Living in the new and booming development era of our economy, you might be seeking out some way to grab your own piece of the pie. If your mind is eccentric, and you wish to create, then you might want to look into expanding your horizons. If you’re not sure where to start, we can help. Here are a few simple steps to further inform you as to what will be required of you if you plan to make a living as an independent inventor.
Cultivate & Groom your Idea
Most people who are driven to be inventors are driven by a nonstop mind. Ideas come and go like yesterday’s underwear, and you just don’t have enough time or money to develop every idea that floats across your mind. Before you put too much time into your idea, you should do a thorough search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark office’s list of patents. Make sure you’re creating something new! Once you’re in the clear, make rough sketches to determine further the functionality of your invention.
Build Several Prototypes
You would be making a grave mistake if you decide to only build one prototype of your invention. Be prepared to build several. The first one won’t work right, and you’re sure to want to make some changes. Make sure you have enough materials to tweak and change your design as needed once you build the first prototype. The prototype phase of inventing should persist for quite some time. It’s impossible to see and correct any issues the invention may have with functionality with only one prototype.
Don’t Quit your Day Job
Once you begin developing your new creation, don’t just try to run off into the sunset, and quit your primary employment. Product development can take years to complete. This isn’t a speedy process. Patent paperwork, and proper production and licensure can be quite a large task. You may even want to enlist a little professional help along the way just to make sure
Understand your Legal Limits
You’ll need to do enough thorough research to fully understand your legal limits when it comes to true ownership over your idea. Licensure and legal patenting has several different steps and a full load of legal terminology mixed with a little bit of confusion. If you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, you might want to hire a trustworthy patent attorney.
Be Persistent
If you’re going to make a career as an inventor, you better make sure you have a tough skin. You are going to fail at least once before you ever create a successful invention. This isn’t an easy road to travel, and you have to know that being told no isn’t something personal. It’s business. If you stick with it, you will find success. Be persistent, and let your creativity drive you.