T B I C News & Tidbits

2012-02-03T01:08:00.003-05:00

Imagine that you had a great idea for an invention and you wanted to share it with the world. How would you go about it? Perhaps you need to speak with an investor or manufacturer and convince them that your idea warrants support and their commitment. Are you comfortable telling your story? Do you think that maybe you could use a bit of advice on how to speak with authority?

That will be the focus of our next Tampa Bay Inventors council meeting, how to be an effective public speaker! This will be an excellent opportunity or anyone who will be sharing their invention at the Florida State Fair to get a crash course on presenting at your best. Our next speaker will be Mr. Bob Turel, with more than 30 years experience as a professional trainer and 16 years as a Toastmaster, Bob is perfectly positioned to assist you with your presentations and public speaking goals. He has assisted hundreds of corporate professionals and business owners to polish their communications skills as they relate to making important presentations, both in-person and on-camera. Bob works with people in a one-on-one format or in small workshops, and always provides the personal touch in his coaching practice.

Join us on Wednesday February 8th and get ready to actively hone your skills as an effective communicator! You may have the greatest invention in the world but if you can’t get the word out effectively, success will likely remain out of reach. Join us this Wednesday and improve your odds!

December Meeting 12/14/11

2011-12-07T15:48:00.002-05:00

Greetings Inventors,
Just a friendly reminder that our only December Meeting is Wednesday the 14th. I know that it has been a while but due to a trick of the calendar, our December meeting is as late as it could get! On tap we will have a visitor from TBIC past... former president Randy Landerneau to share some thoughts with our inventors. TBIC present, Mark Stadnyk to discuss some important issues, and TBIC... Well you are just going to have to attend to find out! Could be Santa... or maybe Gus from WWTVP.
As a Christmas gift to any new members who join TBIC on Wednesday and pay $75... they get membership all next year free! In fact that applies to all members who enjoy the company of inventors, pay $75 this December and get all of next year free! A great way to move your tax deductions a year earlier and insure that survival of TBIC Future!
See you all next Wednesday!
Wayne

2011-11-01T20:57:00.004-04:00

Many of you have heard a bit about the United Inventors Association and the efforts they make to unify the inventor community here in the United States. For our next meeting we will learn a great deal more about this organization as we are joined by the current president of the UIA, Mark Reyland! Mark has some exciting news for inventors in Florida and will travel from Cincinnati to deliver it in person next Wednesday, November 9th at our only meeting this month. I will only tell you that what he has to say will get you excited and glad that you are a member of the group!
Mark will also share his vision of inventing in America and the role the UIA plays. He says “At the UIA we don’t have anything to sell your members, no books, CD's or coaching. This is about education and access to professionals.”
Mr. Reyland’s list of accomplishments include: Director of Classified Technology Development for a fortune 500 company, National Security Agency liaison to the Korean government, and a successful technology and product inventor with many products in the marketplace for industry and consumer product retail.
He is currently the Founder and CEO of Obvious Ideas LLC, a Cincinnati based product development company specializing in providing fully developed products to traditional retail and the direct response industry.
He also serves the inventor community as Executive Director and Board Member of The United Inventors Association of America, one of the country’s oldest and largest non-profit inventor organizations.
Please join me in welcoming Mark Reyland to our TBIC meeting on Wednesday, November 9th from 7 -9 pm!

Inventors Meeting October 26th

2011-10-21T00:03:00.003-04:00

So you think you have a great idea for an invention but what are chances that anyone else thinks it is any good? What if you had a tool to figure out what companies might think about your product before you showed it to them? You only have one chance to make a first impression so shouldn’t you be prepared before you make the call?

On Wednesday, October 26tfh, TBIC will be joined, via Skype, by Patrick Raymond to talk about a diagnostic system he created called the InventionScore®, a method to measure the value of your IP and help inventors make better deals when presenting to companies for investment or licensing.

Patrick served from 2008 to 2010 as Executive Director of the United Inventors Association and founded a Manhattan inventors group in 2007. He spent a decade as an adman on Madison Avenue and became an accidental inventor, entrepreneur, new product judge, and public speaker for the independent inventor community. His unique 5-pillar InventionScore® program is recognized as a powerful, predictive and practical methodology for inventors who want to find a quick and affordable path to landing a deal. A high InventionScore® means you have bargaining power because you are “deal-ready”. A low InventionScore® shows how and where to improve before presenting to any company.

