I have now interviewed 26 successful inventors as part of the Inventors Helping Inventors podcast.
In an earlier post in March, 3 Lessons learned from successful inventors – I passed on some interesting lessons I'm learning from interviewing other successful inventors each week.
Today's blog post is a follow up with 3 more interesting lessons learned from successful inventors.
Why not learn from those who have already achieved what you wish to achieve?
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I'm a fan of podcasts as a powerful medium to get free valuable information – as you know. You should be too.
Here's your chance. Just click on the blue button below to grab your FREE copy of – Powerful Podcasts for Entrepreneurs – cheat sheet now.
Would you like to learn how to make money from your invention? Tired of just spending money?
Attend the next FREE live webinar – How to License Your Invention for Royalties.
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Successful Inventors Share Their Tips and Tricks – for Free
Now that I have a weekly podcast – Inventors Helping Inventors – where I talk to successful inventors every week – I'm learning a lot of valuable information from other successful inventors.
Here's a tip: if you subscribe to the IHI podcast, you'll get free valuable information every week from the podcast – learn valuable tips and tactics while you're driving to work or working out!
Below are 3 more lessons I gleaned from interviewing very successful inventors. I think you will find them interesting.
Lesson #1: You may be overlooking your strongest buyers – Aaron Krause – Episode #20
Aaron Krause invented the uber-successful Scrub Daddy sponges for kitchen cleaning – a Shark Tank sensation that has sold over $170 million in the marketplace.
But, his clever smiling sun-faced scrubbing sponges spent 5 years gathering dust in a big bin at Aaron's office.
Why?
His initial vision was to create an innovative hand cleaning product to easily remove grease and grime – especially for automotive mechanics and others. He found Lava soap (widely used in auto shops) to be overly abrasive and that, while it worked, it left behind an unpleasant slimy feel to his hands.
His innovative Scrub Daddy yellow sponges worked very well to clean hands without the abrasive and slimy feel detriments. He was sure that auto mechanics would love his product at $4.
They didn't.
Apparently, the Lava soap didn't really bother them that much. They had little interest in paying for a more expensive replacement. So, Aaron tossed his Scrub Daddy product aside in a bin – for five years.
Years later, his wife asked him to scrub clean some patio furniture. Trouble was, she was upset to see he was scrubbing off some paint as well as grime. That's when he thought to retrieve his Scrub Daddy sponges and see how they did. The sponges worked fantastically and soon, he discovered they worked even better for cleaning cups and plates in the kitchen. Suddenly, he'd found the best use for the Scrub Daddy. The rest was history.
Maybe you're overlooking a different or better application for your current invention. The secret to success for your invention may be an application you haven't even thought of yet. What are other ways your invention might be used?
Lesson #2: Your invention may solve a problem many people have – Aneela Idnani – Episode #21
Aneela Idnani suffered with a psychological issue that caused her to unconsciously pluck out all of her eyebrows – called trichotillomania. For years, she hid from others in embarrassment feeling like an oddball, all alone with a problem that no one else had. When her husband confronted her one day, she knew she needed to find a solution – so she invented the solution – the Keen Bracelet. The bracelet vibrated to alert her she was unconsciously about to pluck eyebrows – and it worked.
It turns out, she wasn't alone – millions of others had the same or similar conditions. In fact, over 30 million people suffer from trichotillomania, also excessive nail biting and digging at skin. Her Keen Bracelet was an effective relief for all of these conditions. Today, her invention provides relief and effective cures for not just her, but millions of others.
The Keen Bracelet sells all over the world.
How about your invention? Perhaps you designed an invention to solve a problem you have, but you figured no one else has. Odds are if you are annoyed with a problem, the solution – your invention – could be perfect not only for you, but millions of others as well.
Think about it!
Lesson #3: Secure your trademark – before someone else does – Kurt Tompkins – Episode #22
Kurt Tompkins, the featured inventor in this week's episode of the Inventors Helping Inventors podcast made a mistake – a costly one.
He did not secure a national trademark for his solution to hot muggy nights trying to sleep – the Bedfan. Fe focused on designing and manufacturing his product, but, as it gained momentum and success, others decided to use the Bedfan name for their copy cat products. Unfortunately, he had no legal recourse to preventing them from using the name.
Today, he has evolved and improved the product, he now calls the Bfan – which has national trademark protection.
Just don't make the same mistake twice! How about the early copy cats? They went bankrupt, so they are no longer a problem! Today his invention sells all over the world.
Unlike patents, a trademark is relatively inexpensive to obtain – a bit over $300 if you file for it yourself. It's a bit more if your attorney helps you. But, a trademark can be an extremely valuable asset as it is the name of your product that all of your buyers will recognize.
Don't forget to reserve your trademark(s) before someone else does!
Stay tuned!
_______________________________________________________________________________
I'm a fan of podcasts as a powerful medium to get free valuable information – as you know. You should be too.
Here's your chance. Just click on the blue button below to grab your FREE copy of – Powerful Podcasts for Entrepreneurs – cheat sheet now.
Would you like to learn how to make money from your invention? Tired of just spending money?
Attend the next FREE live webinar – How to License Your Invention for Royalties.
All you need is your cell phone, laptop or computer to attend this live webinar. Get all your questions answered.
Just click on the orange button below to sign up for the next FREE live webinar – License Your Invention for Royalties.