How many times in your life have you said to yourself or out loud: “I should have thought of that.” Well, as a lifelong inventor, it happens to me a lot. As a result, I have released many items. Inventing is strictly the end result of pure observation. Something that anyone can do. But most people ask me, what do I do next once I have an idea?

It’s not rocket science, but it’s involved. If you want to take it to the product form:
1. Do your research online to see if there is something like your idea. Check local stores to see if similar items are available. If you don’t see any, continue with step 2. and so on.

2. Write it down. Draw pictures. Take photos. Start the document process.

3. Protect it: copyright, patent or trademark.

4. Look for sources to manufacture or license it.

5. Do it yourself.

6. Market product.

7. SELL IT! In retail, wholesale, online, direct TV, etc.

8. Remember that each NO is one step closer to YES!

There are hundreds of thousands of products that never make it to a store shelf because the inventor never turned his passion into a real endeavor. Although it may seem like a daunting task, I assure you, it is not impossible to master. The product you create, regardless of its degree of difficulty, requires the same attention and effort. The rule of thumb is to do ONE thing / task each day to promote your product in its creation stages. It can be as simple as making a phone call to find a source, contact, or someone to help you through the process. Just remember ONE thing every day! And once you get into this habit, you will see how quickly you will progress through the process and actually finish creating your product. The creation process, the initial thought is only 1% of the concept. The other 99% is all the necessary information behind each product that will bring it to life.

Some useful places to look for information on existing products are: http://www.uspto.gov, which is the website of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where you can do a free search for products like yours and see if something already exists. Or http://www.copyright.gov for copyright registrations that already exist.

So from one inventor to another, stop dreaming and start creating!

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