Join us at the next TBIC meeting, Wednesday 10/26/2011 from 7-9 pm, Hosted by the Tampa Bay Innovation Center at 7887 Bryan Dairy Road in Largo, FL . Suite 220, at the top of the green staircase. Learn if the InventionScore® can help you!

TBIC meeting 10/12/2011

2011-10-07T00:25:00.003-04:00

Considering that we haven’t had an open meeting for a while, this Wednesday we will not have a speaker but will instead concentrate on working on inventor projects. Joe Navarro will help evaluate inventor’s projects to help determine best approaches for manufacture and materials. Michel Mansfield will share his advice with other inventors to help them determine their next steps and marketing approach. We will also have time for general questions on inventing so if you have a project that you are stuck on, this meeting will be a great opportunity to work with other inventors and make some headway. If you missed seeing Jim Debetta or Stephen Key at our previous meetings, we will have those videos available too. This will be a great opportunity to catch up and discuss your project so make plans to join us on Wednesday, October 12^th from 7-9 pm.

New Media experience at TBIC on 9/28/11

2011-09-22T16:39:00.005-04:00

On September 28^th, we will attempt to do something different and by utilizing high tech, we will have our first Skype conference with a product design company from out of state! Chris Hawker and Abraham Alexander of Trident Design Company in Ohio will share their experience of designing and selling innovative products.

Trident Design, LLC is an invention incubator with expertise in product design, branding, licensing and consulting. They work with independent inventors and innovative manufacturers to help create products, from cooking gadgets to medical equipment. Their products reflect striking design, functional excellence, and breakthrough technology to make a difference in the marketplace. An example of their approach is the award-winning PowerSquid, an update to the power strip and featured in countless media stories (New York Times, Popular Mechanics, the Today Show and more) and sold virtually everywhere.

Trident not only develops products for others, but they are also inventors too. They have licensed numerous products for others to manufacture as well as manufactured some products themselves (including setting up manufacturing in China). They sit on both sides of the table, and can relate to both the independent inventor as well as corporate clients.

This Wednesday, September 28^th, utilizing Skype video, we will walk through three invention case studies. Each of the inventions took a very unique path to success and profitability and they illustrate the various methods with which an inventor can attempt to monetize their inventions. They will also explain a systematic process that they use when working on their own inventions, products for corporate clients and for independent inventors. Throughout the presentation will be general advice, tips and potential pitfalls to avoid. We will follow up with some Q & A for our inventors to get some feedback regarding their own situations.

This is sure to be an interesting and memorable meeting with the potential to help set the course for your own successful invention! Be sure to get there early so that you can take part in this new media experience! See you there!

Wayne

Double Shot next Wednesday, September 14th TBIC Meeting

2011-09-08T04:53:00.003-04:00

For our next inventors council meeting we have lined up a double shot!

First, we will have a presentation from Chapman Mold (http://www.chapman-mold.com) discussing the injection molding process. Once you have concluded your ideal prototype, the next step is to prepare your “market-ready” product and Chapman Mold is accommodating to inventors and limited runs of production. Jason Robinson is the VP Tooling & Engineering at Chapman Mold and will join us to talk about Proper CAD design, Tooling and part costs, Cavitations (low volume, prototype vs. high volume steel multi-cavity) and the importance of doing your homework. Also, Plastic types & what is really required, & Prototype (cast parts) vs. tooling costs.

Next, we will talk about what you need to get your product sold…

Melinda Dixon of Merlin AI Soft (http://www.merlinaisoft.com) will educate us on using the internet to launch and sell your products and/or services. She will discuss Mobile Application Development and its potential to compliment your innovation. She will also discuss Website Development & how the way it looks & behaves can affect your sales. How to make your site user friendly and load quickly, what should not appear on your site along with key elements that your site should include. She will touch on Search Engine Optimization and why you need it to get your website to the top of a Google search. Merlin AL Soft also provides Software Development and she We’ll explain how software can help your business grow & function smoothly. Merlin A.I. Soft also works with inventors on a per project/as needed basis to help you get started with your marketing and selling.

This will be a fun, fact-filled evening and I’m sure most inventors will find it rewarding. Learn what options are open to you to build and sell your invention this Wednesday, September 14th from 7 to 9pm. For our location information, visit www.tbic.us.
See you Wednesday!

