Most inventors' self-help books overlook the crucial steps of creating and maturing inventions. The Inventor's Pathfinder fills this void, carefully examining each step leading from the moment of inspiration to product release.

Drawing on forty years of practical experience, author James L. Cairns clearly reveals all the basic strategies of successful inventing. He teaches you how to get ideas, gauge their potential, establish their ownership, and profit from them. Cairns also shows how to avoid the devastating mistakes commonly made by independent inventors.

No other guidebook comes close to offering such a complete overview of the inventing process. In The Inventor's Pathfinder you'll find everything you need to know to take your product from concept to cash!

Book Description

You?ve just invented a new technology, a must-have product. So what now? Patent it? Manufacture it? Sell it? If you?re like most would-be Edisons, chances are your stroke of genius will collect dust waiting for you to plot your next move. Fear not, intrepid creator?inventor and author Ronald Louis Docie Sr. shares more than 20 years of valuable insight in this revised and expanded edition of THE INVENTOR?S BIBLE, which now includes a workbook to help you take your ideas from concept to profit. With everything you need to know about marketing, licensing, and selling your invention, this comprehensive handbook will also help you figure out what your invention is worth, which companies might want your ideas, and what steps to take first. You dreamt it, you created it, and it actually works?let THE INVENTOR?S BIBLE pave the way to your first million.

About the Author

RONALD LOUIS DOCIE SR. sold his first invention more than 20 years ago?a safety mirror for vehicles that sells more than a million units a year in stores like Kmart, Pep Boys, and Wal-Mart. Docie is a past president of the Ohio Inventors Association and the founder and president of Docie Marketing, a company providing invention commercialization services to inventors and entrepreneurs. He lives in Athens, Ohio.

Synopsis

Now an inventor whose product ideas have generated over one billion dollars in retail sales shares his success secrets for aspiring inventors! In Turn Your Idea or Invention Into Millions, celebrated inventor and best-selling author Don Kracke begins with the first flash of inspiration and guides readers, step by step, through the adventures, passions, and pitfalls of launching a new product. This entertaining, humorous, and incredibly informative guide reveals hundreds of insider tips on researching, patenting, manufacturing, funding, and promoting an invention. Don Kracke shares his success secrets to help fledgling inventors take ideas from their imaginations and bring them into the commercial marketplace. Readers will discover what to do-and what to avoid-when getting an invention to the retail shelves, calculating wholesale and retail prices, and using advertising, packaging, and publicity to sell the product. Plus, they'll learn how to determine if their idea has any market value, target the right audience, leverage a marketer's interest into free help, and much, much more.


About the Author

Don Kracke is a professional inventor and a best-selling author. His various companies have created and marketed over 2,300 new products over the last three decades, while he has negotiated and signed over 700 licensing agreements. His new product ideas have generated over one billion dollars in retail sales and he has earned 217 national awards for creative and design excellence. As a design and creative consultant, he has been retained by Sears, Coca Cola, General Mills, Mattel, Campbell Soups, Target, and Rubbermaid. He has co-written two nationally syndicated comic strips and is the author of six books, including How to Turn Your Idea Into a Million Dollars, a national bestseller. He lives in Pacos Verde, California.

Book Description

TURN YOUR GREAT IDEA INTO A GREAT BIG FORTUNE...
We all have great ideas, and every day, ordinary people turn their simple, clever ideas into products or services that earn them millions in royalties. So what separates those who earn money exploiting their ideas from those who dont? The answer is in your hands; this book gives you all the information and all the motivation you need to turn your ideas into money without investment or financial risk.
In How to License Your Million Dollar Idea, Second Edition, Harvey Reese, a successful new product developer, consultant, and licensing agent, reveals his system for creating commercially profitable ideas and his secrets for turning them into lucrative licensing agreements. Not only will you find nuts-and-bolts information on the licensing process, youll also learn how to formulate an idea and find the motivation to grow that idea into a fortune.
Totally revised and updated, this Second Edition covers recent changes in patent law and how the Internet has impacted modern licensing. Reese includes his proven step-by-step process for formulating an idea that manufacturers are willing to pay for, researching its authenticity, obtaining patents, finding prospects, negotiating the deal, and beyond. Filled with examples of successful, well-known licensing ventures, How to License Your Million Dollar Idea, Second Edition also features an expanded appendix of sample patent forms, licensing agreements, disclosure statements, publications, contact information, and more.

