Judd Zebersky Built Jazwares From a Factory Floor Up
When Judd Zebersky walked away from his law practice in the late 1990s, he traded courtrooms for factory floors. He flew to China, spent months inside manufacturing plants, and taught himself the mechanics of toy production from the ground up. Nearly three decades later, the company he founded, Jazwares, employs approximately 1,400 people and distributes products across more than 100 countries.
From Law School to Manufacturing
Zebersky earned a JD from the University of Miami School of Law, launched his own law firm after passing the bar, and then made an abrupt pivot. The decision was personal.
“I looked at my wife, and I said, ‘I want to make toys,'” Zebersky recalled. “She said, ‘Follow your dreams,’ and that’s what I did.”
That commitment meant learning injection molding, blow molding, and rotocasting firsthand. Judd Zebersky studied hair rooting methods, design processes, and engineering specs, building an operational foundation that shaped Jazwares’ hiring and growth for years. He described visiting remote toy factories throughout southern China and immersing himself in manufacturing and design.
Squishmallows and a Billion-Dollar Moment
Jazwares built its early catalog through licensed products, partnering with major entertainment properties including Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Fortnite. Two acquisitions broadened the company’s reach: Wicked Cool Toys in 2019 and Kellytoy in 2020, which brought both Pokémon and Squishmallows into the Jazwares portfolio.
Squishmallows, ultrasoft plush toys each with a name, bio, and backstory, exploded on TikTok and drew celebrity fans including Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian. More than 100 million units sold in a single year, with individual products retailing between $5 and $30. The brand became one of the most visible toy phenomena in recent memory.
Alleghany Capital Corporation first invested in Jazwares in 2014, then took a majority stake in 2016, with both transactions preserving Judd Zebersky‘s control over daily operations. Berkshire Hathaway inherited the investment through its acquisition of Alleghany in the fourth quarter of 2022. Judd Zebersky stepped down as CEO on March 20, 2026, with Chief Operating Officer David Neustein assuming the role on March 23. Refer to this page, for related information.
Learn more about Judd Zebersky on https://www.jazwares.com/about-us/leadership