August 24th Inventors Meeting

2011-08-17T02:08:00.002-04:00

Do you need help figuring out how to get your invention on the market? Do you want to hear advice from someone who knows the ropes? On August 24th, the Tampa Bay Inventors Council is pleased to welcome Jim DeBetta to speak to our inventors from 7 – 9 pm . Jim specializes in coaching inventors and consumer products start-up companies. He also assists clients with product development, engineering, sales and market representation to major retailers. He was VP of Product Development for Kevin Harrington, from the ABC show Shark Tank and reviewed products sent to the company to determine if they were suitable for an infomercial or retail distribution. He has a solid network of product engineers, factory brokers, angel investment firms, licensing experts, and sales and marketing professionals with various areas of expertise. Jim can help find factories to produce products, create pricing strategies, help with marketing and public relations, and selling products to major retailers. Jim was part of a highly successful start up company that produced sport optics and lead the company from insignificant revenue to nearly 50 million dollars in sales in under 8 years. Jim’s experience has reached far and wide working with various products, retailers, manufactures, and factories. He knew it was time to help those that had a product in mind or ready for production. His goal is to teach others the process without unnecessary expense, time and red tape. Jim teaches inventors how to create sales and marketing strategies, understand the world of licensing, develop a product using CAD design, raising money to fund a business, and locating factories overseas to produce products. He is now reaching out to individuals who want to learn how to do it for themselves. He is also the author of "The Business of Inventing" and has written hundreds of articles for industry publications, newspapers, and websites such as Inventor’s Digest, Georgia Magazine, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Jim also appears as a guest speaker for leading trade and consumer organizations, speaks at international conferences, and hosts forum and blog discussions on prominent invention and entrepreneurial websites. On Wednesday, August 24th, learn from his extensive experience with start-ups and small consumer products companies. Jim will share his thoughts and help our Tampa Bay Inventors to get the edge that you need to be successful with your invention!

Monetize your patent(s) 8/10/11

2011-08-03T11:50:00.002-04:00

You have a great idea for a gadget, gizmo or do-hickey but how do you make money from it? That is the focus of our next Tampa Bay Inventors Council meeting on Wednesday, August 10th. Our next speaker, Ron Stein will talk about how to “Turn Your Idea Into a Revenue Reality.” We will take a look at how to succeed in monetizing patents, whether the goal is to build a product company, licensing, or selling the IP. He will discuss zeroing in on the target market for the problem you are solving, how to set you and your invention apart from the competition, and how to use education driven marketing to get the attention of the people that are important to your success.

Ron Stein, President of FastPath Marketing LLC, works with businesses to help them create a competitive edge that attracts their target audience through effective strategies and action plans tailored to their situation. Ron has over 20 years experience in marketing, sales, and business development and has held key positions including: CEO, Division General Manager, VP of Marketing, VP of Sales, VP of Business Development, and field salesman for both startups and established industry leaders such as Motorola, VideoServer, Paradyne Networks, and SercoNet. His experience is extensive, ranging from bringing innovative new products to the market to managing a portfolio of more than 200 patents.

Ron offers a five step program that guides individuals and groups to revenue success and works with tech companies, manufactures, resellers, and professional services firms. He has been a guest teacher at the University of Florida Center For Entrepreneurship & Innovation and is currently a member of the advisory team at the Tampa Bay Innovation Center. TBIC is thrilled to have Ron attend our next meeting. Join us from 7-9 pm next Wednesday & discover how you can get on the right path!

Wednesday, July 27th TBIC hosts a legend in the inventing community!

2011-07-20T00:33:00.008-04:00

Ron Klein is the grandfather of possibilities...
...and has earned that title for the earth changing innovations that he has introduced! Early in Ron's career he invented the Magnetic Strip on the Credit Card and the Credit Card Validity Checking System. Ron also developed the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for Real Estate and Voice Response for Banking. If that wasn't enough, his company offered the NYSE technical expertise in hardware and software development to support Financial Trading. Ron developed a system to provide up to the minute BOND Quotation and Trade information for the members of the New York Stock Exchange and other Financial Institutions.

He is responsible for technology that you may use everyday and he wants to inspire you to achieve your own success! Ron will also bring some of his books, "The Grandfather of Possibilities" for those who might want to learn from a master.

