inventRightTV Podcast

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Meet the Gizmo King!

Steve Askin loves products. At 83 years old, he is still in the game of looking for new product ideas and helping inventors bring them to market. A lifelong entrepreneur and inventor, Steve hit it big in 1982 when he created and licensed Deely Boppers, novelty headbands with wobbly, bobbing antennae-like attachments. That year, Deely Boppers sold $15 million at retail! Steve continues to be involved with very successful products, including Zhu Zhu Pet and MicroPuzzles.

Notably, Steve Askin is also inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s longtime mentor. Meeting Steve Askin when Stephen was 23 years old and selling his novelty gift inventions up and down the state of California changed his life forever. Today, they still speak regularly.

This is going to be a very special webinar, because Steve Askin is the real deal. He’s that leprechaun we sometimes talk about — an actual, genuine product scout who cares about inventors and makes deals happen.

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Warning: This video contains cursing. Marc Portney is an investor, entrepreneur, and business advisor who works with inventors to bring their products to market and make them a success. Marc has a passion for educating inventors and spends time with them at trade shows and other events throughout the year.

Visit MarcPortney.com to submit your idea.

Listen to Marc's podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/inventors-launchpad

Licensing expert, inventRight coaching program cofounder and "One Simple Idea" author Stephen Key interviews Marc about what he does and his many roles working with inventors and inventions.

For example, Marc was the host of a show about inventions and inventors called All-American Makers on the Discovery Science channel. His two co-hosts were science guys. The science guys would test the invention, and Marc would weigh in on the business side of things. Later, he began pitching these inventions in front of 100 million people on HSN.

What does Marc look for? Products that have mass appeal. He wants to be able to sell the widget to everyone. What he wants to do is sell millions of units! The second thing he looks for is consumables. He loves products that require a refill — use it up! Burn it! Obviously, this is a great category of product to sell millions of units, because consumers have to come back for more. It's not so much about the price of the product, as long as the value proposition is there. The opinion of your family members does not count — you need outside people saying yes, this is something I need.

He likes to see a prototype, because it shows him that the inventor has some skin in the game. He wants to actually see something. The inventor doesn't need to have sales, because Marc can help with that. A patent would be wonderful. What about trademarks? He will recommend yes if he thinks the product is going to be hugely successful. He looks at every submission he receives. He does need a WOW factor, because he also does a lot of selling at shows geared towards consumers to test the market. His company does about 250 shows a year.

Marc explains his business model and what drives him wild about some inventors. He also gives some very frank advice and honesty for inventors.

Thank you for keeping it real Marc!

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

How do you prepare to be on camera for the first time? Inventors should learn how to get publicity for their products, which might include a television appearance. Licensing expert and "One Simple Idea" author Stephen Key interviews QVC host Rachelle McCray for her best tips and advice on getting ready for your big day.

Rachelle explains how important it is to be true to yourself and the product. She wanted to become a home shopping television host so she could tell different stories about how products came to be with consumers. We're emotionally connected to the stories behind the entrepreneurs.

Before you go on television, think about: Why are you there? What is your purpose? You should know this. Rachelle wanted to tell stories and be adjacent to entrepreneurs and their products. She recommends starting a YouTube channel and doing Facebook lives to get comfortable in front of the camera. Get in front of a camera, whether it's your iPhone or your computer in your home office. The lighting doesn't have to be perfect!

Be yourself. Knowing what your message is and why you are there to begin with is important. Don't memorize it, but practice what you want to say.

Rachelle also advises you to study the platform you are appearing on and focus on the end customer.

How can you get over nerves? She was a Miss Arizona in 2011 and explains that pageants prepared her to be comfortable on camera. She had her outfits planned in advance and always carried snacks. Don't leave things to the last minute! She packed everything but the kitchen sink for her audition. The night before, don't cram. Have a good night's sleep and always eat breakfast. Be confident in what you have and get ready to go out there.

What you should wear on TV? Try not to twin with the host on clothing. Nice bright vibrant colors. Jewel tones are your best friend and power colors, whereas stark colors can wash you out. It's okay to have a signature style of dressing. Stay away from busy patters and unflattering clothes that you aren't comfortable with, like too tight or too loose. Comfortable and confident is the best. And, always bring a backup! That's great advice. Snags, rips, and stains happen. And, you don't want to match the host.

Be positive and optimistic. You're having the chance of the lifetime, so express that! Smile!

And, what do you do about mistakes? Do you address them or keep it moving? As a home shopping host, she learned about the value of authenticity. Rachelle continues to share awesome advice up until the very end of this video.

Connect with Rachelle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellemccraytv/

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Do you have a new idea invention for the hardware industry? On the latest inventRight webinar, meet Jim Gallien, CEO of Hangman Products. Hangman Products retail in 15,000 outlets across the U.S., Canada, and Australia including Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menard’s, Ace Hardware, and Michael’s.

Jim will explain how and why his business is booming right now, the types of products his company is interested in, and what they like to see from inventors.

Learn about the changes that are taking place at retail, the value of keeping your product simple, and which hardware categories are on fire right now!

We are thrilled to share with you another award-winning company that believes in the value of intellectual property and inventors.

