The Licensing Exchange

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The Licensing Exchange is a podcast about the business of creativity — where brands, artists, and innovators meet at the intersection of commerce and culture. Hosted by David Schnider and Greg Pan, partners at Nolan Heimann LLP, each episode dives into the world of licensing, brand strategy, and pop culture partnerships through candid conversations with industry leaders who have shaped global trends. From retail pioneers to entertainment executives, guests share how licensing has evolved from handshake deals to billion-dollar franchises — and why creativity, collaboration, and courage remain at the heart of every successful brand. 💡 Part of The LOOK.Legal Pods from Nolan Heimann LLP — lawyers for creative business makers.

Episodes

  1. Jun 9

    From Consumer Products to Immersive Worlds: Chief Growth Officer Veronica Hart on Location-Based Entertainment

    Veronica Hart brings more than two decades of leadership experience in entertainment, licensing, brand strategy, and franchise development to her role at RWS Global, where she leads the company's worldwide growth strategy across live entertainment, immersive experiences, sports, and destination design. In this episode, David and Greg dive deep into her unique career journey—from Sunbow Entertainment to the Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop, HIT Entertainment, CBS, and Paramount—and explore how her background in consumer products and global franchise planning informs her approach to experiential design today. Veronica discusses the evolution of location-based entertainment as a distinct business model from traditional licensing, explaining why IP holders are increasingly investing in these projects for greater creative control and return on investment. She breaks down the critical differences between designing a merchandise program and designing an immersive experience, and why narrative storytelling must be at the heart of every project. The conversation covers RWS Global's portfolio—from designing world-class attractions like Ferrari World and working with Merlin Entertainments on Legoland parks, to producing live entertainment for hospitality venues, international sports competitions (including the Paris Olympics and Cricket T20 World Cup), and branded merchandise. Veronica emphasizes the importance of authenticity, knowing your audience, and executing a comprehensive creative vision rather than treating experiences as afterthoughts. Key topics include: the role of technology in immersive experiences (and the risks of being too cutting-edge too early), global expansion strategies and cultural adaptation, funding challenges and the pilot-to-scale model, the emerging mid-range experience market, and the untapped potential of merchandise as an integral part of the guest experience—not just a gift shop transaction. Veronica also touches on the Friends experience, John Wick experience, Netflix House, the Bronx Zoo's Daniel Tiger exhibit, and the future of immersive entertainment in retail and hospitality spaces worldwide.

    40 min

  2. May 12

    From Retail Floors to Iconic Brands: Miraculous Global Head of Consumer Products Rosalind Nowicki on Building Heritage and New IP

    In this episode of The Licensing Exchange, hosts David Schnider and Greg Pan sit down with Rosalind Nowicki, Global Head of Consumer Products at Miraculous, for a wide-ranging conversation about building, refreshing, and protecting iconic brands across decades of industry change. Rosalind traces her path from junior apparel buyer to a career across some of the most recognizable studios and brands in the world — Disney, Universal Studios, 4Kids Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, Peanuts Worldwide, and Mattel — and now to Miraculous, where she's leading consumer products strategy for the global ladybug-superhero phenomenon as it enters its second decade. The conversation digs into: How Rosalind fell into licensing at Disney during the Little Mermaid era and what that "entrepreneurial" early environment taught herWhy heritage brands like Peanuts and Barbie are "killing it" in today's market — and what it takes to keep them relevantThe art of the collaboration: Levi's, Vans, and Marc Jacobs partnerships at Peanuts, and why the best collabs make both brands winHer Dick Tracy / Breathless Mahoney evening gown collection at Disney — and why thinking outside t-shirts and hats has shaped her entire approach sinceHow Miraculous is leveraging gaming (nearly a billion plays on Roblox), social listening, and location-based experiences to build the brandThe marketing-vs-revenue tension in collaborations and how to make the case internallyWhat she looks for in licensees: distribution, passion, creativity, and homework doneQuality vs. quantity in licensing portfolios — and why "you've got to have the fluff to sell the stuff"Retail compression, the disappearance of regional retailers, and how kids growing up faster has reshaped the toy aisleWhy data has caught up to relationships in the modern licensing businessHer Licensing Expo strategy: pre-show virtual summits, NDAs, and freeing up booth time for real conversationWhether you're a brand owner, licensee, or simply a fan of the business behind the products you grew up with, this episode offers a rare look at how strategy, creativity, and relationships intersect at the highest levels of consumer products licensing. The Licensing Exchange is part of The LOOK Legal Pods from Nolan Heimann LLP, lawyers for creative business makers. Learn more at nolanheimann.com.

    46 min

  3. Apr 14

    From Black Beanies to Global Brands: VP of Licensing Jennifer Staley on Growing BioWorld's Licensing Platform

    David Schnider and Greg Pan sit down with Jennifer Staley, Vice President of Licensing at BioWorld — a company that started as a small music accessories headwear business 25 years ago and has grown into a global branded merchandise manufacturer and distribution platform operating across 20 product categories in 13 countries. Jen traces BioWorld's evolution from its early days licensing bands like Slipknot and Limp Bizkit, through a series of strategic acquisitions — including Vandor, Packed Party, and Character World Brands — and shares how the company uses e-commerce and its Heroes and Villains direct-to-consumer site as an R&D testing ground before approaching retail buyers. She also discusses BioWorld Ventures, the company's investment arm supporting the next generation of content creators and consumer brands; the surprising rise of Labubu and the blind box model; growing opportunity in the sports licensing category; and why strong relationships remain the backbone of the industry — even as data increasingly drives decisions.

    32 min

  4. Mar 17

    From Pokémon to Manga's Future: Jazwares President Jeremy Padawer on Collecting and the Toy Industry

    Jeremy Padawer, President of Jazwares, shares his journey from Mattel to founding Wicked Cool Toys to leading one of the industry's biggest players. Jeremy discusses his million-dollar Pokémon collection, why he just spent $275K on graded manga, the Logan Paul Pikachu Illustrator card story, getting retailers to take risks on new properties, why kidults are now the #1 toy segment, and his prediction that manga will become the next Superman and Batman. Guest: Jeremy Padawer, President of Jazwares Hosts: David Schnider & Greg Pan, Attorneys at Nolan Heimann LLP

    38 min

  5. Feb 4

    The Licensing Exchange Ep. 5: From Dial-Up to Deal Flow: Ari Zebersky & Dylan Karofsky on Modernizing Licensing

    In this episode of The Licensing Exchange, hosts David Schnider and Greg Pan sit down with Ari Zebersky and Dylan Karofsky, co-founders of Negosh, a technology platform built to modernize how licensing deals are discovered, negotiated, and closed. Drawing on deep roots in the toy and licensing industries, Ari and Dylan share why licensing has long operated like dial-up internet—and how Negosh aims to bring it into the smartphone era. The conversation explores how transparency around territories, categories, and availability can dramatically reduce time-to-deal, why emerging licensees often struggle to find the right IP, and how tools like real-time deal memos, integrated negotiation, and AI-driven guidance can remove friction from the process. The episode also dives into the role of AI in licensing—both as an operational efficiency tool and as a looming frontier for IP monetization—along with trends around creator-driven IP, UGC platforms, social-first fandoms, and the increasing importance of speed in a trend-driven marketplace. A must-listen for licensors, licensees, and anyone navigating the future of brand partnerships, fandom-first IP, and modern licensing infrastructure.

    34 min

  6. Jan 5

    From Style Guides to Trendsetting: Derrick Baca & Liz DeSilva on Building Fandom-First Merch

    In this episode of The Licensing Exchange, hosts David Schnider and Greg Pan sit down with licensing and consumer-products veterans Derrick Baca and Liz DeSilva to unpack what separates forgettable “logo slap” merchandise from products fans genuinely collect. Derrick shares his path from retail buying into leading licensing strategy, while Liz explains how deep fandom knowledge and creative risk-taking helped transform accessories into must-have collectibles during the growth of Loungefly. Together, they explore: how fandom insight drives product demandwhy fringe and under-merchandised IP can outperform expected blockbustershow teams earn trust to go beyond studio style guidesthe creative and operational realities of working with mom-and-pop retailerswhy limited drops and community engagement matter more than logoswhat they’re building now at The Whatever Company, including the brand “Whatever Makes You Happy”This episode is a practical and candid look at modern licensing strategy for anyone working in consumer products, retail, or brand partnerships.