Ron was the host of "THE GRANDFATHER OF POSSIBILITIES SHOW" on Internet Radio. Some of his celebrity guests included: Betty White, Willie Jolley, and Nathan Osmond, of the Osmond family. Entrepreneurial guests Eric Dezenhall, Rick Frishman, Harris Rosen and many others. Ron promotes a positive "can-do" attitude, "you can turn every negative into a positive and find a gift behind every challenge."

Ron bicycles 30 miles a day and has earned gold medals in Triathlons and the State Senior Olympics.

Now you can meet this energetic inventor at our next TBIC meeting on Wednesday, July 27th. Join us from 7-9 pm at 7887 Bryan Dairy Rd in Largo, Suite 220 (right up the green staircase). See what you can achieve with your inventions when you learn a few tips from Ron! (come early if you want a chair!)

See you there!

Wayne Rasanen

Patent Reform Legislation at TBIC on 7/13/2011

2011-07-10T00:00:00.002-04:00

The Senate and House have both passed their own version of the "America Invents Act." This Wednesday we'll discuss the similarities and differences between the two Acts and how the most significant changes will affect the individual inventor for years to come. Join us this Wednesday from 7 – 9 pm to learn about how the U.S. Patent Law is being harmonized with the rest of the world and what it means for your current patents and any that you may be planning to file. To help us sort it all out we are pleased to have Kim A. Jacklin, a registered U.S. Patent Attorney (JD, BSEE). Ms. Jacklin managed the patent department of a billion dollar company with a worldwide presence. In that role, she lead the development of a large international patent portfolio, oversaw all corporate patent litigation, drafted and negotiated patent and technology licenses and evaluated patent assets for merger and acquisition activities. She has extensive experience drafting and prosecuting patents before the United States Patent and Trademark office, including patents directed to technologies in the areas of computers and communications technologies. In the 1990s, Ms. Jacklin co-founded Jacklin Research, Inc. providing technical literature search and consulting services to patent attorneys. She credits her experience as a business owner with giving her a greater appreciation of the challenges facing start-ups and other new businesses. Join us with all of your questions on intellectual property this Wednesday and learn what strategies you may need to consider in the future. See you there!

Meeting June 22, 2011

2011-06-18T14:56:00.002-04:00

Hello Inventors, I have returned this week from an exciting visit to E3 and will share some of what we are planing at our next meeting on June 22nd. Our special guest speaker will be Darla Phillips and she will help you understand some more of the basics about getting your product developed, licensed, and on the market! Darla has been very successful with her luggage spotter tags and wants to help other inventors by sharing her experience. Darla is always a treat as she breaks it down into simple terms that are easy to understand and has been a favorite speaker for our group. If you have not heard her speak, don't miss this meeting! You will be truly inspired! Need your Product or Invention Manufactured, Licensed, or sold in Retail? Darla's "LOOK! Marketing" is currently looking for Mass Market Retail Ready Products (patented or patent pending)! For $99, our team will evaluate your product for potential licensing and/or big box distribution! If we consider your product mass market, we will discuss licensing options with you. The evaluation will also include several areas of distribution and overseas manufacturing opportunities! You will be able to network with Darla and arrange your evaluation after the meeting so don't miss your chance to connect! This will be a fun one folks so don't miss it! See you Wednesday, June 22 at the Meeting! For more information visit www.tbic.us

The How to of Business Investment 5/25/11

2011-05-23T00:47:00.002-04:00

For many inventors, the path to success sometimes runs through finding an investor who takes an interest in your innovation. What does it take to get someone interested in sharing the risk and putting their money on the line? That is what we shall be discussing at the next meeting of the Tampa Bay Inventors Council next Wednesday, May 25th. Join us as Nick Fenger shares his experience investing in start-up companies and tells us what it is that a potential investor wants to hear before opening their checkbook. Nick has Authored 32 manuals of business management skills and has a Ph.D. Business Problem Solving from St. Louis University a M.A. in Organization Development from Washington University, St. Louis, and has placed over $7M into over 23 different ideas and more than 50 products. This Wednesday, he will share his vision about what it takes to bring your ideas out of the garage and too the bank. If you have ever thought that you might need someone to show you the ropes on finding an investor, than you can't afford to miss this meeting! Join us and discover the amount of money you will need to raise in the first round of funding and how to go back to the well for more!

