Hardware Podcasts

Melissa & Doug: Melissa And Doug Bernstein

How I Built This · 19 Dec 2016 · 36m

What this episode covers

Melissa and Doug Bernstein, founders of Melissa & Doug, recount building a $350 million toy company by rejecting digital trends in favor of analog wooden toys. They detail their early struggles, including a failed interactive VHS video series and a costly 'Puzzle World' product line that retailers rejected due to poor sell-through. The episode highlights their pivot to tactile puzzles like the 'fuzzy puzzle,' their strategy of direct retail relationships, and their eventual decision to bring in outside investors after 20 years of bootstrapping.

Most relevant to

founders before launch and companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Melissa & Doug, Morgan Stanley, Lights Camera Interaction, U.S. Bank, Crooked Branch Studio
Products
Puzzle World, Fuzzy Puzzle, Thomas the Tank Engine, Brio

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