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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 for you!
You’ll find valuable tips, useful resources, and words of wisdom that can help move your invention ideas forward!

Navigating the Inventor’s Journey: Insights from Invention Expert Brian Fried

Research is Key
The best inventions don’t happen by accident. While it can look like overnight success to the world, inventors have to conduct extensive market research to build profitable products from their ideas.

Research is equally crucial for understanding consumer preferences and market trends. It helps you gain deeper insight into consumer expectations and develop tailored solutions that address their pain points.

Identifying the Right Market
Success in the world of inventions, hinges on identifying the right market for your product. Whether it’s a niche or mass-market opportunity, understanding your target audience is crucial.

Even if you’re targeting a niche market, you can generate sustained profits when your product strikes a chord with consumers. And that only happens when you solve a real and pressing problem for the target demographic.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls
One of the biggest challenges inventors face is investing time, money, and effort into an idea only to discover it already exists or infringes on someone else’s intellectual property. Alternatively, you could end up building a product that fails to generate traction due to a lack of market demand. Or it might be just too expensive to design your idea, turn it into a tangible product, and ship it to customers.

Aspiring inventors should consult with experienced professionals early in the process to assess the viability of their ideas.

Licensing vs. Manufacturing
When it comes to bringing a product to market, inventors often face the decision of licensing their invention or manufacturing it themselves. Brian, who has successfully employed both strategies, highlights the importance of intellectual property protection for licensing deals. While licensing involves less risk and potentially less revenue, it can be a fruitful option with the right partner.

Manufacturing, on the other hand, offers greater rewards and more control over how your invention is turned into a product and promoted to the public. But it comes with the added burden of building and growing your own business and involves more risks. Inventors must be prepared for the responsibilities that come with it.

Due Diligence is Crucial
As an inventor, you’re going into business, and careful consideration is essential for success.

Inventors must be prepared to invest time, money, and effort into thoroughly researching their ideas. Seeking professional guidance, especially in the early stages, is crucial for making informed decisions about moving forward with an idea or exploring alternatives.

Thorough due diligence can help you avoid costly legal battles due to copyright infringement issues.

Another area where due diligence comes in handy is for evaluating the market demand for your product and analyzing its logistical feasibility. These insights can allow you to make an informed decision when choosing between licensing and manufacturing.

Read More: Navigating the Inventor’s Journey: Insights from Invention Expert Brian Fried

The All-Inclusive Guide To Turn Your Invention Into A Successful Business

Here are a few tips to take your invention idea to the next level and build a profitable business. Let’s dive right in.

Validate Your Idea
First things first–even the most earth-shattering invention may not generate any profits if there’s a lack of demand. Before you even think about patenting your invention and setting up a company, it’s crucial to validate your idea.

Start by understanding whether your invention solves a pressing real-life problem for the target market. Research potential competitors in your niche to identify gaps in their offerings and determine whether your product can fulfill them.

Don’t Do It Alone
As an inventor, the urge to closely guard your ideas might come naturally to you. However, keep in mind that a business can’t run with a one-person army. From marketers and legal experts to accountants, you need driven and like-minded individuals to bring your ideas to fruition.

Build a team of skilled and trustworthy professionals to whom you can delegate different tasks. For instance, experienced attorneys can help you navigate the process of patenting your idea and negotiating licensing agreements.

Protect Your Idea
In today’s digital world, it’s easy to get your ideas copied or stolen. It is, therefore, crucial to know how to protect your invention from copyright infringement, and the process starts way before you apply for a patent.

It’s a good idea to build and test a prototype before applying for a patent. That way, you’ll be able to detect flaws and add new features early on. After you’ve refined the design, it’s time to file a patent. Consider hiring a patent attorney or consulting with an expert inventor like Brian Fried to get this step right.

Outline A Plan To Promote And Sell
Validating your idea and securing it with a patent is only part of the process. If you want to generate consistent income from your invention, you need a business plan.

It’s just as vital to have a marketing plan in place. Use various marketing techniques, such as email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and social media marketing, to build hype for your product. The right type of marketing channel will depend on the selected business model and target audience.

Supercharge Revenue From Your Inventions
Brainstorming new product ideas is a rewarding experience on its own. But it doesn’t pay the bills. You need a well-crafted plan to turn your inventions into tangible products and monetize them. It’s also a good idea to build a strong team and delegate responsibilities.

