The global licensing community is powered by an incredible group of professionals whose diverse backgrounds and creative energy drive innovation and excellence. Each week we profile one of these professionals in this ongoing series.
How did you get into licensing (or how did licensing find you)?
We started our business in 2017 as a direct-to-consumer brand and, at the beginning, we focused heavily on cultural-inspired stickers. As a Latina born and raised in Los Angeles, our first sticker collection, which included a taco plate and a concha, helped represent who I was. We launched lots more stickers and, by the end of 2022, we had released more than 900 different sticker designs ranging from food to travel to animals and everything in between. However, when the DTC landscape started changing, we realized we needed to expand our retail footprint. While our own designs were cute and our product was high quality, we were struggling to receive interest from retailers. That is where licensing came in. We understood that our plans to expand our retail footprint would be significantly easier if we added licensed characters to our sticker offerings. We began our licensing journey in Q1 of 2022 with Sesame Workshop and since then have been able to partner with some amazing brands like Paramount, WildBrain, Peanuts, and Hasbro to launch collections of some iconic characters. Our bet on licensing paid off and you can now shop our stickers in person in stores like FYE, Tilly’s, Hot Topic, BoxLunch, and Cracker Barrel.
What’s a “typical” day in your current position?
I am in the unique position that I have a full-time career in addition to running Blank Tag Co., so my day just looks a little different than most. For most of the day, I am working as a People Operations Manager. It’s not until after my workday ends that I get to focus on Blank Tag Co. As a founder, my days are a mix of things. It can include tasks like packing customer and wholesale orders, reaching out to retail partners, and responding to emails, but it can also mean reviewing and red-lining licensing agreements. Every day is different as a founder, which makes it exciting.
What’s your biggest personal and professional accomplishment?
On a personal level, I would say that it’s been living a life worthy of my parent’s sacrifices. When they immigrated to this country in the ‘70s they left behind everything they knew for the possibility of a better life in the United States. As a result of that decision and the sacrifices that they made, I have the opportunities that I do. Because of them, I was able to attend an elite university, have a successful career, and be a business owner. Making them proud by living my dream life is hands down my biggest personal accomplishment.
On a professional level, it has been building Blank Tag Co. on our own without any outside funding, allowing us to maintain full ownership of the company. We started Blank Tag Co with $1,000 back in 2017. There was no investment firm backing us, no safety net, and no family contributions. All we had was $1,000 because that was all we could afford to lose. We have taken that and turned it into what it is now. We have a strong DTC business with over 100,000 customers and 100,000 followers across social media platforms. Our wholesale business is also growing quarter over quarter, fueled by our licensing partnerships, and we have partnerships with some of the top brands in the toy and entertainment industry. We have accomplished this on our own and without a licensing agent. I am proud of everything we have been able to do and know this is just the beginning for us.
What keeps you up at night? What’s your biggest challenge these days?
Licensing is difficult. We had no knowledge about this industry before 2023 and this last year has been a lot of learning as we go. We have had to learn basic things like how to structure licensing deals, what parts of the deals are negotiable, what kind of insurance is required, and what are manufacturer agreements? There is a huge learning curve for someone that is new to this, so it has been a challenge. However, we have also been grateful to our licensor partners who are willing to explain things and help us along this journey. I have also had amazing mentors through both Women in Toys and Licensing International who I have been able to go to for answers to a lot of the challenges I have faced as someone new to this industry.
In your opinion, what is the top skill every licensing executive should have in order to succeed?
Relationship building is absolutely key in this industry. I have learned that it is a tight circle and everyone knows each other. As a result of that, it is important to protect your reputation and your brand. Some of the licensing partnerships we currently have were a direct result of other partners recommending us to them. It is important to always be honest with your partners, stick to your commitments, and follow through on plans. These things will help build trust and deepen relationships that will help throughout your career in licensing.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received or what is your favorite quote?
I learned from one of my mentors that everything is negotiable in licensing and that it’s ok to say no to things. In my upbringing I was always taught to be grateful for whatever was offered to me. The thought of responding with anything other than thank you never crossed my mind. That was the thought process that I brought into licensing. However, it wasn’t until I was explaining some of the hardships I was experiencing in licensing to my mentor that she explained that I could negotiate away some of the hang-ups or choose to not start a partnership that I didn’t feel was a good fit for us. She said it so matter of fact because of her experience, but it was a concept that was so new to me. I didn’t realize until that moment that I not only had the power to say no and negotiate better terms, but I had the responsibility to my business to do so. It really shifted my mindset in the business, especially in licensing, and this advice has been empowering for me on so many levels, both personally and professionally.
What is your favorite licensing deal of all time? (It doesn’t have to be one that was signed by you.)
I would definitely say it’s our very first deal with Sesame Workshop. It came as a result of a cold email to Adam Silverman and when he saw that I was a fellow USC alum, he decided to take the call. At that time, we had no other licensing deals and no major retail partners, but we did have a passion for the sticker space and the desire to make a product people love. Adam absolutely took a chance on us and gave us the opportunity we needed to prove ourselves. That deal opened so many doors for us because it gave us a stamp of approval. I don’t know if anything will ever beat it.
