beginnings
how I got started | I had studied sculpting in college but then
took an eight-year break from art. Four years ago I decided to follow my
dream of being a toymaker. I borrowed money from my parents and spent
eight months learning how to make the sculptures, an art medium where I
could meld my love of pop-culture and history. My first line, dubbed
"The Oddfellows" represented historic icons from the world of art,
politics, science and literature in the form of 3" vinyl figures. While I
was able to stay afloat, it wasn't until I created the Obama figures
that I rose to the top-tier of toy manufacturers.
inspiration
why this job?| It's what I do- I'm a sculptor.
love
why I love this job!| It gives me the opportunity to run an
entire business. I love having my hands in every aspect: focusing on one
role all the time is monotonous to me. I go from designing toys to
selling them to setting up a website. It's tremendously fun-I get to
work with fascinating people. And it allows me to be geographically
anywhere at any time and still do my work.
work
my typical day| I work from home. I start about 7:30 and don't
really stop until about 8PM. I take little breaks throughout the day.
About 75% of my time is spent in e-mail conversations, and the rest of
the time I'm sculpting and drawing.
challenges
what they are | There are many, big and small. The business is
cyclical, so sometimes the challenge is how to sell all the inventory,
while other times it's how to meet the demand. Now, the challenge is how
to follow through with another big hit.
upside
all about growth | The potential for growth is pretty huge. The
toy market has been undercut by video games. The one growing segment is
for adults, 18-40 years old, people who used to collect action figures
when they were kids and now do it for nostalgia.
More Info
|
