Secrets of Successful Inventing: From Concept to Commerce - Softcover

Tolchin, Edith G.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0757004075 ISBN 13: 9780757004070

Publisher: Square One, 2014

Synopsis

"Tolchin mines the smartest brains in the field to create an essential book for novice inventors." —Barbara Corcoran, SHARK TANK

The process of inventing andbringing a product into the marketplace is fraught with legal pitfalls, costlydead ends, confusing runarounds, and missed opportunities. Yet through the mazeof hurdles to overcome, some seem to navigate the path to success without aworry. So what do these people know that the struggling inventor does not? Theyknow enough to ask the right questions and find the appropriate resources theycan count on. Luck may play a part, but having a team of experts to learn fromwill absolutely increase your odds of making it. Now, in Secrets of Successful Inventing, writer and importing professionalEdith Tolchin has put together sixteen top experts who offer valuableinformation related to the various steps involved in bringing an invention tomarket.

Ms.Tolchin has created an all-in-one guide that addresses the many critical issuesthat beginning inventors might never even consider. From prototyping to patenting,from licensing to marketing, each expert gives clear and practical advice tohelp inventors reach their goals. The book presents the chapters in a logical sequencethat will allow the fledgling inventor to navigate the waters of productdevelopment. By following the steps offered and by heeding the words of theseseasoned professionals, the reader will stand a better chance of avoiding pitfallsand finding success at journey’s end.

Normally,novice inventors spend thousands of dollars attending lectures and workshopsthat they hope will prepare them for the challenges that lie ahead. In Secrets of Successful Inventing, EdithTolchin provides a straightforward guide to the basics as well as a usefulresource to take your idea to the next level.

About this title

About the Author

Edith G. Tolchin has worked with inventors for the past thirty years. She has held a prestigious U.S. customs broker license since 2002 and has interviewed over 100 inventors for her column in Inventors Digest. Edith is also the author of several books including Secrets of Successful Inventing: From Concept to Commerce and a comedic fictionalized memoir in 2017, Fanny on Fire (www.fannyonfire.com). Her writing has appeared in the Kelsey Review.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

So you want to be a rock star? Well, this is not quite the book for you, but I did get your attention, didn’t I? The truth is many of you who are reading this book may really want to be the next rock star of inventors. But creating and developing an invention is in no way a walk in the park, unless you have bottomless resources, unlimited patience, and consistent rejection only fuels your determination. You’ll need help. And I have assembled a team to give it to you.

This book’s contributors are the cream of the crop in the invention industry. They have been working with customers, consumers, and clients for a long time. If you were to combine their collective years of experience helping inventors, you would have to pause at 100, catch your breath, and then continue counting. In organizing the work of this collection of experts, I have attempted to create a logical flow—an order that I feel will be the most helpful way for a beginning inventor to learn to navigate the waters of product development. If you follow the steps outlined herein and heed the advice of these seasoned professionals--many of whom have been in your shoes, whether they started out as inventors or “invented” their businesses--you will stand a better chance of avoiding the predators of the service provider world along your long journey.

As editor, I have done my best to leave each contributor’s original material completely intact. I feel it is important for you to get the real words of these contributors, to hear their own distinctive voices as they relate their experiences and knowledge. They will teach you all about inventors’ groups, prototyping, packaging, financing, manufacturing, patenting, marketing, sales, licensing, and more. While you are welcome to jump directly to a chapter that explains a particular aspect of the process of inventing, I nevertheless recommend that you go back and read the book from beginning to end as soon as you are done. Even though you might have passed a particular stage of development, the experts in this book may bring a new and fresh perspective to your work, and possibly a more beneficial way of accomplishing a particular task. I urge you to be completely open-minded and analyze all possibilities and suggestions found in this text. Take notes on a notepad, computer, or mobile device and have them nearby as you go through the material. It may take you a while to digest all the sound ideas provided in this guide, and having a quick reference sheet may be helpful. Always keep your notes handy.

Should you be particularly impressed with this book’s contributors (and I am confident you will be), you will find contact information for each contributor on the first page of his or her chapter and at the end of the book. You may contact these experts for advice or clarification, or even choose to engage their services.

The goal of Secrets of Successful Inventing is to provide you with the most current and comprehensive information on the world of inventions available. I have attempted to create an all-in-one guide that addresses the many issues novice inventors might not initially consider, and that gives advice on how to improve the methods of slightly more seasoned individuals. You will learn all the inventors’ jargon—which is to say, all the terminology and expressions that are commonly used in the industry. What is a non-disclosure agreement? A logo? A “country of origin” tag? Social media? A packaging mock-up or a virtual prototype? By the end of this book, you’ll be speaking the language of inventors like a pro.

Throughout your journey, please be prepared to expect the unexpected. If you do your homework and listen to these guides, however, I am certain you will become a wiser, better educated consumer, and, more importantly, a successful inventor. Who knows how far you will go? Happy Inventing!

Edition details

• Publisher: Square One
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0757004075
• ISBN 13: 9780757004070
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272