EP010 Being Bold with Ilana Ben-Ari of Twenty One Toys

Ilana Ben-Ari is the founder and CEO of Twenty One Toys, a company that designs and manufactures toys, workshops, and training programs that teach young adults and children valuable skills such as empathy and failure. She is a multiple award-winning product designer, TEDx Speaker, and has been featured in numerous publications including The Guardian UK, Independent UK, and Time Magazine.

Ilana joins me today to share her story on how she founded her company, what inspired her to create the Empathy toy, and how her toys, workshops, and training programs are being used by children and teachers as well as corporate executives. She also shares the challenges she has had to overcome as a young, bootstrapping company and why she believes being bold is critical to the success of a small business.

 

“In those first years of building your business, it’s really about survival, and that involves a ton of sacrifice.” – Ilana Ben-Ari

 

 

This Week on Young Money:

• How the idea for the Empathy toy started
• How her toys, workshops, and training programs go beyond teaching young children about empathy and failure
• Key traits and elements that lead to her success and how she defines success
• The biggest financial revelation in her business
• The importance of thinking strategically to build a long-term, successful business
• The challenges involved in bootstrapping a small business
• The importance of evaluating your business plans and aligning them with your goals
• How she viewed her business in the early stages of growing her business
• How being bold helped her achieve her goals

 

Resources Mentioned:

• Do Schools Kill Creativity? TedTalk by Sir Ken Robinson
• SheEO
• Playing on Purpose Ilana Ben-Ari at TEDxYouth at Montreal
• Toys as Tools for Communication – Ilana Ben-Ari at TEDxConcordia

 

Key Takeaways for Young Millionaires-in-the-Making:

• Use money as a tool and vehicle to get you where you’re going.
• Be bold. Ask people for help when you need it.
• Be credible. Follow through with what you say you will do.

Connect with Ilana Ben-Ari:

• Twenty One Toys
• The Empathy Toy
• Ilana Ben-Ari website

 

Can I AFFORD it?

 

This episode is sponsored by the masterclass Can I Afford It? How to be certain of what you can and can’t afford in your business in 5 minutes or less every time. This training has been specifically designed for entrepreneurs with sales in the 6 to 7 figure range to provide the 5 steps to Cash Flow Clarity.

 

If you are an entrepreneur with sales at these levels and want to make powerful money decisions, you do not want to miss this important masterclass. Head over to bissettfinancialfitness.com/afford to register now. Stop asking yourself the question can I AFFORD it?

 

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