Best Consumer Market Research Tools – Field Agent with Rick West

2021-02-22T16:35:07+00:00August 24th, 2018|e-Commerce, Inventors, Logistics, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Promote It|

When you’re selling a product or service, you need to be able to know people’s feedback in order to improve. But how? Through research, of course. Tracy, together with Laura Hazzard, brings Rick West of Field Agent to talk about the best consumer market research tools.. With years of credible experience, Rick shares his work of promoting real time, location-based mobile research for companies who would like to get more user feedback. Offering both quantitative and qualitative data, they work great for those who are still figuring things out. Going down into mobile technology and more, Rick shows the true importance of market research for the future of your product and over-all business development. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- We're excited to bring you a company, a brand, a tool and a great group of people to work with that we think is [...]

5 Big Amazon Mistakes Brands Make with Jenna Lieber

2021-02-22T16:37:37+00:00August 21st, 2018|e-Commerce, Inventors, Logistics, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Promote It|

The most successful brands continually look for ways to increase conversions and improve customer satisfaction. Established brands usually have their systems in place, but when you’re constantly dealing with the day-to-day operations of your business, it’s difficult to see the glitches in your processes or strategies, and that could affect you in terms of competition or changing markets. This is the reason why we often see established brands making common mistakes that can hurt their bottom line. Jenna Lieber from Turnkey Product Management came up with the five big Amazon mistakes brands make to help you avoid these oversights. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- This is our third topic that we've been covering here on Product Launch Hazzards. Unfortunately, Jeff could not make it. He is in Alaska. We thought he might be able to make it, but the Wi-Fi is a little [...]

Is Your Brand Ready To Be A Big Box Retail Product? with Tim Bush

2021-02-22T16:42:44+00:00August 15th, 2018|e-Commerce, Inventors, Logistics, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Promote It|

Is your brand ready to be a big box retail product? Tim Bush of TLB Consulting says you should make sure that you are ready because if you hit up a buyer and things don't go well until that buyer swaps out and changes positions, you are going to have a tough time going back to that buyer. That's where you're at it unless something majorly changes. Tim shares some things you should be looking at when you’re getting your product ready for retail such as pricing, packaging, sales, the uniques, your customers, your target retailers, and marketing plan to push your product forward. He goes in-depth each one of these seven key items to give a better understanding of their significance in getting your product ready for big box retail. Watch the Episode Here: https://youtu.be/yN-06AHfEaE Listen to the podcast here: --- It seems like it’s been [...]

Planning Inbound Freight Logistics And Order Fulfillment with Paul D’Souza

2021-02-22T16:55:55+00:00August 10th, 2018|e-Commerce, Inventors, Logistics, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Promote It|

Logistics and order fulfillment as part of the initial process you make before launching is vital to customer satisfaction. Paul D’Souza of Source Select breaks down why it should be on the top of your list in order to offer the complete customer experience and later on reaping the benefits from it. Paul shows how he helped many clients with his expertise on handling and fulfilling this particular need, He gives some great advice and tips on how to be more efficient with your order fulfillment, from picking your market and partner to keeping your product safe. He rounds up his discussion by giving the key points when it comes to dealing with global fulfillment, reinstating how necessary the proper order fulfillment is to expand your business. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- It's Paul D’Souza and I'm with Source Select, a logistics and [...]

US Product Classifications For Tariffs And Import with Abby Duffield

2021-02-22T16:57:44+00:00August 9th, 2018|e-Commerce, Inventors, Logistics, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Promote It|

So much goes into getting your products classified in the US that many still find problems with the entire process. Abby Duffield of Shapiro breaks down all the necessary things you need to know about US product classifications for tariffs and import. She gets down into the details of the information you need to present about the products and gives some instructions that will help you identify what you have to provide, like how to know the country of origin, among others. Abby also presents real-life examples that show what goes under the entire process of having your product classified. Being conscious about all these, you’ll find the true value of products. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- Product Information This is Abby with Shapiro. We are going to be talking about product classification going into the US. When we're talking about product classification, [...]

Asia Product Sourcing Pitfalls

2021-02-22T16:58:56+00:00August 8th, 2018|e-Commerce, Inventors, Logistics, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Promote It|

Sourcing products internationally needs some expertise in order to successfully crack into the global market and avoid some pitfalls. Equipped with that expertise, Tom shares his twenty years of experience product sourcing in Asia. He offers some ways on how to avoid those and ensure overall quality as he lays down the problems most people encounter, Learn more about deceiving samples, communicating with the factory, quoting products, and the manufacturing process and inspection as Tom goes into all of them one by one and gives some great insights that will help you source and receive the right product. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- I want to talk about Asia Sourcing Pitfalls, some of the many. I'm probably not going to be able to cover potential pitfalls. We have been importing products and sourcing products in Asia since 1998. We've had quite a bit [...]

Amazon Review Policy – Don’t Get Shut Down! with Brenda Crimi

2021-02-22T17:01:34+00:00August 7th, 2018|e-Commerce, Inventors, Logistics, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Promote It|

Amazon reviews are a big part when it comes to selling your products on that platform. Yet many people still find themselves falling under some wrong ideas about how to go about it. It is now time to iron those misconceptions out and go deeper into the nature of Amazon reviews. Brenda Crimi from AMZ Alliance tells the truth about how reviews affect your ranking and conversion of sales as well as the policies that surround them. She also speaks about how to and how not to solicit for reviews, how to tell which reviews are which, and how to protect yourself from reviewer abuse. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- Why Reviews Are Important I’m Brenda Crimi here with AMZ Alliance. I'm here to give you some helpful tips around the Amazon review policies. First, I want to talk about why reviews are [...]

Amazon Wants to Buy Your Product Directly – Is That a Good Thing?

2021-02-22T17:18:36+00:00July 23rd, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

If you are already an Amazon seller, or maybe an entrepreneur looking for opportunities to grow your brand who is considering to sell your products on the world's leading e-Commerce platform, you might have heard of the terms "seller central," and "vendor central." Being on the seller central side in Amazon means you own the product and have complete control of the sales process of your products, from listing to marketing and promotions-- while being on the vendor central side means Amazon has bought your product. While it seems like a very handsome prospect, being a vendor central brand means there will be some restrictions with regard to your products' sales cycle process flow. Brenda Crimi discusses the pros and cons of being a seller central brand versus being a vendor central brand on Amazon, so you can make an informed decision on how to manage your sales on the [...]

Is Product Patent Protection Worth It?

2021-02-22T17:40:32+00:00July 12th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Two of our legal experts on Office Hours, Attorneys Jason Webb and Rich Goldstein, have both emphasized the need to do a thorough assessment of one's overall business strategy before considering filing for a patent because it can both be a daunting and costly process. With over 38 patents (pushing 40) under our belt as product designers, Tom and I have pretty much mastered how to make a business case for patenting products under development in our business. We have learned that patents should be filed only when you are truly sure of selling or commercializing your idea or product, especially if you are a small business owner, product innovator or inventor up against bigger brands with deeper pockets. Grow your business by learning how to maximize intellectual property, and knowing how to make the crucial business decision of whether you should patent your invention. Watch the Episode Here: Listen [...]

Amazon First Steps

2021-02-22T18:01:45+00:00July 9th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Certified Amazon experts Jeff and Jenna of Turnkey Product Management teaches you how to market on Amazon faster with the definitive building blocks of a high-converting online store on the world's biggest e-commerce platform. They apply these basic principles in their own Amazon production management company, where they help clients from a range of different industries with widely diverse product categories sell over $1,000,000 in total a month. Jeff and Jen give you the lowdown on why selling on Amazon is worth the time and effort, and reveal concrete fundamental solutions on how you can extend your reach by maximizing the e-commerce platform's many useful features to prime potential clients with spending power to buy from your very own Amazon store. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- I’m Jenna Lieber from TurnKey. I'm Jeff Lieber from TurnKey Product Management. We just wanted to go through [...]

How to Create a Me Only Product with a Killer Unique Selling Proposition

2021-02-22T18:04:23+00:00June 22nd, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

We often talk about how having a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for any brand is vital for product launch success. In the product design world, we also call a unique or original product as "Me Only Product." When we say "Me Only," it means that it is something that only you are manufacturing, that you are the only one selling it in the market, that you are the only game in town. It is easy to throw unique features, and all sorts of bells and whistles onto a product at the marketing stage and say that it's the only one in the market-- but being in the real "me only territory" means that you cater to your target market's needs, that they are able to make an emotional connection with your brand or product-- and doing it right entails a great deal of product development planning, which will definitely cost [...]

Meet Branding and Video Marketing Expert Rick Cesari

2021-02-22T18:05:38+00:00June 21st, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

After graduating with a degree in biology, our branding and video marketing expert Rick Cesari, founder of Direct Branding got involved into real estate marketing, and discovered that he had a knack for it-- from then on, he continued treading the marketing path and branching out to other industries, approaching things with a direct response mentality. His passion for marketing and branding lead him to set up his own company back in 1989, where he became part of the team that made juicing popular to consumers, and in bringing other health products into mass retail. Since then he has contributed his expertise to help develop and market billion dollar brand names like the Sonicare, George Foreman Grill, Oxiclean, and many other consumer products, including, more recently, the GoPro. Get monthly access to Rick's in-depth industry know-how so you can create and implement a solid business strategy that highlights your brand's [...]

What Comes First, Brand or Product?

2021-02-22T18:10:33+00:00June 19th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

So you have a product that you think will sell on Amazon, or through Walmart's or Target's shelves. Maybe you are still playing around with the idea, or you might be in the early stages of product design and development and you want to take a step back by asking which comes first before launching your product: is it branding, or perfecting your product? Many innovators, inventors, and non-business savvy people get completely shocked when we say that branding must come first. The truth is that many of the things involved in product development and the design process are expensive and time consuming. Discover why knowing your brand the first step in determining the best product design as well as in identifying the perfect retail price, and in knowing how to channel your marketing efforts in the most effective way possible. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: [...]

