Darren Epstein: Cards Inc Focus: Manufacture and distribution of trading and game cards Our experts We are a team of writers, experimenters and researchers providing you with the best advice with zero bias or partiality. Darren EpsteinAge: 33Company: Cards IncInspired by a trip to the US, Epstein started Cards Inc in 1989. Through organic growth and several acquisitions in recent years, it is now a major retail force with a turnover of £19.9m to July 2004 – growth of 20% on the previous year. Epstein believes the keys to the company’s success have been its ability to react ahead of competitors to secure licences for new products, and the fact that it provides a one-stop-shop for collectors and retailers.2016 update:By 2008, Cards Inc had grown to revenues of £16m and was manufacturing toys for two of the biggest franchises in the world: Star Wars and Harry Potter. The company merged with Master Replicas and then reversed a takeover of Corgi Classics and Corgi International, with Epstein taking on the role of global business development and director of NASDAQ Entity for Corgi. Today he juggles a number of roles including CEO of Mater Replicas, CEO of licensed collectible consumer products manufacturer Diffusion Toys and head of global business development at Creata, which manufactures products for the likes of McDonalds, Coca Cola and Actvision. He is also the CEO of FAC71 LICENSING – a company that represents licensing concepts to retail and advises organisations on licensing solutions. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin