Category Archives: Invention

Get Your BIG On Start BIG


Posted by Amy Diederich

Yesterday you heard Jane’s story that launched Get Your BIG On. Today it is my turn to share with you how it all began for me.

As far back as I can remember I have been goal driven. I worked my way through college holding down two jobs. I completed my degree graduating Magna Cum Laude. I won a full scholarship to pursue my masters degree. I completed that degree Summa Cum Laude while still continuing to hold down two jobs.  Once I had my masters I jumped into corporate America. I worked hard to move up the corporate ladder and did. I have always had the drive to own my own business.  I am first and foremost an entrepreneur and inventor. I am the daughter of a prolific inventor and entrepreneur. My father always encouraged his kids to start their own businesses. Three of his four children are entrepreneurs.

Starting BIG

In 1999 I left corporate America and started my own consulting firm, A-Squared Consulting. I am proud to say we were successful. We always operated in the black and always had plenty of business. My clients list was impressive: Adelphia, Vonage, and Comcast, to mention just a few.

In June of 2010 I was compelled to merge my company with Jane Perdue’s (a former boss, client, and current mentor).   Jane shared her story of the pivotal moment when her boss refered to her as Aunt Polly.  This story hit a cord. You see I also had the proverbial whack on the head.

My Whack On the Head

A-Squared consulting did sales training at the company where my husband is CEO.  One day  I was introduced to a new senior leader who had just joined my husband’s team. After my role of sales consultant was explained, he commented to my husband, “How nice you given the ‘little woman’ something to keep her busy!” I was speechless! I don’t find myself speechless very often. I wanted to say well I agreed to work with this company to help my husband. My other clients are all fortune 500 companies.  The next few responses that came to me are not G rated!  Any of the potential retorts that came to my head, however deserved, felt really shallow. I decided I will not say anything but I will let my actions and results prove I had not been “given” anything. 

I believe most people have had that time in their life where someone intentionally or unintentionally tried to make them feel little. For me Get Your BIG On is about helping people get past those moments and push through to live their BIG dream. When Jane contacted me I came to the conclusion that I had realized my dream and now it is time to give back and help others. I want to share how my dad inspired me to Start BIG! Give others the moxie to help them reach out for their dreams!

Get Your BIG on is designed to help you succeed in achieving YOUR dream. Your dream can be starting a company or simply starting a project. As the President of the Braithewaite Innovation Group, I get the chance to interact daily with people who are starting entrepreneurial adventures. I love to encourage them, help them find their market, and connect them with others who are chasing their dream. Please spend some time on our site www.getyourbigon.com. See what we have to offer. If there is something you need help with we are happy to help! My new dream is to help others see a new possibility, a new connection or relationship that will spark the next great invention or business.


Entrepreneurs who Start BIG


Posted by Amy Diederich

Over the last two weeks I have been inundated with stories of entrepreneurs who are Starting BIG! I find myself inspired daily by the stories I am receiving.  Many have overcome major obstacles. This week I featured one of those big stories as my pick of the week on Get Your BIG On. I thought I would share his story here as well. I am able to tell you a bit more about him in this post.

David Alan Slockblower (aka David Alan) is an inventor/entrepreneur/professional stand-up comic/artist who has had and lost millions. He has been featured in People Magazine, appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Joe Franklin Show, the CBS Early Show, and dozens of local and regional television news shows. He has fought and won a 13-year battle with alcoholism and drug addiction and have endured major surgeries to recover from near-total disability. This inventor and entrepreneur is launching a new product. The project is his patented EZ Shopper invention, which is something that literally EVERYBODY can use.

Additionally David says “After a 20-year failed marriage, I have been blessed to reconnect with “the one that got away” from over thirty years ago and am now happily married to her. With her love, support, and encouragement I have once again tapped into the flow of creative energy that had been dulled by drugs, alcohol, and depression. Good story, huh? Best part is that it’s ALL TRUE. In order to finance my current project/dream, my new bride and I have exhausted all of our resources, including her entire retirement account from a 20-year career as a published research scientist with Novartis/Sandoz Corporation. The project is my patented _EZ Shopper_ invention, which is something that literally EVERYBODY can use and benefit from.”

A common theme among the stories I have received is that once the entrepreneur commits completely to the project either financially, emotionally or both that is when it succeeds.

