inventRightTV Podcast

https://bedscrunchie.com/

Jack and Mike's invention Bed Scrunchie — a product designed to keep your bed sheets tighter — has been featured in the Washington Post newspaper and on the Wendy Williams television show, among others. These are impressive outlets for a product that hasn't even been on the market for a year! inventRightTV host Stephen Key interviews Jack and Mike about the strategies they've used to get media attention for Bed Scrunchie. They explain that they have made great use of LinkedIn, the networking platform, to identify the right people to pitch. They always focus on getting their product into the hands of as many people as possible, because their packaging does such a good job selling for them. When you touch their package, you understand the product. Smart.

Watch Part 1 "How Jack and Mike Brought Bed Scrunchie to Market": https://youtu.be/0nkLZBOuwzc

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.

https://duderobe.com/

Howie Busch is an entrepreneur, inventor, attorney, star on ABC's "Shark Tank," and former coach for inventRight. He is the creator of the DudeRobe, loungewear for men that's finally cool. Howie explains that he has never been a robe guy, but envied how comfortable his wife was when she got out of the shower. So, he began brainstorming a better alternative than your average robe for men. Towels were good. So were hoodies. Why not combine a towel with a hoodie? And that's how inspiration struck. "Drip swag, not sweat!" Join the robe-o-lution!

Howie first began licensing his ideas for products, so starting his own business was a swerve. He explains that he loves the licensing business model and never wanted to do his own manufacturing, but he couldn't set this idea down. He knew licensing wouldn't work, because there wasn't much he could protect about this particular invention. So, he decided to do a Kickstarter first to help him test the market and determine if he should try to bring this product to market himself.

Howie was only one week into his Kickstarter campaign when a producer from Shark Tank reached out to tell him she loved his product and wanted to feature it on the show.

Stephen asks Howie what he would do differently with his Shark Tank pitch and whether it's even possible to prepare for a pitch like that. Howie shares awesome insight including how Shark Tank winnows down people to feature and how his pitch was crafted with the help of producers. Howie reveals that he expected Mark Cuban to like him and his product and that he barely had enough samples at the time of filming!

Stephen and Howie go in deep on the art of the pitch, including how to prepare and the impact of the show.

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.

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.

https://www.inventright.com/what-we-offer/smart-pitch-2

Benjamin Harrison is our resident using LinkedIn to license your ideas expert! He created the SmartPitch program to help inventors make the best use of LinkedIn to identify, reach out, and connect with employees at the companies they want to license their inventions to. LinkedIn has become the fastest and most effective way of getting in to companies looking for ideas.

In this video, inventRight cofounders Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss talk to Benjamin about what you get when you pay for LinkedIn premium and whether those benefits are worth it for inventors. Like Benjamin explains, LinkedIn Premium doesn't do any of the work for you — you still have to do the same amount of work.

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.

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.

For our first YouTube Live ever, inventRightTV host Andrew Krauss is here to answer any and all of your questions that are inventing and licensing related! Watch Andrew fire off responses to questions about negotiating licensing deals, the patenting process, writing your own provisional patent application, prior art searching, the impact of the coronavirus, working with attorneys, prototyping, asking for money upfront, and much much more. Thanks Andrew!

When should we go live on YouTube next?

Thank you for watching! Start preparing your questions for next time.

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.

Hell-bent on becoming 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.

This is Part 3 of Stephen Key's 3-part interview series with Mike Bowling, the inventor of Pound Puppies, an extremely popular toy that sold more than $1 billion at retail worldwide in the 1980s. Mike had no experience in the toy industry and no experience licensing ideas when he came up with the idea for Pound Puppies and secured a licensing agreement. He went on to license 25-30 more ideas, and is still in the game today. Mike is an incredible inspiration.

Stephen asks Mike about his process in terms of prototype and visualizing his initial ideas. How much effort do you put into every one of your ideas, Stephen asks Mike. Mike has developed prototypes from the start. Today, he explains, he is in touch with the top model makers and artists and mechanical engineers to help him make his prototypes. Make sure to have anyone you hire sign a work-for-hire agreement! Experts will know how to make your prototype effectively from a manufacturing perspective, which is crucial to actually commercializing your invention.

Mike and Steve also discuss how he protects his ideas. Companies are trying to protect themselves, not steal from you, Mike explains.

Watch Part 1: https://youtu.be/q2TE8u1OEJc

Watch Part 2: https://youtu.be/vLchmjZyzV8

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.

Hell-bent on becoming 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.

https://bedscrunchie.com/

Jack Nekhala is the inventor and CEO of Bed Scrunchie. It keeps your bed sheets tight. Can't deal with it anymore? Bed Scrunchie is for you. Between Jack Nekhala and Michael Nusinkis, they have over a decade of experience in the textile industry. They are the designer, patent holder, manufacturer, distributor, and license holder of their brand. If you wish your sheets were tighter, you need to check out their invention. "One Simple Idea" author and inventRightTV host Stephen Key interviews Jack and Michael about how they brought their invention Bed Scrunchie to market.

