When he began pushing his blocks without taking the time to become part of the community, he got shut out. "You have to listen first before they start listening to you," Mr. Eich says.

Wooden toys, which include blocks, puzzles, trains and educational tools, only account for 5.6 percent of China's toy market in 2023, according to Zhiyan Consulting, a Chinese market research company.

NEW YORK (April 15, 2025) — Building Blocks of Success: An Inside Look at the Technical Contract Staffing Industry, by Monte Block, is now available on Amazon.