About the Author

Richard C. Levy, simply put, is a marketing genius with a flair for invention. In the past twenty years, he has licensed over 125 products including Furby(r), and the best-selling game "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus." Richard holds more than 30 patents. This is his twelfth book. He was profiled on Discovery Channel's Invention series, and in interviews with The New York Times, and The Washington Post. An MIT Inventor-of-the-Week, Richard has spoken at Wharton's Entrepreneurship Conference, IBM, and the USPTO's Independent Inventors Conference, among other engagements. His products have generated over $1 billion in combined retail sales.

Review from Internet Book Watch

Will It Sell? was specifically written for anyone considering bringing their invention to market. A key consideration in marketing a new idea or product is to determine its profitability, especially before investing capital on a patent. James White's practical, "reader friendly" informational manual will provide the non-specialist general reader with inexpensive techniques and practical steps to take in assessing whether or not their invention will be commercially viable. Fundamental issues are clearly addressed such as what a patentable invention is, the step for "idea development" and "product development"; advertising claims, getting professional help, even doing your own patent search. Dozens of Internet resources are provided with instructions for how best to utilize them. If you have an idea or an invention that you want to make money with, begin by a carefully reading of James White's Will It Sell?.

Book Description

This is a story book. A story book about over 50 real inventors who each made at least $1 million from their invention efforts. The stories are about everyday people that figured out what it would take then pursued their goals one step at a time until success was achieved. True, not all started from your current position, some started from better ones and some from much worse. And, of course, not all steps were successful, some were missteps that had to be recovered from. That is one of the strengths of this book, it identifies the missteps and explains why they were missteps
This second edition is thoroughly brought up to date to not only tell more of the stories since the first edition but to add some new stories and, of course, to bring all the facts up to date with patent law changes through 2002, etc. The stories tell how everyday people not only had invention ideas but how they went from idea to market success. Not all the paths were the same and the book discusses the differences and the lessons learned therefrom.

From the Author

How do some people actually turn their ideas, their inventions into a million dollars or more? What are the key moves made by the winners? What are the pitfalls and mistakes of judgment that bring down the losers? How does it apply to you?
This book brings you the true stories of dozens of innovators who met the million-dollar minimum or more. What they did right gives you a documentary picture of the "do's." And, to illustrate the "don't's," I've included a few sad but true stories of potentially big winners that bombed. Some stories are old enough to be classics; some are brand new examples added to this Second Edition of Millions from the Mind.
To these case histories I've added a large helping of practical actions for commercializing your innovation, all based upon my own twenty-plus years of guiding inventions from the first trickle of an idea to a big revenue stream. Not surprisingly, you will find a bit of bias in favor of the independent inventor.
In addition to optimism and sheer doggedness, converting an invention from a great idea into a flow of cash often requires a real entrepreneur. Esprit, elan, and invincible belief are always valuable. But they are not enough. So, if you yourself are an inventor, a discoverer, a creative idea person, inside or outside of a big corporation, read ahead and enjoy vicariously the successes of others and store away in your memory the imaginative ways they broke through the barriers.
If you are a corporate executive whether in management, marketing or research you'll find clues here for getting the best results from the creative minds within your own company as well as managing the risks of new inventions without upsetting the entire Board of Directors.

Book Description

In this informative and fun-to-read guide, master inventor Maurice Kanbar-creator of the D-Fuzz-It sweater comb, New York's first multiplex theater, and SKYY Vodka-cracks open his notebook to walk would-be inventors through five proven steps for turning a good idea into a fortune. Secrets from an Inventor's Notebook draws upon more than forty years of hands-on inventing experience and know-how to share:

* Helpful tips for getting inventions on the market
* Resources to fund and support your ideas
* An appendix full of practical information-including publications, suppliers, organizations, phone numbers, and Web sites
* Light-hearted and fun-to-read advice that really works

This indispensable guide is required reading for any aspiring inventor.

"This should be of great help to anyone who has ever wanted to invent. Fascinating reading." (Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?)

