April Newsletter 2024
April 2024 Whether you’re an experienced inventor or a newbie who just came up with your first big idea, the Inventor Smart Monthly Newsletter is
April 2023
Whether you are an experienced inventor or a newbie who just came up with your first big idea, the Inventor Smart Monthly newsletter is for you! You will find valuable tips, useful resources and words of wisdom that can help you move your invention forward!
Bright Idea:
Inventor Tip from Brian Fried
Importance of Finding Your Inventor Mentor
When you come up with that big idea there may be questions you need help with or during your invention journey, there may be times where you may feel like you just hit a brick wall. You scour the internet looking for answers from the right person or company to help you and are hesitant to get anyone else involved. At some point on your venture, you will need to connect with someone to help you take your invention to the next level. A mentor can be there to coach you through the invention process, help make decisions and connect you to various resources.
A mentor is someone who has walked a mile in your shoes. Because he or she has stood where you are standing now, the wisdom you can acquire from a mentor is not random knowledge – it is specific to your needs. A mentor can be a sounding board that you can share your ideas in their formative stages and gain valuable insights and fresh perspectives from someone who knows where you are coming from and where you hope to go. A mentor holds the key to your future networks of colleagues and collaborators. His or her stature in the community will leverage your credibility; introductions he or she makes will open new doors for you. You can look to them as a friend, someone who has your best interests at heart; someone whose agenda includes you.
Source: Inventing Secret reveal Book by Brian Fried
Some catalog companies are still sending out printed catalogs or have an online e-commerce website and are looking for unique, specialty products, new inventions to insert into their product offering to their customers. Most of the time these catalogs cater to a specific niche, like someone who is into auto parts, or knitting and they sell interesting items to have their customers keep coming back. Some brands may have their own product catalog that may be possible for licensing, but when selling wholesale to catalogs, you need to be ready with inventory and be prepared to send samples to the catalog buyers that are interested. Some of these catalogs, either online or in print, can do some good volume with their customer followers. And some are smaller and may only do very little volume. I’m just setting expectations here, but this can be the case with any distribution channel.
Do your research and see what catalogs you can identify that have good potential and see what their sales volume looks like. Once accepted, they’ll send you a vendor agreement to be filled out to get set up with them, followed by a purchase order with quantities requested and a window of where and when to ship. Catalogs can be a great launching pad for your new product and usually have higher margins to get you started. Envision the catalogs where you can see your invention. What catalogs do you get in the mail now? Or what catalogs do you visit online now? What are your hobbies, inventions?
Source: How To Make Money with Your Invention Idea by Brian Fried
Question:
Trademark or Brand: What’s the difference?
Answer:
A brand is a marketing concept that encompasses how people feel about your product or service. Customers associate certain elements with different brands, such as reputation, image, and emotion. For example, a certain brand might have been developed to encourage you to feel confident, calm, or secure.
On the other hand, a federal trademark registration can provide nationwide legal protection for your brand in connection with particular goods or services. It is your choice whether to protect your brand under trademark law. Many business owners choose to protect their brand names for their main or dominant goods or services. You might also choose to protect a slogan or logo for those goods or services, if you have one.
Deciding what you want to protect and to what extent is up to you. You can have a brand, but decide not to protect that brand by registering it as a trademark. If you choose not to register your brand as a trademark, however, anyone could misuse your brand or create a brand so similar to yours that people can’t tell the difference between them. So, even if consumers want to purchase your products or services because they trust your brand’s reputation, that customer might purchase someone else’s by mistake because they can’t tell the difference between the trademarks.
Source: https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/trademark-patent-copyright
National Inventor Club hosted guest speaker Matt Higgins, You’ve seen him on Shark Tank as a guest shark, and is now he’s on National Inventor Club sharing his personal story and how he “invented” himself, worked for what he’s earned and hear what’s next for him. His inspirational journey has been filled with tips and advice for you to keep you moving forward personally, for your inventions and business endeavors. There is no plan B, you have to find a way to make your personal and business goals work!
Matt Higgins is co-founder and CEO of private investment firm, RSE Ventures and an executive fellow at Harvard Business School. He’s also a former NFL executive and was once the youngest press secretary in New York City history, and you may have seen him as a guest shark on ABC’s Shark Tank Seasons 10 and 11. He’s just released a new book, “Burn the Boats” and will soon be seen in the new television series Business Hunters.
We were also joined by Bob Quintana who followed up on his 30-day Goal Card challenge to help us achieve a high level of success. We also heard from Elizabeth Dougherty from USPTO, sharing upcoming events and resources for your inventing journey. We were also joined by Erica Chase Gregory from Small Business Development Center, providing advice on staying motivated to help us achieve growth and success.
We also heard introductions from new premium members of the National Inventor Club.
National Inventor Club is one of the largest and most active communities for inventors, innovation, and service providers that support invention and continues to provide a nationwide platform for great guest speakers, networking, and connections founded and moderated by Brian Fried, who has been running inventors clubs for over 15 years.
To become a member, free or paid for inventors and service providers, please join us at National Inventor Club: https://nationalinventorclub.com/join
The Got Invention Show features a 30-minute interview where an inventor promotes an invention, seeks a licensing deal, or looks for distribution opportunities. Host Brian Fried focuses on his guest’s challenges and solutions. He asks about their journey, where they are right now, and what will come next. He invites guests to offer words of wisdom to viewers and listeners.
In one of past episodes, Got Invention Show hosted Mel Asseraf of Bake it with Mel.
