Eric’s only wish for his birthday present one year was to start the InventRight coaching program, and so he did.
As a small business owner in a very small town in Montana, Eric always found himself being creative and constantly coming up with ideas. He decided to pursue getting the products to market by licensing them to companies.
Having both a creative and analytical mind, he used both to move through the licensing process with the help of his inventRight team. With hard work, effort, persistence and determination Eric was able to license his first product.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Student Garth Patchen.
Garth Patchen, a man who has worn many hat’s throughout his career, decided he wanted to start brining his ideas to market through licensing.
He soon became an inventRIght student, and with the help of his coach Ryan Diez and the IR team he licensed his first product the Bottle Cap Back Scratcher, which is now selling in Walmart stores today.
Garth is 58 years old and licensing his ideas plans to be his retirement.
You can be any age, invest in yourself, work with a coach and license your ideas.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Student Dana Kowles.
Dana Knowles did not follow the traditional route of going to college, getting a degree and starting a job. Since the age of 16 she struggled with school and eventually ended up dependent on alcohol and homeless. Eventually she made the decision to turn her life around, and went into recovery. She always had an inventing mind and part of her path was to work on getting her ideas to market. She went through a lot of learning experiences as she tried many ways to get her products or ideas out.
She surrounded herself with like minded people in 2005 joined the Inventors Group of Washington D.C, where she later became President in 2016. She also started listening to Stephen Key’s book One Simple Idea and listened to it over 7 times.She eventually met and spoke with Stephen Key and soon after decided to join the InventRight coaching program.
After following the InventRight process her coach was guiding her through she was able to get her ideas to the right companies and is close to finalizing her licensing deal.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Student Brad Kons.
Brad Kons heard about licensing in 2009 after reading the book The Four Hour Work Week, written by Stephen Key’s former student, Tim Ferris. He immediately knew that licensing was something he wanted to learn, and being the type of person who likes to learn from someone with experience he joined the inventRight program.
As he was learning the process, and getting interest from companies he was not able to get a deal right away. However, inventing was always part of who he was.
He returned to the program and got back into coaching again. Incorporating new techniques and focusing on simpler ideas.
He has since licensed 4 products, with a 5th on the way.
His message is to never give up and believe in the process.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Student Tim Brennan.
Tim Brennan decided, at a very young age of 12, that he wanted to be an inventor. He went through the school system and after earning his higher level of education with a Masters in Engineering; he was ready to get his ideas out there.
Tim knew that licensing existed and had a passion project he wanted to get to market. He did not know the process so he went through trying to figure it out on his own. After some painful experiences and ups and downs throughout the process, he was able to license his shoe idea to a company.
Tim dives deep into the emotions of the experience and how he was able to overcome his fears to allow him to move forward. He also learned to take a break before coming back to product development and licensing.
He came across Stephen Key’s book, One Simple Idea, and a month later signed up for the program. He knew there had to be a better way of licensing. Throughout the coaching program he learned a lot about the correct steps to take as well as the psychology and mental aspects to be able to continue moving forward.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Student Sef Chang.
Sef Chang learned the term “licensing” during his last year in Art School from one of his teachers. After learning what it meant he decided to dive deep into what the process was all about.
With an advertising background Sef realized that advertising is more about designing ideas. After graduating from school and searching for a job in the creative industries he decided to start freelancing as well as trying to license out his ideas to companies.
It took him some time, but he was finally able to license an idea in the novelty industry, which proved the licensing model to be true.
Sef read the book One Simple Idea and decided to become a student of inventRight in order to hone in on his skills at licensing and contract negotiations.
One thing that Sef struggled with before is paralysis by analysis. Overthinking things and not doing. Writing a sticky note with the words “PROVE IT” reminds him to take action steps everyday.
Sef has since licensed his second idea and now documents his journey on his youtube show MFSEF.
Jeff Shackleford has always been an inventor at heart; constantly building and creating new ideas. With lack of education and knowledge he did the first thing he thought he needed to do in order to protect his idea. He went at spent “gobs of money” to get a patent.
