Here is an opportunity for all inventors to have your product evaluated for free by the Eureka! Ranch. This organization created by Doug Hall who received grant money from the Federal government to make it easier for inventors to reach the market with their idea. Currently only about 2% of the patented ideas ever make it to the market.
This service is being offered to those with subscriptions to Inventor's Digest, so unless you missed it or do not have a subscription, I've included a link below. If you are remotely interested, I would suggest a quick response as this service is free to the first 250 respondents, and you must sign up before September 30, 2009.
About a year ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Doug Hall, and have used his evaluation system through an Idea Translation workshop. The evaluation process is very worthwhile.
Click here for details:
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Calling All Entrepreneurs
I recently read a Business Week article (June 18) written by a young man in San Diego who was posing a question about evaluating the options of starting his own business or continuing his job search. He had just graduated from college with an MBA and wanted to stay in his local community. The job market was bleak. (Sound familiar?) He received several thoughtful responses to his questions. If you are interested in reading his article or hearing with other entrepreneurs told him, click this link. The best response in my opinion was "don't start your own business just because you cannot find a job".
At a recent gathering of small business entrepreneurs, one woman shared "In order to start and run your own business you must possess the three "P's" - Passion, Persistence, and Perseverance."
The first meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, November 19, 2009, so clear your calendars and wait for the details to follow.
At a recent gathering of small business entrepreneurs, one woman shared "In order to start and run your own business you must possess the three "P's" - Passion, Persistence, and Perseverance."
- Unless you have a passion for what you are doing, you will probably find that starting your own business takes more hours in a day than you are willing to part with.
- You need lots of persistence to work through all the obstacles that you will encounter on this journey. You may be aware of some of the obstacles you will face through diligent research, however, for every obstacle you are aware of there will be many that hit you without warning.
- The most important "p" is perseverance, without a lot of "stick-to-it-ness" in your personality, when the going gets tough, many people bailout.
The first meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, November 19, 2009, so clear your calendars and wait for the details to follow.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Recognize an Inspiring Small Business
Reported in the Holland Sentinel, an article by Ben Veversluis reports that a small business in Holland, The Peanut Store has been nominated for a National Contest and will be considered for a $100,000 prize if we get the vote out.
Read the article below:
Click Here
Register on Shine A Light (http://shinealight.ivillage.com)
Click on nominees and find Holland Peanut Store (View Nominee Profile)
Click the blue box that says "Endorse Story" now. This will cast your vote for a local establishment.
You must vote before: September 13th. (Judges will pick three finalist); then new voting will begin between September 24 - October 16th.
Read the article below:
Click Here
Register on Shine A Light (http://shinealight.ivillage.com)
Click on nominees and find Holland Peanut Store (View Nominee Profile)
Last time I checked the Peanut Store was in second
place only 20 votes behind the leader!!!!
Click the blue box that says "Endorse Story" now. This will cast your vote for a local establishment.
You must vote before: September 13th. (Judges will pick three finalist); then new voting will begin between September 24 - October 16th.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Please Respond!!!
I have lined up two topics for the upcoming network event and will share those with you shortly.
I have placed a poll on the upper left-hand column of this blog and am seeking input from you before nailing down the date. You can select as many options as you like, I will be using this information to set up the next network event.
The next event will be held either the 2nd or 3rd week in October, and the location will be determined based on the response I receive from this poll.
Thank you for providing information that will help to schedule this event. Please respond no later than Friday, September 11th. I will send an announcement out shortly thereafter.
I have placed a poll on the upper left-hand column of this blog and am seeking input from you before nailing down the date. You can select as many options as you like, I will be using this information to set up the next network event.
The next event will be held either the 2nd or 3rd week in October, and the location will be determined based on the response I receive from this poll.
Thank you for providing information that will help to schedule this event. Please respond no later than Friday, September 11th. I will send an announcement out shortly thereafter.
Here's Something for the Inventor
Here's something for the inventor, brought to my attention by an inventor, Deb Tacoma, inventor of the Freedom Wand.