Successful Marketing 4/27/11 TBIC Meeting

2011-04-20T17:30:00.002-04:00

Let’s say that you have a brilliant innovation that you want to share with the world. We have talked about defining it with product developers and building it with rapid prototyping to help you prepare for the market. How you get it known about and sold is the product of marketing. That is where we will focus our attention in our next meeting on April 27^th 2011. Marketing and defining you innovation and methods to help you cope with the challenges. Joining us to speak on the topic is Ian Ippolito, founder and CEO of vWorker.

VWorker is a marketplace that connects businesses to virtual workers and can save them 36-80% versus traditional workers. Entrepreneur magazine called vWorker "one of the 100 most brilliant companies on our radar". It is a four time consecutive winner of the Inc. 5000 "fastest growing private company in the U.S.” award. It has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Fast-Company and many other journals and magazines as a company exemplifying the shift of power to the new world-wide digital economy.

Ian Ippolito will discuss the challenges and obstacles he encountered in creating vWorker, and the marketing techniques that he employed to help him overcome them. This is a great opportunity to learn from someone who has traveled the path and faced the music. Join us on Wednesday, 4/27/11 at 7-9 PM and learn to steps you need to take and the words to the chorus so that you can succeed with your innovation! This will be an important lesson for any inventor so make sure that you get your seat early, this could be a packed house!

Rapid prototyping 4/13/2010 Meeting

2011-04-12T21:46:00.002-04:00

Most inventors have an idea of what they want their product to look like and a visit with a product designer can help take it to the next level with a CAD rendering. Once it is fully defined, it may be possible to create an actual device by using rapid prototyping. On Wednesday, April 13th, TBIC will welcome our friends at EMS to come and show us the latest advances in this amazing technology. They will show how to redesign an existing produce by using a 3D scanner to capture shape and size into a computer model that can later be manipulated. Join us and see if you might take advantage in this kind of technology to bring your innovation to life!

Product development: TBIC Meeting 3/23/2011

2011-03-11T07:59:00.001-05:00

Inventors need to consider their product carefully and make sure they have an effective design. Some are able to craft a nice looking prototype but the rest of us need to work with talented people to build a winning product. On March 23rd, TBIC will welcome R&R Associates, a Sarasota based Product Design and Engineering firm providing services that span the entire product development process, including product definition, market analysis, design, engineering, in-house rapid prototyping, and overseeing the final design into production. For over a decade, R&R's award-winning designers and veteran engineers have originated pioneering solutions for companies ranging from start-up to Fortune 500.

Founded as Riza Design in 1999, the company evolved into R&R Associates, bringing two talented brothers together to expand the firm's capabilities. With branch offices in San Francisco and manufacturing facilities in Izmir, Turkey and Shenzhen, China, R&R launched its Sarasota headquarters in downtown Sarasota in 2007. R&R Associates has successfully provided its design and development services to innovators from a wide variety of backgrounds, from amateur inventors to global corporations like Xerox, Lipton, and Crestron Electronics.

Come join us 3/23/2011 from 7 - 9 PM and learn how successful products are created!

Find your Target Market this Wednesday

2011-03-07T01:51:00.002-05:00

You have a product idea or innovation but wonder if it will sell. How big is your market, where can you find them and how can you market to them? One of the most important things that you can do is to try to get some market research to determine what your market is and how you can sell your product to them. That is why on this coming Wednesday, 3/9/2011, we will focus on ways to find and generate valid market research.

Joining us this Wednesday is Danielle Weitlauf, the TEC Launch Manager of STAR Technology Enterprise Center (STAR TEC). Danielle worked with the STAR TEC on the Pinellas Technology & Business Innovation Exchange (PTBIE), an annual tradeshow where the defense industry and subcontractors exhibit. Danielle also supports the regional federal contracting industry through the Florida Federal Contractors Association (FFCA). She has over ten years of experience in economic development, and is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University and an executive MBA from the University of Sarasota.

Danielle is now assisting start-up companies find their market and learn about perspective customers. She will share how Star TEC approaches the issue of generating valid market research and provide some tips to starting your own client research campaign. Danielle will also share details about the up-coming Idea Camp and some other programs sponsored by STAR TEC. Knowing your market is vital to finding success as an inventor, so don’t miss this opportunity to add some skills to your experience. Join us this Wednesday 3/9/2011 from 7-9 PM and don't forget our special meeting with Stephen Key on Monday 3/7/2011!