    38 min

  7. 2025-12-01

    The Power of Licensing: Stu Seltzer on Brand Growth, Collaborations & Competitive Advantage

    In this episode of The Licensing Exchange, hosts David Schnider and Greg Pan speak with Stu Seltzer, President of Seltzer Licensing Group, NYU professor, co-author of Brand Licensing for Dummies, and 2024 Licensing Hall of Fame inductee. Stu shares how he began his licensing career at Yves Saint Laurent, managing 15 global licensees across 60 territories, before moving to Warner Bros./DC Comics and overseeing hundreds of partnerships connected to Batman, Superman, Looney Tunes, and major film releases. He explains how launching Seltzer Licensing Group allowed him to help brands—from UPS to the American Red Cross to Scott’s Miracle-Gro—grow through strategic licensing programs. The discussion covers: • Why licensing can make a good product great • Why licensing cannot make a bad product good • Collaborations like C4 x Popsicle, Kate Spade x Klondike, Dove x Crumbl Cookies • Corporate & nonprofit licensing opportunities • Risk, compliance, monitoring and evaluation • Stu’s NYU brand licensing course and hands-on learning approach • Underrated trade shows like Expo West and the Hardware Show • Strategic licensing plans: how brands identify market categories & revenue potential • Why brand impressions now matter as much as royalty revenue • How licensing creates sustainable competitive advantages This is a masterclass in brand strategy, consumer products, and the evolving licensing landscape.

    47 min

  8. 2025-11-03

    Licensing in Motion: Steven Ekstract on the Future of Brands, Franchises, and Fan Culture

    In this episode of The Licensing Exchange, hosts David Schnider and Greg Pan sit down with Steven Ekstract, a licensing industry visionary and founder of Global Licensing Advisors. Steven helped shape modern brand licensing as the founding publisher of License Global Magazine, brand director of Informa Markets’ Global Licensing Group, and co-author of Brand Licensing For Dummies. Now leading Entertainment XTracks, a global thought-leadership series, he continues to identify where the next wave of IP is emerging — from anime to YouTube creators to digital-first franchises. Together, they explore: How licensing evolved from film studios to global brand collaborationsWhy agility and “speed-to-market” define the next licensing eraHow AI, streaming, and creator culture are reshaping IP valueThe lessons learned from Barbie, Netflix, and the new frontier of fan-driven franchises🎧 Listen now for insights from one of licensing’s most influential voices — and what it takes to keep the business of brands in motion.

    44 min
  9. From Garage to Global: Cindy Levitt on Building Hot Topic and the Evolution of Licensing

    2025-10-12

    From Garage to Global: Cindy Levitt on Building Hot Topic and the Evolution of Licensing

    In the premiere episode of The Licensing Exchange, hosts David Schnider and Greg Pan sit down with Cindy Levitt — former Senior Vice President of Licensing at Hot Topic and 2023 Licensing International Hall of Fame inductee — to talk about the evolution of licensing, creativity, and risk-taking in retail. Cindy shares how she helped grow Hot Topic from a garage startup into a cultural phenomenon, revealing how a single licensing decision — bringing SpongeBob SquarePants to college campuses — reshaped the business and put pop culture in the mainstream. 💬 They discuss how licensing has evolved from gut instinct to analytics, what today’s licensors can learn from the past, and why relationships still matter more than spreadsheets. In this episode: The inside story of Hot Topic’s riseHow SpongeBob changed retail licensingThe balance between creativity and financeWhat the future of licensing could look like🎙️ Part of The LOOK.Legal Pods from Nolan Heimann LLP — lawyers for creative business makers.

    56 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

The Licensing Exchange is a podcast about the business of creativity — where brands, artists, and innovators meet at the intersection of commerce and culture. Hosted by David Schnider and Greg Pan, partners at Nolan Heimann LLP, each episode dives into the world of licensing, brand strategy, and pop culture partnerships through candid conversations with industry leaders who have shaped global trends. From retail pioneers to entertainment executives, guests share how licensing has evolved from handshake deals to billion-dollar franchises — and why creativity, collaboration, and courage remain at the heart of every successful brand. 💡 Part of The LOOK.Legal Pods from Nolan Heimann LLP — lawyers for creative business makers.

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