"Yakaboutit" was created by an inventor to showcase products made by inventors. The online site provides opportunities for inventors to gain exposure to their products by pitting their products against another product for rating, review, and sales. The inventor of "Yakaboutit" sells your products through a daily competition. By purchasing the product online you are voting for the product. So you are competing for "Purchase attention". This site is used to help an inventor become noticed. Created by an inventor for inventors, the only way to be featured on this site is to submit your product for review. This site only carries products created by inventors and independent entrepreneurs. The phrase "are you an inventor or an entrepreneur" separates the 2% who do something with their patented ideas from the 98% who never move beyond the paperwork.
You provide pictures, describe your product, tell your story, write about yourself, and add any random thoughts you feel are relevant. Your selling price determines products that you might compete against. At midnight (Eastern Standard Time) a new competition begins and the results from the prior day are revealed.
Whether you are an inventor or just someone who wants to learn about the newest products entering the market place, this site is for you. By the end of the year, you've gained exposure to 730 new products, one of which will be reward the grand prize of The Most Yakable". You can sign up to be notified about what the next day's competition will be by joining their email club.
On Saturday, September 5th, Deb will be featured on this site with her revolutionary product the Freedom Wand, a product she invented after breaking her back. If you know someone who could benefit from her product, please cast your votes by purchasing her products on her featured day. Her products will continue to be sold on this site after the competition is over.
Good Luck Deb! To learn even more about Deb, her invention, and her business, visit her website at http://www.freedomwand.com/
"Yakaboutit" was created by an inventor to showcase products made by inventors. The online site provides opportunities for inventors to gain exposure to their products by pitting their products against another product for rating, review, and sales. The inventor of "Yakaboutit" sells your products through a daily competition. By purchasing the product online you are voting for the product. So you are competing for "Purchase attention". This site is used to help an inventor become noticed. Created by an inventor for inventors, the only way to be featured on this site is to submit your product for review. This site only carries products created by inventors and independent entrepreneurs. The phrase "are you an inventor or an entrepreneur" separates the 2% who do something with their patented ideas from the 98% who never move beyond the paperwork.
You provide pictures, describe your product, tell your story, write about yourself, and add any random thoughts you feel are relevant. Your selling price determines products that you might compete against. At midnight (Eastern Standard Time) a new competition begins and the results from the prior day are revealed.
Whether you are an inventor or just someone who wants to learn about the newest products entering the market place, this site is for you. By the end of the year, you've gained exposure to 730 new products, one of which will be reward the grand prize of The Most Yakable". You can sign up to be notified about what the next day's competition will be by joining their email club.
On Saturday, September 5th, Deb will be featured on this site with her revolutionary product the Freedom Wand, a product she invented after breaking her back. If you know someone who could benefit from her product, please cast your votes by purchasing her products on her featured day. Her products will continue to be sold on this site after the competition is over.
Good Luck Deb! To learn even more about Deb, her invention, and her business, visit her website at http://www.freedomwand.com/
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Fearless
Are we teaching our children or are they teaching us?
Today women-owned businesses are on the rise and the fastest growing demographic in the United States. One reason that I started my business was to be an example to my children. I wanted my passion for my business to teach my daughters to follow their dreams in this land of opportunity. Unlike many of you, my daughters came to the U.S. via international adoption so they were not born in a country known for providing opportunities for them. Let's hope that changes in the years ahead.
Being in business means we need to be fearless when it comes to stepping outside of our comfort zones to market our products or services. I'm drawn to organization and logic with a little creative talent running through my circuits, but not a dose of marketing savvy in my jeans. Getting the word out about my products has been more difficult than I had imagined only because I find myself getting in my own way.
Turning to my daughter, we've given her exposure to many new and different things since arriving on American soil in 2005. After twelve months living in less than ideal circumstances, she braved the adventure of traveling half way around the world and coming into a world that smell different, sounded different, and looked different. Even with a 12 hour time difference day is night and night is day. She has survived, she has thrived, and she of course is the apple of my eye.
Lesson:
Last fall, we signed her up for ice skating lessons and she was unbelievably talented, so much so that she was elevated 3 classes in no time and skating with girls who were 3 to 4 years older and twice her height. Whatever the coach requested, she did. They were amazed and told us we really should look into private lessons for her. We talked with her about it and she told me, Mom I've got a secret. Then she shared with me that skating backwards really scared her. You wouldn't have known it to look at her, each week when it was time to skate backwards, she just did it without hesitation.