Meet Design for Manufacturing Expert Dennis Shaver

2021-02-22T18:10:29+00:00June 18th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Our resident design for manufacturing (DFM) expert Dennis Shaver from Product on Demand serves you "inventreneurs" his invaluable industry knowledge and insight to help you get from mind to market to profit faster. Born and raised in a dairy farm in Michigan, Dennis has the unique experience and skill set honed by years of working side by side with his brothers and parents for the farm's upkeep-- during those formative years, he learned how to be resourceful when it came to repairing and inventing things as he dealt with both livestock and machinery. This has become a solid foundation for Dennis as he took on more advanced jobs throughout his flourishing career in manufacturing and production. He is eager to share with you how to increase efficiency and reach your business bottom line with solid planning, as well as proper communication across all units involved in manufacturing your product. --- [...]

Pricing By Design: Formulas for How to Profitably Price Your Products

2021-02-22T18:12:30+00:00June 18th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Many of you probably think that product pricing is purely science, because it involves a lot of math, data, and pieces of information consolidated and analyzed to get optimal results. We are seasoned product designers and entrepreneurs here, yet pricing products is an ongoing struggle because it does not wholly rely on scientific data and mathematical formulas-- identifying the perfect product price also relies heavily on human psychology, on ever-changing cultural, sociological, economic and political climates, and ultimately rides on how much you understand your target market's behavior and what drives them. It requires making a thought-out plan with clear revenue goals based on your specific business model, on your product, and on proper timing, among other things to create a realistic profitable pricing strategy that will up your revenue. You can always schedule a call with us, or with one of our experts like Tim Bush so we can [...]

Avoid These Top 7 Market Research Mistakes

2021-02-22T18:12:28+00:00June 17th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Our resident consumer market research expert Laura Hazzard warns product launchers about the top 7 consumer market research mistakes that can cause a lot of damage and possibly torpedo your overall business and marketing strategy. She packed in a lot of meaty information in a span of seven minutes, solidifying her excellent points on quantitative and qualitative market research fails and how to avoid them. Laura says that good market and product research sets the path forward to great product development, usability, distribution, advertising and marketing, building your brand, and ultimately selling more products for bigger profit. You can get a deeper dive into her market research expertise and use it to grow your business through our membership podcast, where she will happily answer all your market research concerns. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- Welcome back to another Office hours. This one is [...]

Know the Difference Between Styling, Branding, and Design

2021-02-22T18:13:38+00:00June 16th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Styling is just one small component of design. Think of celebrity stylists who dress celebrities for red carpet events-- they shop for their clients, putting together accessories, clothes, and other components to make a whole look. Product styling is not so different, in that it merely deals with combining colors and materials that work well together. There is no design or invention involved, as it does not deal entirely with features that are focused on the users' primary needs, unlike in product designing. At its core, styling is about achieving a certain look to convey brand image-- that is why it is problematic if you only have a stylist designing a product that you are making. The best product designers understand the limits of manufacturing, as well as how to get the most out of design techniques to get the perfect balance between form and function, as well as aesthetic. [...]

Meet Joseph Tarnowski, Expert in Connecting Brands to Retail Buyers

2021-02-22T18:14:51+00:00June 15th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Office Hours Expert Joseph Tarnowski has multiple industry experience when it comes to watching companies do what goes right and what goes wrong in terms of retail and marketing. With a degree in Trade Media Journalism, he has had extensive experience working in the food industry, general merchandise, health & beauty, and pharmaceutical industry. He is with Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing (ECRM), a company that helps connect retail buyers to prospective retail suppliers such as you product launchers. We have known Joe through ECRM, where we used their time-saving and cost-efficient service as buyers in the contract furniture industry. Know the basics of getting a great match between buyers and suppliers in retail by touching base with Joe, who will share his no-nonsense know-how on connecting brands to retail buyers. --- Watch the Episode Here:  Listen to the podcast here: --- I have a great new experts [...]

Secrets To Working With Your Spouse

2021-02-22T18:18:31+00:00June 12th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

People think it's kind of odd that we're a husband and wife design team, but our dynamic works perfectly for us. We started working together back in college. Our complimentary set of skills overlap at the right touch points, especially when it comes to our overall mutual user-focused design principles. Unlike in corporate settings where people have qualms in speaking out for fear of untoward judgment, we are both capable of having an open, honest debate when it comes to our job as product designers. Most importantly, we have a high level of trust and respect for each other. It is not without its challenges though-- there are lots of other husband and wife teams running a business together and we're not much different, we just happen to be designers doing it. It's because we work together 24/7 that we are good at what we do-- we never stop designing [...]

Do It Right: Early Stage Funding for Your Business

2021-02-22T18:26:29+00:00June 8th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

We first raised money for an invention way back in 1997 and had around 13 angel investors-- way more than what we recommend now that we have learned through our years of professional experience as product designers and entrepreneurs. The two of us are cautious about raising capital via crowd funding because there is truly a lot of pressure in giving small pieces of your company to investors, and often times it does not necessarily go into the best interests of the business. From the perspective of inventors trying to build a company from the ground up, it is absolutely necessary for you to have complete legal compliance when it comes to documentation of your intellectual property, getting a great product or business plan presentation together, and to use systems in place that can help you track your progress. We will be talking about equity crowd funding, warnings about Kickstarter [...]

To NDA or Not To NDA

2021-02-22T18:30:31+00:00June 6th, 2018|Inventors, Licensing, Office Hours, Podcasts, Produce It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Sourcing|

Here you are, with a great idea or invention and wanting to explore business opportunities with another company to expand your brand. Then suddenly, when you propose a legally-binding non-disclosure agreement (NDA) at the infancy of the negotiation stages, often even before your initial consultation with them, all communication with them stops. While you should seek proper legal counsel to make sure all terms within the contract are fair, and that first step alone takes up so much time, money and effort---one of the most important lessons we've learned through our many years of practical experience as product innovators is that NDAs almost always slow or stop negotiations if you propose them first. Despite its popularity, filing an NDA, also known as secrecy agreement (SA), confidential disclosure agreement (CDA), or proprietary information agreement (PIA) has its drawbacks. It can sow distrust between parties, foiling a mutually beneficial relationship before it matures. Learn how NDA's can put you in the wrong position [...]

Working Prototype or Appearance Model?

2021-02-22T18:31:37+00:00June 4th, 2018|Capital Funding, Inventors, Licensing, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Sourcing|

The choice between creating a working prototype (a product sample that looks, feels, and works like the actual product), an appearance model (non-functional, but adheres to actual products physical appearance, and dimensions), or a functional prototype (a crude model with limited functionality, often used to present a a product under concept development) for product presentation has often confused product innovators. There are a range of factors to consider, from budget constraints, product liabilities, to meeting deadlines-- but the key to selling your product lies in having in-depth customer knowledge so you can manage the expectations of your potential consumers or investors, as well as future retail buyers, and being aware of the circumstances that surround your product presentation so you choose and create the right type of prototype to make your presentation a success and get your product or idea sold. Watch the Episode Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmNzTZ7MZEI Listen to the [...]

Meet Product Manufacturing Experts from Genimex

2021-02-22T18:35:45+00:00June 1st, 2018|Inventors, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Prototype It, Sourcing|

As product developers, inventors, and marketers, we often get caught up in the complex process of product development, manufacturing and marketing. One common mistake that causes failure to launch products successfully is employing shortcuts without thinking things through. So many things could go wrong: from unveiling your product too soon, to enabling copycats to steal or tweak your original idea, to picking the wrong factory, as well as a host of other factors that could result in sub-par products, and most probably a looming PR disaster for your brand. Thankfully, the risks of failure could be greatly reduced with ample preparation. Crystelle Desnoyer of Genimex, one of our highly trusted brands in manufacturing, gives a sweeping preview of what you can expect from the monthly dialogues with our Genimex experts, who will answer your questions on product development, design for manufacturing (DFM), product engineering, quality control, industry trends, and all [...]

Why We Love Being Product Designers

2021-02-22T18:35:47+00:00May 31st, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

We have been product designers for more than two decades and have won awards for our designs through out the years-- but the ultimate accolade for us would have to be the longevity of our products in the market. Over 80 of the products that we have designed for mass retail have been bought and used over and over again by consumers for the past 20 years and counting. We believe that our success in this regard lies in the genuine joy we find in the process of product design, and most importantly, in how it betters the lives of consumers. Reading positive feedback from online customer reviews, especially when users recommend our products to other consumers, gives us immense satisfaction as designers. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- You're going to see on our Membership platform a lot of great experts in all [...]

What To Do When Mass Retailers Like Amazon Become Your Competitors

2021-02-22T18:40:14+00:00May 29th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

If you are a thriving vendor with products on Walmart, Staples, other mass retailers' shelves, or you are selling online through Amazon, Alibaba, or any other big e-Commerce platform, be warned: the days of vendor loyalty are long gone, which is why it is essential for you to secure your products and customer base before launching your products. As experienced product designers, innovators and entrepreneurs, we have learned from first hand experience as well as vicariously how big companies can take advantage of entrepreneurs who offer private-label products or services. Take Amazon for example-- if you have an unpatented original product that you get from another manufacturer and the e-Commerce giant sees that your product is selling like hotcakes through their platform, it could go two ways-- they can either source any number of variations of your products' Stock Keeping Units (SKU's) from your manufacturer and persuade them to make [...]

Meet Brenda Crimi Amazon Seller Training Expert

2021-02-22T18:41:37+00:00May 28th, 2018|e-Commerce, Inventors, Logistics, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Promote It|

As one of our experts at Product Launch Hazzards, Master Amazon seller training expert Brenda Crimi will be dishing great advice every month for aspiring online sellers, as well as curious listeners who want to have an understanding of "all things products, and all things Amazon." Meet Brenda as she shares her inspiring entrepreneurial journey-- from being a consultant, to managing a law firm to selling on Amazon. She found her calling as a successful online entrepreneur launching her own products and managing her own online business on the e-commerce giant's platform since 2013 and coaching and or managing other aspiring brands and sellers. Brenda shares her no-nonsense expertise and answers your eCommerce selling questions through the Product Launch Hazzards membership office hours and coaching or managing other aspiring brands and sellers. Watch the Episode Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZwZGiZS6pA Listen to the podcast here: --- Welcome to Product Launch [...]

