What Next?You still think you want to develop your idea?
You can approach the invention business more safely now that you're aware of many of the pitfalls and myths. You realize that succeeding means hard work and more study about the process. Some excellent sources for more information are provided on our links page. You can also get a sense of the cost and time involved by reviewing the case studies on the O'CTS projects page. "For which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not sit down first and calculate the outlays that are necessary and whether he has the means to complete it? Lest, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all who behold begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish!'" If you are determined to bring a product to the marketplace, pick one that you can complete. The idea that inspired you to read this "Overview of Inventing" may not be the right one at this time. However, you could have another idea that can be done with your resources and with current technology -- that project might help fund your dream project. Plus, the experience you gain will be invaluable. The most successful inventors quit projects on the spot without shedding a tear as soon as they find out it won't work. Our most prolific client -- 140 patents, starting at age 17, and the founder of several multi-million dollar companies -- was once very excited about a new calculator interface he was developing. He had successfully licensed inventions to a major calculator manufacturer and planned to do so again. I was walking through his company's machine shop when he stopped to talk. A smile beamed from his face as he showed me the new calculator project that was several weeks in development. I asked a question that exposed a major flaw in the concept. His reaction was just to say, "Damn. It won't work. Oh well, on to something else." He threw his drawings in a trash can and asked me to follow him to his office to look at another project. Instead of complaining about the wasted work or wanting "to kill the messenger," this successful inventor actually stopped several times as we walked along to tell others that I had saved him time, money and a lot of embarrassment. He figured it would have cost several thousand to prepare a presentation for manufacturers and was happy to have learned of the problem now instead of having them discover it during his presentation. This guy never let his ego cost him money. He also never let criticism from others stop him when he believed he was right.
Please take a few minutes to review the services we offer. We can help you
with the technical aspects of your project from early advice and education
to helping you communicate with your suppliers and manufacturers. We can
do much of the work for you or you can save money by doing as much as possible
yourself while using our advice to find the best methods and to keep you
on track.
To learn how O'Connor Technical Systems can help with your invention, read about the services we offer at Product Development and Invention Services and study the Frequently Asked Questions on that page. To request our services, just complete our New Client Questionnaire. Don't be discouraged as you learn the realities of product development. If you know what it really takes, it's more likely that you'll be successful. What would happen if you tried to jump the Grand Canyon believing that all you needed was a running start?
Please send your comments about our "Overview of Inventing" to comments@octs.com - we look forward to hearing your suggestions. |
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Preface
the Author |
