Beverly Hills Teddy Bear
David Socha is the founder and CEO of Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Company and The Bible Toy Company, where he has spent nearly 30 years creating imaginative, sustainable products that bring joy to families around the world. Growing up in a family toy store, David developed a lifelong passion for play and entrepreneurship. Today, his companies reach customers in more than 80 countries and partner with major retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Smyths Toys Superstores, while also collaborating with iconic entertainment brands like Disney and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars.
Beyond business, David is deeply committed to ethical manufacturing, sustainability, and philanthropy. He serves on multiple boards and supports initiatives that provide toys to children in need, including work with Samaritan’s Purse to help refugee and immigrant families. A strong believer that play shapes lives, he continues to build businesses with heart while balancing family life with six children, coaching hockey, and caring for his organic orchard.
David Socha
Founder and CEO of Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Company and the Bible Toy Company
plush.com
linkedin.com/in/david-socha-8900a23
About the Company
At Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Company, we create imaginative, sustainable toys designed to bring joy to families around the world. For nearly 30 years, we’ve partnered with leading global retailers including Walmart, Target, and Smyths Toys Superstores, reaching customers in more than 80 countries. Our team blends timeless play with modern creativity, collaborating with iconic entertainment brands such as Disney and Lucasfilm to bring beloved characters like Star Wars to life through thoughtfully designed plush toys.
We believe toys should be made with heart. Our approach focuses on ethical manufacturing, long-term partnerships, and sustainable practices that support both people and the planet. Beyond creating products, we are committed to giving back—supporting organizations like Samaritan’s Purse to help deliver toys to refugee and immigrant children, because we believe every child deserves the joy of play.
When David Socha was broke and outbid at the last minute, one integrity-driven decision turned disaster into over $1M in free advertising and ultimately saved the company. In this episode of The Business Game, we sit down with David Socha, CEO of Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Company, to unpack what it really takes to build a lasting business in a trend-driven industry.
David shares the “sliding doors” moment that nearly ended the company early on – until a radio station GM made a surprising integrity-driven decision that turned a two-week campaign into two years of advertising (and over $1M in ad value).
We also talk about surviving COVID when revenue dropped 80%, why David shifted to a 100-year plan, and how to build an evergreen foundation while still riding trends. We cover:
- The bottleneck that changed everything (and the integrity lesson behind it)
- Surviving an 80% revenue drop and rebuilding strategically
- The “Mount Fuji” approach to customer growth
- Hiring for integrity (and the interview question that reveals a lot)
- How to win big corporate clients like Coca-Cola (without giving up)
- Decision-making as a leader: “Ready, fire, aim.”