How to Invent Must-Have Products

2021-02-22T18:42:45+00:00May 25th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Tracy and Tom are a husband and wife team of Industrial Designers. They are lucky to be working together not just because they enjoy each other's company-- they have a complimentary set of skills, and unlike in corporate settings where people have qualms in voicing out their opinions we are both capable of having an open, honest debate when designing products that involve gender-related perspectives because of our shared vision. They have coined a term called "gender blending," which refers to meeting the needs of both male and female consumers when it comes to designing products. Launching many successful products for themselves and their clients through out the years was made possible by combining their strengths, which includes their unique ability to factor in the needs of both genders in their product designs. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- We want to share with [...]

Meet Patent & Trademark Expert Jason Webb

2021-02-22T18:44:24+00:00May 24th, 2018|Inventors, Licensing, Office Hours, Podcasts, Protect It, Prototype It|

Is your idea, product or service competitive? The truth is, the best ideas don't always win because there are many things in your way to making it happen. As an entrepreneur or an inventor, you should have the best system and marketing tactics to get ahead of the competition. One of the most crucial steps is to protect your trade secrets, original business concepts and ideas. Join internationally recognized intellectual property lawyer Attorney Jason Webb of Pearson-Butler every month as he explains how to make patents, trademarks and copyright work for protecting business owners, inventors, and product developers in this ruthless global economy. He has successfully negotiated licensing agreements for Fortune 500 companies, with products and services that are sold worldwide. Get honest, educated business perspectives from Jason through the Product Launch Hazzards membership office hours. Watch the Episode Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUdY_ybO0EU Listen to the podcast here: --- Jason, welcome [...]

Meet Market Research Expert Laura Hazzard

2021-02-22T18:46:40+00:00May 22nd, 2018|Brand It, e-Commerce, Inventors, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box|

When you’re selling something, some questions that come up in your mind are, are people going to buy what you’re selling? Are they going to respond to it? What features do they value? A great way to answer that is market research. Market research expert, Laura Hazzard, has worked with big brands like Target, Starbucks, Disney, Fox, and Sony. She’s done everything from plus size women's apparel to cat food and everything in between. Laura shares that it’s so critically important to ask questions because then you have a better understanding of why people purchase the things they do. She says that big brands and small companies should both dive deep into market research. They should have a process that they run to see if people will buy their products so they can cut down on costs by avoiding mistakes and optimize their sales. Watch the Episode Here: https://youtu.be/3rOvPnJSedE [...]

How to Design What Women (and Men) Want

2021-02-22T18:46:37+00:00May 21st, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

We are a team of Industrial Designers. We are lucky to be working together not just because we enjoy each other's company-- we have a complimentary set of skills, and unlike in corporate settings where people have qualms in voicing out their opinions we are both capable of having an open, honest debate when designing products that involve gender-related perspectives because of our shared vision. We have coined a term called "GENDERBLENDING" product design, which refers to meeting the needs of both male and female consumers when it comes to designing products. Launching many successful products for ourselves and our clients through out the years was made possible by combining our strengths, which includes our unique ability to factor in the needs of both genders in our product designs. Watch the Episode Here: Listen to the podcast here: --- We are bringing you a defining definition of something [...]

Meet Retail Sales Expert Timothy Bush

2021-02-22T18:49:23+00:00May 18th, 2018|Brand It, Inventors, Licensing, Office Hours, Podcasts, Private Label, Retail & Big Box|

The number one question that On The Shelf Retail Expert, Timothy Bush gets is,"How long does it take?" As entrepreneurs get inundated with a ton of planning and preparation, they can get flustered with the influx of work involved with product launching. For those that work in the real trenches of retail, trying to launch a new brand, whether it be retail goods or a huge celebrity takes time. Success does not happen overnight. Tim understands that measurable success requires intensive planning as well as proper guidance from industry pros who know the ins and outs of branding and retail. Timothy helps people overcome roadblocks so they can get ahead of the competition. Watch the Episode Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUbu7574ThQ Listen to the podcast here: --- Tim, I'm so glad to have you on this show and get everyone on Product Launch Hazzards to get to know you. Great [...]

Product Promotion: Reserving Capital to Promote It

2021-02-22T18:49:27+00:00May 17th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

It is not enough to put your product out there on Amazon, HSN, Walmart, or any other retail store. Those who spend at least 10% of their capital on brand promotion are guaranteed to sell more and increase their brand's overall acquirable value. The key is to get your message out through a platform and resonate with your audience. Your goal as an entrepreneur should not just be focused on make a single sale per client, but to transform them into fans of your brand who will constantly hanker for more of what you have to offer. Let them know the story behind your brand, and how your products or services can benefit them when consistently churning out high-quality useful content like blogs, videocasts, or podcasts. Get started on building a brand promotional strategy and a public relations plan that converts your target audience into paying customers. Listen to the [...]

Product Production Planning: Critical Factors to Produce It

2021-02-22T18:51:08+00:00May 16th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Finally, you are done with the product development stages and are ready to produce your product for selling. As an entrepreneur, you know that it is absolutely critical to get your product right before launching it to avoid killing your brand with bad customer reviews and high returns. What are the things you need to consider for cost-effective and efficient materials sourcing, finding the right factory for manufacturing, and in making all other major decisions in the production process? If you are clueless as to how or where to start on product production planning, here is a general framework you can work with: building a relationship with your manufacturers, having strong documentation, and consistent follow-up. It can be a daunting process because there is no set flow chart for going about things since it is all really product-specific-- but with decades of combined multi-industry experience, Product Launch Hazzards will guide [...]

Invention Protection: Protect It with Patents and Trademarks

2021-02-22T18:51:01+00:00May 15th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Having intellectual property is good for valuation of your business. It is definitely an asset worth investing in especially if your goal is to become an acquirable brand. But first, you have to make sure that your trademarks, patents, and copyright are relevant to your long term business plan, or else they will be useless. We will talk about some examples of what we have done and how we operate as product inventors so you can have a sense of the value of protecting your intellectual property, and hopefully learn from our practical experience how you can save significant time and preserve capital in the process. If you feel that you need to disclose information to a licensing partner, a manufacturer, or a distributor, we have useful resources, as well as intellectual property attorneys we have recommended to our own clients whom you can get in touch with for invention [...]

Product Prototypes: When is the Right Time to Prototype It

2021-02-22T18:52:05+00:00May 14th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Prototyping involves design, engineering, early quoting, sampling, iterations, and a host of other factors that need to get done with the right team for optimal results. You need to make a product prototype or do product sampling after proving, planning, and pricing your model so you can have something tangible to show your investors, to make sure it has the right functions, look or feel, and that you can really sell it in mass market retail. As seasoned product designers, we know that there are a lot of unknowns and alternative ways to make an original product that are not included in the traditional manufacturing process. This is why you have to get the right manufacturers whom you trust, at the right rate and the right time. If you are not hitting your target market, have no core capabilities required in your product category, or doing the product design and [...]

The Key to Product Launch Success is to Plan It

2021-02-22T18:52:28+00:00May 11th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Tom and I say this a lot: "Hope is not a plan." There are a lot of concerns to address and factors to consider before selling your product. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that money and time spent from product research, market study, product development, licensing, prototyping, manufacturing and marketing is worth every penny. In the long run, all mistakes committed in the process of launching and marketing your product will add up and can greatly impact your success, that is why developing a solid game plan is of utmost importance for all stages of your product launch journey. We can help you there through our resident experts, who have a wealth of product development, manufacturing, intellectual property, marketing and advertising knowledge to share with you. Listen to the podcast here: --- We’ve got another great Office Hours for you. This one [...]

Get Your Product Pricing Right for Maximum Profit

2021-02-22T18:53:56+00:00May 10th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

How should you decide what to price your product in the market? After creating, developing and marketing over 250 successful products in the last two decades, we have discovered that product pricing relies on completing a correct order of steps for optimal results, something that you can not afford to mess up if you are a serious business owner. There are so many hard facts to account for when preparing an effective cost and profitability analysis that goes well beyond the assigned cost of goods quoted by a manufacturer-- details like taxes & duties, logistics, packaging, carrying costs, and many more must be considered and factored in to make sure that you increase and preserve as much profit margin as you can once you launch your product. We will help you figure out the best way to go about pricing your product for maximum profit. Listen to the podcast here: [...]

Market Proof: Prove Your Product to Market Fit

2021-02-22T18:54:53+00:00May 9th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

How could you be sure that your product or idea will sell? You cannot always rely on friends and family to tell you the truth, because they might not be realistic with their assessments: either be too encouraging without considering the follies in your idea, or too scared for you to fail and lose money and resources that they could discourage you. There are many obstacles in the way to making it happen, including the facts to consider before diving all in and manufacturing your product. From our collective study of research done by Harvard Business Review, Inc., Forbes, and Entrepreneur, over 68% of product launch failures are caused by having the wrong product for the wrong market-- your product might be good, but it is not matched to your market. If you are an inventor, product designer, or small business owner considering to sell a product or service, it [...]

Figure Out Your Product Brand First

2021-02-22T18:55:51+00:00May 8th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

What is product branding, and why does it need to be the first thing you figure out before launching your business? Branding is not necessarily about who you are, it is about how people perceive you. As much as you would like to be in full control of your brand identity, it will all really depend on how your audience sees your brand. That is why it is vital to consistently check market perception, so you can constantly align your brand messaging and reach your targets. Big brands like Procter and Gamble, Coca Cola, and others recognize the importance of knowing their core brand identity, so that they can adjust their marketing plans accordingly and be most efficient when acting on them. Do not fully equate branding with logos, colors, and design-- they are just visual expressions of your brand. Taking the time to truly have a deeper understanding of [...]