You can learn more about this entrepreneur who has overcome great odds.

links: http://www.ezshopper.us/

http://www.youtube.com/user/slocky1701?feature=mhsn

https://www.facebook.com/EZshopper

https://www.facebook.com/pages/EZ-SHOPPER-The-Complete-Pocket-Sized-Shopping-System


Tanja Newbauer: Inventor and Entrepreneur


Posted by Amy Diederich

Tanja Neubauer, Inventor and Entrepreneur

As part of my series I am introducing you to an entrepreneur who is a good example of picking a great name  and trademarking! Tanja Neubauer is both a give big and a start big story!  Tanja is a soccer mom and SAP whiz and now she is an inventor too!  Tanja has a patent pending and a trademark logo for the Fring-ez. 

Fring-ezThe Fring-ez is a tool that provides an easier way to cut fringe on the popular No Sew fleece blankets. It is an adjustable clear acrylic cutting template. It allows a person to place the fabric’s edge in it and run a pair of scissors down a row of slots to cut fringe all the same length and width in a straight line. It can accommodate four ply of fleece and can adjust to cut fringe that’s 2-, 3- or 4 inches long and an inch wide. It can be used on any kind of material to make fringe on items such as blankets, scarves, pillows and sleeping bags.

Have you always been inventive?  Not really I am not crafty at all however I always looked for ways to make a job easier and more efficient.

How did you come up with the idea? I was having a hard time making a fringed fleece blanket for my great niece. I don’t sew, and I’m not a crafty person at all. I had a terrible time cutting because I can’t cut straight.  I could not find a suitable cutting tool, so I invented one.

How do you market Fring-ez?  The Fring-ez, which sells for $19.95, plus shipping, can be ordered on Amazon.com, Etsy.com and at my website: Fring-ez.com.  I also now have a mini Fring-ez for half-inch-wide tab for small fringe.

So you are not just an inventor but also an entrepreneur?  I guess so! It all came together from September to October. My first marketing venture was at the November Holiday Gift show at Hara Arena.  I am not only inventing but I have had to learn how to source fabricators, understand packaging and all the other aspects of starting a business.

Where else are you selling your product?  I currently have 200 Fring-ezs in stock, which I sell on Amazon and at area shows, including at the recent Bargain Mania at Veteran’s Memorial in Columbus.

What are you most excited about?  I am hopeful that my template will be featured on a national craft show!  I am most excited about helping others. I hope the success of  Fring-ez will allow me greater resources to help the homeless and other community outreach programs. In the past year I have become very involved in with church and their outreach programs.

What has been your greatest surprise? My entire family looks at things differently. At first my kids (Neubauer and her husband, Scott, both IT consultants, with six children between them.) did not understand why I was pursuing making this product. They are now seeing ideas for new products in many things they do every day!


StartBIG Tip 2 Trademark your name!


Posted by Amy Diederich

So you have a great idea and you are ready to go into business. My Tip 2 is to Trademark your name.

What is a trademark? According to Wikipedia a trademark or trade mark or trade-mark[1] is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from those of other entities.

Trademark

A trademark may be designated by the following symbols:

™ (for an unregistered trade mark, that is, a mark used to promote or brand goods)
℠ (for an unregistered service mark, that is, a mark used to promote or brand services)
® (for a registered trademark)

If you go to the United States Patent and Trademark office they provide many useful tools to help you determine what type of protection you need for your idea or product.  My advice is that if you are going to establish a brand you consider a trademark.  You will not want to create a reputation, following, or traffic to a logo, label, or brand only to have someone try to trick consumers that they are  you! http://www.uspto.gov/faq/trademarks.jsp

When talking to new entrepreneurs and inventrepreneurs they often ask should I have an attorney I don’t feel qualified to tell you if you do or don’t. I know that for me the cost to do this through an attorney was minimal and my time was better spent working on the launch of my business.

Here is what the US Patent and Trademark office says:

You are not required to hire an attorney, but if you decide to prepare and submit your own application, you must comply with all requirements of the trademark statutes and rules and may be required to respond to legal issues raised by the USPTO. Because the application process can be complex, many applicants choose to appoint an attorney to represent them. If you choose to appoint an attorney, we will only communicate with your attorney. The USPTO cannot help you select an attorney. However, the American Bar Association website includes information on how to find local attorneys who practice trademark law.

For me all of my hard work to come up with the idea and then execute on the idea is well worth the investment in an attorney to help me get my trademark.

According to Fredric R. Abramson http://www.evancarmichael.com/Legal/2113/Why-Trademark.htmlThe world is competitive enough. Why let someone take what you have worked so hard to build, when there is a remedy to prevent them from doing it? A trademark will be able to help you protect and brand your business without having to worry about competitors using and diluting your brand, and confusing your customers with a product of lesser quality.

So go get your BIG on and StartBIG come up with that great idea and name/logo and then trademark your name/logo!