Meet inventor Guru Stephen Key this Monday at a special meeting!

2011-03-02T01:40:00.006-05:00

TBIC is pleased to announce that we will have a special meeting on Monday, 3/7/2011 to visit with the famous inventor and finalist in the 2011 Edison Awards for two of his products, Stephen Key! He is launching his new book with a tour at inventor organizations all over the country! His new book, from McGraw-Hill, "One Simple Idea" is launching this month and will be available in book stores across the country as well as online. You can learn more about Stephen and his book at www.inventright.com (a really great site for all kinds of inventor content!)

He also has a new website that just launched called Inventor Notes www.inventornotes.com It's a "Yellow Pages" for the inventing community. It contains a who's who directory of industry experts along with a list of companies looking for ideas and a list of helpful inventing resources. Please check out the site when you have some time. Hopefully this will be helpful for our members.

Originally, we were going to have this extra meeting just for paid members but we decided that we would rather share the wealth with all of our inventor friends so if you want to meet and learn from the best, make sure that you join us this Monday from 7-9 pm. We really want you to join the group and help keep the council strong so that we can keep bringing events like this to Tampa Bay!

I look forward to seeing you all on Monday, March 7th!

Inventors Council Meeting 2/23/2011

2011-02-17T00:51:00.001-05:00

What have you invented? What do you need to know about inventing? Do you have a question about your invention or want to get feedback about it? Come to the next Tampa Bay Inventors Council meeting on Wednesday 2/23/2011 from 7 – 9 pm and join in on the “Show-and-Tell” session that we have planned. Every once in a while we like to take break and hold an open meeting to give people a chance to learn from each other. These meetings are usually lots of fun and give us a chance to get to know a bit more about what others are doing to get their ideas sold. So get out your prototypes, drawings, gizmos and war stories and bring them to our next meeting. Share them with the group and help others as you help yourself. Join us this Wednesday and grow the community of inventors right here in Tampa Bay!

...the Path to Success, next meeting 2/9/2011

2011-02-06T00:39:00.004-05:00

This week, veteran product management and marketing executive Ken Evans comes to TBIC to share his experience working with both startup and Fortune 50 companies. Ken has held marketing, product and business development positions at Compaq Computer, NYNEX (now Verizon) and several technology start-ups. Ken is a recognized advocate for emerging tech companies in the Central Florida area. His activities include:
• Advisor and committee member, STAR Tec Business Accelerator
• Regional coordinator, Kauffman Foundation’s Global Entrepreneur Week
• Co-founder, IdeaField Coworking (in Ybor City)
• Chief Marketing Officer for Tampa-based eBridge Solutions
• Blogger @ StartupMonkey.com

Ken is equally at home in emerging technical markets as well as the re-engineering, rebuilding and the relaunching of established products and services that need a refreshed strategy. He has a knack for distilling product strategy and positioning into actionable plans and meaningful guidance essential to inventors pondering their innovation.
At our meeting, he will focus on assessing product readiness and the difference between a great idea and a viable path to market. Come and learn if your idea has what it takes to make it on the market by applying practical principals necessary for success. I know first hand that Ken can teach you to view your product strategy from perspectives that you are missing! He is great at telling you what you might not want to hear but what you need to hear! No candy coating, just the honest truth. If you think you can handle the truth, make sure and attend this meeting. You will want to take notes!
Join us this Wednesday, February 9th for a very informative, eye opening session that will help you think about the correct steps you need to take to succeed! I'll see you Wednesday!

Jan 26 meeting will be Awesome!

