When I started inventing 8+ years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t even consider myself an inventor because the product I developed was (in my mind) just a great idea—not invention. This narrow view cost me thousands of dollars and many months trying to figure out the product development process on my own. Thank goodness, I finally turned to true invention resources, licensed my product, and figured out that an invention doesn’t have to be scientific, life-altering, or all that complicated. In fact, some of the best ideas are the simplest ideas.

In helping Mike Collins write his book titled, “The Million Dollar Idea in Everyone,” I talked to over 40 idea people, all of whom have found ways to make money doing something they love. And a common theme among these people is that their ideas (some inventions, some not) are all quite simple. But they figured out a niche and used open innovation principles to get free publicity, become recognized experts, and truly leverage their hobbies an interests. My view of inventing and being entreprenuerial completely changed as a result of the experience.