Category Archives: Problem-solvers

‘Olympian’ Inventor: Go for the Gold

Posted on 08/13/2016 by

The eyes of millions are riveted on their TV sets as the world’s top-echelon athletes compete in the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro . All the athletes are “going for the gold,” but very few will win gold, silver, or bronze … Continue reading →

Posted in Annoying problems, Benefits are easily demonstrated, DRTV, High profit margin, Invention, low cost products, Manufacturing in China, Michael Phelps, Olympic athletes, Problem-solvers, Sell on TV, Simone Biles, Wow factor | Leave a comment

The Road Less Traveled for Inventors

Posted on 02/19/2016 by

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—  I took the one less traveled by,  And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost Patent, Prototypes, and Packaging Much of inventing and the creative process is intangible: will consumers really understand … Continue reading →

Posted in Annoying problems, Benefits are easily demonstrated, Focusing on the wrong problem, Invention, Marketing, Marketing Message, Patent strategy, Patents, Problem-solvers, Product success, Wow factor | Leave a comment

Cutting the Gordian Knot to Inventing Success

Posted on 02/04/2016 by

The Gordian Knot is a legend of Phrygian Gordium associated with Alexander the Great. It is often used as a metaphor for an intractable problem (disentangling an “impossible” knot) solved easily by loophole or “thinking outside the box” (“cutting the Gordian knot”). The iconic Gordian knot is analogous to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Focus, Focusing on the right problem, Focusing on the wrong problem, Ideas, Innovation, Invention, Marketing, Problem-solvers, Simple solutions, Surveys, Why inventors fail, Why inventors succeed | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Secret to Inventing Success: Annoying Problems

Posted on 01/26/2016 by

Would you like to invent a hugely successful product? Imagine saying goodbye to your 9 to 5 and hello to “living the life.” Sounds great, doesn’t it? But most new innovative products fail. Is there a secret to finding that next … Continue reading →

Posted in Annoying problems, DRTV, Invention, Marketing, Problem-solvers, Simple solutions | Leave a comment

The American Dream: Myth and Reality, Part II

Posted on 11/26/2015 by

In the prior post, The American Dream: Myth and Reality, I discussed two premises regarding the American dream: Premise 1: It should be Easy to Earn a Lucrative Living Premise 2: Those willing to Take Risk and Work very Hard May Achieve … Continue reading →

Posted in American Dream, Big success, HSN, Ideas, Keys to Success, Myth of easy success, Paths for your product, Perceived market value, Persistence, Problem-solvers, QVC, Risk versus reward, Shark Tank | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Inventors: Become Curious Observers

Posted on 09/15/2015 by

I have observed that engineers, accountants, architects and other professionals who put many long, hard hours not only into their profession, but into continuing educations to maintain their skills in the marketplace. Makes perfect sense: to succeed and advance in … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Ideas, Innovation, Invention, Keys to Success, Patents, Paths for your product, Problem-solvers, Product success, Strategy, Why inventors succeed | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A & R: What it is and Why it Matters to Your Business

Posted on 07/08/2015 by

In every workplace on the planet, water-cooler conversations (are there still “water coolers?”) often revolve around the blame game: what went wrong and who’s going to get the blame? Quite often the person  blamed wasn’t at fault or even involved, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountabiity, Blame Game, Keys to Success, Problem-solvers, resilience, Responsibility, Setbacks, Victimhood | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment