The Beanies

What The Beanies does

The Beanies is an Australian children's entertainment company founded in 2016 in Sydney, producing original music, podcasts, television, and live performances for preschool and early-primary audiences ('Mini-Beanies') and the parents who purchase on their behalf. The product portfolio centres on 90+ original songs created with composer James Court (the Music Wizard) and released across multiple albums (Let's Go!, Noise Factory, Full of Beans, Imagination Station, Big Day Out, Raining Jelly Beans), an award-winning podcast distributed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Listnr, and a TOP 10 ABC Kids television show distributed via ABC iview. Live performance is a core pillar, with national touring of the all-original musical 'The Beanies' EGG-Straordinary Day!' across theatres, libraries, festivals, and shopping centres in 2022-2023.

There is no proprietary technology platform; the business runs on standard creator-economy infrastructure (Squarespace storefront, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, podcast hosting, Cameo) and a small in-house team of seven. Revenue is generated through six streams: music streaming royalties, podcast distribution, ABC Kids broadcast licensing, ticketed live shows, direct-to-consumer merchandise (dolls at A$40, activity books at A$15, tote bags at A$20, badges, ribbon sticks), and transaction-fee income from Cameo personalized videos. The company is privately held and bootstrapped, with the three founders (Laura Dawson, Michael Yore, Miriam Rizvi) effectively serving as both the management team and the on-screen talent, supported by the Music Wizard. The go-to-market is product-led content, using free YouTube and podcast content as a top-of-funnel acquisition mechanism and merchandise and live shows as monetization levers.

Name

The Beanies

Legal name

The Beanies

Website

https://thebeaniesaus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Beanies is a Sydney-based, bootstrapped Australian children's entertainment company producing original music, an award-winning podcast, a TOP 10 ABC Kids TV show, and live tours for young children and their parents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Entertainment

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)

SIC

Dolls & Stuffed Toys (3942)

akta.pro primary industry

Recorded Music Retail & D2C Merch Bundles (MPAIAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.) (MPAJAAAN)

Keywords

• Children's entertainment
• Kids music albums
• Children's podcast
• Kids live shows
• Children's merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Music streaming royalties: Original songs streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms generate streaming revenue. Their 90+ original songs have been streamed over 8 million times.
2. Podcast: Award-winning podcast series downloaded over 2 million times, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Listnr. May generate advertising or premium content revenue.
3. Merchandise sales: Direct e-commerce sales of branded merchandise including beanie dolls ($40 each), activity books ($15), tote bags ($20), badges ($5), and ribbon sticks ($4). Operated through their own online shop.
4. Live performances: Ticketed live shows including their original musical 'The Beanies' EGG-Straordinary Day!' performed at theatres, libraries, festivals, and shopping centres across Australia.
5. TV broadcast (ABC Kids): TV show broadcast on ABC Kids, described as a TOP 10 ABC Kids sensation with millions of streams.
6. Personalized video messages (Cameo): Personalized video messages available through Cameo platform for birthdays, graduations, and other occasions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Beanies is an Australian children's entertainment brand that produces original music albums, an award-winning podcast, and a TV show broadcast on ABC Kids. The company also performs live concerts and theatrical shows across Australia, sells branded merchandise (including plush dolls, activity books, and accessories) through its online shop, and offers personalised video messages via Cameo. Content is distributed via YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Listnr.

Product overview

The Beanies is an Australian children's entertainment brand founded in 2016 on Gadigal Land (Sydney), comprising a team of three main characters (Laura, Michael, and Mim Beanie) and their Music Wizard James Court. Their product portfolio consists of seven original music albums (Let's Go!, Noise Factory, Full of Beans, Imagination Station, Big Day Out, and Raining Jelly Beans) featuring 90+ original songs streamed over 8 million times; an award-winning podcast (downloaded 2+ million times) available on major platforms; a TOP 10 ABC Kids TV show with music clips; live concert shows and theatrical productions like 'The Beanies' EGG-Straordinary Day!'; branded merchandise including Beanie character dolls, activity books, tote bags, badges, and ribbon sticks; and free educational resources including colouring pages and worksheets. The Beanies distributes content through YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Listnr, while also offering personalized video messages via Cameo and a newsletter subscription service for engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Original Music Albums
• The Beanies Podcast
• ABC Kids TV Show
• Live Concert Shows and Theatrical Performances
• Beanies Branded Merchandise
• Personalised Video Messages (Cameo)

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Metro Cinemas BoroniaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Sponsored popcorn for The Beanies' show 'The Beanies EGG-Straordinary Day' at Nunawading/The Round in Box Hill. One-time event sponsorship relationship.
• Bendigo CinemasminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Provided popcorn for The Beanies' live show performances. One-time event sponsorship relationship.
• Eastland Shopping CentreminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Hosted The Beanies live concert show at their shopping centre in Melbourne on April 14th 2023. Venue partnership for live performance.
• The Gumball FestivalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023The Beanies performed at The Gumball Festival in Dashville, Newcastle in April 2023. Festival performance partnership.
• Lighthouse Theatre WarrnamboolminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Hosted The Beanies 'EGG-Straordinary Day' live show at their theatre in Warrnambool, Victoria.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Wiggles: Australia's flagship children's music and live performance act with TV presence, original song catalogs, plush/merchandise, and national touring. Closely mirrors The Beanies' model of original children's music + TV + live shows + character merchandise, but at significantly larger scale.
• Justine Clarke: Australian children's performer and singer-songwriter with TV presence, original albums, and live touring. Comparable as a single/dual-artist children's music brand rather than a group act.
• Hi-5: Long-running Australian children's music and entertainment group with original cast-driven TV shows, albums, and live tours. Comparable to The Beanies in multi-performer children's music format and merchandise offering.
• Peter Combe: Veteran Australian children's musician with a multi-decade catalog of original songs and live performance circuit. Relevant comparable for catalog-driven, live-touring children's music in Australia.
• Emma Memma: Australian children's entertainer combining original music, TV (ABC Kids), and live performances with branded merchandise. Highly analogous to The Beanies in format, audience (preschool), and distribution strategy.
• Teeny Tiny Stevies: Australian children's music group producing original albums and performing live, with growing podcast and social media presence. Similar in catalog size, audience, and bootstrapped Australian operation.
• Lah-Lah: Australian children's music and TV brand featuring original songs, an ABC-broadcast show, and live performances. Directly comparable on the TV + music + live touring combination.

Broad incumbents

• Sesame Workshop: Global children's educational entertainment brand spanning TV, music, podcasts, merchandise, and live shows. Comparable end-state archetype for The Beanies' multi-format, mission-driven children's content model.
• Play School: Long-running ABC Kids preschool TV brand and institution. Comparable as the dominant Australian children's TV ecosystem competitor for ABC Kids audience attention and ad/sponsorship budgets.
• Bluey (Ludo Studio / BBC Studios): Australian-originated, globally distributed children's animated series and accompanying merchandise, music, and live shows. Relevant incumbent benchmark for what scaled Australian children's IP can become.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCP__XsasetuQC4B9r9SklbQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheBeaniesAus
• Instagraminstagram.com/thebeaniesaus
• TikTokvm.tiktok.com/ZSJGVbcME
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-beanies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Beanies