The 7-P Process to Launching Your Product

2021-02-22T18:57:24+00:00May 7th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Product developers, inventors, marketers, entrepreneurs, and curious listeners, lend us your ears: the success of your product does not rest on how passionate you are or how great you think your product is. There is a fundamental process that you must follow, which involves having the right things, in the right order, and the right resources before going deeper into the rabbit hole. Here at Product Launch Hazzards we give you the right resources through our membership Expert Office Hours podcast, where our seasoned industry experts answer your questions by sharing their insider know-how-- and on this episode we will put these resources into context by tackling the fundamental 7-P process of product launching. We have done this over 250 times throughout our careers as product innovators and entrepreneurs, and we will impart the lessons we have learned from studying and researching other people's as well as other companies' product [...]

Asset Building Product Design – Tracy Hazzard Live at The Prosper Show

2021-02-23T13:40:51+00:00May 4th, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, On The Shelf, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

In the consumer retail market where 7 out of 10 consumer product launches fail and less than 2% of inventors ever make any money, the odds are stacked against you. But with some Product Launch Hazzard protection tips and Success By Design tactics, you can reduce risk and defy the odds as you go from Product Idea to Big Brand to Sold. Tracy Hazzard, Product Launch Expert in the Product Launch Hazzards membership community, dives deep into a proven formula that helps optimize processes and maximize your resources so you can out-source, out-design, and out-profit your competitors. It has been applied to virtually all types of consumer product categories, and mastering its fundamentals is the first step to retail sales success. These solutions were firmed up from years of practical experience in working with big and small brands. Watch the Episode Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNpr2ILKOy0&feature=youtu.be Listen to the podcast here: --- We're going to [...]

Should You Do It: Prototyping, Selling, and Everything in Between

2021-02-23T13:42:03+00:00May 3rd, 2018|Brand It, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

We have seen a lot of startups fail and close shop after only a few years because of one fatal mistake: not having enough information before taking a deeper dive into launching their product or business. Falling in love with your idea or product can run you out of business early in the game. There is nothing bad about being passionate about what you do, but it must always be coupled with the proper mindset to avoid losing precious time and money. When entrepreneurs make an emotional decision, they sometimes choose not to see the pitfalls of their plan, glossing over any kind of objective criteria to properly evaluate the feasibility of their business venture. Guest Experts on the Product Launch Hazzards membership Expert Office Hours podcast guides business owners like you so you will know how to sift through all necessary information for review before proceeding to the next [...]

Elon Musk Might Be Wrong: Mars Won’t Save Earth, the Moon Will

2018-05-03T03:00:18+00:00May 3rd, 2018|Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Prototype It|

Seeking bold innovation frontiers, men and women (and not just billionaires) explore how to save Earth from the Moon. When the very first frontiersmen began exploring the new territories of the United States, it didn't take them long to realize the abundance and opportunity in front of them. Of course, with great opportunity comes great responsibility and danger. The sheer effort it took for someone like Daniel Boone just to stay alive is almost unbelievable. And even if we don't all agree on how this happened, we can agree that men like Daniel Boone changed the course of history for humans, forever. Fast forward to today. The new frontiersmen and women will be going into outer space, to risk everything, to explore these new lands, and forever change the future, and life as we know it. We are enamored each time Elon Musk does something nobody has been able to achieve yet, because space is fascinating, and [...]

Want Product Launch Success? Meet Your Product Launch Protection Experts Tom Hazzard & Tracy Hazzard

2021-02-23T14:12:02+00:00May 1st, 2018|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Office Hours, Packaging, Podcasts, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

7 out of 10 consumer product launches fail and only 2% of all inventions make any money. Launching products is full of pitfalls and failure points. The odds of product launch success are not in your favor. Insiders and big brands not only know but can outspend and survive when they make mistakes. Find out how product launch experts like Tracy Hazzard and Tom Hazzard with 26 years as consumer product designers for big and small brands – on-line and in-store, flip the odds, build in protective measures and resources, and guide you on what you ‘don’t know that you don’t know’ so you can avoid rookie errors, save valuable market time, spend less money, and successfully launch into a big acquirable brand. Watch the Episode Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYPqCE9Qado Listen to the podcast here: --- This has been a couple of years in the making. We've done these [...]

Why Metal 3D Printing is Breakthrough Tech for 2018

2018-03-23T10:37:29+00:00March 23rd, 2018|Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Produce It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Sourcing|

Metal 3D printing is cheaper, safer and faster so let's see if it's finally ready to be the disruptive technology we need. The perception of 3D printing in the trough of disillusionment has slowed down it's progress. That was very apparent when I spoke at SXSW last week. Right now, our experiences, on a whole level, with 3D printing have more than likely been one of four things: 1.     A cheap, junky, cheesy, rose that Walmart sold to see if there's market traction on cheap, junky, cheesy 3D printed products. 2.     An online video of a fidget spinner being printed, followed by 25 comments about how so-and-so stole this design. 3.     A school or job fair with a desktop 3D printer gaining all of of the oohs and aahs in the room, and printing an elephant. 4.     A Kickstarter prototype, one off process, either for an acquaintance or yourself as you prepare to [...]

This 3D Application is Disrupting the Multimillion Dollar Interior Design Market

2018-03-13T10:44:53+00:00March 13th, 2018|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

 Modsy lets you 3D model any and every room in your house, and then visualize new furniture before you buy it, this intersection of design and 3D is the latest market disruption worth millions. For over 25 years, I have worked with design-leading furniture brands like Martha Stewart Living and Herman Miller. I've had products in all major e-commerce and mass-market retailers; office superstores; electronics boutiques; and wholesale clubs. I'm not bragging (well maybe a little). I'm telling you this because I've been in the design world a long time and that is almost the same amount of time I have been waiting patiently for the applicable intersection of Tech + 3D + Design. I know the applications are seemingly endless, but getting others to play into that evolution has been slower than I expected. My work with product design and launch sent me into the world of 3D printing, where I fell in [...]

7 Out Of 10 Products Fail: Here’s How to Flip the Odds

2018-02-19T10:55:11+00:00February 19th, 2018|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box|

Breaking down the top reasons product inventors lose big. Plus how to overcome those obstacles, harness your innovative power and win market share despite the odds. From design to prototyping, patenting, manufacturing, packaging, fulfillment, and sales and marketing, there are so many tasks for inventors to tackle. On top of that, there are so many ways to fail. When you are coming into new territory, statistically, the chances of things going wrong are higher than the chances of things going right. Add to that the seemingly endless bad advice, poor processes, consultants ready and willing to take your money, sketchy manufacturers, sales programs promising six figures, and you may as well dedicate at least half of your time discerning. This discernment, between right and wrong, should and should not, is the part of the process nobody truthfully talks about, and it's also where product launchers lose big. Creators & Inventors Deserve the Truth After watching [...]

Identifying Product Gaps and Nixing Brand Launch Pain Points

2018-02-13T11:56:40+00:00February 13th, 2018|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box|

 How focusing on serving women, creating cost effective, minimalist design, and cutting out the pink tax for good makes for an effective brand launch strategy. Filling those opportunity market gaps with well-thought out products is key to quick traction for any brand or business launch. Finding a gap that taps into a pain point like changing the shave game; think Dollar Shave Club for women, is strategic and fast growth too. Shaving is celebrated for men, and is framed as a chore for women. There are numerous companies that have been created to give men a better, more affordable shave experience, and women are an afterthought. Big mistake when women do well over eighty percent of all the buying in the personal care market. Why Don't We Mind The Market Gender Gap? Given market dynamics, it doesn't even make sense that the shave market doesn't cater to women as much as men. Emerging shave/body brand Billie recognized this [...]

Stressed About Turning Your Idea Into a Product? Read This

2018-02-09T11:32:19+00:00February 9th, 2018|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box|

Meet entrepreneur Jason Simmons of DeadSoxy, as we talk startup sense, cold calls, product-centricity, oh, and the ups and downs of building a sock brand. The toughest part of being an inventor or an entrepreneur is all of the unknowns. There are no guarantees and there is a lot of room for failure. One of my goals, in writing this column, is to talk about the nitty-gritty details, to help entrepreneurs avoid some of the pitfalls, and to be honest about what it takes. This year, I am launching Q&A sessions with start-up entrepreneurs and growth brands, so you can hear, right from the source, what they did right and what they did wrong, and how it all contributed to where they are in their entrepreneurship journey. First in the Q&A hotseat is Jason Simmons, founder and CEO of DeadSoxy, a sock brand that came out of personal frustration that the more bold flashy socks didn't [...]

Modern Day Slavery: How to Protect Your Brand & Fight for What’s Right

2018-02-08T11:26:20+00:00February 8th, 2018|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Sourcing|

With labor slavery on the rise, these are the essentials you need to know to protect your brand and do what's right. While researching Ashton Kutcher for his appearance at the City Summit, I became acutely aware of the exploitation of children, women and laborers. Then, Human Trafficking Awareness Month came and went without much talk on why the labor and supply chain aspect epidemic is affecting businesses at any stage of growth, size or location, and is often coupled with sex and child exploitation. If you are not taking steps to protect your business and your brand from getting caught unaware, you are playing a high-stakes game of risk. Before we get started, let's cover some basic facts: Human Trafficking, as defined by the United Nations, is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons by force, abduction, fraud, or coercion for an improper purpose including forced labor or sexual exploitation. According to the International Labour Organization, Human [...]

How Your Business Card Can Outshine Everyone Else’s, Every Time

2018-02-02T11:19:11+00:00February 2nd, 2018|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It|

Augmented Reality brings everyday objects to life, and the conversion rates cannot be ignored. When someone hands you a business card, what do you do with it? Do you jot a quick unintelligible note about where you met that person? Do you have a side pocket you put all the cards in together? What would you do with that card if you could point your phone at it, anytime, and the card would come to life? Or tell you a story? How many people would you show? How many times would you pull that card out to engage? The answer, is a lot. And if there were on-screen options after you watched that video or heard that story, your chances of pushing those buttons is massive too, especially in that moment where your imagination and interest are fully engaged in such a fun way. Augmented Reality Comes to Life We've been hearing about [...]

