Starting a business out of your garage? Check out these insights!

You’ve heard about entrepreneurs who start their businesses in their garage and become true successes. What is their secret? Well, recently I found out about Pervaiz Lodhie. He started LEDtronics, Inc., www.ledtronics.com, in his garage with his wife, Almas, in 1983.

Today, he has a very successful business headquartered in Torrance, California providing LED (light-emitting diode) products worldwide and is known as the pioneer of LED lighting. I interviewed Pervaiz to get some of his inside secrets, and here’s what he had to say:

Tell us how you started your LED lighting business.

When I started testing and packaging LED’s almost 40 years ago I was a junior partner of Data Display Products started by my elder brother, Qamar Lodhie. At that time, there were really no LED solutions to replace the issues people were having with the old technology, incandescent or filament light-bulbs such as very short life, using too much energy, high heat, higher failures in shock and vibration conditions, etc.

To solve these problems, I started creating and packaging LED lights to replace the old, outdated miniature incandescent bulbs as simply as possible. The LED lights were used in control panels, elevators, lighted push-button switches on aircraft and ships, and on control indicators in power plants.

As the LED technology improved, I continued to improve the packages to become more widely used, and I also created additional applications for the LEDs where higher intensities, more pure colors and wider viewing angles were needed.

It sounds like you created LEDtronics by using your expertise to solve important lighting problems your customers were having. With this in mind, what was the biggest challenge you faced starting your business, and what did public relations have to do with overcoming it?

With an engineering background, I did not have the experience to market and find customers. Fortunately, one of the editors of Electronic Products approached me when I was first starting my business and wrote an article about the benefits of my LED products. That was probably the beginning of the revolution. When the article came out, engineers that were looking for that kind of a product suddenly sent requests, and we were immediately getting calls for the products.

Another key reason for my entrepreneurial success was that I looked at the issues and problems of others trying to start businesses. I didn’t want to fall into the trap of investing too much and paying interest for many years and then never being able to recover from it. I was going to start my business in a completely different way with my own money.

Right from the start, I wanted to become the GE of the LED light bulb industry. As I was creating a brand new niche with limited resources, I felt JIT, or the Just-in-Time model, was ideal for me. I developed, manufactured and shipped LED solutions Just-in-Time but at standard cost so there was no premium cost.

This allowed me to have very little inventory requirement, and we still follow this process today at LEDtronics. We carry all the necessary components and then put it together as the customer needs it because there are some common components that you can use. That just-in-time situation allowed me to start and grow my business without borrowing money.

What suggestions do you have for small business owners on how they can compete against large corporations in today’s market?

The concept or idea of the product they want to build must be equal or better than what the competition has. It must have equal or better pricing. It has to have features that the customers of the larger manufacturer identify as needed. It is crucial to have some advantage over the competition because they already have established customers with an existing business relationship, and customers do not easily move away from an already established and comfortable business relationship.

I think that many, new business people make these fundamental mistakes. They develop something today, and they don’t realize that it’s a work-in-progress. They must continue to improve that product and to design it in a way that cuts costs. This way, they can keep the price attractive and keep improving its functionalities in a way that the customer is looking for.

In the first couple of years of starting a business, it’s essential to keep reinvesting every single penny of profit back into the business to allow it to grow. However, just as their business is ready to take off, many new business owners get tired and burn out, and they run out of cash so they give up. Then, all their work is benefited by others.

That’s good advice Pervaiz. Is there anything else you’d like to share with the StartupNation audience?

I think new entrepreneurs should start a company with something they are very, very good at and have full knowledge about. Instead of being a Jack-Of-All-Trades, I took on the challenges that I felt were very easy because of my background and experience as an electromechanical engineer.

I believe the American dreams are still coming about. You just have to do all your ABC’s correctly and anticipate how long it will take your business to take off from the beginning. Have a vision and a picture of what and where you want to be in one year, two years, three years, fours years, etc. Then work towards them and stay focused.

Thanks so much for your great insights Pervaiz, and congratulations on your success!

Do you have a small-business success story you’d like to share with us? Please contact us here.

For independent inventors, navigating the invention process can often times be a scary and difficult challenge. Knowing where to turn and the steps to take to drive an idea through to commercialization is not always easy for inventors.