Having heard about inventRight he was hesitant and reluctant to work with or trust anyone. “When you have an idea, sometimes you just want to hold onto it tightly and not let it out”. Finally, after trying to get the product to market on his own and realizing the amount of time and capital it would take he knew there had to be a different option and licensing was a better fit.
He decided to research inventRight, watched the videos and felt the genuine compassion that Stephen Key and Andrew Krauss had for helping inventors.
“You don’t know what you don’t know”, and he knew that without the proper knowledge and education on the process he would not be able to move forward. He decided to take the leap of faith and joined inventRight.
This is his story, about how having the right people to help, support and lift you up when you are about to give up can breath back the life that you need to continue pursuing your goals.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring Former inventRight Coach Karen Steinbock.
Karen Steinbock worked as an ER nurse and hospital administration when she soon began to experience the burnout. Looking for an opportunity to be able to use her creativity, she read about Stephen Key and licensing. After reading One Simple Idea, she realized that this was something she could do!
Karen new that she wanted to make sure she was maximizing her time, and after doing her research on InventRight and believing in the power of mentorship, she knew she wanted to get started working with a coach that could teach her the process.
She began the program as a student and when planning on taking some time off from her career in the healthcare field the opportunity presented itself to become an inventRight coach. As something that brought joy in her life, she wanted to help support and share that feeling.
Karen provides a lot of insight and wisdom to coaching, licensing and the process and one thing she touches upon is the common question she would get from students of “what are my odds of licensing”. Her response to this question is one that everyone truly needs to hear.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring Former inventRight Coach Howie Busch.
Howie Busch stumbled upon the book One Simple Idea by Stephen Key after licensing two of his products. He realized that the time and money he was spending on the process could be easily streamlined into something that requires less time and money. He soon became and InventRight student, and shortly after learning the process and he became an InventRight coach.
Coaching and teaching others was his “nature and the timing was right so it was a seamless transition”. He continued licensing his products while also helping his students do the same. Practicing and using the skills he learned while taking his students through the process. Howie, walked the walked and talked the talk.
Shortly into his coaching career, he created a new product, a new robe for men. He knew he couldn’t license it so he decided to go the venture route. Knowing the ups and down’s with venturing he decided to just do it and “not wait for perfect”. After a successfull Kickstarter campaign and funding The DudeRobe in 2 days, he got a call from the casting director of Shark Tank. After launching DudeRobe on June 5th, and airing on Shark Tank, Howie continues to grow his company and build his brand.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Coach Judy DePrang.
Judy DePrang grew up watching her father own a chain of Dominoes pizza. Having to travel every year and watch her father run the business she learned about marketing, business and developed an entrepreneurial mindset.
Being very innovative and always coming up with ideas she later found inventRight and became a student. She considered herself a “pain in the neck” but with the support of Stephen, Andrew and her coach David at the time she felt a strong sense of support.
Becoming and inventRight student has been “monumental” for Judy. After going through the program and learning the process she became an IR coach. She finds that supporting and entire community of entrepreneurs, visionaries, and like-minded people is part of her service to others.
Judy strongly believes in having strong mentors in all areas of her life, and now does the same for her students.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Coach Ryan Diez.
Ryan Diez came up with a hand –held washing device for dog at a very young age. However, having no money and not knowing how to get it to market he wanted to figure out another way. That is when he discovered Stephen Key’s book One Simple Idea and started to learn about licensing.
Working as a police officer for the past 12 years has been his passion, however inventing and coming up with ideas has always been part of who he is, and his “Never quit attitude” is something that help motivate his students to move forward.
He started with inventRight in 2009 and later became a coach. His message of persistence, perseverance, having an openness and willingness to learn and never quit attitude helps drive his students everyday.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Coach Paul Sorenson.
Paul Sorenson has been an entrepreneur practically his whole life, especially since graduating college. Owning and running multiple businesses in different industries, including an insurance agency for 15 years, has taught him invaluable lessons about discipline and efficiency that he intends to share with his students.
