In Episode 10 of The Licensing Exchange, hosts David Schnider and Greg Pan welcome Maura Regan, President of Licensing International, for a wide-ranging conversation about the forces shaping the future of licensing worldwide.

Together they discuss:

• How Licensing International supports the global licensing community

• The biggest trends transforming brand licensing today

• The growing impact of AI on intellectual property and licensing

• Global opportunities for licensors and licensees

• Why education and networking remain critical to success

• The rise of experiential licensing and consumer engagement

• The importance of protecting brands while embracing innovation

• Advice for professionals entering the licensing industry

Whether you're an established licensing executive, an emerging brand owner, or simply interested in how intellectual property drives business growth, this episode offers valuable insights into where licensing is headed next.

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.

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 her
• Why heritage brands like Peanuts and Barbie are "killing it" in today's market — and what it takes to keep them relevant
• The art of the collaboration: Levi's, Vans, and Marc Jacobs partnerships at Peanuts, and why the best collabs make both brands win
• Her Dick Tracy / Breathless Mahoney evening gown collection at Disney — and why thinking outside t-shirts and hats has shaped her entire approach since
• How Miraculous is leveraging gaming (nearly a billion plays on Roblox), social listening, and location-based experiences to build the brand
• The marketing-vs-revenue tension in collaborations and how to make the case internally
• What she looks for in licensees: distribution, passion, creativity, and homework done
• Quality 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 aisle
• Why data has caught up to relationships in the modern licensing business
• Her Licensing Expo strategy: pre-show virtual summits, NDAs, and freeing up booth time for real conversation

Whether 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.

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.

Guest: Jeremy Padawer, President of Jazwares Hosts: David Schnider & Greg Pan, Attorneys at Nolan Heimann LLP

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.

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 demand
• why fringe and under-merchandised IP can outperform expected blockbusters
• how teams earn trust to go beyond studio style guides
• the creative and operational realities of working with mom-and-pop retailers
• why limited drops and community engagement matter more than logos
• what 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.

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.

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 collaborations
• Why agility and “speed-to-market” define the next licensing era
• How AI, streaming, and creator culture are reshaping IP value
• The 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.

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 rise
• How SpongeBob changed retail licensing
• The balance between creativity and finance
• What the future of licensing could look like

🎙️ Part of The LOOK.Legal Pods from Nolan Heimann LLP — lawyers for creative business makers.