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Monday, 24 November 2008

What does CHANGE mean to inventors in 2009?

Well, the Presidential race is finally over and we will have a new President for 2009. Our new President promises that “change” is coming and we need a new outlook and spirit to drive our great country forward in the years to come. That certainly sounds good to me but for me change is about getting up each day and doing something to make changes for the better a reality. What can you do as an inventor to make important and impactful changes in your life? Start by making a new promise to finally make your ideas reality!

When I talk to inventors, many of them tell me they are “stuck” or have “been working on their invention for years” and I am always intrigued by this. Why is it taking so long? What are they stuck on? Is it a lack of money? Is it a lack of knowledge? I think it is all of these things and more….and so what can you do TODAY to make a change for the better? Get up, make a list of what you have already done and what you need to do, and start by taking one step at a time! If you are not sure about what to do next, email me and I will send you a list of steps an inventor should take to get their invention off the ground. No more excuses and no more delay. Change is coming…but only you can make changes that personally affect you and your family.

I can share one very important lesson I have learned over the years. Inventors often tell me they have many ideas and just don’t know which one they should pursue. The answer is simple – choose the one that is the easiest to make, least expensive to produce, and one that will resonate with the greatest number of people. You will never satisfy everyone you meet so all you can do is work hard on what you believe in and stay with it. Don’t quit if you have a great idea and it has been verified by people who don’t know you or have no special interest in your well being. There are times when I tell inventors to take a break or even give up but those times are few. Just seek out good advice, trusted friends and colleagues, and start on your journey the RIGHT WAY today!
A poll I conducted with inventors

For the past few years, I have been told countless times by inventors that they have been working on their inventions for YEARS! Since I really wanted to know just how long the average inventor has been working on their invention, I decided to conduct an informal telephone poll.

Here is what I did…

Whenever I received a call from an inventor or had the opportunity to speak to one, I asked them “how long have you been working on your invention - everything including from the early stages of doing a patent search to developing the invention?” The answer may surprise you…or maybe not! it was SEVEN YEARS! Yes, seven years. Although it surprised me a bit it certainly was no real shocker. What is important to mention is that this seven years only includes getting their product to the point of preparing it for manufacturing! These inventors have been working all of these years and STILL do not have a product that has been produced at a factory and of course that means they cannot earn a dime for their efforts because you need finished products in order to put them on the shelves of retail stores.

I talked to nearly 100 people just so you know and I have spoken to many more than that over the years and seven years sounds about right - although I have met many that have been at it for 20 or more years!

OK, so here it is - what have they been doing all of this time? Does it really take seven years to get to the point that they are at? Of course not! It has taken them this long because most of them had no real idea what to do and had no real step by step guidance about what to do and how to do it correctly. Sure, they read books and went on the internet but still they got “stuck” and either took a break or tried to get through it - all while spending lots of money and time they really didn’t have. I know this because I asked them.

There is no need for people to struggle along like this. Lack of money was an issue for many but many said that if they knew exactly what to do and had the confidence to move forward, they would have found the money to get the job done.
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