Inventors Archives

Do Inventors Need 3D Designs or Prototypes?

If you are an inventor in the early stages of development (you don't have finished samples) and you are looking to sell or license your invention to a company for ongoing royalty payments, you will...

byRussell Williams

November 14, 2011

Where to Begin in Inventing? An Interview With Chris Hawker

Exactly a year ago, I began my inventing odyssey. Over breakfast, I announced to my family that I was going to extract the idea that I had in my head and take it from inception...

byRachel Blaufeld

October 19, 2011

Making a Hot Sauce Business Stand Out – An Interview with Cynthia Riddle

Today, we talk to small business owner, Cynthia Riddle. Cynthia helped to create Brother Bru Bru’s African Hot Pepper Sauce. Below, she shares her insights on being successful in this competitive industry and provides tips...

byMelanie Rembrandt

September 20, 2011

3 Ways to Provide Value to Site Visitors Fast

Ok. Be honest. When is the last time you updated your Website? I know that you have many, other priorities. But, if your Website is old, you are losing customers! After all, who wants to...

byMelanie Rembrandt

September 13, 2011

The Power of Online Invention Tradeshows

Developing or finding the next innovative product in today's marketplace is the key focus of an ever expanding list of companies. Even our government is pushing industries to innovate more, recognizing the need for innovation...

byRussell Williams

September 7, 2011

Saved! By Automatic Backup

Picture this: It's late December. You're planning for the year ahead. You resume your work after dinner. Totally in the zone! But there's a problem. A major problem. The computer is frozen. Nothing works. You...

byRich Sloan

September 6, 2011

Behind The Scenes of ABC’s Shark Tank

Ever wonder what it would be like to pitch your product on ABC’s Shark Tank? Ever wonder what it would be like to have one of the Sharks offer you $50,000 for a stake in...

byStartupNation

July 11, 2011

Product Summit Provides Unique Inventor Opportunities

Back in April, I posted an article which addressed the growing trend of “micro-shows”. Many of the largest tradeshows in the land were adding destinations within the larger tradeshow…these “micro-shows” are devoted entirely to independent...

byRussell Williams

June 21, 2011

Inpex Invention Trade Show

This week, after orchestrating insane childcare arrangements (school is out), I attended The Inventor’s University and The Inpex Invention Trade Show in Pittsburgh, PA. This was a phenomenal experience for me, and I am so...

byRachel Blaufeld

June 16, 2011

Tips for Networking in the Beginning…

I was a little stumped about what to write about this week. A lot has been going on in my world, but for some reason, I could not pinpoint the one little thing that I...

byRachel Blaufeld

May 19, 2011

StartupNation 1, Facebook Squatter 0

Similar to our efforts on Twitter to claim the www.twitter.com/startupnation account name, we have now achieved something similar for www.facebook.com/startupnation. As I wrote a while ago here in my blog about the Twitter squatter who...

byRich Sloan

April 24, 2011

The New Trend in Tradeshows for Inventors – “the Micro-Show”

Not too long ago, inventors and entrepreneurs had limited options available to them in regards to exhibiting their products at tradeshows. They could either attend one of the smaller inventor-related tradeshows, or they could go...

byRussell Williams

April 15, 2011

Do you have a network? (not the “Do you hear me now?” type)

I am big on the importance of finding a mentor and creating a support network as a mompreneur, entrepreneur, solopreneur, or whatever-preneur. I do not mean the same type of support network that we have...

byRachel Blaufeld

April 6, 2011

Is Frustration Getting In the Way of Your Success?

Your phone stops ringing. You don’t get a response for your proposals. The competition steals your business. Yep. We’ve all been there. It’s not fun, but frustration is a part of business. Instead of taking...

byMelanie Rembrandt

April 6, 2011

Copyright dangers lurking in your staff’s work product

Did you know that you might have some serious intellectual property issues lurking in the work product your staff has created for you? When I say "work product" I mean sales pages, brochures, website copy,...

byJessica Eaves Mathews

March 29, 2011

Mompreneur’s Pre-Flight Checklist

Over the last few weeks, pulling off all my various roles has been hard. Being a mom requires a lot of patience recently, and a number of extended family issues need my attention. At the...

byRachel Blaufeld

March 25, 2011

Should you exhibit your product at the upcoming National Hardware Show (May 10-12th)?

Should you exhibit your product at the upcoming National Hardware Show (May 10-12th)? If you want exposure to thousands of industry professional looking for new products and the opportunity to learn from industry experts, YES…you...

byRussell Williams

March 24, 2011

What To Do After An Interview

You just spoke to a top reporter with a major publication, and the feature story is due out in one month… so what do you do now? Well, I’m sure you would like to yell...

byMelanie Rembrandt

March 22, 2011

Specialty Retail Entrepreneur Expo & Conference, You gotta go!

Want to start your specialty product business this year? Then you MUST attend the (SPREE) Specialty Retail Entrepreneur Expo & Conference. Be part of the world's largest event for the $12 billion specialty retail industry!...

byKim Babjak

March 16, 2011

My Huge Mistake & Guess What? The Nation Works!

Last week, I spent (wasted) a lot of time spinning my wheels and thinking about decisions that were irrelevant at the moment. Paralyzed with small details that did not matter and stuck in over-thinking the...

byRachel Blaufeld

March 8, 2011