Kids toys - selling a product

[steamedhams]

I have been into making kids toys for a while and I am planning to take it to the next level.

Has anyone got an idea what it takes to release such a product??
Where does one even begin before releasing a product??

I don't want to be sued for safety issues or copying someones idea.

Start up groups have approached me to join their program but I am not really into the start up culture.
I just have an idea and I want to make it happen the easiest way possible without all the fluff.
I have listened to Jeri Ellsworth talk about her company I really don't want to go down that road...

[bjbb]

Start with Toy Safety Directive, then read the Low Voltage and RED Directives, then finally look at the RoHS and General Product safety Directives.

For each directive, there will be a tabulation of harmonized standards, among which you must find the scope statements that are applicable to your product.

I am not a lawyer, so cannot offer any useful advice on intellectual property, copyright, patent, or trademark mitigation issues.

Start-up 'culture' sucks, at least in North America. Much risk, poor ethics, and difficult financing make North America in general, and the U.S. in particular, a messy and wonderful and awful environment for start-ups.

[Bud]

Try appearing on you local Dragon's Den or Shark's Tank  tv show, if your country has one. If one of the investors is interested they can do everything for you.

[Scrts]

I have been into making kids toys for a while and I am planning to take it to the next level.

Are you going to do this all by yourself?

Try appearing on you local Dragon's Den or Shark's Tank  tv show, if your country has one. If one of the investors is interested they can do everything for you.

First of all, 3 rules from a shark:

Very difficult with #2 if you do it alone...

[steamedhams]

sure, why not?

All the risk, means all the reward.

I have people around and family that are all successful in business which can guide me.
Getting the money together is just a question of time and saving like crazy.

A guy from my school was on this show to sell coconut bowls on Instagram. Totally worked out it seemed.

[steamedhams]

I thought North America was fully of tech start ups... I'm surprised

[esepecesito]

Try appearing on you local Dragon's Den or Shark's Tank  tv show, if your country has one. If one of the investors is interested they can do everything for you.

I think going there is good to get publicity, and maybe get somebody interesting to invest. But not the clowns of the show. They always ask:
1) How much does it cost to manufacture a unit
2) How much can you sell it
3) How much did you sell last year
Then they just to (#2-#1)*#3 and offer 10% of that. They call themselves investors... yeah... sure...
If you investigate you will see most of the deals closed live, fall apart later of-camera.

[SiliconWizard]

First thing will be, as bjbb said, figure out what you'll have to comply with. This is significant work.
And don't just stick to directives and standards. Safety for toys is not an option indeed.

You'll also have to figure out:
- Your market. Who are your potential competitors?
- Where you're going to have your toys manufactured.
- How you're going to get initial funding. Do you have enough money of your own? Are family members and friends ready to help? Would you need a bank loan?

I also suggest staying out of the startup ecosystem. For funding, you could consider crowd funding. (Kickstarter, Indiegogo, etc.) The extra benefit of crowd funding is that it gives you early feedback on how much interest there could be in your products.