{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Licensing Exchange","title":"From Bartender to Global Licensing Executive: Ted Larkins, SVP of Licensing at Octane 5, on Data, Relationships, and the \"Get To\" Mindset","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/56bb98d5\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2297,"description":"Ted Larkins, Senior Vice President of Global Licensing at Octane 5, joins David Schnider and Greg Pan to trace his three-decade journey in licensing—from an accidental introduction to James Dean merchandise in 1989 to overseeing brands like Teletubbies, Space Invaders, and Mega Man.\nIn this episode, we cover:\nThe Origin Story: How a bartender in Osaka went from moving James Dean t-shirts to representing Paramount, Sony, MGM, and DreamWorks across Asia for 30 years\nThe Anime Wave: Why younger demographics are gravitating toward anime properties, and how Japanese brands are redefining the US licensing landscape\nComic Con Evolution: Observations from San Diego Comic Con on how collectible culture, exclusive product drops, and secondary markets are reshaping fan events\nOctane 5's Platform: A deep dive into how licensing software is consolidating data, approvals, assets, and royalties—and when a licensor should make the switch (spoiler: around 10–15 licensees)\nAI & the Human Element: Why data and AI tools enhance relationships rather than replace them—and why Ted's convinced negotiation and face-to-face deals will never disappear\nThe \"Get To\" Mindset: Ted's philosophy on shifting from victim language (\"I have to\") to gratitude (\"I get to\")—and how a moment with his son changed his entire approach to work and life. He shares principles from his award-winning book Get to Be Happy.","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/RAH4lcm6fnXGXYK4YrGKMNYsQvorpLuJUJKVi690Xbo/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS81NTU5/M2IzYThlYTM1MmQ1/ZWI5OTFhY2M1NjM1/ZmFiMy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}