We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Paul King. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Paul below.
Paul, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about your team building process? How did you recruit and train your team and knowing what you know now would you have done anything differently?
Fett’s Toy Depot is a very different working experience… With what we do, you never know what exactly we will be doing, as what kind of event, fan base, or atmosphere. But the most important part, is the TEAM has fun, and makes the kids and adults have a good time. We could be doing a Kid’s night at a local food joint, or at a local blueberry patch, a local apple orchard, singing karaoke in costume, doing crafts with kids. IT DOES NOT MATTER, my team is there to have fun, whether they are the costumed helpers, setup/tear down crew, working the booth, promoting team, all of them make the machine work, Without them, the event would fail. I am grateful for my AMAZING friends and team, that help me make Fett’s and the MMCC so much fun and successful. THANK YOU TEAM!!!! Due to the Fun and Success with what we do, we have new people reaching out to be a part of it, as a helper, cosplayer or vendor. And some people are making unquie items for our shows and events. LOVE working with businesses and people that share my same visions… have fun, do good for the community, and make kids smile.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I was stationed in San Diego, for the US Navy, and went to San Diego Comic Con, and fell in love… The movie stars, the toys, the art, the cosplayers, the atmosphere, the nerdiness!! I said when i get out of the Navy, I want to open a fun toy shop, and do comic cons…
I retired from the Navy in Jan 2012, and started looking for a place to start. 2 local toy shops closed near me, I was worried. With the help of a cosplayer friend, we started Fett’s Toy Depot out of my basement.. Started slow, then OMG exploded. Had to move to a storage unit and make appts for sales, then when covid hit, I was offered a storefront.
We set it up, and it is amazing. Our shop is different. Kids can come in and play and do activites. They draw with chaulk on the sidewalks, they have nerf gun battles, lightsaber battles, drive toy cars on the race track rugs, and more. It is more then a toy store, it is an experience. Come out and talk nerdy, I do not care if you buy anything, just have fun. We have games and so much for people to do… We host Easter egg hunts, christmas events and halloween events in the shop. It is all about having fun!!!
We do prizes for kids with birthdays and good report cards. We have video game machines and a claw machine.
My ceiling tiles are all painted by local artists, my walls are covered with artwork from various artists. i support many local creators.
Amazing Customer service and making times at the shop and events memorable is our brand. We have fun, and love to share that with kids and adults!!!!!
I am most proud of the relationships I have made, and the ability to help other people, like vendors and cosplayers.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I spend alot of time talking to people, meeting people, and posting on social media. I take lots of pictures, vids, and live video to share what we are doing. I share all over FB, IG, and use paper flyers and pass around the area. I bust my butt and hustle, and advertise what we are doing. I promote our events and activities, I promote my friends and their businesses. They do the same for me!! It is about networking, making friends and helping each other. Teamwork…. Makes The Dream Work. I would not be where I am today without my amazing friends, partners and awesome people who believed in me. DO NOT BE SHY!!!!
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
You are Human, they are Human. Be a leader, not a boss. Lead from the front, not from the back. Treat them with respect, listen to them. They have great ideas, you may not see. They are your front line, to expereince things… Take care of them, do not take them for granted. If there is an issue, resolve it, and remember your team have lives also. Remind them, show them how grateful you are for your team. Without my team, I would fail. They are my backbone to all the amazing things I do. Everyone has a role, some bigger some smaller, but without them, the fun machine does not run!!! Something that was hard for me was to let go, and give them more responsibilities. They want it, they deserve it. Thanks Fett’s and MMCC team, Love you all.. My success is your success, without you I would not be where I am!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/MidlandMallComicCon/
- Instagram: @fettstoydepot1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FETT1313
- Twitter: fettstoydepot