Mel is the CEO and CBO (Chief Baking Officer) of Bake it with Mel. Meet your butter half, Previous Parisian bakery owner and 2X CHOPPED CHAMPION on Food Network baking is her entire life. She created the first ever chef curated baking kits inspired from Instagram’s most trending recipes shipped nation wide. With Top notch quality pre measured ingredients, tools, spatulas, disposable cake molds, step by step recipes you are sure to bake like a pro for your next party! They are re-inventing baking for today’s modern baker. Baking that FITS your LIFESTYLE not the other way around. Fun, delicious and Hassle free.
Would you like to be our guest on the Got Invention Show?
Schedule your interview today to promote your prototype or product now available for sale to now reaching 100 million households!
You and Host Brian will record a 28 minute interview and once the interview is completed, you can use it for your website and social media and we air on Amazon Fire, Roku TV, YouTube TV and next month we will be on Apple TV!! The podcast audio version of your interview is played on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Google and Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music! Small fee, great promotion for you and your invention!!
Find assistance, programs, and resources for independent inventors, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and university-affiliated inventors. Visit this link for more information https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/inventors-entrepreneurs-resources
What's New
Brian Fried was invited to speak at Bridge to i3 Lemelson MIT- Program April 1st. He discussed the importance of intellectual property and patenting with the group of high school students who are in the process of building their prototypes!
On March 29th, Brian was also one of the speaker at Harlem State Building Office. The ‘Make It Happen Networking Event’ is an unique platform that encourages real connections and drives results. Brian Fried the “Inventor Coach” shared insights and valuable information in turning your invention ideas into a booming business.
To new inventors:
When wondering: “If this is “a” calling that I should do or if this is just a passing thought?”
IF you find yourself constantly thinking about an idea…
IF you find that this idea won’t leave you alone…
IF you find yourself continually seeing an idea similar, and you know a better way that it can done…
IF you find that you can’t sleep at night without thinking about idea…
IF you find when you think about this idea, that I don’t it for hours…
IF you find when you think about this idea, that you feel of peace or that “this is right”….
IF you’ve ever looked at TV and saw a commercial and thought “I had that idea…”
You should “wake up” to the possibility, that this idea is calling YOU now & YOU should probably take this call.
If you don’t…. it will call someone else!
-Larry Holmes
Chief Innovation Officer / Industrial Designer
SafeHolmes Design, LLC.
Larry Holmes Inventor and Member of National Inventor Club
Are you ready to pitch your invention? Now Casting for the Got Invention Show’s “Pitch Your Invention” Mini Series!
Pitch Your Invention is still casting inventors with inventions for a special media series introducing yourself and demonstrating your invention with a 2 minute pitch!
-We’re looking for inventors to give their best 2 minute pitch of their product or prototype and be a part of our upcoming program! (no cost to you and recordings happen from your webcam into our studio).
-If you’re selected, you can be a part of our episodes that may air on Amazon Fire, RokuTV, YouTube TV, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Google and Apple Podcast and Amazon Music! If you’ve already submitted, please do not apply again, Brian is starting to feel better and will get started soon!
– If you have yet to apply, click here: www.pitchyourinvention.com
Good Luck!
Got Invention Show
Check out Brian’s latest book just published!!
Do you have this great idea for an invention in your head? Are you ready to learn how to make money with that invention?
● This book is about taking action so you can take that great idea out of your head and make smart decisions to help you make money. Here’s how it works:
● We’re going to walk through the steps of getting started with your big idea.
● We’ll also explore how to turn your idea into a real prototype.
● We’ll discover resources to protect your ideas and, of course, help plan your future.
So why did I write this book? I want to provide the opportunity for more inventors to learn the process it takes to experience the invention brought to life. Not only to make your invention a reality, but to learn how to earn from your inventions.
A shop for Inventors, innovators and patent holders - Check out InventorMart.com!
This is a shop for you! You’ve worked hard on your invention, now you can wear DESIGNS & MERCH made with you in mind! Find shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, stickers, blankets and over 1,000 unique items to show that you are proud to be an inventor. check out InventorMart.com
About Brian Fried
Brian Fried, serial inventor with 13 patents, is an award-winning authority in the invention industry, a sought-after celebrity guest speaker and an advocate for the invention community. As Chief Invention Officer of Inventor Smart and Expert Inventor Coach, Brian represents inventors at every stage of the invention process, project managing new up-and-coming inventions from idea to manufacturing or as an invention licensing agent to secure deals with major brands and earn royalties for inventors.
Brian is the founder of the National Inventor Club where guest speakers focus on topics of interest to the inventor community.
He is a 3x author and his 3rd book, How to Make Money With Your Invention Idea was just published in May 2022. He also hosts Got Invention Show and Radio where you can watch on RokuTV, Amazon Fire, YouTube TV, and you can hear his podcasts on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music Google and Apple Podcasts. Brian recently launched a new merch line with various designs for inventors, InventorMart.com
You can visit Brian’s personal website at BrianFried.com and check out his invention that have been licensed where he earns royalties and manufactures others that he sells on his own currently found in retailers.
Brian’s Inventor MasterClass is now available! If you want to evaluate your invention, find out if licensing or manufacturing is the right decision for you, sign up for an eLearning course at InventorClass.com. National Inventor Club Members receive a discount. For inventor resources, more information and additional tips, visit Inventor Smart.
Sponsorship opportunities available for future newsletters. If you’d like to promote your product or service please contact info@inventorsmart.com or call (631)565-7074
Thank you for reading this and please subscribe to the newsletter on Linkedin for us to stay connected!
Inventively Yours,
Brian and the Inventor Smart Team
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