January 2021 officially marks The Licensing Shop’s 15th anniversary.

The licensing agency was founded by husband-and-wife team Steve and Nancy Fowler in 2006. Previously, Steve was the president of video game developer 3D0 Europe based in the U.K. and California, and Nancy was the vice president, worldwide licensing for Viacom Consumer Products and president of DIC Entertainment’s Consumer Products division based in Los Angeles, Calif.

“We set out to become a ‘boutique’ agency, meaning we didn’t want to grow so big that our clients weren’t working with us directly and daily,” says Steve Fowler. “So, we really have to pick and choose the brands we worked on carefully. Beyond the usual categories (apparel, toys, publishing, home, etc.), we have developed brand extensions into mint bullion and stamp collections, lottery tickets, video games and mobile apps, art exhibitions, pop-up stores, saunas, barbells, craft beer, cereal and even a municipal town!”

TLS has worked with brands such as Pokémon, Shopkins, “Star Trek,” Skechers and “Sesame Street.” In 2016, TLS won an “Award of Licensing Excellence” from industry association License International for Best Character/Toy brand program representing client Moose Toys. In 2018, Nancy Fowler was honored by the License Global Influentials List naming 19 women from 18 companies that had greatly influenced the business of licensing. 

“We are proud that we license imaginatively and always strategically into an extensive scope of product categories, consumer experiences and co-brand collaborations,” says Fowler. “Once we have created a brand’s licensing plan and have client sign-off, we find the appropriate licensees and retailers to partner with.”

TLS has managed licensing programs that have sold more than $3 billion in retail sales in the U.S. and Canadian markets.