Browse Category: Source Direct

Source Direct and the United Inventors Association (UIA) – a great pair!

The world can be a scary place for inventors – scams around every corner, shady business deals, and a lack of knowledge on different steps of the inventing process. Due to the rising need of educational resources for inventors, different organizations were formed to help the everyday inventor. The UIA is definitely one of them.

From the UIA Website: 

The UIA is a Federally Registered Non-Profit Educational Foundation. Our commitment is to provide educational resources to the inventing community, while encouraging honest and ethical business practices within the industry service providers. If you are not a member of the UIA we invite you to join the thousands of other inventors who are. It’s Quick, It’s Simple…and It’s Free. 

Source Direct has been working with the UIA for years, and subsequently, helping many inventors who need it! Networking with reputable organizations is one way to make your dreams a reality, especially if you are an inventor. If you are interested in joining the UIA, click this link! Membership is free!

Do you have an idea for a product? Call us today – 888-373-3876, extension 212!

We offer free consultations! Don’t delay – call today!

 

 

 

SUCCESS STORY: Time to Brush!

Spotlight On: Time to Brush – http://www.timetobrush.com/

About the Product: This amazing toothbrush and toothpaste caddy holds toothbrushes and different brands to suit the entire family and keep your dental appliances clean and neatly put away.  Time To Brush is a complete dental station designed to teach your children proper hygiene at an early age. Good brushing habits established early can prevent gum, tooth & mouth issues later in life. Your child will relate to Bobby Brush as he shows your child a fun way to ongoing dental health. Educates children on how to brush correctly with a fun 2 minute animated audio/video that walks children through where and how long to brush each section of the mouth. Bobby Brush will teach your children to always brush properly and thoroughly for maximum clean. Includes “Why Children Need To Brush For Two Minutes” – a handy guide written by a pediatric dentist.

Testimonial from the Inventor: My name is Winston Lawer, President & Owner of The Good Habits Company located in Minneapolis MN. Ed asked if I would reach out with some feedback from our experience working with Source Direct.

I came to Ed with a product that was rather complex and involved electronics. I used to source companies in China and India on my own and decided to try Source Direct and to let Ed Mauro do all the work since he doesn’t capitalize on the project unless we generate income.

Ed worked with me along the way and fielded my questions, followed my instructions and offered feedback along the way. Things have worked out nicely on our first run with Ed and we are in the process of looking over another project we have in development and are going to have Ed source it as well.

He is a gentleman with experience and is a respectable man who knows his field. I can say this because I know from sourcing myself and my personal experience working with Ed he gets things done correctly and knows how to.

Do you have an idea for a product? Call us today – 888-373-3876, extension 212!

We offer free consultations! Don’t delay – call today!

Is your invention GOOD enough to succeed in the marketplace?

Ideas for new inventions can come at a dime-a-dozen. Everyone thinks they have the latest and greatest idea for making the world a better, more efficient, and cooler place to be. Despite a biased belief, not all ideas will work – or even make it to prototyping.

Here are some things to keep in mind when attempting to bring your product idea to life:

Cave_invention

  • Does it serve a purpose? Consumers are consistently looking for a solution – does your product provide a solution to their imminent problem? If you are looking to create an item purely of a novelty nature, consider that it’s “purpose”.
  • Is the target demographic realistic? Speak to different consumers in your target demographic to see if they like or dislike the idea. Pre-development testing is a good idea, so you get an understanding of what could happen on the store shelves. Is this something that your demographic can get excited about?
  • Has someone else come up with this idea, or something similar? This is huge. Obviously, there are different competing brands with virtually the same product (Coke/Pepsi, McDonalds/Burger King, Mac/PC). Yes, the examples provided are broad, but you should make sure that there  are enough unique identifiers to your product to make it different. 
  • Do you have the captial to pull this off? By capital, I don’t necessarily mean money (completely). Do you have the supplies, resources, materials, and financial backing? It takes a lot of work to bring a product to life.
  • Is your idea solid? Could you pitch this idea in front of potential investors, and be confident? You must have 100% confidence in your product to see it to completion.

[box type=”info”] A funny quote about inventions..
“The very existence of flamethrowers proves that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves, ‘You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I’m just not close enough to get the job done.” ― George Carlin[/box]

Do you have an idea for a product? Call us today – 888-373-3876, extension 212!

We offer free consultations! Don’t delay – call today! You can also email us by clicking here. 

Happy New Year!

From all of us at Source Direct, we wish you a safe and happy New Year! Make 2015 count, and may all of your dreams come true!

 

Do you have an idea for a product? Call us today – 888-373-3876, extension 212!

We offer free consultations! Don’t delay – call today!

Avoiding Suspicious Activity – Inventors, Be CAUTIOUS!

