LA Spring Preview- Build, Protect, Scale Your IP with Amazon

Date: Tuesday, Apr 21, 2026
Time: 5:00pm-7:00pm 
Location: Amazon Culver City: The Culver Theater
Address: 9500 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
Cost to Attend Virtually: Member: Free | Non-Member: $29
Cost to Attend In Person: Member: $10* | Non-Member: $29 

In today’s retail environment, intellectual property is more than legal protection. It is a strategic business asset. Whether you are launching a new brand, expanding a franchise or scaling a small business, understanding how to develop and protect your IP is critical to long-term growth.

Join Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment LA for a special panel hosted by Amazon on April 21 exploring how brands can build, protect and scale their IP within the Amazon ecosystem. Panelists will include leaders from Amazon’s IP Accelerator Program and retail team, a small business owner who has successfully leveraged the program and a brand leader, who brings deep expertise at the intersection of licensing and brand protection.

The discussion will cover practical strategies for securing trademarks, navigating infringement, partnering with legal experts and using IP protection as a foundation for commercial success.

Your in-person ticket also includes drinks and light bites. 

About the panelists:

Franklin Jones, Senior Program Manager, Amazon

Franklin Jones is a Senior Program Manager at Amazon, leading the Brand Advocacy & Optimization team in Seattle. In this role, he directs a group of program managers focused on elevating brand experience through deep customer perception analysis and data-driven problem-solving. Franklin specializes in translating customer insights into actionable solutions that strengthen trust across global stakeholders, while fostering cross-functional collaboration and driving product innovation through closed-loop feedback mechanisms. His work spans strategic initiatives including IP Accelerator, a program designed to connect global selling partners with trusted legal service providers and expedite enrollment into Amazon Brand Registry. 

Kenan Peters, Program Manager, Brand Registry, Amazon

With nearly four years leading Brand Registry initiatives at Amazon, Kenan drives impact across intellectual property protection and brand empowerment. He's presented IP-focused solutions to nearly 2,400 brands and led strategic discussions at Amazon's New Seller Summit, while managing a network of 50+ subject matter experts to scale program success.

Holding a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University, Kenan brings a unique perspective to cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder engagement. Beyond Amazon, Kenan is a former professional choreographer and motivational speaker with an entrepreneurial background—currently building a pet treat company.

His philosophy is simple: **Keep moving forward.** Kennan is committed to helping brands thrive while driving meaningful innovation at Amazon.

Lily Wilmoth, Founder, Hearth and Homestead

Lily Wilmoth is the founder of Hearth and Homestead, an ancestral skincare company. Back in 2016, after the birth of her first child, Lily began deep research into the toxic ingredients found in most skincare products and started making her own at home, using only ingredients that are time-tested by our ancestors. What began as a hobby making soap and tallow balms with whole, traditional ingredients grew from a farmers market side-gig into a nationally recognized brand after launching on Amazon Handmade, where the company experienced rapid growth and reached thousands of customers.

After starting on Amazon in 2022 as a very small side business, H&H ended 2025 with $15 million in sales, their hero product being their Herb-Infused Whipped Tallow Balm. Today, the Wilmoths oversee every batch in their Virginia studio, combining historical skincare traditions with modern e-commerce strategy to build a handcrafted brand at scale.

** You must have an active WiT Membership and log into your account to receive member pricing.

Please note that all event tickets are non-refundable.

If you can no longer attend, you are welcome to transfer your ticket to another guest up to 24 hours in advance. To do so, please email info@womenintoys.com with the name of the guest who will be taking your place.