PAW Patrol Founder: 11 Principles That Built a $2 Billion Empire | Ronnen Harary

Get a FREE breakdown of Ronnen's frameworks in my newsletter: https://bit.ly/4dosm2j Start or grow your own Podcast with me: https://bit.ly/4r1fhSi Ronnen Harary is the co-founder and chairman of Spin Master, the company behind PAW Patrol, Bakugan and the Rubik's Cube. In this episode, he breaks down how a toy company started making its own TV shows, and how that decision built some of the biggest kids' brands in the world. This is a brand-building masterclass. We get into:   • How a 4am drive to Detroit landed a 48,000-unit Kmart order two months in   • Why Spin Master started producing its own TV shows   • The Beyblade deal he passed on and what it taught him   • How Bakugan took sales from $450M to $1B, then back down again   • Why PAW Patrol was born at the lowest point in the company's history Ronnen also shares: • The birthday cake test he uses to spot a hit • How to expand a brand without losing its tone and tenor • Why he turned down a $100M live-action film (and still regrets it) • How he pitches without ever using a PowerPoint • Why Spin Master bought the Rubik's Cube Plus: YouTube vs Netflix, making money from content beyond merch, how fast you can tell a product has failed, no-blame culture, top grading, and building a company that outlives its founders. Follow Ronnen: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronnen-harary-99b13370/ No Experience Necessary (book): https://www.ronnenharary.com/projects/no-experience-necessary Produced by 7xContent: make your own podcast with us: https://www.7xcontent.com/home#apply Follow Callum: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecallummc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callummcdonnell/ Timestamps: 00:00 The toy and TV playbook behind PAW Patrol 01:21 Step one is deciding to bet on yourself 04:20 Spotting a proven product in Israel and bringing it to Canada 06:02 Driving to Detroit and pitching the wrong Kmart buyer 09:30 The 19-year road to PAW Patrol 11:43 Why 26% of toys come from TV and film 12:40 Passing on Beyblade (a $3B miss) 14:35 Bakugan and the $6M bet on a TV show 17:23 Why the toys and the show launch on the same day 18:32 How eight years at MIPCOM opened the door to TV deals 20:05 The lowest point that produced PAW Patrol 22:25 The birthday cake test for a hit 24:40 Storytelling fundamentals for creators and brands 27:16 YouTube, Netflix and why there's no clear path today 30:17 No-blame culture and why doubt kills luck 34:19 Why you can't replicate a hit 36:13 Why Spin Master bought the Rubik's Cube 43:10 Hatchimals and letting go of product development 47:06 Turning down a $100M live-action film 49:24 What makes a great pitch (and the Banana Boy story) 54:43 Top grading and why culture is Spin Master's moat 59:04 Quick-fire questions 1:02:43 Where to find Ronnen + No Experience Necessary