This week we started gymnastics, her coach chalked up her small hands, and said "climb this rope to the ceiling and ring the bell. When you do, you'll get a prize." She was fearless, I watched as she jumped up grabbed the rope and with all her might, she scaled the rope to the top and rung the bell. I, standing on the ground, looked up and thought "my 5 year old should not be 14 foot off the ground without a harness or safety net." She shimmed down, and started jumping up and down "I did it, I did it", she cried! Her prize, a lollipop, she was happy. I was ecstatic. I need to learn not to hold her back by my example . . .
Here we go into a new world, I will not be afraid!
Today women-owned businesses are on the rise and the fastest growing demographic in the United States. One reason that I started my business was to be an example to my children. I wanted my passion for my business to teach my daughters to follow their dreams in this land of opportunity. Unlike many of you, my daughters came to the U.S. via international adoption so they were not born in a country known for providing opportunities for them. Let's hope that changes in the years ahead.
Being in business means we need to be fearless when it comes to stepping outside of our comfort zones to market our products or services. I'm drawn to organization and logic with a little creative talent running through my circuits, but not a dose of marketing savvy in my jeans. Getting the word out about my products has been more difficult than I had imagined only because I find myself getting in my own way.
Turning to my daughter, we've given her exposure to many new and different things since arriving on American soil in 2005. After twelve months living in less than ideal circumstances, she braved the adventure of traveling half way around the world and coming into a world that smell different, sounded different, and looked different. Even with a 12 hour time difference day is night and night is day. She has survived, she has thrived, and she of course is the apple of my eye.
Lesson:
Last fall, we signed her up for ice skating lessons and she was unbelievably talented, so much so that she was elevated 3 classes in no time and skating with girls who were 3 to 4 years older and twice her height. Whatever the coach requested, she did. They were amazed and told us we really should look into private lessons for her. We talked with her about it and she told me, Mom I've got a secret. Then she shared with me that skating backwards really scared her. You wouldn't have known it to look at her, each week when it was time to skate backwards, she just did it without hesitation.
This week we started gymnastics, her coach chalked up her small hands, and said "climb this rope to the ceiling and ring the bell. When you do, you'll get a prize." She was fearless, I watched as she jumped up grabbed the rope and with all her might, she scaled the rope to the top and rung the bell. I, standing on the ground, looked up and thought "my 5 year old should not be 14 foot off the ground without a harness or safety net." She shimmed down, and started jumping up and down "I did it, I did it", she cried! Her prize, a lollipop, she was happy. I was ecstatic. I need to learn not to hold her back by my example . . .
Here we go into a new world, I will not be afraid!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
New Beginnings
September always reminds me of a fresh start and a new beginning. This season does more to refresh my spirit than January 1st.
Setting New Years Resolutions doesn't have to wait until January. Think about it. If you set New Year's Resolutions along with your children at the beginning of a new school year, by the time you reach January 1st you will be well on your way to accomplishing those goals.
The most effective goals are those that are written down. Better yet, share the goals you've set with some one else. Accountability always increases the odds of accomplishment. Make sure the goals you set are measurable; and begin to measure your progress by making a chart or graph. Post your goals on your refrigerator so your family can see them. That way they can help you celebrate your accomplishments.
Are there any goals you would like to share? Please add your comments to this post. You never know when someone might read your goals and offer to help you accomplish them.
Happy first of September . . .
Setting New Years Resolutions doesn't have to wait until January. Think about it. If you set New Year's Resolutions along with your children at the beginning of a new school year, by the time you reach January 1st you will be well on your way to accomplishing those goals.
The most effective goals are those that are written down. Better yet, share the goals you've set with some one else. Accountability always increases the odds of accomplishment. Make sure the goals you set are measurable; and begin to measure your progress by making a chart or graph. Post your goals on your refrigerator so your family can see them. That way they can help you celebrate your accomplishments.
Are there any goals you would like to share? Please add your comments to this post. You never know when someone might read your goals and offer to help you accomplish them.
Happy first of September . . .
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