Jim…maybe there is just too much emphasis on the small inventors brain for always thinking the “grand slam” deal with a big retailer to instantly make them many millions and international sales and then they get the yacht and maybe even a parade…yeah yeah yeah…WAKE UP!

Reality… 3M, Proctor and Gamble, Clorox and you are fighting for the last inch of shelf space open. Who do you think is probably going to win?

OK you say…what’s the answer Mr. Ron…that posts maybe too much. I’ve witnessed so many “idea” people with ideas for businesses as well as invention over decades now. It always seems the same, the ones that tried for the “bulls eye” with a long shot are generally still called the dreamers and the ones that tried with the easy local shots AS WELL AS the long shot or big score are the ones that win! They all work together and meet in the middle!

Here’s what I mean. I try for the small distributors or local stores. I even had the corner deli displaying and selling Handi-Straps! I trecked to many EMS, FD’s in my tri-state area and made sales as well as to companies.

I have compiled that “low level” sales history to show the big retailers and from that history I can now claim many great things to like a Home Depot, who by the way, I turned down their offer to start selling my product 3 years ago because I didn’t like the “numbers” They wanted to sell for much less forcing me to have made overseas. Today I may get my price point as I have much more proven in medical benefits, manufacturing quality control importance of a safety product etc.

Now today I have good leverage to talk to Home Depot or anyone else now I wish! Point here is DON’T just shoot for the stars…the big retailers…work your way up! It is after all the way everything else is done…from the bottom then up!

Hey Ron -

Well, you and I have certainly gone about how we have succeeded in different ways! I was always taught as a kid to “shoot for the moon” and in this great country anyone – and I mean anyone – has a shot at being successful. I adopted this attitude from birth I guess and when I started in business I always “swung for the fences” and always knew that IF (and this is critical for inventors to understand) I had a viable product with a great price point that offered unique features and benefits that there was a place on the big retailers shelves for me. I never cared about what Clorox or Nikon or anyone else was doing. I had to worry about what I had to do, and I outpackaged and outplayed those guys with my never say die attitude, never ending appetite to learn how to market and sell, and I learned everything I could about retail and how I could gain placement – and after a few years and lots of “no” or “we are happy with out current vendor” I finally broke through…and what a great feeling that was!! At the same time, I had bills to pay so yes I called on the mom and pops, small distributors, and little catalogers and sold them and paid those bills. However, I knew very well that selling just one or two big orders to Target or Costco would catapult me into another dimension in sales and profits and it did. If I spent my years chasing only little guys I would have never achieved what I did and be able to help so many others like I love doing today.

The big retailers could care less that you sell successfully to a handful of local boutiques. Trust me I have been there!! Work your way up sure…but I started by calling in everyone big and small and always found a place on the shelves of all of the big guys even when there seemed to be no room for me.

The lesson for others – learn what you can, love your product and make sure it is great and has real benefits, call on big and small retailers all the time (its a numbers game), and be ready to stay in it for the long haul and you can absolutely make money in this business. Here comes the old cliche……..if I could do anyone can!!!

Jim

Nice posts,Guys.Valuable insights.Thanks

Jim…never going against you…just always a compliment and together we fully pound out all views and options as there are always many.

You and I also grew up in the Bronx or atleast NYC so we have the same killer aggressive mentality. We understand each other.

You say always shoot for the stars, always believe you can…and believe you will…as all the people who made it big time did. Yes, this is true! I always do just like I said on the Discovery Chanel show about always trying for the big score like hitting one over the fence etc….

….but Jim…here’s the thing and the mistake. Too many people only shoot for the stars and that is why they fail. The reason why I have been so successful in inventing/publicity/exposure/marketing, is because for every big time shot I take, like with a big company or try to get on TV…I make sure I take a number of small much surer shots like maybe design a new flyer even for hand outs…or make sure my little card brochures are full in their little plastic holder on the counter at the pizza store up the street. They put up a Handi-Straps poster even in the store because I am local!

I take the big shot, and force myself to take little less glamorous ones like soliciting to FDs. One thing you are off on, my reports of my product from let’s say FDNY surely did make a MAJOR impact when I talked to Home Depot buyers. The hard little footwork I did to EMT and FD stations and all the local store that lift stuff around my area all account for a sales history OR EVEN a professional report on an invention if I only had a prototype.

The RESEARCH even with potential end users in the beginning helped me with manufacturers and potential distributors.

What I am saying…it all comes together. The big shots and the little shots all meet in the middle to make something solid.

Try for your big retailers if you wish but also try for the TINY catalog where you can talk to the CEO on the phone! Go look at Grill Charms, Shoulder Dolly, Forearm Forklift…they all have a long list of littlestores they sell at which will help them eventually attract the “big fish”

Last, don’t start to work your way up from the bottom, you are right, start working your way from the top down and the bottom up all at the same time. That is how I did it and most others that make it big.