“There is no greater fraud than a promise not kept.” – Gaelic Proverb

Fraud is everywhere. Lies, deciet, scams – it’s all around us. Sometimes we may see an opportunity that is too good to be true, and more than likely, it typically is. Take a look at this infographic (courtesy of http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/internet-scam-hotspots-infographic/).

scams

Understand, though, that there are ways to make sure you aren’t being scammed. One of the main reason why scam artists get away with their tactics is because consumers don’t do enough research. Before you say yes to anything, no matter how big or small, know the benefits (or even the consequences). Property can be stolen right from under your nose if you aren’t careful.

That’s where inventing scams come in. Our founder of Source Direct, Ed Mauro, was a new inventor back in the late 80’s and witnessed every scam and setback you can think of. “Come to us and we’ll manufacture your product and have it on every shelf, in every store, in the entire USA!”, before they’ve seen the invention or concept! Some invention support/promotion organizations alike to us (Source Direct) may turn down ideas – not every single invention will be a winner in the eyes of the organization. Ask for a complimentary consultation with Source Direct to see if your product may be a fit!

Over 25 years has passed since his first invention, and now Ed has brought his expertise to all Source Direct clients to make sure that the development of their product is seamless and non-stressful.

A few red flags of shady Invention Production Companies could be:

  • Saying YES to your product idea before seeing a prototype.
  • Asking for a large sum of money up front without a promise of services.
  • Promising that the item will immediately become a success – it’s all based on the market, economic climate, supply/demand, and product quality and usefulness.
  • Not having any past successes.
  • Lacking a website or a phone number associated with the company.

What should you ask the Invention Production Company for?

  1. Client Testimonials/References (for applicable clients – some may have confidentiality agreements).
  2. Website/Phone Number/Email
  3. Signed contract or proposal, clearly stating the project outline and expectations.
  4. Mailing Address – to an actual location (a red flag could be a P.O. box).
  5. Marketing samples from previous inventions.

Here are a few scam prevention articles that have been published for the benefit of aspiring inventors:

  1. http://inventors.about.com/cs/avoidingscams/ht/Invention_Scams.htm
  2. http://www.ipwatchdog.com/inventing/avoiding-invention-scams/ 
  3. http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0184-invention-promotion-firms

The faulty and shady techniques of inventor support organizations inspired Ed to create Source Direct, a resource for inventors who are looking for support from concept to completion. Source Direct is a member of the UIA (United Inventors Association of America) and the Inventorz Network. Past successes, products, and our mission can be seen on TheSourceDirect.net.

Do you have an idea for a product? Call us today – 888-373-3876, extension 212!

We offer free consultations! Our experts would be happy to hear from you, and find out more about your product. Ask for Nathan!

SUCCESS STORY: The Simple Organizer

Here’s another Success Story! This time, we are focusing on a great product: The Simple Organizer! 

simpleorganizer

The Simple Organizer is a very useful, versatile and adaptable product for your everyday organizational needs. Use The Simple Organizer in various settings including: on top of your desk, attached to the side of your computer, in the kitchen, in your bedroom, in the bathroom, in your vehicle and by your entryway. The four removable walls make The Simple Organizer able to be customized to fit your needs.

We developed this product from start to finish! It truly was an absolute success! 

Do you have an idea for a product? Call us today – 888-373-3876, extension 212!

We offer free consultations! Don’t delay – call today!

 

I have an idea! What should I do next?

Lead-Successful-Invention2Every invention that has ever gone to market started as an idea in the mind of an inventor. The steps that they took directly afterwards are what made them either successes or failures. A lot of planning, development, and even money goes in to the creation of a product – it’s vital that you take the appropriate steps to see an invention to completion.

Here are a few helpful hints that past (and satisfied) clients from Source Direct have shared with us:

  1. Understand your product fully before meeting with an organization that promises to develop your idea. Know what the product’s primary function is, and stick to it. Inventor resource companies, alike to Source Direct, will only work with inventors who have a solid idea and a game plan.
  2. Beware of scam artists who claim to be able to “solve all of your problems with money up front”. You need to be able to trust the organization helping to create your product – they are the lifeline to your livelihood. Look through all documentation, understand milestones, and set realistic goals. Ask the company to show you past successes.
  3. Work with a company that will offer a FREE consultation. Source Direct always gives totally free consultations and evaluations. Some organizations will work with anyone and everyone, just to turn over a profit. Source Direct has a very particular on-boarding process, and it’s taken seriously!
  4. Do a search to make sure your idea has not been patented already. You can do a free search on at www.uspto.gov.
  5. The worst thing you can do is prematurely spend all of your money that you’ve allocated for the project. Know your budget, and make sure that the company you work with is reputable.

Most ideas/inventions fail in the early stages due to lack of preparedness, and not knowing where to go or who to talk to. With Source Direct, we have 25+ years in the industry to back us up!

Do you have an idea? Are you in the early stages of invention development? We’d like to help!

Give us a call at 888-373-3876, extension 212. You can also email Marketing@TheSourceDirect.net and a representative will be in touch with you within 24 hours. Our consultations are always free.