Big Ideas

[metalspinner]

Every now and then, I get these Big Ideas. Sometimes these ideas are actual inventions, other times they are just ideas.

A few times I've been able to develope the idea into a working prototype and have been very happy with the outcome. Other times they stay scribbled out on a napkin or the back of an envelope. More often, though, these ideas just pass through my mind and get forgotten.

While watching TV, I see those infommercials that other people poured their heart, soul, and life savings into their ideas and products.  Does it pay off for them? 

I have a couple of things that, if I pitched to Craftsman, I just know they can manufacture, sell, and make $$ with. Other things I  would like to do myself.

I sat down once with an attorney for him to give me a rundown of all that was involved in protecting my "intellectual property." That was enough for me to say, "forget it."

Hearing stories about different tool inventors like the SawStop guy, the QuickGrip Bar Clamp guy, or the Workmate Workbench guy, and the Intermittent Windshield Wiper guy is encouraging in that everyone said "No" to them, yet they kept pursueing their ideas and eventually it paid off.

Sometimes while walking through a store, I'll see one of my Big Ideas sitting on the shelf in a beautiful package all wrapped up and ready to sell.  After pointing it out to my wife I'll get the usual  : and we continue on down the ailse. If only I had the time and money to pursue it, my face could have been on that box. :-\

There was a show on the tube once that followed inventors as they pitched their ideas to WalMart.  The lucky few that eventually got their product on Walmart's shelf had to drastically cut costs of the manufacture of the item.  So much so that their product became compromised.  That is where I would probably loose out.  Having a panel of sales executives tell me to change my perfect idea.

For now, I guess I'll just keep dreaming...

[Chuck White]

I've seen it myself.

I'd think of doing something like getting a patten on something and then forget about it, then lo and behold like you said, it's on the shelf.  :

Kind of disheartening, but sometimes we don't have a lot of choice in the matter.  :-\

[Den Socling]

Getting an idea off the ground is difficult. During the 70's, I worked with a group called LeMont Scientific. We developed a number of instruments and software. One system did image analysis. We went broke. Look around and see where image analysis is today. It's everywhere from security systems to vending machines. Ten frustrating years was enough of that. I then got interested in the idea of drying wood in a vacuum. It took ten years to get the first system sold. It's been more than ten years since that first system and I guess you could say I'm finally successful. Unfortunately, I'm about ready for retirement!  ??? It can take a long time.

[Roxie]

How about one of you inventor types develop a machine that washes AND dries clothes, in the same machine? 

You develop it, and I promise to be the first one to test it out for you!   

[Warbird]

Already been invented:

http://www.lgwasherdryer.com/

[Den Socling]

There's an example of what I was saying. A good idea. Why doesn't everyone have one?

[Roxie]

Well, I didn't have one because I didn't even know they existed!   :D  But, you can take it to the bank that I will have one very shortly! 

[fishpharmer]

metalspinner, I share your pain.   Seems like today, marketing is the major key to "success" (making money) with an idea.   

[metalspinner]

There ya go...

A day late and a dollar short. :D

The expense of developement cannot be overlooked.  All those nast little details of deign, function, and fabrication.  Oh, yeah, don't forget about marketing. Poor Roxie's been looking for that washer/dryer and didn't even know it existed.

Fish,
We have this incredible thing called the internet that can reach millions of people.  But what if my do-dad is a big hit and on the first day, I get an order for 100,000?  Then what?!?

It seems you need to be small enough to control production and developement yourself, or turn over most, if not all, of the control to outsourced marketing and manufacturing.

[paul case]

I guess i will have to give up on my idea to invent a washer that was above the dryer and would unload into it like a cement mixer. Awe man I loose again. PC

[bandmiller2]

The odds are stacked agenst the little guy and patents,a big co. will blatently copy your patent and you don't have the money to fight it,they will drag it out in court.If you can make something usefull just make it and sell it you'll have the jump on compitition for a wile. Frank C.

[WH_Conley]

A friend of mine designed and built  a hay wagon when the big round bales first came around. He got  a patent, a big company, started selling the same thing. He won, said he broke even. Good thing was that was not his lively hood.

[Woodchuck53]

Case in point the windshield wipers that (An auto manuf.) stole from a guy in the early 70's I believe. He approached them with it. They would hesitate and then start again. I know there is a word for it??? But it really happened and still does I imagine.

[Okrafarmer]

Case in point the windshield wipers that (An auto manuf.) stole from a guy in the early 70's I believe. He approached them with it. They would hesitate and then start again. I know there is a word for it??? But it really happened and still does I imagine.

"intermittent"

[Spalted Dog]

I too have a large list of things that could possibly be developed into something great.  I have shot down most of my ideas as unrealistic as the next big thing, but I have a couple that would make the markets.  I have talked to a couple of developers that will take your invention from idea to patent and market it.  You can get a provisional patent and lock your idea in to play around and see if it will sell.  I think that it is good for a year?  Then go for a full blown patent.  Make sure you are sitting when the patent attourney tells you what the process will cost to get the full patent.  A provisional patent will get you started and help with protection.  The overall cost is peanuts if you make it.

I know of a couple of people that hold patents and they have not made much, if anything.  They just about went broke with the process and they were successful folks with pretty deep pockets.

I know that Lisle tools used to have a deal for tool inventors, Fastcap does too for the Design by contractor series.  It is a way to do it and not put a ton into it.