My Formula for Entrepreneurial Success


Posted by Amy Diederich

Right Product + Market Opportunity + Committed Execution = Success

Many people ask me what is the key to my success as a business owner. I look to the formula that my dad passed down to me. He would say you need to have a product that people need. Elaborating that not only do you need a product people need but you need enough people to need it to make a profit. Mix in a passion for what you are doing and learning everything you can about selling, marketing, making and developing the product.

Harvard Business School professor Nitin Nohria along with William Joyce and Bruce Roberson studied 160 companies to look for common management practices that succeed and found a sound business plan is at the core of success. They found a strong grasp of business basics was the key to longevity and growth. My dad never went to college only trade school. He smiles when I share what the Harvard Business School says about success.  My dad is a smart man with a great deal of common sense.

As I explore what makes a person both a success as an inventor and entrepreneur, I think that I have found another key! You must be highly smart but also have common sense. I am not sure the two always go hand in hand.

I look to the great inventor/entrepreneur Colonel Deed. He not only invented things but was called by Quaker Oats to improve functioning of a factory. He is an example of a highly intelligent man with good business common sense.


Does the Formula Matter or Is It the Brand that Counts?


Posted by Amy Diederich

According to a recent CNN article there is much buzz about a copy of the secret formula of Coke being released in the media.  However several experts indicate the formula does not matter.

“Today, anybody with access to a sophisticated chemistry laboratory could analyze the formula of Coke, but no one can call a product called Coke other than the Coca-Cola Company,” John Sicher, editor and publisher of “Beverage Digest,” told the paper. “The so-called ‘secret formula’ is a wonderful story of lore and mystery, but in reality, the value today is the brand, not the formula.”

Is this true? and is it true for your start-up? First let’s look at what is a brand? According to Wikipedia:

“A brand is the identity of a specific product, service, or business. A brand can take many forms, including a name, sign, symbol, color combination or slogan. The word brand began simply as a way to tell one person’s cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp. A legally protected brand name is called a trademark. The word brand has continued to evolve to encompass identity - it affects the personality of a product, company or service.”

Ironically the first image that appears when you search the definition of a brand on Wikipedia is the Coke logo! This further begs the question is brand as important as formula for everyone or only Coke? Lets look further at the definition of a brand.

A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. If the consumer (whether it’s a business, a buyer, a voter or a donor) doesn’t pay a premium, make a selection or spread the word, then no brand value exists for that consumer.  Seth Godin

Several sources agreed with Seth’s definition. They stated that the brand is the emotional  response to a product.  So how does the consumer get this emotional response? From either advertising or direct experience with the product.  So for the start-up some suggest that demand creation is actually more important than your brand.

 ”When you’re small, nothing builds brand better than selling.” ~Tom Scearce of Scearce Marketing Group

Ah ha! The formula does matter! it is much harder to create demand without the right product. No demand no emotional response to the product.

The moral of the story you must have a great product to create the intrigue in discovering its secret formula! Your brand comes from the experience the consumer has from your product. A great formula creates a great experience.


Three People in this Romance


Posted by Amy Diederich

Yesterday I “broke” my website resulting in the revelation that I am in love with my business. Today I am dealing with the implications of breaking the website. One person it negatively impacts is my business partner. Since I love my business and am truly fond of my business partner, I thought I better read about how to make my partner happy. My research led me to read a great article called “Like Marriage, Business Takes Work” printed in the New York Times. I have never thought of my business as a romance until yesterday . Today I learned that I am not only in love but I am married.

In the article the author suggests that business partnerships are like marriages in many ways. Like marriages business partnerships often fail. So if my business partnership is like a marriage lets see what Dr. Phil says about a healthy marriage does it relate to a business partner? According to Dr. Phil:

•You get what you give. When you give better, you get better. This point seems to fit! When working with my business partner the better her ideas the better our conversation and the better outcomes we have in our business and of course the converse is true!

•If you put your relationship in a win/lose situation, it will be a lose/lose situation. Ahh, Dr. Phil you are so right! In the trials of our start-up, a loss for one of us is a loss for both of us!

•Forget whether you’re right or wrong. The question is: Is what you’re doing working or not working? Again Dr. Phil I think this is spot on for a business partnership. You should focus on your goal and work to get there.

•There is no right or wrong way to fix a relationship. Find your own way that works. But recognize when it’s not working and be honest when it needs fixing. In the New York Times article they state that most partnerships fail because of real business problems not interpersonal problems. The danger to the relationship lies when the real business problem causes communication break downs.

•Falling in love is not the same thing as being in love. Embrace the change and know that it takes work. Not sure about this point. Although it seems to address when work goes from the fun inventive part to the day-to-day routine part.

•You don’t fix things by fixing your partner. Agreed. Just like in marriage we should not try to change our business partner. Luckily for me my business partner does not need any changing!