While you’re at it, explore online resources and social media platforms like the Inventor Smart Community app that are designed specifically for innovators. Such platforms can help you collaborate with other like-minded inventors and even promote your ideas. 

Source: The All-Inclusive Guide To Turn Your Invention Into A Successful Business

Cake Saver: How Francine Reinvented the Birthday Wish

Frustrated by the germy tradition of blowing out birthday candles, Francine invented “The Original Blow-Out” in 2016. Inspired by cake decorating tools and surgical masks, this innovative tool prevents 99.78% of germs from spreading onto cakes, making celebrations cleaner and safer. Francine is proud that her invention is Patented and Made In the USA. In her spare time, she enjoys playing pickleball, skiing, and boating.

Check out
You can find Francine in the Inventor Smart Community: @originalblow-out

Question:  Do I need a patent attorney/agent to prepare and file a patent application?

Answer: 

In general, applicants can prepare their patent applications and file them without assistance from a patent attorney. However, given the complexity of patent documents and the legal skills required, such as claim drafting, it is highly advisable to seek legal assistance from a patent attorney/agent when drafting a patent application.

Furthermore, the legislation of many countries requires that an applicant, whose ordinary residence or principal place of business is outside the country, be represented by an attorney or agent qualified in the country (which usually means an agent or attorney who resides and practices in that country). Information on the qualified attorneys and agents can be obtained directly from national and regional IP offices.

Source: https://www.wipo.int/patents/en/faq_patents.html#accordion__collapse__08

Next NIC meeting- Join the Inventor Smart Community app to watch Live Streaming!!

Missed the March National Inventor Club Meeting? Here’s a Recap!

We were excited to host Harrison Bert from the crowdfunding platform StartEngine. Harrison, with insight backed by Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, discussed:

  • Powerful Ideas: How to stand out to investors
  • Funding Options: From bootstrapping to crowdfunding
  • Crowdfunding Success: Strategies and pitfalls to consider

We also heard from:

  • US Patent & Trademark Office: Upcoming inventor events (check uspto.gov)
  • SCORE: Business support for inventors and entrepreneurs
  • ERDCWERX: Opportunities to collaborate with the US Army Engineering Research and Development Center
  • Patent Trademark Resource Center: Navigating the USPTO website

Plus, member introductions, our Inventor Spotlight, and exciting club announcements!

National Inventor Club is your hub for innovation and networking. Join us and connect with a community of inventors and supporters, NIC is also available in the Inventor Smart Community app!

To become a member, please join us at National Inventor Club: https://nationalinventorclub.com/join or download the Inventor Smart Community app https:inventorsmart.app Available on Apple App Store or Google Play.

The Got Invention Show

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.

One of the Got Invention Shows previous episodes, hosted Ginger Thompson, the inventor of Door Hickey. 

Ginger owns Website Spice by Ginger, a web design firm, and teaches journalism at SDSU. She’s been in the media world since childhood, having done her first voice-over at three for her family’s radio station. With extensive presentation experience, she’s addressed large audiences and worked as an emcee alongside celebrities like Jane Seymour and Erin Brockovich. Thomson is also an inventor who holds a patent on a product she developed with her husband, Jay Vanduch.

The Doorhickey® is an “extra handle” that suction to a sliding glass door for hands-free opening and closing.
www.doorhickey.com

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 do 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!!

IP Champions: Expanding the innovation ecosystem by bringing essential intellectual property knowledge to local communities through our nationwide team

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the launch of the Community Outreach Campaign: Intellectual Property (IP) Champions. This program connects our USPTO employees (our designated “IP Champions”)—trained in providing IP awareness and educational resources to diverse audiences—with high schools and local community centers. The IP Champions educate local communities on the importance of IP protections such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets to innovation. They support local educators, and are available to discuss important IP concepts, share our free online resources, and empower the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. 

Click the link to learn more: https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/news-updates/ip-champions-expanding-innovation-ecosystem-bringing-essential-intellectual

“Do your research, and figure out what it is that you really want to do with it. Do you want to take it to market? Do you want to sell it and come up with a game plan? I don’t know if it’s necessarily a business plan per se, but rather a pathway in your head of where you want to go with it. I felt like I meandered all over the place and didn’t really get a clear game plan of where I wanted to go. So, I would say that, and not be afraid to work really, really, really hard and don’t take those roadblocks as signs that it won’t work. I think there wasn’t a single step along the way that I’ve taken toward doing this where I didn’t encounter at least 10 roadblocks.”

