Today we’d like to introduce you to Suquorey Clarke.
Hi Suquorey, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From Dream to Prince of Plush: Making Plushies That Matter
Have you ever had a dream so crazy it just HAD to be real? That’s what happened to me. One night, this voice booms in my head, telling me to design dolls for little Black girls. Talk about a wake-up call. Here’s the thing. Although I’m a toy collector and Media Art & Animation major, I’ve never designed a toy. I didn’t know anything. But hey, I’m a toy wiz and a total art and animation geek. I knew I could figure it out.
This was around the time of the Freddie Gray incident, and black entrepreneurship was on the rise. At the time, Barbie-type dolls were trending. But I noticed there wasn’t much out there for girls who wanted to be the next genius inventors or IT experts. So, I jumped in, did a ton of research, and started brainstorming a theme that was out-of-this-world. STEM power for the win!
Fast forward, I designed a prototype doll with a cool backstory – a real-life hero ready to inspire young girls. Everything was going great until… well, let’s just say world events put a bit of a delay on things. By the time my amazing dolls arrived, the trends had shifted, and the demand decreased greatly. A very expensive and hard lesson learned.
But this setback only fueled my creativity. I decided to take things in a different direction. Converting a Barbie-type doll into a plush toy has not been an easy task. On the bright side, plushies are more affordable, versatile, and, to be honest, more fun to design. I dove headfirst into the world of plushie design, and Phaedra will be our first Toyz N’Whatnot Geeky Gyrl brand plush. We’ll create all sorts of amazing characters that kids can cuddle and play with, all while celebrating women in STEM and Black excellence!
So yeah, it’s been a wild ride, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. From a dream to prince of plush, this is just the beginning!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
LOL, absolutely not. There’s a lot to navigate when launching a toy company! Here’s a breakdown of some key considerations I’ve encountered:
Staying Trendy: Keeping pace with ever-changing tech and social media trends can be a whirlwind. It’s crucial to stay informed about what interest kids and resonates with parents.
Funding Your Fun: Securing capital to create products in bulk is a hurdle for most startups. Be prepared to explore various financing options to bring your vision to life.
Safe Materials: Use high-quality, flame-retardant fabrics that meet safety standards. Knowing the materials, stuffing should be hypoallergenic and non-toxic. Avoid small, hard components that could detach and be swallowed.
Platform Power: Choosing the right platform to sell your toys is a big decision. Established marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy offer a built-in customer base but come with less control over branding and marketing. Creating your own website allows for complete control but requires building your audience from scratch.
The Etsy Edge: I opted to start with Etsy because of its existing customer base. It provided a valuable platform to test the market and gauge demand for my products. While you sacrifice some control, it’s a fantastic launching pad for new businesses.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
By day I’m a Disaster Recovery Technical Advisor. My job consists of but is not limited to the following:
Assessing IT systems and identifying weaknesses that could be exploited by disasters, both natural (floods, power outages) and man-made (cyberattacks, hardware failures).
Developing a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. This plan outlines procedures for data backup, system restoration, and minimizing downtime in case of a disaster.
Educate employees on the disaster recovery plan from a technology recovery perspective.
Conduct drills and simulations to identify any gaps in the plan and ensure it functions smoothly under pressure. Stay up to date on the latest threats and best practices to keep your company’s defenses strong.
I am most proud of the journey it took to get to this point. From a security associate (security guard) to a Mainframe/NonStop System Administrator (I, II, and Sr) to a Disaster Recovery Technical Advisor without any technical experience. All I needed was a chance. It’s been a long road full of ups and downs, but I’m eternally grateful for the experience. I don’t think anything sets me apart from anyone, if you’re willing to learn and put in the work anything is possible.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
We have introduced Kayla, the Geeky Gyrl Champion.
The face of our STEM brand and President of the Geeky Gyrl Squad. Kayla isn’t just your average spokesperson – she’s a daily dose of motivation and inspiration, serving up fun facts and info about rocking careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. She’ll make learning about STEM super exciting!
We’re also amping up our adorable Plush Like Me line! We still have our Jasmine and Niyah plushies, and they’re adorable. These cuddly friends will come in a variety of skin tones and styles, so every child can find a plushie that looks just like them. In a world where minority representation in toys can be scarce, our Plushie Like Me collection is making a big difference by celebrating diversity and empowering all kids through playtime!
In closing, the road to success is rarely a straight line. There will be bumps, detours, and unexpected turns. But remember, every experience, every challenge, is an opportunity to learn and grow. Embrace the journey and enjoy the ride!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/toyznwhatnot
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toyznwhatnot
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ToyzNWhatnot/
