The Marmals Method: How to Sell Toys, Test Ideas & Thrive on the Convention Circuit

Episode notes

Why do Comic-Con attendees provide better market research than focus groups, and how can trade shows become your product development laboratory? Building a toy business that sparks imagination while navigating supply chain challenges requires persistence, creativity, and direct customer feedback. In this episode of B2B Breakthrough, host Ciara Cristo chats with Jeff Lawber ( ), the creative force behind Marmals ( ), an adorable modular magnetic toy fostering imaginative play. Jeff shares his path from industrial designer to toy entrepreneur, revealing how he's built lasting relationships with over two dozen suppliers through Alibaba.com while maintaining his vision as a solopreneur. Learn how trade shows became his testing ground for innovation, why direct customer feedback drives product development, and how he weathered tariff challenges through creative problem-solving and domestic innovation.