My Journey

My husband and I had been working on an idea he had, and we had contacted an invention submission company "Invent Tech". They charged us hundreds of dollars to view his idea, and then wanted thousands to move forward. Something about that just did not feel right to us.

A few years later, I had an idea for what I thought was "The Best Idea Ever". So I hop online to see what I can find on Google. During my search I find a company having an LPS for BB&B. So I think to myself "What Can I Lose?" For this tiny bit of money, instead of thousands I can have my product viewed, and get other opinions on it. So I enter it in, and I wait, and wait, and wait.

Thank god for the wait.....I took that time to scroll the site and read. So I read, and read, and read, and learned, and learned, and learned. I kicked back in the back ground until I felt comfortable with a few people there that I had developed a trusting sense for. I had begun to talk to one lady on there who seemed to be in the same place as me, new to all of this, we began to chat behind the scenes. Long story short, I now call her "My Best Friend" and since that day we have talked every day, several times a day!

During the reading I realize that the LPS's are just not for me, along with the fact that I now know this product is "Not Even" a good fit for BB&B. I pulled it out, and started asking questions to the more knowledgeable people on the site "Roger, Mark, and a couple of others". I finally email Mark, and ask if he ever talks to inventors, and to my surprise, he spent countless hours on the phone trying to help me find my way. I will never forget those words "You Have To Line Up Your Planets". I remember thinking, OMG how do I line up my planets? I started reading his blog, and started asking Roger questions on licensing products, and believe me they had to be sick of seeing my email address...LOL...

I submitted a product one to a company in the beginning, and they turned it down. I wondered "Why?" It's such a good idea, so why did they turn it down. The answer was "SO SIMPLE". They dealt with products that generally fit on a clip strip. Was my product going to fit on a clip strip? Nope it would not. Lesson learned I thought. So now I know that just because a company is inventor friendly, and they are in the house wares industry, does not mean they are the right fit for every house wares product.

Anyway, as I moved through the process, I am starting to realize now about 6-8 months in....WOW....All this time, I have been lining up my planets. I now know things like "Does it solve a problem? Can it be manufactured, and sold at a good price? Have I done all of my research? How do I find the right company it will fit into?

I had to also step up my researching skills, so I found someone to help me learn how to effectively research a product. Wow who knew research was so time consuming? Not me J

So by now I have come up with a baby product that I needed to submit. Now I have to figure out more on professionally submitting it to this company. So I turn over to Rogers post about putting it on a napkin...LOL...so now I know "Do Not Submit On A Napkin". So I made my first prototype!! YAYYY I get it working, and then I make a short 2 minute video of the product, find the right company, and decide to try my hand again at submitting. I get in touch with the company, get my NDA signed, send in the product, and they love it . We are down to discussing royalties, so of course I blast an email over to Roger, and he tells me to calm down...lol...sends me something to read over because this would be my first licensing deal. Turns out, the design team just could not fit it into what they were currently working on . Disappointed? Absolutely!! Ready to give up? Nope, not at all!!

Here is where the story gets great!! I'm standing in my kitchen cooking spaghetti, and when it comes time to drain the spaghetti, and empty the colander, a small portion had clumped together, and of course it spills out on my foot. I get a small burn because I have sandals on, and think to myself "There just has to be a better way". So me, and my newly learned skills jump online to start a quick search that night. I can't find it anywhere, something to make this simpler, and avoid the dreaded spaghetti spills. I search colanders into the night, and nothing comes close to what is now embedded into my brain. I'm excited beyond belief, because I just know this is such a great idea. Spent weeks on researching, and finally feel confident that “It’s Not Out There”!!

With all of this done, I decided to go online, and do some research on companies. I go onto the forum, and look at the thread of Rogers on Inventor Friendly Companies. Do my research, and decide on Lifetime Brands. This is where I found "Warren Tuttle". So I sent him an email, and he responded promptly on getting NDA’s signed, and once returned I submitted my product to Warren for review.

Warren was promptly in touch to say they really liked the idea as well. He needed a prototype to take over to the actual meeting for them to take a look at. "OH CRAP" I have no prototype, I need a working prototype, and this is where the husband comes in very handy. I explain to him I need a working prototype, so off to Lowes we go, and find the things we need to get that prototype looking like something from earth. We got it done, finally after midnight, we had something that looks good enough to share, and it worked great!!

They finally get the prototype and really wanted to see if we could get all the things it required together to sign a licensing deal, and still hit the House Wares Show in Chicago which was coming up on March 6, 2011. Warren and I both knew we were racing to beat the clock, and he was such a driving force. Every step of the way he was there telling me what I needed to do next to make this process go smoothly due to the time crunch. So I get everything quickly over to Warren only to realize, it was already into the Chinese New Year, and getting the prototypes made, and back here by March was going to be hard to do. So the fine people at Lifetime Brands make a rapid prototype of the product, ensuring it would be at the Housewares show J.

WOW I woke up one morning to realize that in just a few months I had went from submitting my product to Warren to OMG what next? SIGNING A LICENSING DEAL and I was ready. Now here is an actual licensing deal, it’s here in front of my face to sign. I am not sure if I should cry first, and then sign, or sign first and then cry. So of course I do the only logical thing.....I sign first.....and I cried later.


So we decide to make the trip to Chicago, and it was Awesome!! Met Warren, all the people with Lifetime Brands Booth, and even Mark Reyland…….IT WAS AWESOME!!!! Great People J


The purpose of the story is this "You Can Do It" It takes hard work, and dedication, but all things are possible!! I am certainly no pro in this industry, and my feet are barely wet, but I have learned so much from all these guys. Take the time to read, and learn. You are going to make mistakes, and it's ok that you do. Pick yourself up, Dust off, and start over again Every time you make a mistake, you will come out learning something you did not know before.

But wait there is even more!!

I received an email from Warren saying that he was wondering if I would be interested in doing an article for the Inventors Eye put out by the USPTO. They were doing articles on Woman Inventors....WOW....How awesome is this??

Please make sure you check it out! http://www.uspto.gov/inventors/independent/eye/201103/spark.jsp. Make sure and sign up. You will get it via your email, and they did a really great job on the article.

Thank You Warren Tuttle, and Lifetime Brands for all the opportunities!!

What a GREAT story! You came, you studied, you worked hard, and you won!

You and your family should be so proud, it proves that anyone can do this if they are willing to do the work.

Keep inventing!

Mark

Great article chronicling your journey so far. Make sure you keep everyone up to date with the next phase. We wish you all the luck. You have earned it.
As I told you "Dreams are accomplished by those that do, not by those who wish."

I am beyond proud of you my friend. The biggest challenge we face as new inventors is to learn what advice to take, and what advice to leave behind. You have done so well and truely deserve all the riches that are coming your way. Hard work pays off & I know how hard you have worked for this. I hope that everyone who reads your story knows this can be done. You are an inspiration to us all. Who knew such a GREAT mom could balance it all so well. Congratulations !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooo happy for you !!!!!!!

@ Mark, Roger, and Ali

Thank you all so much for your support. This has been a journey for me, some good, some bad, and some has been more stressful than I could have ever imagined.

The point is......I did it!! I really did it

I am so grateful for the good, the bad, and the stressful........Because without it all I would not be here today saying thank you for your support on my very first licensing deal.

It's our pleasure ...you did great work and you should be very proud!

Awesome!

Great story are you the only inventor or are there co inventors?

Thank you very much Derek. I am the Sole Inventor of my product.

Have a great day!

Lesia

Here is a great web-link for Inventors

http://www.bobparsons.me/video/221/alligators-nipping-ass-how-hang-there-enjoy-ride.html