The Legendary Toy Designer Behind Our Childhood Favorites

from Cruz through HTX · host Freddy Cruz

Stefanie Eskander, a toy designer, discusses her experience designing wrestling buddies and other toys. She talks about the emotional attachment and nostalgia that wrestling buddies have for fans, as well as the importance of nurturing and imaginative play in childhood development. The conversation also touches on the topic of gendered toys and the need for a variety of options for children. Stefanie will be hosting a meet and greet event at the Houston Toy Museum on May 18th. Learn more about Stefanie Ecksander at stefanieecksanderdesign.com. Learn more about The Houston Toy Museum at houstontoymuseum.com. Takeaways 1.) Wrestling buddies have a strong emotional attachment and nostalgia for fans.2.) Nurturing and imaginative play are important for childhood development.3.) There should be a variety of toy options for children, including both traditionally gendered toys and gender-neutral toys.4.) Toys should foster creativity and imagination, rather than just being collectibles.5.) Children should be encouraged to be their authentic selves and have control over their own imaginations. Chapters 01:21 The Inspiration Behind Wrestling Buddies09:14 The Importance of Nurturing and Imaginative Play13:22 The Debate Over Gendered Toys18:50 Encouraging Children to Be Their Authentic Selves22:18 Meet and Greet Event at the Houston Toy MuseumSupport the show: https://cruzthroughhtx.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NOW PLAYING

0:00 26:05

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Bringing it all together.

Mar 31, 2026 ·54m

Why is the vendor role so contentious in the cyber ecosystem?

Mar 27, 2026 ·14m

But what do you really want?

Mar 24, 2026 ·42m

Strategic approaches to talent: A practical guide.

Mar 20, 2026 ·42m

Mid season reflection with Kim Jones.

Mar 17, 2026 ·41m

Is the role of the CISO adding to the confusion?

Mar 13, 2026 ·44m

Similar Podcasts

French Your Way Jessica: Native French teacher founder of French Your Way Boost your French listening skills and test your comprehension with this one of a kind series of podcasts. Get the chance to listen to a real conversation between native speakers talking at normal speed AND customise your learning experience through carefully designed sets of questions (2 levels of difficulty) available for download at www.frenchvoicespodcast.com. All interviews also come with the transcript. French teacher Jessica interviews native speakers of French from around the world who share a bit of their life and passion. Where else would you meet in one same place a French yoga teacher based in Melbourne, a soap manufacturer from Provence, or a couple cycling around the world? Kaizen Blueprint Aldo Chandra "Kaizen" is a Japanese term for continuous improvement. This podcast provides a blueprint to learn about health, wealth, relationships and everything else in between. Through our podcast, we strive to inspire, educate, and motivate our audience to cultivate a mindset of lifelong learning, productivity, and personal development. By sharing insights, strategies, and practical tips, we aim to guide listeners on their journey towards realizing their fullest potential, fostering success, and creating lasting positive change. Solving for Change MOBIA Technology Innovations Solving for Change welcomes business and technology leaders to share stories of bold business transformation within complex organizations. In an era when technology and markets are changing around businesses, the key to staying competitive is to evolve in response to those changes. MOBIA’s Mike Reeves and Marc LeBlanc investigate business transformation, deconstructing the challenges, ambitions, and market disruptions that drive companies to embark on transformation journeys, and exploring their unique approaches to achieving meaningful outcomes. What sparks leaders to pursue business transformation? How do they overcome the challenges along the way? What are the keys to creating enduring change? Through in-depth conversations with business and technology leaders, Mike and Marc answer these questions and explore how businesses evolve by pulling four key transformation levers: people, process, technology, and culture. MuppetWatch petervulfranc MuppetWatch is a journey through entertainment and popular culture using The Muppet Show as our guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Cruz through HTX?

This episode is 26 minutes long.

When was this Cruz through HTX episode published?

This episode was published on May 7, 2024.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Cruz through HTX episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!