Learn more about Hangman Products: https://hangmanproducts.com

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Inventors and entrepreneurs need to be aware of all of the ways available to do market research and sell products using social media. Social media can be a great way of growing your audience and connecting with potential customers. You can also use it to test your ideas for products before you even make a prototype!

Licensing expert Stephen Key interviews entrepreneur Brian Scanlon to find out more. Brian Scanlon is CEO of Posted Social, a full-service digital marketing agency with a specialty in social media advertising. They offer social media marketing, SEO, and website design services. They create and optimize high-performing digital campaigns for businesses.

Find out more about Posted Social: postedsocial.com

Brian discusses how he works with small teams and inventors to launch their products. Brian and Steve talk about advertising on social media, as well as the no-cost things you can be doing. Brian hasn't observed any drop-off on e-commerce spending in the past couple of months since the coronavirus. In fact people are sitting at home. They also touch on how it's possible to finely target consumers with ads on social media. The insights you can gain by testing the market on social media is incredible.

So, do you have to spend a lot of money? What if your budget is small? He tests different ads for as little as $5 to $10 every day. The smallest budget he starts with is about $500, which gives enough room to try different things. For $500, he can test thousands of different combinations of copy, graphics, and more.

You can use social media to figure out: Who is interested in this item? Who is my target demographic? You can attract people before you're really in the game.

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Can you quit your job to start your own company based on the success of one product idea? Yes! Well, if you're Michael Perry that is.

Michael is the inventor of the Clean Hands Changing Pad and the entrepreneur behind the charming baby products company SnoofyBee. He ventured his first product onto the market. Mike attempted to license the Clean Hands Changing Pad first by contacting 60 companies, but he got a lot of no's. But, he persisted, because he knew how helpful his invention was for him personally with one his children — he's a dad of six! He made a prototype for himself first with the help of his mom, who can sew.

https://snoofybee.com/

https://snoofybee.com/collections/clean-hands-changing-pads

Then he started testing the market with a website and on social media. A video went viral because he had both haters and fans, and it grew. Then he launched on Kickstarter, where he did great! He felt safe enough to quit his job and do this full-time. In a month, he did $120,000 in sales, all before product. He's always been profitable as a result.

Mike shares some of the advice he got from Steve, resulting in a feature people like — loops to hang toys! Then Mike launched a teether toy, which also doubles as a way to make an impromptu bib! Then he shares another product he has invented and brought to market for dining out with your children! His wife is his partner and the person he bounces his ideas off of, because she's honest about whether she thinks it's a good idea or not. Two of his 5 Kickstarter campaigns weren't successful, which was helpful because he got feedback.

He says about his original product, "Like the dog cone of shame for babies, but they love it." Genius!

Kids grow up fast, so timing is important as far as manufacturing timelines and such. He's also in retail in small shops.

Mike and Steve also discuss copycats and knockoffs, which are persistent. He has a patent, but it still took him a long time to get Amazon to honor it. Mike reveals he was also on Shark Tank, which is what attracted the attention of copycats. Lori Greiner's advice was spot on in that regard. He has worked with our favorite brand protection company, Red Points. Now Mike has an Amazon guy who helps him out with knockoffs. Copycats can cause a lot of confusion in the market, so it's worth taking the time to deal with.

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

End music Copyright HAAWK for a 3rd Party

Tom Czar is the founder and president of Media One Products, a leader in developing and implementing winning sales and marketing strategies on QVC and HSN, the premiere video, e-commerce and live broadcast networks. With more than 20 years of experience selling products on QVC, Tom and his team create innovative and compelling on-air presentations that drive sales — to the tune of $300 million in retail sales a year. His clients include big brands like Dyson, Ring, Casper, the Life is Good Company, and Martha Stewart, as well as independent inventors.

In this inventRight webinar, he explains the unique opportunities that QVC presents, how the coronavirus has affected consumer behavior, and which products are selling out on QVC right now.

Get in touch with Tom: https://www.mediaoneproducts.com/

Bringing an invention to market? Let inventRight, the world's leading experts on product licensing, show you how. Cofounded by Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss in 1999, inventRight has since helped people from more than 60 countries license their ideas for products. Visit http://www.inventright.com for more information and to become their student.

Call #1-800-701-7993 to set up an appointment with Andrew or another member of the inventRight team to discuss how we can help you license your ideas.

New to licensing? Read inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s bestselling book “One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams Into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.” Find it here: http://amzn.to/1LGotjB.

Want to learn how to license your product ideas without a patent? Stephen's book “Sell Your Ideas With or Without a Patent” explains exactly how. Find it here: http://amzn.to/1T1dOU2.

Determined to become a professional inventor? Read Stephen's new book "Become a Professional Inventor: The Insider's Guide to Companies Looking For Ideas": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

inventRight, LLC. is not a law firm and does not provide legal, patent, trademark, or copyright advice. Please exercise caution when evaluating any information, including but not limited to business opportunities; links to news stories; links to services, products, or other websites. No endorsements are issued by inventRight, LLC., expressed or implied. Depiction of any trademarks/logos does not represent endorsement of inventRight, LLC, its services, or products by the trademark owner. All trademarks are registered trademarks of their respective companies.