L.O.L. Surprise creator Isaac Larian

Isaac Larian left Iran as a 17 year-old with $750 and went on to build a successful career in the US toy industry. Today, at 72, he’s the founder and chief executive of MGA Entertainment, one of the largest privately owned toy companies in the United States. Over the years, he’s been involved in several high-profile toy launches: from Bratz in 2001 to the acquisition of Little Tikes in 2006, and more recently the L.O.L. Surprise range of toys. He talks about his journey in life and in business and why he thinks the setbacks along the way are essential to success. Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business. Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story. Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful. We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins. To get in touch with the team, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producers: Victoriya Holland and Ahmed Adan (Photo: Isaac Larian, founder and CEO of MGA Entertainment, sitting in front of some dolls. Credit: MGA Entertainment)

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L.O.L. Surprise creator Isaac Larian is an episode from Business Daily by BBC.

This episode is 17:28 long.

This episode was published on Apr 16, 2026.

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