An Introduction from Disney's Robb LaFlamme, Chair of the TAGIE Awards   Ashley Eckstein and I have known each other for more than fifteen years, and it has been a privilege to watch her journey unfold. It feels like only yesterday that we were working side by side on Star Wars Weekends, not long after she first brought Ahsoka Tano to life for what would become generations of fans. In the years since, she has founded Her Universe and reshaped how the industry thinks about female fandom, and most recently became a USA TODAY bestselling author. Through it all, she has never stopped imagining, building, and inspiring.   When I learned that this year's TAGIE Awards would celebrate "The Force of Play" and the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, there was only one person I could picture at the podium. Ashley embodies everything this community stands for: the courage to trust an idea before anyone else sees it, the persistence to turn a "no" into a "yes," and a childlike imagination that she has never let go of. I could not have dreamed of a better host, or a more fitting addition to our community of toy and game inventors, designers, and innovators.   I'm thrilled for all of you to get to know Ashley a little more personally through the conversation that follows.     You've built a career spanning acting, voice work, fashion, entrepreneurship, and fandom. What role has play—and the willingness to keep playing as an adult—had in your creativity and career?    As a young girl, I had a big imagination. Whenever I played, my imagination would create new worlds, dream-up new ideas, and design new things. I still allow my imagination to run wild as an adult. I like to say that my superpower, which others might see as a weakness, is that I suffer from chronic naïveté. Some people see the word naïve and think it's a bad thing, but I've leaned into it as my strength. When I imagine new ideas, I only see the end goal and not all of the road blocks in-between. Most people would immediately look at the brick walls ahead and allow fear and doubt to hold them back. I fall in love with the end goal. So, when I hit a road block, my focus on the final product is much stronger than my fear. I am not naïve to the realities of business but my childlike imagination has been a huge key to my success.    Ahsoka Tano has become one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars universe. When you first voiced her, did you have any sense of what she would come to mean to generations of fans—and what has surprised you most about that journey?    I voiced Ahsoka Tano for two years before she debuted to the rest of the world. I fell in love with Ahsoka and hoped everyone would grow to love her like I do. However, I had no idea that Ahsoka would grow to become as beloved as she is today. I think the biggest thing that surprised me is that she broke consumer stereotypes regarding female characters. All fans, all genders like Ahsoka. I've sat in many licensing meetings where we were told that men and boys would not buy toys or merchandise for a female character. It's easy to overlook, but Ahsoka blazed a trail and proved the research wrong. Ahsoka sells because everyone loves Ahsoka. She is very rare, but she also proved that a character can overcome gender-based buying patterns.   You didn't just see a gap in the marketplace for female fans—you created Her Universe to fill it. What did that experience teach you about trusting an idea when others may not yet see the opportunity?    It taught me to see value in the white space. Most people look at something that's never been done before and assume that it's not being done for a reason. I was told that people had tried selling to female fans before and it didn't work because there was no money in it. As a female fan myself, who wanted Star Wars merchandise made for me, I knew that couldn't be true. However, I only had two statistics to back me up. I found out that 85% of all consumer purchases were being made by women, and in 2009, I got the attendance records of the top 5 fandom conventions around the world and discovered that 45% of all attendees were women and girls. I built an entire business off of my gut feeling and those two statistics. I'll never forget the feeling when I was sitting at the licensing show a few years later (the same one that said female fans would not buy sci-fi/fantasy merchandise made for them) and it was announced that they discovered a white space with female fandom and they estimated that it was a 1.3 billion dollar market. I was so proud because I knew that Her Universe was a driving force in unlocking that "new opportunity."     Your new novel, Lucky 22, is inspired by your real-life love story with your husband, David Eckstein. You've brought characters, fashion, and businesses to life—but what was it like turning your own story into a novel, and did anything about the process surprise you?    