How To Price A High-End Brand And Get Your Ask

2018-01-23T11:12:49+00:00January 23rd, 2018|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

This high-ticket sales expert gives away all of his pricing knowledge to help creatives and entrepreneurs know their worth, and then go out and get it. A lot of the "how to" of pricing high-end consulting or services is a mental game that takes place before you ever meet your first client. So many struggling creatives sell themselves short and eventually out of business because they 1) don't know how to price their services, or 2) don't know their value, or 3) are afraid to ask for what they're worth. High ticket sales expert, Oliver Talamayan, also a producer for City Summit and City Gala (featuring Ashton Kutcher!), had so much good advice on this topic. And luckily I was able to catch up with him before he caught a flight out to interview Daymond John. Let's start with the platform for the sale. Becoming Rejection Proof It is easier than you think to become rejection [...]

What Disruption Actually Looks Like in a Mature Market

2018-01-05T01:10:19+00:00January 5th, 2018|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box|

How one inventor is innovating faucet design to disrupt complacent markets, and what you can learn from him for ultimate success. We've all had to scoop water from our faucets, into our mouths (and all over the counter) to rinse our mouths after brushing. Or laid our heads sideways on the counter to attempt to get a quick sip of water before bed. Which begs the question, why hasn't someone designed something better? Complacent markets are complacent for a reason, and that is because change costs money. Especially when we are talking about mature product markets, because once the requirements change, patents are necessary, and ultimately, the "old school" barrier to entry in business returns. Unless you get resourceful, find some kickass support, and aren't afraid to get your hands dirty, something new isn't likely to happen from within. Going Broke Isn't An Option for Every Entrepreneur Endless funding, access to patent attorneys, and nonstop [...]

How to License Products and Serve Our Veterans, Too

2018-01-03T00:43:36+00:00January 3rd, 2018|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

 Meet two veterans working to bring solutions to market for active duty military, while creating a platform for veteran innovation. Last year I spent some time interviewing veteran and bestselling author, Nick Ripplinger. His book, Front Line Leadership, laid out the importance for entrepreneurs to focus on strategy, structure, systems, quick deployment, inventiveness with meager resources, and a team that has your back, advice I wholeheartedly second. During that interview, I learned that Nick had received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (the third highest peace-time award) during active duty service in the US Army, but because he was medically discharged without a college degree, he could only find work supporting his family by stacking boxes in a warehouse. This time, when I circled back to see how Nick's journey into entrepreneurship was treating him, I was thrilled to learn about his progress. A Thriving Partnership Leaning into his own advice, Nick found himself a partner with [...]

The Difference Between Focus Groups and Customer Advisory Boards

2017-12-01T04:07:57+00:00December 1st, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

An advisory council expert talks why feedback matters and getting the feedback that is most effective to accelerate your business growth. If you've spent any time here in my column, you know about my hate/hate relationship with focus groups. The timing is always wrong, the focus is always wrong, the demographic is always too close to the market in question, the results are always skewed, and the time is most always wasted. We are drowning in data, research analysis, and focus groups. Modern businesses need to shift from the old-school focus group, to the more effective customer advisory board. Knowing this, I went straight to the expert on customer advisory boards, Betsy Westhafer, who spends her time helping B2B organizations grow in alignment with their customers needs. The Brand Vacuum + Focus Groups: The Deadly Combination A lot of companies experience an self-affirming brand vacuum that prevents them from understanding which step is the right next [...]

Use This Formula If You Want Your Brand To Be An Asset Not A Liability

2017-11-17T01:31:49+00:00November 17th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Logistics, Packaging, Private Label, Produce It, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box, Sourcing|

Building an unshakeable brand foundation requires these measurement tools, for continued success, growth, and innovation. We discussed Taylor Swift's potentially big branding mistake, the importance of establishing a strong foundation, and in a companion article, the seven essential questions that show you how to build a strong brand foundation. Now, we're back, with even more tangible and nitty-gritty details so you can put measurement tools in place to maintain this foundation. We Want to Help You Avoid Brandslaughter In his book Preventing Brandslaughter, author David Corbin talks in-depth about how businesses fall short when they fail to preserve, support, and grow their brand asset value. Remember, your brand is an asset that is either appreciating or depreciating. "The brand, as a tangible expression of a top performing culture, comes to life when its elements - including the mission - are taken off the wall and put into daily action at all levels and through all individuals in the organization." ABI: The [...]

This Type Of Bot Might Be The One That Takes Over Your Marketing

2017-11-01T01:11:38+00:00November 1st, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It|

Can a well-designed, witty little chatbot really change how you market your business on Facebook? Remember the Microsoft Assistant, Clippy? As bothersome and aggressive as that thing was, I'm beginning to think Clippy was ahead of their time. Enter, chatbots. What Is A Chatbot? I turned to expert Peter Lisoskie, disruptor and founder of Chatbot Nation to discuss everything about this tech pivot. "A chatbot is automated software designed to simulate conversation with human users using some kind of chat interface (Facebook messenger, websites, WeChat, WhatsApp, etc.)." Messaging apps are now bigger than social media, an indicator that we are on the right track. Over the past couple of months, he's been using chatbots and Facebook Messenger in business, and the results are astounding. 85+% open rates (that's at least 4X email) 25-35% click through rates (that's better than 10X email) Even more exciting than those numbers is that Peter is finding customers are driving the conversations [...]

Use These 4 Rules To Position Innovative Products

2017-10-23T01:06:21+00:00October 23rd, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

Lessons learned selling crickets on how to educate a market & position your product for mass consumption. We've talked, in the past, about the difficulty in educating a new market. This process can will be time and cost expensive.,, and when you're selling something like crickets, things are bound to get even more tricky. However, no matter what you're bringing to market, or how innovative you are, or how much educating needs to be done, there are rules you can follow that will help you survive. Selling Crickets Isn't Easy, How to Position Your Product Vincent Vitale, Digital Specialist in the areas of SEO and Content Creation, is leading the charge by getting people interested in Aketta, which is a complete and sustainable source of cricket protein and nutrition. Vincent knew, from the very beginning that he had his work cut out, because 1) people don't know the benefits of eating crickets, and 2) they probably [...]

How to Battle From Idea to Launch and Survive

2017-10-19T01:00:21+00:00October 19th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Protect It, Prototype It|

Who would have thought that inventing is the easy part when you are taking a product to market? The most difficult thing about inventing a product is not inventing the product... it's everything that happens next, if anything happens at all. Sure, you need to have a top-notch, functional, problem-solving, flawless product to make it in our competitive marketplace. But, that is one tiny piece of the massive product puzzle. I could tell you the in's and out's of this in my sleep, because 1) I do product design, and 2) I do a lot of product launches, but I thought it might be more fun to share the insights and important lessons, you need to know, by sharing a real-life example with you. It All Began In A Helicopter Meet David Burnett, inventor of Tac-Clamp, he provided me both a cool story of designing with a need in mind, and also highlighted [...]

Funding A Nonprofit With Branded Products That Sell You

2017-10-17T09:00:44+00:00October 17th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Promote It, Prototype It|

How one woman is changing the lives of children worldwide and funding her nonprofit with a water bottle. Sometimes I get to interview people who are making amazing advances for business and design around the world... and sometimes I get to interview someone who has found their purpose in changing the world. "When we lose a child, it's important to understand that this is not just that parent's child, this is a global child. A potential Einstein, or Oprah, whose purpose has been lost over something as trivial as a lack of clean water." That's the profoundly impactful philosophy that drives Heshie Segal, founder of Kids Better World, a nonprofit organization working to get clean water to every child in need, globally. Heshie has built this nonprofit around her heart and soul, truly, and this approach of being absolutely invested has inspired her to find nontraditional solutions. What Is A Nontraditional Solution? In this case, [...]

Profitable Businesses Need Fit Entrepreneurs

2017-10-10T07:45:36+00:00October 10th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It|

Meet second generation inventor, Forbes Riley. She can kick your ass + mind + business into shape. For me, when it comes to product design, there is so much confusion around the right path. Even though I work to clarify this through this column, through my podcasts, and through the work I do, I don't feel this message has been covered deep enough or wide enough just yet. Which is why I was thrilled to both interview and observe Forbes Riley, the astoundingly successful inventor, unparalleled product pitch queen, and all-around fit entrepreneur. We talked about the important aspects that inventors and entrepreneurs need to get right if they expect to create sustainable success, so let's dig right in. Limiting Self-Beliefs The recurring theme that keeps many people from being successful is the language they use about and with themselves. That internal dialogue is constantly deciding, for us, what we believe we're capable [...]

Bootstrapping Innovation: 6 Tactics That Work

2017-09-18T05:53:07+00:00September 18th, 2017|Capital Funding, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It|

How to get resourceful innovating without seeking funding and still win big. It isn't easy being a startup. It's even more difficult being a startup capable of innovating. It's damn near impossible to be a startup capable of innovating without the backing of funders dropping in cash. Or is it? Innovation Costs Money One of the main drivers of innovation in our classic business market is funding. To innovate costs money, and so obviously, that money and where that money goes drives who gets to innovate and even how much. As we shift into a modern business market, we've witnessed a lot of change and one of those changes is something I like to call resourceful innovation; that is to innovate by relying on resources rather or more so than external funding aka bootstrapping. According to start-up researcher Abdo Riani, most startups cannot afford to innovate because innovation is a long-term [...]

How To Get Your Product In Front of the Right Buyers

2017-09-08T05:44:54+00:00September 8th, 2017|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

Retail consumer product brand matchmakers give expert tips to help you sell on the right shelves. We recently discussed the changes happening in retail, and what that means for entrepreneurs, in terms of being online vs on the shelf. To build on that, I wanted to also explore how to get your product on the shelf with retailers that are a match for you and what you're specifically selling. This is a huge topic, so I brought you to experts. Sellers Need A Way To Connect With Potential Buyers Greg Farrar CEO of ECRM has a two prong value proposition for both retailers and manufacturers, with the goal of closing the gap between buyers and sellers. By saving time and money by streamlining efficient processes, and by connecting buyers and sellers, Greg and his team have created a matchmaking service that contributes to the bottom line. For retailers, ECRM optimizes their product assortment, ensuring that [...]

