Tips for women who want to successfully sell their invention:
1. Create the "Wow" Factor with your invention.
Creating the right message on how your invention solves a problem or fills a need is essential for success. You only have the attention of buyers for a limited amount of time so they need to "feel the pain" of the problem and experience your amazing solution immediately.
2. Do your homework!
Learn everything you can about the category you are getting into. Google search, feet on the street and trade shows are great places to start. If you are going to be an inventor you also need to be an expert. That means you must know everything there is to know about the category in which your product will sell.
3. Your invention is only as good as the foundation built around it.
Build a solid foundation: protect it to the best of its opportunity (patent, copyright, trademark.) Solidify all of the business basics (insurance, legal, accounting) and finally know when and how to exit when the time is right.
4. Your invention will go only as far as your weakest link
Finding out what do you do well and what you do not is critical to the building and the journey of your invention. Too many "a fool" thinks she is all things to their business. No one can be. Be clear on your abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Fill in the areas where you are inexperienced, weak or it is not your strong suit.
5. Build a Golden Rolodex
Everyone has the beginning of a Golden Rolodex. To get the Rolodex that opens doors, attracts inventors and creates a winning team start with who you knew, know and are connected to.
Why entrepreneurs make great strides in a slow economy:
1. Labor Talent:
You may get some bargains on some very highly qualified and skilled people that otherwise would not be available.
2. Office space:
You can negotiate better office space when office owners have more space available
3. Severance packages:
Beside the "Bank of American Express" (or other personal/business credit cards used most often
to finance start-ups vs. bank loans), your "golden parachute" is usually the best "venture capital".
Facts about successful businesses that have thrived during an economic downtown (according to Steve Strauss):
- 16 of the 30 corporations that make up the Dow Jones industrial average got their starts during recessions.
- Disney began during the recession of 1923-24.
- Hewlett-Packard began during the Great Depression (1938).
- Microsoft began during the 1975 recession.
- Early 90s, roughly 25 percent of downsized managers over 40 started their own company.
Mind to Market Weekend
Oakland, CA
August 22, 23 & 24
Amilya's Mind to Market weekend was created to meet the overwhelming requests of viewers of her popular segments on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch and attendees of Lucky Napkin LIVE. Many have said, 'They've read all the books, taken the first steps, but are stuck somewhere in the process and need real help --not more business book babble.'
This exclusive, multi-day event provides the opportunity for "almost there" entrepreneurs to get hands-on advice from Amilya and her personal team of experts to prepare them for what lies ahead on their entrepreneurial journey.
For more information, visit www.amilya.com
About Amilya Antonetti
Amilya Antonetti spent the first years of her son's life in hospital emergency rooms. Doctors offered her short-term remedies for her newborn's frightening breathing difficulties, severe rashes and heart breaking tantrums but no one seemed to be able to tell her why he was continually ill. Without answers or compassion there was a moment when a doctor even advised her to "let him go." Unwilling to give up, Amilya decided to take it upon herself to find out what was making David so violently sick.