"Secrets from an Inventor's Notebook is like having an uncle in the inventing business." (USA Today)

Book Description

The Mom Inventors Handbook . gives practical step-by- step advice for putting inspiration into action. The book takes inventors from idea development to marketing and sales covering everything from market research to prototype development, manufacturing and licensing and debunks some common myths. It simplifies the invention process; even providing stories from real mom inventors sharing their 'aha' moments and lessons learned.

From the publisher


The Everything Inventions and Patents Book is your step-by-step guide to turning your bright idea into a lucrative enterprise. Authored by two successful inventors and businesswomen, this guide shows you how to make your brainchild profitable. With information on everything from protecting your idea to learning whom you can trust, The Everything Inventions and Patents Book sets you on the right path toward turning your wildest dreams into tangible, patented reality! The Everything Inventions and Patents Book is the only resource you need for creating and protecting your idea, your investment, and your future.

From the publisher

The best way to protect your invention is to keep good records. Let The Inventor’s Notebook track and prompt you to take care of every important step in the process.
Use it to:
*document the development of your invention
*help you can make refinements while building and testing
*assess the commercial potential of your invention
*calculate how much capital you are likely to need 
*organize your search for funds to build, test, manufacture and distribute your invention
*create a record of contacts who know of your invention and have signed confidentiality agreements

The perfect companion to Nolo's bestselling Patent It Yourself, this book includes:
*worksheets
*forms
*sample agreements
*instructions
*references to relevant areas of patent law
*a bibliography of legal and non-legal aids
*and more

The Inventor's Notebook also includes up-to-date agreements, a glossary of patent terms and a section on using the Internet to develop and promote your invention.

From Publishers Weekly

Told with verve, this delightful tale of a restless, curious inventor and entrepreneur is packed with practical advice for creative endeavors. Kanbar's 36 successful inventions (from various medical devices to Skyy vodka and the D-Fuzz-It Sweater and Fabric CombR) all started with difficulties anyone might encounter: hangovers, accidents with hypodermic needles, fuzzballs on sweaters. In each case, Kanbar knew nothing about the problem he set out to solve. Unlike many inventors, who hand off their ideas at an early stage through licensing agreements, Kanbar has often set up businesses to market his products and stayed involved in every detail along the way. He takes the reader on engaging journeys from initial conception to research, implementation, testing, refinement, legal protection, packaging, distribution and marketing. General readers will enjoy these unaffected stories of a straightforward, successful guy. Would-be inventors and anyone engaged in independent creative activity will benefit from the distilled aphorisms ("Thou Shalt Not Bullshit Thyself") and no-nonsense information. It's a rare author who can end his foreword with "I look forward to reveling in your success" and make the reader believe it. With the help of a $50,000 marketing campaign, Kanbar (the publisher of Council Oaks books) is supporting this book with the same care that he's brought to marketing his other products. While none of his inventions, except for Skyy vodka, are household names, would-be inventors will find both inspiration and beneficial tips in his affable guide. (Jan.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Phil Baechler, Inventor of the Baby Jogger

"I wish I'd had this book when I first invented the Baby Jogger!...closer to an action-adventure movie than a dry how-to manual."

Today, one of the easiest ways to make money is to create and sell original ideas. Every year, more than 100,000 patents are granted in the U.S., creating a billion-dollar industry for those using intellectual property. With this book, would-be inventors can develop their ideas with low risk and a minimum of investment?without quitting their day jobs!

Attorney and patent holder Steve Barbarich takes readers on an exciting journey through the patenting process. From concept to marketable product, there are step-by-step instructions that anyone can follow.

This book features important information on:

Choosing which ideas to pursue

Taking your ideas into the marketplace

Prototyping and test marketing

Filing the proper forms

Protecting your ideas

And much more!

Review

Makes what appears to be impossible, possible. At last, a solution for the inventor on a severely limited budget. --Randy Moyse, www.inventorshq.com

Product Description

Insider tips for bringing your product to market without breaking the bank! How to maximize your chances for successfully moving your idea to market on a limited budget! Where to find free or nearly free help! Tips on how to pace your expenditures! When you must spend money and when you don't have to! How to know whom you can trust and whom you should not trust! Where to find the money to help you pursue your invention! Tips for toy inventors! Discount coupons worth $500 on essential inventor products and services!