– Dawn Pitre Poiani, TwinStar Baby

Inventor and Member of National Inventor Club

Charles Martin Hall Discovers the Secret of Cheap Aluminum Production

On April 2, 1889, Charles Martin Hall patented an inexpensive method for the production of aluminum, which brought the metal into wide commercial use.

Charles Martin Hall had just graduated from Oberlin College (located in Oberlin, Ohio) in 1885 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry when he invented his method of manufacturing pure aluminum.

Charles Martin Hall’s method of processing the metal ore was to pass an electric current through a non-metallic conductor (molten sodium fluoride compound was used) to separate the very conductive aluminum. In 1889, Charles Martin Hull was awarded U.S. patent number 400,666 for his process.

Read more here: https://www.thoughtco.com/charles-martin-hall-aluminum-4075554

John Rizvi is a Florida Bar Board Certified Patent Attorney, Professor of Patent Law and a friend of the inventor community. He focuses his practice specifically on individual inventors and small start-ups. John is registered to practice before the United States Patent & Trademark Office. As the founding partner of Gold & Rizvi, P.A, he has been focusing his law practice exclusively on matters relating to patent, trademark, and copyright law for the past 20 years.  Mention *INVENTOR SMART* to receive our discount! 

Thank you to our sponsor, The Patent Professor!

We launched our very first Book Club event. This event is exclusively for our Inventor Smart Community app Insiders, accessible via Zoom and will be streamed live in the app.

In our first book club session, we discussed “How To Make Money With Your Invention Idea,” a book for inventors looking to transform their innovative ideas into profitable ventures.

This fun event brought together inventors at various stages of their journey, sharing personal experiences, challenges, and triumphs in product development, patent protection, and market entry.

The discussion highlights the importance of understanding the niche market for an invention, the critical role of patent protection before pitching to potential buyers, and the strategies for expanding an invention’s market potential.

The shared experiences of inventors at various stages of their invention process underline the communal aspect of navigating the challenges and opportunities in product development and market entry.

Insights into pitching inventions, identifying potential buyers, and licensing agreements provide practical guidance for inventors looking to commercialize their ideas. 
Join us and be a part of our upcoming book club meetings by becoming a Premium Insider of the Inventor Smart Community, now available on Google Play and Apple App Store!

Check out Brian's latest book on inventing!!

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 

Inventor. Speaker. Coach. Author. Radio & TV Host. Founder. 

Brian Fried, known as “The Inventor Coach,” is a highly accomplished innovator, author, and speaker. With 15 patents to his name, he has successfully licensed and manufactured his own inventions, gaining recognition through QVC, infomercials, catalogs, and major retailers. For over 18 years, Brian has been working closely with inventors, providing one-on-one coaching as an invention licensing agent and guiding inventors in commercializing their ideas into tangible products.

As an expert speaker, Brian captivates audiences with his engaging talks on innovation and invention. He has authored three books, offering practical advice and strategies for aspiring inventors. In addition to his speaking and writing endeavors, Brian hosts the “Got Invention Show,” a platform that showcases inventors and their creations, providing them with valuable exposure.

Brian is the founder of the National Inventor Club, a community that supports and connects inventors, fostering collaboration and networking opportunities. He serves as the Chief Invention Officer of Inventor Smart, an invention consultancy that assists inventors in bringing their ideas to fruition.

In October 2023, Brian officially launched the Inventor Smart Community, an innovative social media and resource center exclusively designed for inventors. The app, now available for download on Google Play and the Apple App Store, aims to create a vibrant community where inventors can connect, share ideas, and access valuable resources.

With his extensive experience, resourcefulness, and commitment to helping inventors succeed, Brian Fried has become a trusted figure in the invention industry. Inventors and aspiring innovators can rely on his expertise and guidance to navigate the complexities of the invention process and turn their ideas into reality.

brianfried.com | inventorsmart.app | brian@inventorsmart.com

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Inventively Yours,

Brian and the Inventor Smart Team

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