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

Good stuff Ron…and everyone has their own methods and reasons why they succeeded. Maybe we should do a talk show together :) as I love our back and forth and I do believe people get good info from our discussions…

People fail for many reasons and shooting for the moon is not one of them. Lack of knowledge, business acumen, patience, and money are just some of the reasons. Shoot for the moon, shoot for the little guys, do it all and collectively it can all work out. Have balance and be realistic with expectations…that is the key!

I don’t know Jim…I’ve been at the table and in the ring with “idea people” and dreamers for 25 years now.

I was always a guy looking to make that big score in a business. I’ve seen maybe 95% fail because they only shot for the very top and fell short.

Through the years I have learned to try from all ends. In business, look for those small “bread and butter” accounts just as much as the big accounts that can fund your yacht…but you need those small easier accounts to pay the bills or the whole show is over.

I could still be waiting for my big manufacturer or a better deal with Home Depot. Instead, I have Handi-Straps fans around the world and my product has helped the health of many…and I’ve made a few bucks…in a depression no less!

I could have nothing but a broken dream right now if I only shot for the top. You are not wrong Jim. Some of the lucky few do hit it big with one shot but most here will not be so lucky and it will be a tough struggle if anything to rise up to nice success…and it will have to come from mostly the bottom…like where I am coming from…..even though I have a great historical breakthrough….but you know what…best yet…I told the investors to take a walk…wasn’t letting them rape me! I did this with NO MONEY….and I am working my way to the top…I’ll get there.

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

I’d like to add that there is actionable information,and there is enabling information.There’s a lot of both in these posts.
One enabling bit of info for me was that going around stores to see if they will stock your product is a valuable source of information,especially if armed with your product-as well as selling some of your products.This has definitely removed a lot of the reluctance I had felt about doing this.
It seems to me that putting your neck on the line is made easier if,whether accepted or not,you get feed-back/information from the encounter.
So having an agenda to handle each of these encounters with a view to getting as much feed-back as possible without putting peoples’ backs up is a facilitating and valuable strategy-on top of selling your product.

I don’t know why the big companies do not want to listen, One of the scenarios i thought up was, joe public sends in an idea, they look at it and say, it might be o.k. but who will we ask?, who would know if it is a good design?? —Oh I know! that Joe creative and his buddies we employ in that design contract team, he will know
But Joe creative has a look, and says defensively, no thats no good, every time.
And the Bosses say phew we are lucky to have Joe creative and his design team to answer difficult questions.

I might be all wrong in that scenario but the though had occured to me

I used to be an innocent inventor, but I am all right now!!

AARRGH! There in lies the rub Brenden. If congress solved all of our problems they would be out of a job too

Jim, Ron, you have each proven one fundemental truth I always tell Inventors and that is “There is no one way fits all” when it comes to inventing. All three of us have found approaches that work for us and we are successful.
The issue I see all the time with Inventors is the attitude of every idea is a million dollar idea and a winner. As the three of us know there are million dollar winners, but they are the minority, not the majority. Also, every idea is not marketable.
I make a listing of my target companies and start with the largest and work my way down the list. One thing I quickly learned was that once I had my first product on the market I got a more serious look from companies. They were more willing to talk since I had proven myself in their eyes. Even though my website isn’t the best in the world it is a definite plus being able to talk to a CEO on the phone and have them look at the products on my site. I still have to be able to deliver a marketable product to them, but they can see I have a proven track record to back up my claims.

http://www.rogerbrown.net

Roger…I’m gonna prove you a little off here. Every idea if you look deep enough IS a million dollar idea…or atleast most.

I watched the Ben and Jerry ice cream story on CNBC last night. Excuse me Ben, Jerry…but two KOOKS opened up a WEIRD ice cream store and they didn’t even know how to make ice cream!!!!! That is why their flavors got so outside of the box!!!

Ben and Jerry were in their own little world. They did things like a kid would do that has too much passion for their lemonade stand.

The one thing they did have though was they were two of the very nicest honest in business in the country. They could have sold rocks and did alright.

After years of no business savvy, doing things the hardest way, THEY DEVELOPED A UNIQUE BRAND AND BUSINESS SYSTEM THAT THE UNIQUENESS ATTRACTED CUSTOMERS!

All they did was make ice cream, like everyone else.

Now, they really failed a few times in the first 5 years. They really should have walked away if they were normal business people.

Look at Grill Charms….and let’s look at Lisa Loyd with her stuffed animal/storage product. Just a product idea…ain’t pulling no parades for them…but they “shined” them up and put them under “perfect lights” and their pretty smiles sure help…..and who here can tell me that either one of them can’t make a million on their ideas?

