Up to this point Lisa and I were doing our due diligence to determine if anyone had already developed this idea and if there appeared to be a market for it. We went to trade shows, spoke with our friends and researched the internet. What we didn’t do was spend a lot of money!
That all changes when you want to bring a product to market. Do an internet search on “new products” or “inventions” and you will be amazed at how many people want to help you achieve your dreams! At a cost….
We never had any experience in this area! I have been an executive and Project Manager for a very large organization for over 15 years, and I have traveled all over the world to meet with technical experts from other countries. I have given speeches all over the United States and around and am highly credentialed in my field. My wife is an experienced nurse and has held positions ranging from front line hospice care to Director in a large facility.
None of that helped!
You have an idea that you think is great. How to you turn that into a physical product in your hand? And while doing that, how do you protect the idea so that it doesn’t get stolen by someone who can move much more quickly than you to market? Not everyone is honest and trustworthy, so you need to protect that idea first.
We began to educate ourselves. What is a patent and how do you file one? What is the difference between a utility patent and a provisional patent, and can I do this myself or do I need an attorney? Can I get someone else to do the manufacturing and just pay me royalties? That is the holy grail!
What about a name? What am I going to call this cool thing that is going to make me rich? And how do I stop someone else from stealing that and using it before I even have a product?
What about a logo? What does it take to make a logo and how to I protect that? Suddenly I am paranoid about everything! And when I get a logo, how will I promote the product I don’t even have yet?
What about a website!!! Unless you plan on selling to Wal-Mart or West Marine, you need to have a web presence. In fact, you will probably want a web presence anyway! How do you do that?? And where do you go to get a website name?
The amazing part is that none of that gets your product to production! All that does is protect your intellectual property and begins to establish a distribution channel.
Perhaps the most important question. How much of this can I figure out on my own, and how much do I need to pay other people to help me with. And what will that cost?
We are going to help you understand every step of the process so that you can move
more quickly than we did and maybe even save some money as you bring your dream to market.
Up first – Internet Shepherds.