This project was exciting because it wasn't part of the plan! My husband is David Eckstein, 2-time World Series Champion and 2006 World Series MVP, and our plan was to release his memoir titled JUST ENOUGH. This year marks the 20th anniversary of my husband becoming the World Series MVP for the St. Louis Cardinals and he truly has one of the greatest underdog stories that has yet to be told. How David and I met is a story straight out of a Hallmark movie. We didn't try for it, but it just happened that way. I got the idea of doing a "His and Hers" book release. The same story told from two different perspectives. To my knowledge, I don't think a husband and wife have released two books on the same day like this. His non-fiction, mine fiction but based on our true love story. The idea worked and we both hit the USA TODAY Best Selling Booklist in the first week of sales. So, I guess the thing that surprised me is the importance of being open to new opportunities that are not part of the original plan.     This year you'll host the TAGIE Awards as we celebrate "The Force of Play" and the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, surrounded by innovators from across the toy and game journey—from inventors with the original spark of an idea to the people who bring those ideas all the way to store shelves. What are you most looking forward to about celebrating with this creative community?    I am always curious and I thrive in creative environments! I am also a total nerd when it comes to business. I LOVE learning about new categories that are not traditionally the sandboxes I've already been playing in. I am beyond honored to host of the TAGIE Awards! I just love watching people succeed and thrive in what they do and I cannot wait to meet everyone!     What advice would you give someone who has an idea they believe in but is still trying to find the courage—or the opportunity—to bring it to life?    Do not be discouraged by the word "No." If you truly believe in your idea, the most important information comes right after the word "No." Keep listening! "No because..." "No but..." Now, it's like a game for me to turn that "No" into a "Yes". I find that most people want to say yes, but you must address their concerns before they can give you the answer you're looking for. Most people give up after they hear "No." Don't be one of those people.   #peopleofplay #tagie

TOYS R US IS BACK As kids, many of us grew up with nursery rhymes and cutesy songs. Apart from those songs, many of us, also grew up with the theme song,” I don’t wanna grow up, Im a Toys R Us kid, theres a million toys at Toys R Us that I can play with…”… This was true, until Toys R Us closed. The closure of Toys R US was a big blow to many, because it was the number one place to buy toys. It was a store dedicated solely to toys and games. While mourning Toys R Us, we were forced to find other places to purchase toys. Amazon, Walmart, Target and other shops had to fill the toy gap.   But guess what!?!? TOYS R US is BACK! HOORAYYYYYYYYYYYYY. For how long, I’m not sure. It is not clear if Toys R Us is now under new management and will be here for the long run or if this is just a seasonal opening. Regardless, I believe many people are happy that Toys R Us has returned.           I recently visited a Toys R Us in Northern Virginia. Specifically, I visited the Toys R Us located in Springfield Town Center (known locally as Springfield Mall). Before entering the mall, there is actually a huge statue of a giraffe outside the mall, in the parking lot area. I saw it as a sign 😊 Upon entering the mall, the Toys R Us was located on the top level-if coming from outside, it is located on the right side. In the past, Toys R US stores were stand alone shops. This Toys R Us was inside the mall, so the shop was smaller and condensed. However, there were still so many toys to choose from. Similar to the Toys R Us of the past, this store had labelled categories at the top of each shelf. Starting from the left, the categories were: Cars and Trucks, Monster Jam, Hot wheels, Anime (Blokee, BanDai, and more), Die Cast Metal cars, Family Games (puzzles, card games, and more),Games, Magic, Classic Games, Have Fun, Go Play, Party Games, Puzzles, Fashion Dolls, Disney Princess, Plush, Ready Set Play, outdoor Toys, Have Fun, Action Figures, Geoffrey’s World, Preschool, and Baby Dolls. These were the labelled categories, but note that there were lots of toys in the center of the store. There were many toys from MGA, Melissa and Doug, lots of Squishies from Fun Storm, Baby Alive ,and so many toys, calendars, and other items. Toys R Us even had their own Toys R Us toys and items for sale (mystery plush bag, hats, I m a Toys r Us Kid throw blankets, and even an E-Scooter!) The toy selection was quite diverse at Toys R Us so feel free to stop by your nearest Toy R US- I’m sure you will be pleased and find something which delights you.