Dear Inventor,
Congratulationson your invention and your creative mind. I commend you!
I've seen lots of cool inventions - and great patents. I've seen high hopes, and I've seen some awesome success stories. Will you be one of them? I hope so, and I've written this letter and "Lab" to help you become such. You should know, by the way, odds are against you. Butyou can succeedin spite of the negativity, and here are some helps to consider.
First
Some people think:Invention = Get Rich. Well, it can! But, I've seen the opposite - because of poor decisions were made with too much pie-in-the-sky. I hope for you the invention means a good return after your sweat investment. If you think rationally and have some good grounding folks around you, then you're much more likely to succeed.
Second
Find the right people to help you. That may mean letting go of some emotion with your invention, butDO IT. It's better to be successful with some close associates than to be rich and lonely (or worse, poor and lonely). Stick your neck out andtrust someone. Many heads are better than one.
Third
(Related to the Second), gracefully receive input. It's far easier to critique, than to create (that's why the world has so many critics), AND You've already created, so let others to the critique.Don't be defensiveabout it. Instead, learn from their point of view because it may make your product better. Avoid theNIH Syndrome.
Finally
Open your mind to new ways of thinking. You have lots of new phrases and acronyms to learn (like IP, CIP, NDA, Product Development, etc.).It can be fun, soenjoy the ride.
You'll also need to learn a bunch of new stuff - maybe manufacturing, or marketing, or finance - just to name a few. Embrace it. Education is good.
Well, that's about it. I've attached a few things in the topics of theLab Menu- just to think about - and I'll expand that with time. I wish you the very best of luck with your invention.
Sincerely,
A friend who's been there.
Next Up:Protecting Your Idea