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Toy Product Development Expertise - when you need it!

​I help toy companies make products safe, profitable, and manufacturable by:

  • ​optimizing manufacturability and manufacturing costs

  • reducing design risks

  • ideally before tooling and production​

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Because the most expensive product-development problems are the ones you discover too late.​

Let me help you develop better products before expen$ive problems happen!

And let's be honest -- sometimes late stage expensive problems are unavoidable, and I can also navigate those tricky situations and help mitigate further risks.

How I can work with you

1

Product Development Review

Is your product ready for the next stage? 

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I will review your product in detail and highlight areas that need to be addressed, monitored, or are ready to go!

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Perfect as a final step before a major milestone, like tooling or pilot production run.

2

Cost & Manufacturing Optimization

Using the cost frameworks and processes I have developed, I will analyze your product at any stage in development and suggest tangible cost savings measures including optimized manufacturing across capital (tooling), design, packaging, and logistics. 

3

Fractional PD Expertise

Experience the benefits of having a product development expert on your team part-time. Flexibility to meet your needs and means.

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Ariel Shostak - Toy Engineer

I have over 15 years of product development experience as a Product Development leader, including engineering and project managing roles for a variety of products for all ages, from babies to adults, including:​

Beat Bugs Musical Submarine toy with toy figures inside

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  • Toys

    • Retail toys sold in big box and specialty stores

    • Promotional toys, including McDonald's Happy Meal Toys

    • Baby toys and gear

    • Licensed collectibles for adult collectors

Super7 Mechagodzilla Super Cyborg action figure with a hand holding a teal chest plate in front of it. There are visible toy wires and computer parts painted in bright orange, teal, blue, and silver that can be seen inside the figure's chest, arms, and legs. The "Godzilla" logo is shown in the top left.
Motorola Micro Charger

  • ​​​Consumer electronics

    • ​Bluetooth and Power accessories for cell phones at a large established company​

    • STEM related toys and products developed by startups and independent inventors

Nailbot

​Additionally, I have training and experience in Design Thinking/ Human-Centered Design, including design research and user experience testing.​

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​I also mentor, teach toy engineering classes, lead workshops in person or remotely, and provide expert witness services. 

Let's discuss how I can help you make better products!

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