How One Woman Is Making Math Affordable

2017-08-30T05:25:55+00:00August 30th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It|

The rising cost of school supplies begs for a solution. Here's a math professor who's found one. When I first talked with Mallory Dyer, co-founder of GraphLock, Inc. she was bootstrapping and social crowdfunding while she learned the ropes of getting funded. Now, with GraphLock well on its way and making amazing progress, I circled back to highlight the importance of what she is doing. Problem Solving Abilities Are The Most Important Thing I've heard it said, several times now, that the next billionaire will be someone who touches a billion lives, not someone who makes a billion dollars. This is what I love about entrepreneurship. We, you and I, have the ability to solve problems, to touch lives, and to effectively change the world we live in through creation of an idea or a thought. This is exactly what Mallory did. Speaking Of Solving Problems Mallory realized a gap in the market, and introduced a solution. GraphLock [...]

Why KISS Needs To Be Your New Design Mantra

2017-08-16T05:13:57+00:00August 16th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It|

How 'keep it simple stupid' helps avoid the feature creep that interferes with your core design and business value. Dinesh C, an award winning global marketer, is currently overseeing design and business development initiatives at CarVi, a company working to create an affordable technology to make the roads safer for all of us. If CarVi can create and design such a complex product, while keeping simplicity at the center of their focus, I know you can too. So I wanted to share their secrets, the nitty gritty details, of how they are doing it, and why it's working. Intelligence and Intuition for Your Vehicle CarVi has a few things working against them really because their product is being designed for every vehicle and they also want it to be affordable for every driver... oh and did I mention the advanced technology aspect? Their product is essentially intelligence and intuition for your vehicle. When [...]

Reinventing High Touch Amid High Tech

2017-08-04T19:47:45+00:00August 4th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It|

What a USA made custom suit company can teach you about business, failure, and essential human interaction. Imagine you are looking for the perfect fitting garment to wear to a wedding. So you head to your local department store and find the perfect pair of dress pants, without the help of anyone really, because the staff are all under 20, sales clerks, and could care less about your pants. In fact, the only way you might get their attention is if you weren't wearing any at all. Now you need to get your pants hemmed... but where? Are you going to stick around and let the sales clerk inaccurately measure you? They don't even know where your pants should fall, nor do they care. And machines don't really care either. Do they? Custom Fashion Is Here To Stay The new Alexa/Echo camera has recently been announced by Amazon and instead of making [...]

Designers Building Businesses Learn Digital Skills From These Resources

2017-08-03T04:24:23+00:00August 3rd, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

From the 2017 Design In Tech Report, everything you need to know about where designers learn to go digital. Design celebrity, John Maeda; former RISD President, Global Head of Computational Design + Inclusion at Automattic, has just released the 2017 Design In Tech report and I've already shared with you a bold outline of the clear role design plays in business, along with the relationship between design and money. Now, I want to talk about where designers are learning their digital business skills these days because: There might be options available out there you might not be aware of that could benefit you, and; I want you to succeed and I know your chances are higher by taking advantage of the resources available to you. I wasn't exaggerating when I told you this year's Design In Tech Report was packed full of great information. Some of the most interesting stats I read were the [...]

Why Design Is the Best Bottom-Line Strategy

2017-08-01T07:12:59+00:00August 1st, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

2017 Design In Tech's report shows us markets are relying on design for a higher ROI; all of the details are here. Design celebrity, John Maeda; former RISD President, Global Head of Computational Design + Inclusion at Automattic, recently released the 2017 Design In Tech report and here are some of the juiciest design details with you. As a student of design myself, I know in my bones that design isn't just one aspect of an app or a product. Design is an integral part of the product or the app. Design is every aspect of creative touch from the moment of conception to final completion, that is, if it's done right. What Is Design In Today's Market? What we are learning now, supporting numbers show, is that design is an all-encompassing process of offering something to the market that is complete in every way, and also inclusive. And this completion of an end product that [...]

Nitty-Gritty Secrets to Being an Amazon Millionaire

2017-07-27T19:43:11+00:00July 27th, 2017|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

Get the most out of private label selling on Amazon by understanding your options and the benefit to your brand. Private label selling seems to be expanding faster than the popularity of fidget spinners. So I wasn't surprised to hear from James Thomson, Co-Founder of PROSPER Show and the former head of Amazonservices.com, that this year the conference sold out of tickets. With 1400 attendees and 90% year over-year-growth, I had to dig into the nitty-gritty details of the show so I could share all of them with you. Get Rich Quick When I work with clients on product design, I make it a point early on to let each client know that going the route of private label selling on Amazon is not a 3-month plan with a billion dollar buyout exit. It's okay to dream about that six-figure income but you're going to have to put in a LOT of work before that ever [...]

Learning to Deal With Stress Just Got Easier

2017-07-20T19:41:31+00:00July 20th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

Stress is a fact of life, but how you deal with it is up to you, so I called in an expert to show you the way. I just wrapped up an amazing call with Dr. Laurel Geise, Founder and CEO of The Geise Group, on a mission to help companies implement Mindfulness at Work Programs. She and I really got down to the nitty gritty details about why mindfulness is making a comeback in a huge way and why this is the solution to dealing with stress. Stress Is A Big Problem Stress can form in layers, whether it's entrepreneurial or business related, personal, situational, or just transferred from others you spend time around, and it seems that we are dealing with more and more. It's important that you understand what your stress looks/sounds/feels like, and even more important that you know how to deal with it. Why? Because stress [...]

Why Being Selfish Helps A Partnership Thrive

2017-07-19T04:52:38+00:00July 19th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

Two minds are more powerful than one, if you can get down to the business of co-creation. No one knows better than I do that the only thing more difficult that launching a business is launching a business with a partner, especially a partner you love. After 25 years with my husband and at least half of them as business partners, I have learned that co-creating a business is very personal. So I decided to talk with Alain Torres, international bestselling author and relationship/partnership guru, helps high-performing entrepreneurs turn everything they touch into gold. From saving a client from losing 12 million dollars, to saving another's long-term relationship, to guiding another jet setter to discover true inner fulfillment, Alain has a process with a playful style so you can keep a clear mind as you put your best self forward in your relationships and in your businesses to help a partnership thrive by [...]

Secrets to Out-Innovating Your Competition

2017-07-15T19:28:59+00:00July 15th, 2017|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

Ways to leave the competition in the dust and head into rare me-only innovation territory. I always imagined, when I first started my own business, that I would be the 'cool' one, constantly innovating and doing new stuff. I realized a few things after actually owning my first business for a few years; 1) in order to do this there must be a system in placeand 2) it isn't easy. I was really onto something, even though I had no idea then what it really meant to be in a state of constant innovation. What I've learned from 20+years of innovating (for myself and for others) is that while it is so incredibly important to be the one out in front, the competition is very stiff. A recent study by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor projects that 39% of the products entering our marketplace are considered new and innovative. That number is huge, but don't panic [...]

Global E-Commerce Trends, From Start Up to Inc. 500

2017-07-13T19:26:21+00:00July 13th, 2017|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

How you can survive and thrive in the changing e-commerce market. Jon Reily holds the coveted position of VP of Commerce Strategy for Razorfish, a digital marketing agency in business for over two decades now. They help businesses deal with the changing landscape of modern sales. Jon himself is a former Amazonian and has amazing insight into the global eCommerce trends spanning startup to Fortune 100, trends you need to know about if you want to survive the changing landscape. Following The Path of Consumers For me, understanding the consumer's path is illuminating. There are too many brands, stores, and companies trying too hard to combat shopper behavior, and manipulate it or reroute it, but that is an old school approach that is on it's way out. What we are seeing now is that the most successful companies are putting the customer first and building a mission of giving them what they want [...]

Launching Products Online Or On the Shelf

2017-07-13T03:45:39+00:00July 13th, 2017|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

Why omnichannel is a failing strategy & 5 things you need to know to be ready for the retail shelf. The newest buzzword I am protesting is omnichannel. I don't hate it, but I don't love how misleading it is either. So I sat down to interview Timothy Bush of TLB Consulting, a veteran Retail Consultant and the host of the On The Shelf Podcast. I wanted to talk to him about the future of retail, sales channels, and the differences between products that are on-the-shelf versus products that are online. Not Omnichannel: Choosing The Best Channel How consumers make purchases is changing, and that directly affects how the big box retailers buy products, and even why products make it on the shelf in the first place. With my heavy focus on products I knew I needed to talk to you about this and shine a light on what you need to know [...]

How To Win Influencers & Boost Your Launch

2017-07-11T03:43:22+00:00July 11th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

Expert endorsements can make your launch a stratospheric success, so here's how to get your product reviewed. I recently had a fun and interesting call with The Gear Guru, Patrick Netter. His book High Tech Fitness in 1984 really highlighted the little known tech revolution happening in health, fitness and wellness and his ability to be on the cutting edge of the next big thing has never left him. Patrick's expertise is so spot on, this was a perfect opportunity for me to share Q&A style, how to get the attention of an expert reviewer and how this process has changed over the years. When I asked Patrick about the first product he reviewed, that went to market ahead of it's time, he turned the tables and asked me the same question about products. Our answers were telling, and even at the risk of aging both of us, I'm sharing anyway: Tracy: Stylus pens for handheld [...]

The Risky Business Of A Cocktail Trend Setter

2017-07-08T19:21:22+00:00July 8th, 2017|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

Pickle Juice, Justin Timberlake, and Amanda Frietag could save you from a common start-up fail: Trend-Setting. We talk a lot about innovation because, it's so important, and that momentum really is acutally what keeps your business alive. A relatable theme to innovation is trendsetting, and to take that one step further: trend starting. A trend starter is at the front of the line, stepping over it, before others recognize that there's a line at all. This unknown territory is risky because not only are these trend starters tasked with all of the startup elements necessary for success, they've now got to create pathways and educate the market; both incredibly expensive. Early entrance is difficult, expensive, time-consuming, and when the inevitable competition comes along, you're going broke, and they've only just begun. That Doesn't Mean You Should Give Up There are ways trend starters can make the market work for them, so if this [...]