[Kansas]

Have a guy that occasionally stops by and hauls our junk iron off. Mostly bandsaw blades, that kind of thing. One day he showed me something him and his dad invented. It was designed to take off rusted or rounded nuts off of bolts. I never saw anything quite like it. It was wonderfully simplistic yet made so much sense. He claims he had a patent on it. He was wanting someone to help get it to market. Problem was, he wanted most of the money, plus I would bet my last dollar he was a druggie. I respectfully declined.

If you have a really good idea, I would pursue it. Might work, might not. But you will never know until you try. With all the internet access, get a provisional patent as stated. Market it yourself, whether on Ebay, Craigslist, trade magazines, website,etc. If it sells and is profitable, you should have no problem getting financing to get the final patent. I would run like a scalded cat from doing business with Wal-Mart and the type. There is a long trail of failed companies that tried going that route. Sell it on your terms, not theirs.

If you invent a machine to wash/dry both dishes and clothes at the same time, count me in. Toss your dirty clothes and dishes in after supper, have clean clothes in the morning and dishes to cook up breakfast.

[Cedarman]

Forest Lucas of Lucas Oil used to come by many years ago to buy cedar posts to build fence for his horses.  Didn't have hardly enough money.  Don't know what all he did, but he has the BIG bucks now.  So it can be done.
Stay away from the box stores.
A friend marketed some stuff on cable TV and made good money selling their cedar products.  Said it was a great experience and not difficult.  They did not want to expand, so they haven't done it again.
Put a pencil to it and see if it makes sense.

[beenthere]

....................If you invent a machine to wash/dry both dishes and clothes at the same time, count me in. Toss your dirty clothes and dishes in after supper, have clean clothes in the morning and dishes to cook up breakfast.

And also end up with clothes and dishes neatly back in the drawers and cupboard? 

And name it "the wifey"
8)

[Kansas]

Depends on if "the wifey" knows how to swing a cast iron skillet. There are certain drawbacks to that method.

[stumpy]

If ya get a chance, watch a tv show called "Shark Tank" It's the american version of a British show called "Dragons Den" (in my opinion, a much better show).  The premiss is to have 5 successful business people sit in a room and people come in to pitch they're ideas and try to get someone from the panel to invest.  It's not all inventions, but you get the idea.  As I said, the British version is much better, but it's a good representation of what kind of things, from a business standpoint, inventors/entrepreneurs should be thinking about when they try to market their ideas.

[Jamie_C]

If ya get a chance, watch a tv show called "Shark Tank" It's the american version of a British show called "Dragons Den" (in my opinion, a much better show).  The premiss is to have 5 successful business people sit in a room and people come in to pitch they're ideas and try to get someone from the panel to invest.  It's not all inventions, but you get the idea.  As I said, the British version is much better, but it's a good representation of what kind of things, from a business standpoint, inventors/entrepreneurs should be thinking about when they try to market their ideas.

I have never seen the British Version but there is a "Dragon's Den" exactly as you describe here in Canada and is produced by the CBC.

[metalspinner]

Stumpy,
I've seen that show. It makes OK TV, but the reality is that you just told millions of viewers your Big Idea. :D

There is another show that is fun to watch where a couple of investor guys travel around and visit guys that have Big Ideas. The strength of the pitch determines wether or not they invest in the product. I forgot the name of the show, but I've seen it fairly recently.  There were several very good ideas highlighted on the show. One was a better climbing/safty harness, but I cannot remember if these guys picked it up or not.

[Brucer]

Dragon's Den / Shark Tank is a franchise owned by Sony Pictures. It's based on a Japanese program called Mane no Tora  (which translates into either "imitates a tiger" or "money of tiger" -- it's probably a play on words).

The franchise operates in at least 20 countries. Outside of Japan, the British version seems to have been the model for all the other formats.

[Sprucegum]

Big Ideas have been my hobby. I call it a hobby because I have never made any money with them. I have built a quick-draw rifle rack (who you callin' redneck?), a portable maze, and a throwing game.

The throwing game idea hit about the same time lawn darts were hitting everyone else in the eye so I figured it couldn't lose. I sunk almost $30,000 into a plastic mold and packaging and marketing. Then I took the summer of '89 off and started a trade show tour. Sales started off slow and stayed that way.

Sometime in August I landed in Red Deer. Red Deer is a small city with a big heart in the center of Alberta. Their central location won them an institution way back when our mentally challenged were institutionalized. But in the '80's the philosophy changed and the doors were opened so all could be welcomed into the greater community. The favorite pastime of the emancipated citizenry is to haunt flea markets, craft fairs, and trade shows - purely for the education and entertainment; no purchase necessary. When one of these fine citizens approached my booth I launched my sales pitch because I thought maybe even after 1000 pitches I still needed practice to improve my sales. She listened avidly to my entire pitch then asked
"What's your job?"
"My job is to market these games." and I enlarged on my pitch a bit more. She again asked
"What's your job?"
"This is my job, what I am doing here."
"But what is your job?"
"This is my job! I make these pieces and I put them together in this package and I sell them!"
That demented darling with the crippled cranium looked at me, looked at my display, looked back at me and said
"You better get a job!"


Somehow I knew she was right.  :  :D

[Okrafarmer]

It takes the simple to confound the wise.  ;)