Kids industry veteran Sid Kaufman has stepped away from his VP of licensing role at United Talent Agency after nine years to launch his own agency, which will help kids brand owners and creators navigate the content and consumer products markets. 

Kaufman Licensing is based in LA and will make its first industry appearances at Kidscreen Summit (February) and New York Toy Fair (March), focusing initially on developing relationships with new clients. The agency offers services including consulting, licensing representation, kids & family content development, retail collaborations, e-commerce, strategic insights and support for social impact campaigns. 

“The democratization of content is consistently opening up new markets for licensed brands and products,” says Kaufman. “The market is no longer ruled by the Saturday morning cartoon, content is coming from everywhere, including key platforms like YouTube. And the value I offer clients here is that I’ve been at the forefront of this trend, where it started with preschool brands like CoComelon and Blippi.” 

In lockstep with the launch of his agency, Kaufman has transitioned into a consultant role at UTA, where he helped sign the first consumer products deals for CoComelon and Blippi, as well as collaborating with celebrities including Mariah Carey, Post Malone, Paris Hilton and Travis Kelce on new product launches. 

Boasting more than 40 years of licensing and retail development experience, Kaufman has served in senior executive positions at MGA Entertainment (2003-2006), Nelvana (1998-2003) and Universal Studios (1989-1994), where he worked on high-profile kids brands like Beyblade, The Wiggles and Jurassic Park.