CHANGE. What is WiT’s Sustainability Learning Community and what inspired you to bring it to life? Sharon: It’s a learning community for people curious about sustainability in toys, licensing and entertainment! A welcoming space to ask any question at all, and to offer what you do know. When I speak with toy industry people about toy sustainability, I see that people really want to do better, but often don’t know how. Which materials are sustainable and workable? Is the toy or packaging more important? Which has a bigger effect — choice of material or transport distance? I also see cool things happening in products — recycled plastics, design for repair, mainstream pre-loved retail like Zalando and toy libraries. It’s very clear that our industry, like every other industry, needs to urgently reach net-zero emissions. So it’s a no-brainer to bring everyone together to swap what they know, to energize each other about this change, and help each other make it happen. What is your vision for this chapter, and what are some of the objectives you want to achieve? Paola: Originally, my vision was to have a forum — a place of exchange, discussion, and sharing. A place where we can come together and share the challenges, share the knowledge, share the questions, and share the solutions. But increasingly, I also think this learning community needs to be a place that helps people feel empowered. The vision and objectives will actually be formed by the members themselves. I am just a small company making (the best, obviously) eco bubble toys, but I love working with others. I love the way WiT brings us together, whether we work for multinationals or as self-employed inventors. It breaks down barriers and allows space for communication. So if we focus on a topic as large and as broad as Sustainability — imagine the conversations, questions, and solutions that we can come up with together! Imagine if as an industry, we all demanded that plastic was post-consumer, or made of ocean waste. Imagine if we created that demand. Imagine if we can change the whole industry. That may be ambitious, but there is so much that we can do together. I’m excited to have a space where we can ask questions without feeling stupid. How do you calculate your carbon footprint? How many of us are aiming for net-zero? How sustainable IS bioplastic really? I’m excited to have a space where, by working together, we start to feel like we really can bring about change. What would you say are meaningful steps towards sustainability you have seen companies take over the last few years? Sharon: LEGO’s 2030 Sustainability Plan is very impressive and exciting. It’s holistic — it’s not just packaging, renewable electricity, or a few pilot products. They’re looking at product and packaging across their entire range! It’s great to see the other toy makers (big and small) experimenting and learning with bioplastic, recycled plastic, less packaging, localizing production, renewable energy, etc. In your opinion, what is the role the Toy, Licensing and Entertainment industries play in creating a more sustainable future? Paola: Well, we’re all in this because of the kids aren’t we? This is all about their future — a future where not only will they have to learn to do better than us, but one in which they will have to learn to be mighty resilient and resourceful. The tools we can give them now, through play, learning, and entertainment, will be invaluable as they grow up. As an industry, what we do best is inspire, enable, and create opportunities for role play, skill development, problem solving, and, of course, laughter. We are there for the early years, those crucial learning moments. It’s so important that these are filled with items, games, and toys that are right for them and that they, and their parents, can feel good about. How are the advancement of women, inclusivity and equality, and the future of sustainability connected? Sharon: If women are roughly half the talent, then excluding them deprives our world of half the good ideas and half the energy. The same goes for any other group. Our world has some major changes to make, and we need the best ideas and effort from everyone. Moreover, sometimes a problem is best solved by someone looking at it from the outside. So in a way, the people who’ve not created the current challenges may have the best ideas to solve them. I’m sure we’re all on board with diversity, inclusion, and equality just from a values point of view. But there’s also a really strong business case for it — businesses with more diverse boards perform better (research by McKinsey & Co). What three things would you advise companies in the Toy, Licensing and Entertainment industries change in their journey towards more sustainable operations? Sharon: Here are three things to keep in mind about sustainability: The change to sustainable isn’t optional. It’s not a trend. It’s not a niche market segment. It’s a must-do for every company. Once we accept that, we’ll get there much more quickly! Think about your products by weight (as a measure of impact). What percent of the toy’s weight is its packaging? If the answer is 1%, why start with that? The bigger impact will be the 99% by weight (the toy itself!) Recycled plastic is an exciting opportunity. So little plastic waste gets recycled at all. Globally, most gets entirely wasted — incinerated, landfilled, or left out in nature. The more we seek recycled plastic, the more people will figure out ways to recycle it. There are challenges with finding suppliers and with safety-certification, but I feel we can find ways to overcome these, especially if we act together. Any upcoming milestones / events our community should be on the lookout for? Paola: My new Plant-Based Bubble Mix, made of sustainably sourced ingredients that are fully biodegradable, vegan, and utterly awesome. Oh, and they make the biggest, bestest, most colorful bubbles in the world. Apart from that? Earth Day, and the launch of the WiT Sustainability Learning Community, of course! — WiT’s new Learning Communities are shared spaces where members can exchange ideas, ask questions, discuss challenges, and explore solutions. This is a community-led initiative where everyone is welcome and every question is valid. The Sustainability Learning Community is just the first of many that we’ll launch soon, stay tuned! Have a topic idea for a Learning Community? Contact us at info@womenintoys.com.