Before Judd Zebersky became known for building one of the most successful independent toy companies in the world, he was a lawyer. After earning a JD from the University of Miami School of Law and launching his own firm, he made a decision that surprised nearly everyone around him. He wanted to make toys.
“I looked at my wife, and I said, ‘I want to make toys,'” Zebersky recalled. “She said, ‘Follow your dreams,’ and that’s what I did.”
From Factory Floors to Fortune’s Best Workplaces
In 1997, Zebersky flew to China with no manufacturing background and spent months embedded in factories. He learned injection molding, blow molding, rotocasting techniques, hair rooting methods, and engineering specifications. That hands-on education shaped not only how Jazwares operated but how it hired and trained employees for decades afterward.
“I went to remote places in China on dirt roads where entire families get around on a single motorcycle,” he told Miami Law in 2014. “I visited toy factories throughout the south of China and immersed myself in the manufacturing, design, and engineering of toys.”
Jazwares grew through a combination of licensed product lines and targeted acquisitions. Entertainment partnerships with Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Fortnite gave the company recognizable shelf presence. Acquiring Wicked Cool Toys in 2019 and Kellytoy in 2020 added Pokémon and Squishmallows to a portfolio that would soon go viral.
Squishmallows, the ultrasoft plush toys with individual names and backstories, became a cultural phenomenon fueled by TikTok and celebrity attention from figures including Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian. The line sold more than 100 million units in a single year, with individual items retailing between $5 and $30.
Recognition and a Leadership Transition
Under Judd Zebersky’s leadership, Jazwares earned placement on TIME’s Most Influential Companies list, Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators designation, and Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Manufacturing and Production. Zebersky personally received the South Florida Business Journal’s Ultimate CEOs recognition in 2024.
On March 20, 2026, Zebersky stepped down as CEO after nearly 30 years. The company he leaves behind employs approximately 1,400 people and distributes products across more than 100 countries. Chief Operating Officer David Neustein assumed the CEO role on March 23, 2026. Go To This Page for more information.
Learn More about Judd Zebersky on https://www.jazwares.com/about-us/leadership