Exploring Life & Business with Alex Kessler of KessCo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Kessler.

Alex , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My family has been in the toy industry for decades, so it’s something I’ve always known. My grandfather was one of the earliest plastics manufacturers in the country during the Great Depression, and my father had his own toy company that I trained at for years.

After college, I moved into the entertainment industry and eventually started a production company that taught me a great deal about business. I learned how to build income, what downfalls to look out for, and overall, how to actually run a business. It was during this time that I decided my passion was in making tabletop games and innovative play experiences.

From there, I went on to work for Jakks Pacific, an American toy manufacturing company, after my family sold a toy business to them. I worked in the summer category, which I had years of experience in, and found that I was great at product design and development. This experience ultimately inspired me to create my company, KessCo.

At KessCo, we create toys, games, and play experiences with a fresh take on the classics. Our goal is to excite consumers when they see our products on the shelf, whether it’s a game they cherished as a child or a classic hula hoop with a new spin. We incorporate bright colors, unique materials, and fun patterns into our designs, bringing the toys and games we create to life in a new form.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One obstacle that I’m glad I overcame was getting used to flying on airplanes all the time. I’m now able to sleep through a whole flight, and it’s extremely helpful when you’re going back and forth constantly for factory visits and meetings throughout the country.

Another huge challenge for me is dealing with conflict. I want everyone around me to be happy, so when I have to give bad news, it’s not the best time for me either. It’s important to me that our team, customers, and the people we work with enjoy working with us, and unfortunately, in business, sometimes you can’t avoid conflict.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about KessCo?
KessCo is a third-generation toy and tabletop gaming company focused on creating new, exciting play patterns as well as taking classic play patterns and updating them for kids and adults of all ages. ‘Made by Fans, For Fans,’ KessCo integrates its employees’ passions into every toy and game they create, creating an exciting new spin on some of the classics cherished by many.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up loving media and entertainment. You could always find me at the movie theater, playing video games and spending hours with manga and anime. If I wasn’t spending my time with entertainment, it was easy to find myself exploring Los Angeles and Southern California. I was especially attracted to our theme parks: Disneyland and Universal Studios. I love the rides, of course, but also the studio tours and the ability to interact with animators and other creatives.

It’s also no wonder that I went into toys as an industry. I grew up with a father in the toy industry- my father owned a toy company. I grew up going to major events like the New York Toy Fair every year and seeing what was new and exciting in the toy industry. And I loved it: I love seeing the way people change and develop their products year after year, and I love doing that with my own products.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kess.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kess_ent/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KessToys
• Twitter: https://x.com/KessPlay
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kesstoys