Self proclaimed “Recovering Patent Attorney” Jackie Hutter joins Ron on the show to talk about how she has been working to improve the world of patenting and IP strategy. She started the Hutter Group to create a consulting business which, unlike working with a traditional attorney, works piece meal on projects rather than strictly on an hourly basis. Check out her website and listen to her sound advice.
Sourcing your product development overseas can be a tricky endeavor and there are so many ways an inventor can get into trouble when outsourcing their production internationally. Edie Tolchin covers a large portion of the basics of getting your product evaluated for safety, manufacturing, new laws, and other issues that can come up during production. Listen to the show to find out what most common mistakes occur in the sourcing and manufacturing process.
Jim and Ron interview Karen Nadler Sachs, inventor of the Save the Chairs, which is a product designed to cover and protect chairs. Unlike most slip covers the “Save the Chairs” is a universal product that is adjustable to fit practically any sized chair. It also protects the chair from spills, accidents, and even animal hair. With her sewing background it was easy for Karen to create this useful solution to a common problem. Her journey involved lots of twists and turns and continues today. Hear her fantastic story!
Jim and Ron talk about the lessons they’ve learned from starting up their respective companies, mistakes they’ve made, hurdles they’ve overcome, as well as problems they’ve solved. Jim talks about the beginning of his career when he was in the optics business. He breaks down how his time at Carson Optics went as far as spending money, buying ads, and who to target. Ron talks about how starting his patent business required him to change his thinking pertaining to even the simple things like office space, advertising, and other business venues.
Ron and Jim are joined by Jay Johnson, of Five Minute Productions who acts as the mediator for this “question and answer” session. Jim and Ron talk in depth about the most common five questions they receive from inventors. A fantastic show to highlight the most common hurdles for start-ups!
The topic of this week’s show was ensuring your product passes safety product standards. With the way social awareness has progressed over the years the safety regulations have become far more strictly enforced. Unlike in years past when the laws were loosely enforced, today there are very tightly controlled rules you must follow to ensure your product is safe to sell in the US market.
With Jim out Ron and Lee cover some of the basics of Patenting a product and Ron talks about the system he has developed to help determine whether or not a product/invention is capable of getting a successful patent.
Jim and Ron interview Kristi Gorinas, owner and CEO of the Kristi G Co. and inventor of the Grab n Go Clutch Handbag. This handbag is designed specifically for holding baby wipes and other essentials. The inside is protected against spills and it has specifically designed features for holding wipes and other materials. Hear about Kristi’s journey from her original idea to manufacturing her products. Listen in to hear her story.
Jim and Ron talk about networking and the passing of Billy May, a big personality in the invention industry. Who you know can be far more important than what you know and both Jim and Ron talk about their experiences connecting with important people.