Excerpted from Inventor's Guide to Law, Business & Taxes (Inventors' Guide to Law, Business & Taxes, 1st Ed) by Stephen Fishman. Copyright ? 2003. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction Genius is not always rewarded.

Hungry for cash, John "Doc" Pemberton sold the world's most famous trade secret -- the formula for Coca-Cola, for less than $900. Charles Goodyear had a brilliant innovation -- rubber that could be used year-round. But Goodyear made many bad deals, failed to protect his patent rights and died in 1860 owing over $200,000. Charles Stahlberg woke the world up with his alarm-clock invention but then, because of business debts, was forced to sell all rights cheaply to the Westclox company. George Ferris had two brilliant ideas -- the Ferris wheel and the amusement park -- but debts forced him to auction his wheel and eventually he was driven to bankruptcy. Adolph Sax patented his saxophone but died penniless after spending all his money on attorneys to fight patent battles.

From Gutenberg (yes, he died penniless as well) to today, developing a great invention has never been a guarantee of financial success. There are many reasons for these financial failures -- bad luck, bad timing, the world's indifference to innovation -- but one of the most significant causes is the inventor's lack of basic knowledge in three areas:

law -- the array of laws, such as patent law, that protect inventions and thereby enable inventors to make money from them business -- the knowledge of how to properly organize and run inventing activities like a real business, and taxes -- the ability to take advantage of the tax laws to help underwrite inventing efforts. This book is intended to help the independent inventor fill this knowledge gap. Whether you're a full- or part-time inventor, just starting out or highly experienced with many patents to your name, reading this book will enable you to answer such crucial questions as:

If I invent something on the job, who owns it -- my employer or me? (See Chapter 11.) Can I deduct my home-workshop expenses from my taxes? (See Chapter 7.) Should I incorporate my inventing business? (See Chapter 2.) How can I pay the low 20% capital gains tax rate on my inventing income? (See Chapter 8.) Reading this book won't guarantee you'll get rich from inventing, but at least you'll be able to avoid some of the mistakes other inventors have made.

Business, Tax or Law? This book is divided into three conceptual parts:

Starting and Running Your Business. Chapters 2 through 4, 9 and 10 cover starting and running your inventing business, including choosing your form of business, record keeping and hiring employees and contractors.

Taxes. Chapters 5 through 8 cover the tax aspects of inventing, including such issues as showing the IRS that your inventing is not a hobby, deducting your inventing expenses and paying taxes on inventing income.

Ownership and Exploitation. Chapters 11 through 17 cover laws regarding ownership and exploitation of your invention. These laws include intellectual property laws for inventors such as patents, trademarks, trade secrets and copyrights, as well the law relating to invention licensing.

Chapter 18, Help Beyond the Book, tells you how to do further research on your own, and, if necessary, hire an attorney. If you need an answer for a specific question, start with the table of contents at the front of the book. If you don't find the topic you're interested in there, check the detailed index at the back of the book.

What's Not in This Book This book does not cover everything inventors need to know. Specifically, it is not about:

How to file for a patent. This book provides an overview of all forms of intellectual property law, including patents, but it does not explain how to file for a patent. This topic is covered in more detail in Patent It Yourself, by David Pressman (Nolo). How to file a provisional patent application. Patent Pending In 24 Hours, by Richard Stim & David Pressman (Nolo) explains how to prepare a provisional patent application. How to do a patent search. Patent Searching Made Easy, by David Hitchcock (Nolo), offers guidance on patent searching. How to do a patent drawing. If you want to create your own patent drawings, check out How to Make Patent Drawings Yourself, by Jack Lo & David Pressman (Nolo).

"The Inventors Survival Guide," a process partner in a book, will save you thousands of dollars! The content is targeted for inventions marketed in the USA by inventors, who have access to the Internet wherever they live in the world. With high profile guest writers on everything from agreements to warning signs, the writers sought advice from the best and offer their own. Information includes web sites, business partners, marketing tips, professional insights, free online newsletters, searchable databases, and much more!