Toy Story Homemakers and tech gurus alike will get equal enjoyment out of this product.
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What: Action figures for adults
Who: Kris Schantz and Shirley Yee of Happy Worker
Where: Toronto
When: Started in 2004
Startup Costs: Approximately $140,000
How did husband and wife Kris Schantz, 31, and Shirley Yee, 32, manage to find a toy market with lots of potential and not much competition? By focusing on toys for adults--specifically, action figures with a twist. Schantz and Yee--who both shared overactive imaginations and were always thinking up new toy and gift ideas--created 6-inch movable dolls that aren't superheroes with other-worldly powers, but rather everyday heroes, like GeekMan, a technology wizard; Super-Mom, who does it all with panache (and is Happy Worker's biggest seller); Money-Man, a "dark hero" in suspenders who leaps balance sheets; and BossMan, a bigwig of the boardroom. They also make custom toys through The Toy Agency, a division of the company that uses a team of marketing, toy and design professionals. Happy Worker earned about $1 million in sales last year.
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