Since he began studying inventRight’s methods, he has successfully brought an innovation for the restaurant industry to market and is currently working on licensing several other ideas, and since becoming an inventRight coach, hehas helped his students do the same.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Coach Arleta Daniels.
Reading inventRight cofounder Stephen Key’s book about licensing One Simple Idea was life-changing for Arleta Daniels. She’d been creative all her life, but unsure of exactly what to do with her hundreds of ideas. “When I read One Simple Idea, I thought, ‘So this is what I’m supposed to do!’” Sure enough, shortly after becoming an inventRight student, Arleta licensed no less than 21 of her playful ideas for gift-to-go novelty stationery products.
After a successful career in IT as a technical writer with an MBA, she began pursuing the life of an entrepreneur about four years ago. In addition to coming up with new product ideas, she’s also an accomplished non-fiction ghostwriter, which means she is constantly immersing herself in new subjects, often related to business.
In reference to some of the clever, beautiful creations she has made for the novelty gift industry that she is now trying to license, Arleta explained that being surrounded by things she loves inspires her. “If I can’t find what I’ve imagined, I can create it! It’s the perfect way to express myself. One day I realized, there’s no reason I can’t make a living doing this… I’ve always been interested in a really wide variety of things, so creating is perfect for me.” Arleta is now an inventRight coach, teaching students how to do the same.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Coach Scott Putnam.
Scott Putnam is an adventurous fun-loving family man who brings with him a wide range of experiences.
Using the methods inventRight taught him, he’s licensed three very different product ideas. He remembers feeling amazed when the companies he contacted about his uncle’s idea for a new plumbing product were interested right away. “It was like clockwork!” he exclaimed. “I thought, ‘Why isn’t everyone doing this?’” Licensing is a numbers game, he now knows. With that in mind, he’s licensed his youngest daughter’s idea for a toy jewelry product as well as the design he came up with for a fat bike pressure gauge.
Like many product developers, Scott has been coming up with ideas for new products all his life.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Coach Kelly Goode.
Before Kelly Goode decided to become an entrepreneur, she spent two decades working in her home state of Alaska’s legislature. As a chief of staff to members of the legislature, she drafted and edited legislation and worked on state budgets. Along the way, Goode learned how to work with businesses to get what needed to be done. Seeking more independence and flexibility, she began venturing products online about five years ago.
So she began designing her own ideas, mostly for seasonal products, and selling them in her growing Amazon store. After reading One Simple Idea and joining inventRight, she’s embraced the benefits of the licensing route.
Goode enjoys developing products for the pet, home organization, home, holiday, and novelty gift industries. But, what she loves most about inventing is that her options are limitless.
The Key to Licensing - Hosted by Sylvia Pomazak. Featuring inventRight Coach Terry O'Mara.
Terry O’Mara has always been creative. Starting as an inventRight student and becoming a coach soon after.
What he appreciates most about the inventing community is its willingness to take action. “It’s great to have ideas and be passionate about them, but you have to follow through,” Terry said. “People in this community are creative and really committed to their pursuits.” He also loves that inventRight students and staff are down-to-earth and authentic.
He’s excited to put his diverse skillset to work as an inventRight coach. Learning how to motivate individuals and a team to do their best is a lifelong interest, which he’s explored as both a manager and a personal development consultant. For him, seeing others succeed is by far the most fun.
David Fedewa started with InventRight as a student in 2009. His first year as a student, he admits, he didn’t get anywhere. “I wanted to do everything my way,” he explained. Once he started to listen and trust the process he became more determined—and therefore more creative—to overcome any obstacles in his way. He later decided to join the IR team as a coach is 2015 and is now in charge of contract negotiations.
Amy Jo has been an IR coach since 2015. Starting as an inventRight student and later becoming a coach, she talks about what lead her to the path of learning about licensing and now helping others do the same.
She has never let herself be fazed by life’s little nuisances. She’s “always been kind of crafty” when faced with a problem and limited resources available to solve it. What she loves most about product development is that it’s an ongoing learning experience. Because every idea is unique and every industry is so different, there’s always a new challenge.