Need Launch Money? Here’s How to Seed Your Disruptive Idea

2017-07-05T19:19:35+00:00July 5th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

Everything you need to know about getting seed money and what qualifies your startup. Money might not actually make the world go 'round, but it certainly does help startups looking to break into their market with support from investors. Last year we didn't even talk much about seed money, but this type of funding is making a serious comeback, and I love that. I talked to funding expert and Investment Director at JEL Capital, Noah Stone, about why they are seeding again and what it takes to qualify. Why Is Seed Money Making A Comeback? Noah pointed out that, at JEL Capital, they are seeding companies again because this type of investment offers higher returns, with a lower cash outlay. JEL Capital, a private equity company based out of DC, considers themselves the go-to company for seed funding, which is not a title they take lightly. So I wanted to find out, from [...]

It’s Not Delivery… It’s 3D Printed Pizza

2017-06-30T19:16:37+00:00June 30th, 2017|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

The food revolution is real; it's here, and it's taking a slice out of traditional pizza. Individualized, completely customizeable food has been on the rise ever since Chipotle brought us the realization that we could have exactly what we wanted, every time. A lot of food joints have followed their lead and the designed food choices are almost endless, with places like Noodles & Co., BiBiBop, and Piada showing up everywhere. Meet The Most Awesome One-Uppers, Ever. If plain old topping options aren't enough for you, say hello to the team at BeeHex. They design and build commercial 3D food printers and fresh-food producing robots. Yea, you read that right. Their food printers can print you the pizza of your dreams (and matched to your diet), and quickly. So it's no surprise that they just wrapped up their seed round and brought in $1,000,000 to keep their food revolution alive. It's not just [...]

Your Message Comes First, Everything Else Follows

2017-06-23T19:12:47+00:00June 23rd, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

Expert advice on message-first branding to rise above the noise of a billion websites. Want to become the "go to" creative brand builder for industry luminaries and heavyweights? Then you need to go way beyond logos, graphics and sites like Marisa Murgatroyd, founder of Live Your Message. She helps entrepreneurs create a business brand that is authentic and aligned with who they are, to empower them to turn up the dial on their "inner superhero", so they can be the superhero to their tribe, as well as in their own lives. But First, You Need A Tribe The problem most entrepreneurs run into, when trying to locate said tribe has everything to do with inaccurate, inconsistent, or inauthentic messaging. Your tribe is emotional. They want to be spoken to in a way that resonates deep, to wonder how you knew exactly what they were thinking and feeling. They want to trust [...]

Advice for Nonprofits Seeking Seed Funding

2017-06-22T19:06:03+00:00June 22nd, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

How to get your nonprofit off the ground and funded, and the most common pitfalls to avoid. After receiving my exclusive invitation for the kickoff party and beneficiary announcements for the 2018 City Gala, I realized that I wrote about Red Carpet celebrity tips from John Travolta and lessons from the Women's Empowerment panel, but I hadn't yet written about the most important thing. The amazing amount of effort and creativity the City Gala team uses to help seed deserving non-profits. When best-selling author and City Summit moderator Greg Reid presented spot-on questions to people who have found ultimate success in so many ways, the result is opportunity after opportunity for learning from the best. Opportunities for non-profits, social good and for-profits as well. His goal was to highlight proof that "bringing together the highest level of entertainment and business leaders in the common agenda of social consciousness, achievement, and a dedication to giving forward to [...]

How Great Design Can Keep People Honest

2017-06-19T19:03:19+00:00June 19th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

How a dating app focused on STD transparency plans to gain trust and early adopters. If I were to ask you, right in this moment, to imagine a time you were lied to or deceived, I would be willing to bet money that you have just easily recalled several occasions vividly. The feeling of being deceived cuts deep and oftentimes, we hold onto these emotions, we remember this pain, out of fear and avoidance, so in the future we don't ever have to feel this way again. Of course that isn't how it works, but collectively, most of us do this anyway as a means of protection. We can't let those feelings go out of fear that if we forget them, they may catch us off guard again. Why Are We Talking About Deception? We are talking about deception because we live in a society where lying is commonplace and we don't [...]

Follow These Tips If You Want Investors to Say Yes

2017-06-19T18:57:45+00:00June 19th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Private Label, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

Everything you need to know to get that yes from potential investors and get fully funded. I recently completed a 4-part series on the nitty-gritty details of actually (really) getting funded. You can check that out here, and the more I wrote, the more I realized the breadth and depth of this topic and how much wasn't being talked about. In Part Three I talked specifically about how to speak the language of investors, not inventors, and how important learning that investment language truly is to getting funded. But There's More To This Than Just The Language Throughout that series, I talked about getting your pitch right, and being coachable, but it's actually even more than that. Entrepreneurs have their work cut out for them if they wish to intrigue investors and get that 'yes' they are looking for, and I don't think a lot of entrepreneurs go into potential funding situations aware of this. So [...]

Comic Books Have Never Been This Cool Before

2017-06-16T18:53:51+00:00June 16th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

A new business model that's killer plus virtual reality will, undoubtedly, spell success. Remember when you were a child, flipping through comic book pages, imagining the characters coming to life, bringing you along as you helped them defeat the ever-immoral antagonist? This childhood dream is now becoming reality, virtual reality. You CAN bring the story to life, build into the world, and even exist within it. Welcome To VR Comics, Whole New Worlds At Your Fingertips This amazing VR technology is opening up new worlds that are being fully explored and expanded on all sides by companies like The Spiraloid Workshop Company. They are creating cross-media universes that start as VR Comics with real-time production tools, that are being built as a virtual studio backlot. They then share all of that with content partners and their community of fans and creators with the goal of creative genius lending to expansion. The company's founders [...]

R&B To ROI: Meet The Man Helping Celebrities Go Viral

2017-05-27T18:51:12+00:00May 27th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

How this hip-hop star is turning followers into funds for famous clients. The internet, ahh, the internet. An exceptional platform offering opportunities for connecting with and reaching millions of people the moment you tap that 'Enter' key. 20-years ago, this would have seem more far fetched than a flying car... or at the risk of dating myself, a digital dancing baby. Today, this is our reality and the phrase 'going viral' can mainly be attributed to the things that take over the internet with the veracity of a wildfire on a dry, windy day. You'll know you've made it when you've finally gone viral. Right? Is Going Viral 'IT' And Is There A Secret Recipe? That's what I set out to ask Spectacular Blue Smith - CEO/Founder of Adwizar. His social media management company goes beyond "ghost-posting" to turn a social following into a "productive mass following" - one that generates income. [...]

How to Make Millions Selling One Simple Thing

2017-04-15T18:35:45+00:00April 15th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

Coffee is not all beans and brew. The secret to sales success came right from demand for a single cup. Entrepreneurs are a special breed. The risk is tremendous, but the reward is whatever you can imagine... that is, if you can make it. A lot of businesses don't, and I think one of those reasons is that there is a lot of gray area. That's why I love this column. It's a way for me to share actual business lessons that I've lived through, to connect with entrepreneurs who are in it to win it. There are so many things you just don't know, until you know it because you've learned the hard way. But we don't all have to learn the hard way, and that's why sharing is where it's at. Sticking with our recent articles on Amazon private label selling and market traction, I thought I would talk with an [...]

Power Tool Secrets of Million-Dollar Amazon Sellers

2017-04-15T18:32:04+00:00April 15th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

The cognitive systems brand-building private-label sellers use to accelerate growth and save time. In the world of online sales, the seller has their work cut-out for them. If you can get it right, the sky truly is the limit. But that begs the question; how exactly do you get it right? Especially when there are so many ways for sellers to get it wrong. You know I went where the answers are, just in time for the premier private-label seller conference and trade show, the Prosper Show, and on this particular topic, the answers sit with two very advanced companies providing seller tools for the modern, somewhat complicated, multi-channel market. Both Skubana and Channel Ape can do more with the data, the listings, the channels already there, and putting them to work for you through platforms designed to integrate and optimize everything, because anyone who sells anything through more than one channel understands the exponential struggle. Let's Talk [...]

Listen Up, Ladies: Here’s How You Can Get Funded Too

2017-04-09T18:29:37+00:00April 9th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

The last in a 4-part series on the nitty-gritty details of actually getting funded. We've covered so much ground in this series, on everything from equity crowdfunding to raising capital, to speaking the language of investors, and now I want to talk very specifically about how women can get funded. While it would be nice to assume it is the same across the board, you don't have to look very far to realize... it isn't. Women founders and CEO's face hurdles that men, in their same positions, simply don't face. If that's difficult to read, let me serve it up in numbers instead. According to PitchBook, in 2016 companies with only female founders accounted for only 3% of funds raised. Seems a bit (a lot) low to me. For that reason, I went to women who are either in the process right now, women who gave up the process and are just bootstrapping their way [...]

How to Speak Investor Not Inventor and Get Funded

2017-04-06T18:26:50+00:00April 6th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

Part three of a 4-part series on the nitty-gritty details of actually (really) getting crowdfunded. Whew! We made it through part one, the serious details of getting funded; part two the options for capital raising you should consider, and what each one could mean for your business. But you aren't quite done yet, as if the work of an entrepreneur is ever done anyway. Now we can move on to the topic of learning the language. While this may not be as detail intensive, it is every bit as important as the first half of this series. Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk Financial and business literacy is incredibly important... more important than how well you can show off the features of your invention. Yes, really. I know your invention, your baby, is the center of everything you are doing and it is the sole purpose for this path. But this path goes nowhere if [...]