Stephen thanks Jack and Mike for sending their package in advance, so now he can touch and display the product. Great packaging! It's very direct and manages to tell a story as well. Jack and Mike are manufacturing in China. They decided to open a factory themselves and set it up; floors, electric, lights. Why? He found some okay manufacturing options, but didn't like that there were so many unknowns. He wanted control, and he wanted to minimize potential risk. It's easy to get copied. They explain how they are able to keep their eyes on the manufacturing floor.

Today they're selling on Amazon. In less than 5 months, they have more than 250 reviews, which is impressive. They've also gotten great press, like from the Grommet, Wendy Williams, the Washington Post. You've got to chase your own press, they explain. If your product is good, that of course helps pull it to market.

This is the first interview in the three part series.

Watch the second interview:

Watch the third interview:

Congratulations Jack and Michael, and thank you for sharing your invention journey on inventRightTV!

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.

Entrepreneur, inventor, and author Stephen Key answers some of the most common questions about inventing he receives from product developers and inventors in this video, which was filmed on location in the Sahara desert in Morocco.

When is this company going to get back to me?

Are companies going to steal my ideas?

Do I need a patent for my invention, or not?

How long should I wait to follow up with a company after I've submitted my sell sheet?

Do I need a prototype or not?

I don't have any inventing experience. Does that matter? Will open innovation companies still want to work with me?

What do I do if more than one company wants my idea?!

Can I license my idea if I don't live in the United States?

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.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-bowling-a52b66128/

This is Part 2 of Stephen Key's 3-part interview series with Mike Bowling, the inventor of Pound Puppies, an extremely popular toy that sold more than $1 billion worldwide in the 1980s. Mike had no experience in the toy industry and no experience licensing ideas when he came up with the idea for Pound Puppies and secured a licensing agreement. In this video, Stephen and Mike dive deep into what it means to become a professional inventor. What does it take? How important are your relationships? Since Pound Puppies, Mike has licensed 25-30 more toy and game ideas. He's still in the game today coming up with ideas.

Mike explains that his relationships are much more important to him than money. If you want to come back to a company in a year or two with another product idea, you have to maintain a good relationship and show them you're willing to work with them. Mike provides specific examples of how you establish trust, which is by being honest and doing the right thing. You need to work WITH your licensee, not against them. Your interests are tied! They will want to sell more of your product if you make it easy for them. It really is that simple.

Mike explains that he has never sued a toy company, despite being in some very unpleasant scenarios. Why? Because he always wanted to be able to return to these companies and pitch them another idea. His philosophy is to help his partner as much as he can. It's called teamwork! You must have that teamwork, everyone working together.

Watch Part 1: https://youtu.be/q2TE8u1OEJc

Stephen and Mike also discuss the importance of sticking to one industry. When you don't know as industry as well, it's much harder to determine what's actually a good idea. Mike says that you have to stay focused. He's still in touch with many of the same people in the toy industry he has known for decades. He went to New York Toy Fair 34 years in a row. When Pound Puppies were thriving all over the globe, he visited toy trade shows all over the world. For 30 years, he went to every important toy trade show.

Mike, you inspire us!!! Thank you for being an incredible inventor and so helpfully sharing your advice.

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.

Hell-bent on becoming 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.

Reporting live from vacation in Morocco, product licensing expert Stephen Key drops in to discuss why he wrote his latest book "Become a Professional Inventor."

Featuring 30 interviews across 17 different categories of products, "Become a Professional Inventor" is the first book ever to uncover the product licensing industry from the inside. This is the book you need to supercharge your inventing efforts and begin being creative for a living each and every day.

Purchase "Behttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1653786256/

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.

https://www.kyinventors.org/

Don Skaggs is an serial inventor and entrepreneur who now helps coach other inventors via his group the Inventors Network of Kentucky, a group for inventors. In this interview with inventRight cofounder Stephen Key, Don explains the types of meetings his group has monthly, the value of meeting up with other inventors in person, and more. Don offers solid advice, which is for an invention to be a success, you need time, money, and also WISDOM. And if you don't have the wisdom first, you won't know where to spend your time and money wisely. Don's group also meets online!

Stephen and Don also discuss the problems inventors face, including their nervousness that their invention is going to be stolen. In all of the products Don has worked on, he has never personally had an idea stolen. Don explains that yes, he has copycats chase his successful products on the market. But the key distinction is at that point, these were products and no longer ideas. Market demand had been proven!

They also discuss why you shouldn't rush to get a patent. Getting a patent is not Step 1 — far from it. You might not need a patent.

Don offers awesome tips throughout this video, including the value of writing your own provisional patent application first, even if you're not confident you actually want to file on your own.

How can you test whether your idea is marketable? Not by asking people you have a relationship with! Don offers his advice on inexpensive ways of testing the market.

And finally, do you need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a prototype? Absolutely not. Don't spend a lot of money on your first prototype.

These are priceless nuggets of wisdom that will save you time and money! Thank you Don!

Subscribe to Don's YouTube channel Empowered Inventing:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDp3Zq6KaCgsAgz5fImz0Cg

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.

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.