One organization with a mission to educate and help inventors is the United Inventors Association (UIA). The UIA offers a multitude of free benefits for inventors in need of invention help and is continually striving to develop improvements and positive change in the invention industry. Originally founded as an extension of the USPTO over 20 years ago, the UIA is a great organization to join for all inventors.

For information on joining the UIA – www.uiausa.org.

The driving force behind the UIA is the UIA’s Executive Director, Mark Reyland. Mark is a serial entrepreneur with a long career in product development and inventing stemming back to his early days in the United States Air Force and National Security Agency.

Since joining the UIA, Mark has worked tirelessly and passionately for the benefit of the inventor community. Mark’s commitment to helping inventors leads to a regular 60 to 80 hour work week, spending upwards of 200 days a year traveling between inventor clubs, Washington DC (where he leads the UIA effort to strengthen inventor protection legislation and enforcement), meetings and trade shows.

Through Mark’s leadership, the UIA has developed a supportive program for 100+ UIA certified inventor clubs around the country where real inventors meet monthly. The UIA supplies the clubs with professional speakers as well as Skype kits to allow speakers to present long distance. In addition, Mark travels to over 30 clubs each year to personally thank the club leadership and to educate on available tools and efforts taking place on their behalf at the national level.

The UIA has also developed a strong national trade show support program offering Inventor Showcase and educational programs at industry trade shows. The UIA hosts the National Hardware Show’s Inventor Spotlight Pavilion, PGA Merchandise Show and International Housewares Shows and has several more national tradeshows on tap for 2013.

If your company would like to become a professional corporate member of the UIA please visit www.uiausa.org.

For more information visit:

http://markreyland.wordpress.com

http://inventionhome.com/2012/12/06/how-the-uia-mark-reyland-are-helping-the-invention-industry/

www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Mark/Reyland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXe3BB4y2DY

]]> http://www.startupnation.com/business-blogs/index.php/2012/12/06/inventors-uia-mark-reyland-driving-positive-change-in-the-invention-industry/feed/ http://www.startupnation.com/business-blogs/index.php/2012/11/05/inventionhome-product-spotlight-spin-n-stor/ http://www.startupnation.com/business-blogs/index.php/2012/11/05/inventionhome-product-spotlight-spin-n-stor/#comments Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:43:08 +0000 Russell Williamsrwilliams http://www.startupnation.com/business-blogs/?p=5169 Here comes November!  Gone are the lazy days of summer and the relaxing autumn evenings.  The holidays are now bearing down, and it is officially “busy” season!  Time is truly precious, and that’s one reason that we see many inventions that were designed to SAVE TIME.   One such invention comes from Ruth G. of San Diego, California.

The name of the invention is Spin ‘n Store.  The item takes the hassle out of creating the perfect salad.  It is a plastic bag which spin-dries salad.  To use, place washed produce in the bag; twist the top and spin the bag 10-12 times.  This spinning action forces all the water to collect in a reservoir at the bottom of the bag.  Simply pour out the water through the side drain, and VOILA!  Salad is ready-to-eat…or can be stored right in the Spin ‘n Store bag.  It’s much more convenient that bulky plastic salad spinners ~ bags can fold up for easy storage and they are reusable.

Ruth enlisted the help of InventionHome and sister-company MatchProduct to assist her in finding marketing/licensing opportunities for the product.

For help with your invention, call 866-844-6512.

About www.InventionHome.com

InventionHome offers a low cost, low risk solution for helping inventors through each step of the invention process.  They have created a simple and streamlined process for connecting inventors with manufacturers for the purpose of licensing inventions for royalties.

For more info visit:

www.inventionhome.com/inventor-services/

www.facebook.com/invention.home

www.mvelette.wordpress.com/

The name of the invention is Spin ‘n Store.  The item takes the hassle out of creating the perfect salad.  It is a plastic bag which spin-dries salad.  To use, place washed produce in the bag; twist the top and spin the bag 10-12 times.  This spinning action forces all the water to collect in a reservoir at the bottom of the bag.  Simply pour out the water through the side drain, and VOILA!  Salad is ready-to-eat…or can be stored right in the Spin ‘n Store bag.  It’s much more convenient that bulky plastic salad spinners ~ bags can fold up for easy storage and they are reusable.

Ruth enlisted the help of InventionHome and sister-company MatchProduct to assist her in finding marketing/licensing opportunities for the product.

For help with your invention, call 866-844-6512.

