The Arizona Republic:
Like Tom Hanks in the 1988 movie Big, Herstein designed them and even reviewed them for toy companies for 40 years. Still, he likes to talk about it. ‘It’s fun, fast-moving and its high-tech. You are always involved in the cutting edge of technology.’
Herstein, 64, a former vice president of research and development for major toy companies such as Matchbox USA, Buddy L. Corp, Just Toys and others, plans to teach students at Paradise Valley Community College on how to create and sell a toy in a competitive industry.
A non-credit class called ‘Hey! That’s My Toy!’ meets on Mondays for 8 weeks from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The class starts Jan. 29 and costs $69.
Toy enthusiasts can learn product development, business success and failure, competition, marketing, media and consumers.
‘Students can expect to become educated in how to take their ideas and make them a reality,’ Herstein said. ‘I’m going to teach students how to do it on their own, how to develop their ideas and how to check to see if there is a market for them. And to bring them to the design process, which is going to be a lot of fun.’
Fun. That’s what Herstein wants his students to take from his class besides learning how to make money on their ideas. Read on.
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