When Judd Zebersky told his wife he wanted to leave his law practice and start making toys, her response was simple: follow your dreams. That conversation, sometime in the mid-1990s, set off a chain of events that would reshape the toy industry for decades.

Learning the Business from the Factory Floor

In 1997, Zebersky flew to China with no background in manufacturing. He had earned his JD from the University of Miami School of Law and built his own firm, but consumer products pulled him in a different direction. Rather than hire experts to manage production, he embedded himself in factories across the south of China, studying injection molding, blow molding, and rotocasting from the people who did it every day. He learned hair rooting and engineering specifications. He traveled to remote regions on dirt roads where, as he later recalled, entire families navigated their days on a single motorcycle.

That self-education defined how Jazwares operated as it grew. The company built early credibility through licensed properties, signing agreements with entertainment brands including Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Fortnite. Each partnership added reach and revenue. Acquisitions followed, with Wicked Cool Toys joining the portfolio in 2019 and Kellytoy in 2020. Kellytoy brought with it Squishmallows, the ultrasoft plush toys that would become the company’s most recognized product.

A Cultural Moment and a Corporate Legacy

Squishmallows turned into something few toy executives anticipated. The characters, each with names, birthdays, and personal backstories, spread across TikTok and drew fans including Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian. More than 100 million units sold in a single year, with prices ranging from five to thirty dollars per item.

Alleghany Capital Corporation took an initial stake in Jazwares in 2014 and acquired a majority interest in 2016, arrangements that kept Judd Zebersky in operational control. Berkshire Hathaway inherited the investment when it acquired Alleghany in late 2022. By the time Judd Zebersky stepped down as CEO on March 20, 2026, Jazwares employed approximately 1,400 people and distributed products to customers in more than 100 countries. Chief Operating Officer David Neustein assumed the chief executive role on March 23, 2026. Refer to this article, for related information.

Find more information about Judd Zebersky on https://www.jazwares.com/about-us/leadership