Your Options for Raising Capital & Knowing Which to Choose

2017-04-03T18:24:31+00:00April 3rd, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

Part two of a 4-part series on the nitty-gritty details of actually (really) getting crowdfunded. In part one of this series, we talked about a fairly new type of up-and-coming crowdfunding where a business owner offers an investor equity in exchange for funding - Equity Crowdfunding. The most popular type of crowdfunding we usually hear about is very different than equity crowdfunding. So let's dig right in and break those down first: Rewards-based Crowdfunding: Individuals donate/invest money in exchange for perks, products, tickets, or other gifts (not money). Examples: Kickstarter or Indiegogo. Equity-based Crowdfunding: Investors receive equity ownership in the company they invest in. Examples: Dreamfunded or Sprowtt. While crowdfunding, both types, can be great potential options for a business seeking capital, these aren't the only options available. In 2012, the JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act was signed into law, in simple terms, to help more companies attract more investors than ever before. Written into this JOBS Act are a few [...]

What Is Equity Crowdfunding & Is It Right For You?

2017-04-01T18:22:29+00:00April 1st, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Private Label, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

Part one of a 4-part series on the nitty-gritty details of actually (really) getting crowdfunded. It's no secret that getting funded can be a long and difficult process. Access to capital relies on so many specific details, and at the end of the day, the more you know, the easier it is to find money. Join me as I take you through a four week 4-part series on 1) actually (really) getting funded, 2) the different types of capital available, how to know which option is the best one for you, 3) the language you need to have to speak investor, not inventor, and 4) how to overcome the particular challenges women and minorities face. Let's Kick-Off Part One With Equity Crowdfunding In May of last year, the SEC Equity Crowdfunding rules went into effect with 8 platforms initially filing for registration to become Equity Crowdfunding portals. Dreamfunded is one of those firms and I tapped into [...]

Why Licensing of Products and Patents Is So Hard

2017-02-24T01:26:39+00:00February 24th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Private Label, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It, Retail & Big Box|

An honest look at what inventors can really expect when attempting to licensing a product idea. I cannot tell you how many designers and inventors I have talked to over the years have an unrealistic view of the potential licensing process. They think, "I have a great idea. Why wouldn't X Company want to buy my idea, make it and pay me royalty?" But, over the past decade, our marketplace has changed and the licensing process and market cycles have changed with it. For example, prior to the recession, the life cycle of a product was generally 3-5 years. After the recession companies began to feel pressure to switch products every 6-12 months. Now, with the growth of the internet and other tools, the development cycle is also shorter and drastically different. These things matter when it comes to the level of difficulty attached to obtaining a licensing agreement and [...]

Ringing in 2017 with a Proposal Means Shopping for the Right Ring

2017-01-28T05:38:38+00:00January 28th, 2017|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It|

Four engagement ring trends you must know if you are going to 'put a ring on it' in 2017. If you haven't checked your Facebook feed in the last hour, you might have missed the most recent engagement announcement. Two of my millennial-aged cousins got engaged in the past month. Proposals are in the air from November through February with nearly 6 million online searches for engagement rings taking place in the first two weeks of December alone. But seasonal spikes are not all that unusual according to brick-and-mortar luxury jeweler, Bernie Robbins, luxury on-line jewelry curator, Nikki Lawrence Co-Founder of Gleem & Co., and Ring Cam CEO, Sam Tzou. All are experiencing a seasonal swing - a 200-300% jump in sales during the holiday months. What is unusual is that there is a significant increase in engagement ring sales this year over last, of up to 25% outperforming most of the [...]

How to Fund Your New Product Launch in 2017

2017-01-16T05:40:07+00:00January 16th, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

Need seed money for market proof? Here's where you can find it. Product based businesses often operate, even long-term, in a stop and go fashion, which makes lines of credit or access to cash very important, whether you're in your 1st year or your 10th year. This is a tough lesson some businesses learn too late in the game, and it ends up hurting them in major ways. I will never forget hearing from the founder of UGG Boots, Brian Smith, about how this was the main reason he ended up selling off his business. The cash flow/lending portion of the business became exhausting and after more than a decade of dealing with it, he finally had enough. I'm sharing this with you to show that this isn't something that always gets easier with time. With a product-based business, it seems you cannot totally avoid this, but you can use this [...]

James Bond’s Gadget Designer Raises $58 Million on Future Vision of AR Glasses

2017-01-01T05:37:00+00:00January 1st, 2017|Brand It, Capital Funding, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It|

Can Osterhout Design Group really design cool mobile augmented reality and virtual reality smartglasses that actually sell? 66417843 - everything is so real! group of young business people working and communicating together while one of them wearing vr headset in creative office Augmented reality is projected to be a $150 billion industry by 2020 and investors are spending like this is an actual reality not a projected one. Osterhout Design Group (ODG)about raised $58 million in Series A from Vanfund Urban Investment & Development, Shenzhen O-Film Tech, and other investors, including strategic partner 21st Century Fox. There has been a lot of rapid movement this year with media companies investing in VR, AR and 360° video being seen in software, content development and hardware. Notably, Facebook and Oculus Rift VR; Huffington Post and RYOT; HBO and Otoy; Microsoft and Hololens; along with Conde Nast, Vice Media, Discovery Communications and USA [...]

Hot Holiday Gifts Without Fighting Black Friday Crowds

2016-12-23T17:35:03+00:00December 23rd, 2016|Brand It, e-Commerce, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It|

2016 is the year of the subscription box gift, so here are tips and hot ideas to pick the right gift for everyone on your list. 47783628 - female shopper visiting mall on black friday In 2010, Birchbox started it all when they launched a monthly subscription box with the hopes of filling some unmet needs in the beauty market. Fast-forward to now, where subscription boxes have become a way of life for thousands of subscribers, and the beauty industry was just the tip of the iceberg. Subscription boxes have created a fun, new way to distribute products that creates an experience for consumers from the moment their box arrives. The most popular models feature an array of sample-sized products curated specifically towards the lifestyle of the subscriber. Until now. Meet: Singles Swag. The subscription box service geared toward young single women that is full of full-sized products, and even books. [...]

Why Herman Miller Redesigned Its Bestselling Aeron Chair

2016-12-10T17:35:22+00:00December 10th, 2016|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

Should you redesign a bestselling classic? Herman Miller's iconic Aeron chair offers a helpful case study. We've all heard that old saying 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it.' But that's not what the maker of the bestselling office chair of all time said. Let's go back to 1994, the year a global design manufacturer by the name of Herman Miller presented the first generation Aeron Chair. The chairs designers Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf created an instant icon for office workers around the world. Yes, really, around the world. The first-gen chair saw over 7-million sold in 134 countries. And with such great success, you might be wondering what in the world would be cause for a redesign on such an iconic classic. Because I worked on the original version, I was very curious to know also, so I sat down with Tom Niergarth, VP of Platform Design at Herman Miller, to find out. [...]

This Software Is Going to Change the Way You See Photographs

2016-10-14T18:37:13+00:00October 14th, 2016|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Prove It|

Meet Plotagraph: The animated photography tool that will turn your Instagram marketing upside down. Getting your photo noticed in a sea of social media photos, is much like finding the needle in the haystack. There's only so much you can do with the photo itself, to grab a viewers' attention, and most of it may have already been done. We live in a media driven world. There is never a shortage of videos, photographs, and looping clips to keep us entertained and occupied. The average consumer sees thousands of images a day, which makes for some pretty stiff competition, if you're sharing photos as a way to drive business. Then, there's always the option of video, and the perks of offering clips instead, except 80 percent of social media users are watching without audio, as they scroll right through and miss the message you worked so hard to [...]

10 Best Podcasts for Designers and Innovators

2016-09-29T06:35:48+00:00September 29th, 2016|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It|

When great minds in design & innovation are willing to share their wisdom and knowledge, listen up! Podcasts are a great option for staying on top of what's trending (or not so much!), new design perspectives, and to get inside the crazy-interesting minds of admired innovators and designers. Podcasts allow you to make the most of idle time by listening while commuting, traveling, carpooling, or even cooking dinner. There are a lot of podcasts out there, and choosing the best one to commit your time to can be a daunting task. So, I put together a list of my top 10 can't-miss podcasts on innovation and design, plus one that is not specifically innovation-related but gets your mind turning. You can thank me later. New and notable innovation podcast picks: 1. Passive Income for Designers - Dustin Lee This is a powerful idea that designers need multiple income streams, especially one that does [...]

Why Perseverance Isn’t Enough to Bring Your Invention to Market

2016-08-29T17:17:51+00:00August 29th, 2016|Brand It, Capital Funding, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Licensing, Promote It, Protect It, Prototype It, Retail & Big Box|

Three ways to shift your thinking and take the actions needed to profit from your ideas. Pushing past naysayers and those who don't see your vision absolutely requires a thick skin and perseverance for any inventor. However, giving up too soon is not likely to be the biggest problem blocking your success getting your innovation to market. You are. Here are three mindsets that might make you a successful inventor but be blocking you from seeing the actions or resources needed to take you to success: Perfectionism Of the hundreds of products and inventions I have reviewed or been asked to advise on over the last few years, an overwhelming percentage of them had patents that had already issued. The majority had been worked on for at least a year or more. Maybe to you that might be unsurprising, but less than 10% had ever tried to sell a [...]

How a Young Woman Designer Is Changing the Way the World Poops

2016-04-30T16:22:12+00:00April 30th, 2016|Brand It, Free Articles, INC Articles, Inventors, Promote It, Prototype It, Prove It|

Wish for Wash Founder Jasmine Burton shares her thoughts on innovation and social good. Believing that you have the power to make a difference might sound like the ideals of youth, but putting those ideals into action is what separates designers that just draw from innovators that build. Jasmine Burton, Founder of Wish for Wash a social impact organization that saves lives by bringing innovation to sanitation through culturally-specific research, design and education is an innovator and a doer. As a freshman at Georgia Tech, Jasmine was inspired to do something about the global sanitation crisis by a women's leadership conference by Susan Davis of Improve International. Nearly half of the world doesn't have access to a toilet; of those people, women and girls are disproportionately burdened and pubescent girls in the developing world frequently drop out of school as a result of the lack of toilets in their schools. Angered by this reality, [...]

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