2011-01-21T02:04:00.003-05:00

TBIC inventors are in for a treat this coming Wednesday, January 26th! The World of Inventors, Investors & Business Opportunities will tell us about the up-coming event on April 9 & 10 and their plans to make Tampa the next home of an Annual National Inventors Show!
Next we will hear from the always riveting, and thought provoking, Brent Britton! Recently 83 Degrees magazine described Brent as "arguably the most sought after one-man think tank for entrepreneurs across Central Florida!" Alongside his position as chair of the Emerging Business and Technology practice group at Gray Robinson in Tampa, Brent participates in several of his own entrepreneurial enterprises.
Brent Britton has been advising large and small companies for more than 20 years and in his forthcoming (with Kurt Forster) book, "Ideas2Money - Ten Steps to Entrepreneurial Success" answers the question, "I've got a great idea for a startup. What do I do next? He will also help you "Tap Your Inner Wizard" with a motivational, inspirational talk meant to help people realize their own miraculous potential to accomplish great things!
If you come to only one meeting this year, this is the one you don't want to miss!!! Last meeting almost all of the chairs were taken so make sure you get there by 7pm, early enough to get a seat! Although you will only need on half on a seat because Brent will keep you on the edge of it!
Join the other inventors and welcome our guests this Wednesday from 7 - 9 pm!

Start the year right! Attend our 1st meeting of 2011!

2011-01-11T02:06:00.003-05:00

This Wednesday, January 12th, we kick off 2011 by helping you get your invention off to a great start. We begin with an amazing guest speaker, Kelley Rexroad as she presents "Inventing Success in 2011" Learn some practical tips on getting your invention house in order including how to deal with procrastination. Learn to change those habits that limit your success and keep you from moving forward. It is sure to be a fun, dynamic springboard into the 2011 and create the successful environment we want to invent for ourselves. Stop thinking of your innovation as just a hobby and get down to business!
Kelley lived in the corporate world where she spent 25 years traveling to 30 countries for Fortune 20 companies leading their Global HR and corporate communications area. Her formal education started at Mary Baldwin College, and her graduate work was at American University and Thunderbird University. She now helps business owners to grow profitably and avoid issues that are bureaucratic or scary. Her writings, speeches, professional and community work have found her recognized with numerous awards. She is consulted by many organizations as a source for "front porch common sense" including our own StarTec, Fox Business News, ABC News, CBSNews, UT, USF, The Ladders.com, Monster.com, and Self Growth.com.
Please make sure that you attend this thought provoking meeting and also learn about all the opportunities we have lined up for our inventors! I just returned from the Consumer Electronic Show and I can assure you that innovation is the key to success. Make sure that you hold that key so that you can unlock a bright future for yourself and those around you!
See you Wednesday!

Year end Meeting Dec. 8th

2010-12-03T19:50:00.002-05:00

For our last meeting of the year, we will concentrate on the issue that most inventors need but few can resolve, finding support! The inventor who can go it alone and succeed is as rare as snow flakes in Miami. They could appear but won't likely amount to anything! Successful inventions are more often the result of a team of dedicated individuals who share a vision and resolve to achieve success together. In previous meetings we have talked about who you might need on your team and some of the tools to find them but this Wednesday we will bring it together to dig a bit deeper to help you collaborate.
Brian Graham returns this Wednesday to share his experience in team building and the tools that he finds most helpful to achieve good results. Brian is the Managing Partner of Quintic Capital, a small Private Equity and Advisory firm focusing on medium size companies in the technology product arena. Quintic Capital is the sponsor of the Suncoast Angel Network a small group of investors with a focus on growth companies looking for round B funding.
Brian has a passion for technology and over the past four years, has developed a keen interest in using social networking as a Business Development technique. He has formed several peer to peer networking group called SMARTc : Sales and Marketing Alliance using Relationship Technology, in the Tampa Bay area. The goal of SMART is to help drive sales growth opportunity for individual sales people as well as for company & corporate sales teams. Brian also serves on the board for Star Tec and is prominent in several organizations in the Tampa Bay area. This Wednesday, learn how you can target alliance partners to help you build success with your invention. This will be our last meeting for the year due to the holidays so get yourself motivated and resolve to become a huge success in the New Year! See you Wednesday!

"The Art of the Deal": How to sell your ideas to investors and Big Business

2010-11-10T10:25:00.003-05:00

Tonight, BOSS returns to TBIC! We have an exciting panel from the Business Outreach Speakers Series to discuss how you can effectively communicate your ideas to potential investors or directly to corporate buyers and get your product to the market. Andoni Lazardy has put together a team of professionals who will help you get the attention of others and compel them to buy into your ideas! This will be a can’t miss meeting and the only one for the next four weeks so make sure that you get here early! Joining us tonight:

Lothar Bergeest, With 35+ years of experience, educator, business trainer and customer service consultant, Lothar Bergeest excels in the entertainment, education, media, and customer service fields. He performs as a professional musician, college professor, radio station program director, interviewer, professional voice talent, podcaster, editor, and customer service trainer. His diverse resume makes him uniquely qualified to speak to our topic of "Selling Ideas To Investors And Corporate Managers."