•Intimacy is so important because it is when we let someone else enter our private world. Okay, this point might be a stretch when it comes to a business partnership however when you are working on someone’s dream business it is pretty intimate.

Dr.Phil’s next three points I will examine together.

  • You don’t necessarily solve problems. You learn how to manage them.
  • Communicate. Make sure your sentences have verbs. Remember that only 7 percent of communication is verbal. Actions and non-verbal communication speak much louder.
  • You teach people how to treat you. You can renegotiate the rules.

The last three points I will address as one. My take-away for entrepreneurs is that we need to treat our business partners well. We must communicate, communicate, communicate!

I cannot help but recall this Bible verse from my days in Sunday School:

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

I am glad I have a business partner and will work hard to make my business partner happy and our business flourish!


Love and Business


Posted by Amy Diederich

Move fast and break things. Unless you are breaking stuff, you are not moving fast enough. ~Mark Zuckerberg

This quote leapt off the page for me because last night I broke my website…well, at least the homepage. I found Mark’s quote reassuring as I wait for my webmaster to contact me with the fix for my missing home page.

After reading and fixating on this quote on Valentine’s Day of all days, I realize I might be in love with my business! Read more and see what you think?

According to “love experts” you know you are in love when:

1. When, at the beginning of the day, you are already filled with thoughts of the other person: what he/she is doing, how he/she looks. I woke up this morning with the very first thought on my mind did the webmaster fix my website? will I see my beloved home page again?

2. You become selfless. And you start thinking more about what would be good for the other person, than what would be good for you. I have a ski trip scheduled for the holiday weekend. I had to give up a speaking engagement to go on the trip. I found myself wanting to cancel my trip to stay home and be with my budding new elearning site.

3. You start to think of how it would be to be with this person forever… and you relish that dream or feeling. The thought of spending the rest of your lives together is not seen as being stuck with another person, but is considered to be a very wonderful idea. Recently on a daily walk with a friend she expressed she is having trouble deciding what to do in her fifties. I told her she needed to find her passion and her calling…like I had.

4. Even if there are other people who are more beautiful or attractive, you still choose to be with this person. This means your commitment to this person is absolute. You have fully and undeniably decided to be with only him/her no matter what. It is not only love, but also devotion. I was approached recently about taking a six plus figure job at a well known corporation. I did not even entertain the idea.

5. There is passion and fireworks, even after the infatuation period of six months. If you have been together for such a long time now, but aren’t bored out of your minds yet and can still feel the fire burning – simply because you keep it burning (and this requires dedication and effort), is a clear indication that love is still shared between two people. I have had my own business since 1999. Sure it has grown and evolved. Building the new e-learning website has added a new passion and a new sense of purpose. I can not imagine doing anything else.

6. There is a desire to understand each other, even at the biggest of arguments. You continue to communicate openly and do not harshly judge each other. You accept each other’s faults and shortcomings. Last night I was ready to throw my computer against the wall but instead I stayed up late trying to understand Joomla.. the software that supports my website.

So I don’t know:  is it love or just business?

Are any of you out there in love with your business?


Look Past the Turn


Posted by Amy Diederich

My six-year-old daughter Grace is adopted from China. As soon as she could talk, she would always ask “What’s next mommy?” She still wants to know our agenda every time we go anywhere!  I think she is not much different from my adult friends. We always want to know “What’s next?”

I recall a speaker once telling the story of going mountain-biking. Everything was fine on the ride, until there was a sharp turn, and the first rider to hit the turn, hit the brakes because he couldn’t see what was on the other side of the turn. The second cyclist swerved to avoid hitting the first and slid off the path. The guide kept yelling “look past the turn.” The third rider listened to the guide. He looked passed the turn and rode smoothly to the other side.

Entrepreneurs must always look past the turn. We need to see what is next and prepare for it while navigating the turns we will encounter on our way to a successful business.


Travel


Posted by Amy Diederich

Today I am sitting in the Detroit Airport. I think many entrepreneurs travel. I find that sometimes I travel more than I like.

Later today I will swish my hands underneath the faucet in my home bathroom, and it take a few swipes before I realize I am no longer in an airport with automatic sinks.

This week I am on back-to-back trips. I come home only to leave again. As much as I become tired of the travel, I do find it gives me the alone time to think of new ways to grow my business. I met a fellow entrepreneur on the plane today. He said he has a passion for disc golf. He plays it every time he can while on the road. He stated that the life of an entrepreneur is so busy, it is hard to find time to play when he is home because that’s when he gets his family time.

I think I will try to find the time to stop do something fun and enjoy my travels….