This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sydney Wiseman, cofounder of Playhouse MD. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Everyone in my immediate family is a doctor, except me. My brother, sister, and dad are physicians, and my mom was a vet. Luckily, my parents could tell from an early age that med school wasn’t for me, and they were supportive. They say they could tell from the rapt way I watched commercials that I was made for something else: toys.
My mom’s two brothers own a toy business, so the idea of inventing and producing toys wasn’t so unusual in our family. My uncles would show me everything they were working on, like robotic Power Ranger gloves. I was more of a Polly Pocket girl myself, but I was absolutely enthralled with the magic of toys.
A picture inspired my toy-of-the-year design
Once I was old enough, I joined my uncles’ company, WowWee. They mostly focused on robotic toys — we used to joke that they could literally make pigs fly. But I thought a lot of kids didn’t want a flying pig: they just wanted a cute, cuddly pig.
In 2015, I saw a picture on Instagram of a tiny monkey clinging to people’s fingers. My family and friends were used to me saying “That’s a toy!” whenever I had an idea. When I saw that monkey, I knew it was a toy, for sure.
I created Fingerlings, a plush toy that clings to kids’ fingers, just like that little money did. Fingerlings respond to kids with movement and noises, so there was an immediate emotional connection. The toys sold tens of millions of units and became Toy of the Year in 2017.
Fingerlings gave me status, but not money
Despite the success of Fingerlings, the toy didn’t significantly impact my finances, largely due to the ownership structure. That highlighted for me the need to take ownership of the things I create.
However, Fingerlings gave me credibility in the toy industry. There aren’t many young female toy makers. But suddenly, everyone knew me as the toy girl. I had standing, credibility, and experience in the industry. There was no monetary value to that, but it became incredibly important for my next venture.
My sister’s experience inspired my next idea
My sister is a pediatrician and mom. She started wearing a Fingerling on her stethoscope. One day, she was treating a child with a broken femur, and she needed to put a mask on the boy. He was hysterical, so she got a neonatal mask and told the patient to put that mask on the Fingerling while she put one on him. It worked — he instantly calmed.
When she called to tell me about that, I knew we had stumbled upon something. Kids are so sensitive, and too often, scary medical procedures happen to them. Play has been incorporated into every aspect of kids’ lives, except in healthcare. I thought we could use toys to make medical care a little less scary for kids.
My sister and I cofounded Playhouse MD, which makes medical tools that have the appeal of toys. We make a thermometer that’s a giraffe, a nasal aspirator that’s a cute narwhal, and medicine droppers that are shaped like butterflies, for example.
I have a new respect for my uncles
This year, Playhouse MD raised $5 million in seed funding. We’ve started a partnership with McKesson, the largest medical device distributor. The interest has been tremendous, and that’s at least in part due to the success I had with Fingerlings.
I was emotionally invested in Fingerlings, but now that I’m running a company, I’m even more committed to it. I need to steer this ship because other people are depending on me. It gives me a newfound respect for my uncles and everything they put into running their business.
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