Speakers:
Rusty Pepper, Head of Global Markets & Partnerships, Taylor
Joe Catlow, CEO, 500 Level
Trevor George, CEO, Trevco
Licensing represents a $500 billion-plus global opportunity, but winning and keeping a license requires far more than great artwork — it demands speed, technology, and operational discipline. Leaders from 500 Level and Trevco share how their companies launch licensed merchandise within hours of viral sports and entertainment moments, and what it really takes to operate at that pace without breaking margins or relationships with licensors.
Key Topics:
- Building rapid approval workflows with leagues, studios, and players associations
- The role of proprietary tech stacks in enabling hours-not-weeks production speed
- Protecting margins during high-volume viral moments and playoff runs
- Why print equipment quality is increasingly becoming a licensor requirement
- Automating QR-code based production tracking to eliminate human error at scale
- Playing the long game to retain licenses and build relationships across multiple IP moments