Thought so….nobody can…and if those girls keep pushing like they do…like I do…like Ben and Jerry did….guess what…like Eminem says…you can do anything that you set your mind to….

Ron, I agree Leslie and Lisa have a great shot at making it big. My problem is that most Inventors no matter the idea think they have a million dollar idea and that just isn’t correct. As an example I know a woman that developed a more ergonomic knitting needle. She has $18,000 in development and patent. She got it licensed and receives about $800 dollars a year in royalties. If she stays at that pace how long will it be before she breaks even with the $18,000 invested? It is a niche market item and unless half of the entire U.S population buys one and takes up knitting she is a long way from one million dollars.
That is an item no matter how much marketing you put into it you have a fairly static base. Even if Miley Cyrus started knitting I don’t know if you could persuade the teens to march in the streets shouting “I want to knit a sweater!!” LOL You will have to look very very very deep to find the million dollar mark on this one.
Now watch, Ron will take up knitting , start a fad and prove me wrong. : )

http://www.rogerbrown.net

Ok Ron. proove Roger wrong,show him how the knitting needle can be used as chop stix’s. Look Roger her sales just doubled .

We could triple her sales if we call them over sized shish kabob skewers. You could market them has one size fits all accupunture needles.

http://www.rogerbrown.net

Oh yeah…yeah…you guys think your funny…well guess what…my writing invention happens to work GREAT for knitting needles…a new ergonomic way. It works for shavers, forks,spoons….so there!!!

No…serious…what I am just saying…not going really against Roger. How come we keep hearing about Lisa Loyd and Leslie Haywood? It is because they PUSH AND PUSH AND PUSH. They always remain professional and do use their female charm or whatever you want to call it.

VERY FEW inventors relentlessly push like these two. I see so many ideas for many years by people in our field and most times the failures are from not working hard enough at it…NOT that the idea is that bad.

Want proof? Think of how many ideas are so bad they just don’t work!!! Gadgets that make false claims and really suck!…but they sell….and make money. I could never do that because that is stealing.

There was a guy that sold rocks even…made millions…the pet rock. So if a guy can make millions selling plain ol’ rocks…or a circle with some dots in it to look like a smile…ya gotta wonder how hard it really is in this business.

Is it just that you REFUSE TO LOSE like I do…and just keep pushing no matter what?

Talking about inventions that are not well thought out,but are on the market. I tried one here the other day, it was a suction handle that you could stick temporary on a bathroom wall. To me that was lethal, put any weight on it and it could pull the tiles off the wall and injure the person who was depending on it as well.
But It made it to market, How I will never know.

Ron, Thought just occured to me about the rock guy, Maybe how he succeeded??

He kept it simple ! !

No Brendan…and Jim too…the lesson to the story is it really comes down to marketing…graphics, packaging, maybe a jingle, the lighting, product placement on shelves, maybe a fast talker on an infomercial…and a hell bent driven inventor that just won’t give up.

If you heard me say…if you never heard of it before…that I would add two sleeves on a blanket….spend $100,000 on an ad/infomercial production…and hit the big time…you’ll see….you would think I just fell off the turnip truck!

Now think about it. Who REALLY wants two sleeves in a blanket so you are all tangled up in a blanket…got more bulk under your arms, have to drag the thing around to the toilet, refridgerator…and have a helluva time if you only want to cover up your waist and down….be downright dangerous putting your legs through the sleeves!

Snuggies did 40 million in 6 months in a DEPRESSION…why?

marketing…push…sharp marketing….push harder….better lighting….bigger smile…..more marketing…push push push.

That is how you make a million dollars on an idea that probably could NEVER get a licensing deal. Some over achieving entrepreneur went for it and just believed…..and set himself to never give up.

Look at my product…you might say it looks like some crazy straight jacket…why would I want to use that???? Know why? Because I keep telling people they want to…and I won’t give up.

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

"Even if Miley Cyrus started knitting I don’t know if you could persuade the teens to march in the streets shouting “I want to knit a sweater!!” LOL You will have to look very very very deep to find the million dollar mark on this one.

Now watch, Ron will take up knitting , start a fad and prove me wrong."

Roger, I think he just did!?

I see a sweater for Christmas in my future!! LOL

htp://www,rogerbrown.net

Looks like leg warmers to my Roger.

“Now don’t be poking no fun at me…I’ll have to poke you guys in the eye with my knitting needle if you do!”

                     
"Now, come on guys, Ron’s right…No more teasing! Sure, it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye…Then it’s just FUN! No, seriously though, I won’t tolerate this kind of relentless harassment on the forums…Especially regarding ones personal choice of recreational activities!

Besides, I’d like to talk to Ron about the Magic Loop Knitting technique, which uses one large circular needle. Less common, but handy to know, and some folks prefer it. If you find yourself loving Magic Loop knitting, look for circular needles with a thin, flexible cable. Addi Turbo needles are reported to be great, as are KnitPick’s new Options needles (interchangeable type), with very flexible cables out there for this purpose."

Ron you are inspiring me, I have fallen down on the marketting myself actually, it is all about selling,
A little true story when the NASA astronauts were having trouble coming back to earth one time, years ago, a newsflash to inform the public, interrupted a space drama programme that was being aired just at that time.
The TV station got more calls complaining about the interruption to the space drama, than about the real astronauts dilemma,
Moral of the story is- the public wants a packaged presentation more than the real thing

by the way does anybody have any knowledge or experience of this company
http://www.sportime.com/

they are a pretty big supplier of phys ed equipment….

They never replied to any of my emails, Am I just suffering from delusions of granduer or what, or does it matter if they ignore you?

Brendan…one thing I have come to learn in “this business” What you expect to come through never does and what you never expect to develop into anything sometimes surprises you and comes through big.

I don’t know why this is. I have been promised news appearances and other things that have fallen away but never expected appearances like on the Discovery Channel or when I got the cover of a magazine or Popular Mechanics magnificent write up.

Some leads for sales dried up when I thought they were in the bag, and then other small leads turn into big deals that I never saw coming…so the moral of this is just keep trying! Also, your efforts may not pay off for 6 months or even a year!

I think this is one of the very best “secrets” of the successful inventor. Hang in there and keep trying!

It’s like a seed…you plant it…but you can’t see if it’s growing for a while…because it is underground…you have to be patient…but most are not…and walk away from their project.

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

Ron, I am going to keep that seed methphor in mind, It is whole lot better than the void that appears at times

That was entertaining and funny! Thanks for the inspiring and motivating comments. I’m in this, with my invention for the long haul!

“The elevator to success is out of order, you’ll have to take the stairs to success, one at a time”

Paul
Premier Sports Shelters

Hi Paul…and welcome to EN!

I took the liberty of looking at your video of PSS. It’s nice, and I can tell from the vid and your posts that you’ve got a lot into this.

I have a couple comments for you.

First, On first review of the vid, and since you have the soccer field in the background, I was able to ASSUME that it was for viewing soccer games in the crappy weather that seems like always found its way to my kids game. I like that. Buut, what about the people that have never been to a kid’s soccer game? They quite possibly won’t know exactly what use this item has. . . then again, maybe purposely vague is good , thereby letting the “customer” make up their own use…hmmm. I did see other vids when it closed that had more info. It just seems that a small portion of that vid might be ideal to have a family watching a game and cheering, etc.

Second, I was thinking of the games I’ve been to watching my kids. We always (growing up) used to watch outdoor sporting events from either a blanket or a little camp stool , if there were no bleachers. The “craze” of those soccer-mom type chairs drove me nuts…(possibly because I didn’t invent them) because I couldn’t see over them. I usually stood and paced the sidelines anyway.

I (resentfully) laughed at them lugging their chairs, thinking how lazy they were, etc for not standing or sitting on a blanket. This looks like an awful lot of extra lugging. Maybe a wheeled sled-type addition for chairs and PSS ? Or for a DTV ad…buy the PSS and we’ll give you the wheeled device free…but only if you’re one of the first 45,000,000,000 callers?

And to finish that second comment about not being able to see…could you make the material clear, or is that not feasible? I could see a lot of feuds from this…plus, if a number of people could get in it, are you limiting your sales? Because how many could fit along one sideline? and still let people like me see? What about an individualized one?…complete with a chair?…and cooler?…and microwa….ahhh I hate it when I do that! lol

Good luck! jes my 2 bits n tryin ta help!

Well, after reading Kevin’s post I had to take a look. We’re planning a trip to the beach this summer. That’s where I’d use it, Paul! We see folks with shade shelters at the beach all the time. This would be perfect. Great idea. Goes up much like a little dome tent.

Thanks for the thoughts! That was my first attempt at a video, some things have changed since then. The next video will be more broad in use and market. There are other markets to explore (camping, outdoor sports, hunting, leisure and recreation etc) with the sports shelter, soccer is just what I do and know about. I use it for the team while they sit on a folding bench. My wife and I have sat in it with our chairs and cooler full of beverages.
There is an issue with seeing, you just have to pick a spot back from the sideline or down the field back-off the sideline so others can see the action.
It only weighs about 28lbs. so a child can carry it. I don’t think it really needs wheels, but I could be convinced at a later date to add them.
I have several other versions on the drawing board for bigger and smaller styles, plus add-ons, but I decided to develop the one I thought had the biggest market first.

Thanks for the feedback.
Paul