About www.InventionHome.com

InventionHome offers a low cost, low risk solution for helping inventors through each step of the invention process.  They have created a simple and streamlined process for connecting inventors with manufacturers for the purpose of licensing inventions for royalties.

For more info visit:

www.inventionhome.com/inventor-services/

www.facebook.com/invention.home

www.mvelette.wordpress.com/

Inventors and entrepreneurs are invited to submit new product ideas to Rubbermaid.

The following product categories are of particular interest to Rubbermaid®:

• Beauty and Style
• Beverage
• Cleaning
• Closet Organization
• Food Storage
• Garage Organization
• Home Storage
• Insulated Storage
• Kitchen
• Laundry & Utility
• Outdoor Storage
• Waste, Trash or Refuse

About Rubbermaid
Rubbermaid is a leader in developing innovative, high-quality solutions that help consumers keep their homes in order. Widely recognized and trusted, Rubbermaid designs and markets a full range of organization, storage and cleaning products to keep the home – including closets, garages, kitchens and outdoor spaces – neat and functional, freeing consumers to enjoy life.Rubbermaid is part of Newell Rubbermaid’s strong portfolio of leading global brands.

About www.InventionHome.com

InventionHome offers a low cost, low risk solution for helping inventors through each step of the invention process.  They have created a simple and streamlined process for connecting inventors with manufacturers for the purpose of licensing inventions for royalties.

For more info visit:

http://inventionhome.com/success/

http://inventionhome.com/why-inventionhome/

http://inventionhome.com/about/

The name of Ronda’s invention is “Jagged Jeans Design”, and it is comprised of a kit including various tools to distress, fade and fray denim.  The tools can be used on any denim fabric, including jean jackets.  The product enables people to distress their jeans at home, rather than having to buy expensive store-bought distressed jeans.

Ronda enlisted the help of InventionHome to assist her in finding marketing/licensing opportunities for her invention.

For help with your invention, call 866-844-6512.

About www.InventionHome.com

InventionHome offers a low cost, low risk solution for helping inventors through each step of the invention process.  They have created a simple and streamlined process for connecting inventors with manufacturers for the purpose of licensing inventions for royalties.

For more info visit:

http://inventionhome.com/success/

http://inventionhome.com/why-inventionhome/

http://inventionhome.com/about/

The inventor of this product enlisted the help of InventionHome to assist him in finding marketing/licensing opportunities for his invention.

About www.InventionHome.com

InventionHome offers a low cost, low risk solution for helping inventors through each step of the invention process.  They have created a simple and streamlined process for connecting inventors with manufacturers for the purpose of licensing inventions for royalties.

For more info visit:

Invention Home Twitter

Invention Home Facebook

Invention Home Customer Satisfaction

Invention Home LinkedIn

Invention Home Blog

Table of contents for rwilliams

1. Pitch Your Invention To 6 “As Seen On TV” Companies

For those of you who feel you have a product worthy of the “As Seen on TV” label, here’s a great opportunity for you. An impressive list of companies, representing successful TV brands like Snuggie, Perfect Brownie, Topsy Turvy, Pajama Jeans, EasyFeet, Tony Little’s Gazelle and many more, will be present on the campus of Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, PA to meet face-to-face with inventors.

Submit Your Product Today to the DRTV Product Summit

What is the DRTV Product Summit?

The DRTV Product Summit is a one-day event that gives everyday inventors the opportunity to pitch their products to six leading “As Seen On TV” companies in one location. Twenty-four inventors will be selected by a panel of judges. These inventors will then receive 10-minute private pitch sessions with each of the companies in attendance.

For more information, visit the DRTV Product Summit website.

This unique product has two horizontal, parallel lines spanning each lens and a small box in-between the parallel lines in which the user lines up the ball with his or her dominant eye. To use, golfers simply keep the ball in the box to reduce head movement while swinging.

The inventor of this product enlisted the help of InventionHome to assist him in finding marketing/licensing opportunities for their invention.

InventionHome offers a low cost, low risk solution for helping inventors through each step of the invention process. They have created a simple and streamlined process for connecting inventors with manufacturers for the purpose of licensing inventions for royalties.

For more info visit:

• Invention Home Twitter
• Invention Home Facebook
• Invention Home Customer Satisfaction
• Invention Home LinkedIn
• Invention Home Blog