Gary Boggess, Lecturer, composer and producer of original music for commercials & sound effects design and video services for: • Businesses. • Feature films. • TV and radio. He works with 20th Century Films, Columbia Pictures, Dick Sporting Goods, Discovery Channel, GM Today, Mary Kay, PBS, Pepsi, PPG, Steven Speilberg, Warner Brothers and others. He has been favorably reviewed by the Chicago Tribune, Los Angles Times and New York Times. He’s an advisor at St. Petersburg College, Art Institute in Miami and Tampa International Academy of Design & Technology.

Sheryl Nicholson, Speaker, author, and business coach, and an inventor herself, she understands it takes more than a great idea to get others to “buy into” your project. A sample list of her clients includes IBM, Hewlett Packard, Autozone, Honeywell, and Federal agencies such as the CIA,NRO, and CDC. She is published in Inc, Success, Entrepreneur, Health Access, Chicken Soup for the Soul books, YM, Parents, Floral Management and many more.

Andoni Lizardy, Consultant and author, Andoni Lizardy, is a business development, marketing and communications specialist. He works with individuals and businesses in the U.S., Asia and Europe. His better known clients include, Airbus, AT&T, Apple, GE, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Microsoft, Pittsburgh Steelers, United Technologies, USAir and 300 others. He also teaches for business outreach and other schools at Kent State, UC Santa Barbara, University of Pittsburgh, Wharton, etc. Andoni will moderate the panel to insure that you have an opportunity to hear from each of these professionals as they discuss:

Several ways to make your offer valuable to others. 
Common mistakes to avoid when selling your ideas to others. 
Using language that attracts the right kind of investor to your project. 
How to find investors and businesses who want to work with you. 
Who is most likely to buy your idea, invention and/or solution. 
What is salable in a turbulent economy. 
What motivates others to buy and how to tap into those motivations.

If you are serious about becoming successful with your invention, please don’t miss this meeting! I can assure you that you will have fun and learn something important to contribute to your success as an inventor!

TBIC Meeting 10/27/2010

2010-10-26T22:55:00.000-04:00

Do you have an invention that you want to bring to the market? Is it really something that the market wants? Does your product or service have a Positive Demand Model? How can you be sure that your efforts will be fruitful? Do you need to write a business plan? Our featured guest speaker will help you figure it out at our next meeting. Karl Buhl has an extensive career in advertising, marketing and consulting with the likes of McDonalds, Pillsbury, General Mills, Wrigley & Wilson Sporting Goods. For over 6 years Karl worked at Microsoft as Group Manager, Business Development, Group Product Manager, Sr. Manager, Technology Policy & Intl. Marketing, Marketing Communications & PR Manager and more. He ran a consulting group for companies throughout the U.S. and is currently developing strategies to help bring high tech businesses into Florida. Karl has a strong understanding what it take to make it in the marketplace and is willing to share that view you our inventors at our meeting this Wednesday, October 27th. Make every effort to join us for this inventors meeting!

TBIC inventors meeting 10/13/2010 - now at Star Tec!

2010-10-11T22:59:00.004-04:00

Hello inventors, Remember that we are now holding our meetings at the Star Center hosted by Star Tec, at 7887 Bryan Dairy Rd. in Largo, FL 33777. Just park in the visitor parking to the right and come up the green staircase. The meeting runs from 7 to 9 pm and our speaker will be Nancy Laine. Nancy is the LinkedIN Concierge, and comes from an extensive background in sales & marketing. She became an expert in this social media network by starting from the ground up, solving its many puzzles and mysteries over a period of several years. By sharing her acquired knowledge, she has helped hundreds of people learn how to use LInkedIN like a pro, increasing both their business and personal success. After attending this seminar you will know how to reach more than 90% of the 80 Million professionals on LinkedIN. This will be a huge advantage if you are interested in connecting to professionals in your target market, attracting new clients, finding a better job, securing funding, or boosting your credibility as an expert in your field. (All without leaving your house!) In less than an hour you will learn how to gain the attention of distributors, manufacturers, recruiters and prospective clients. You will also learn how to improve your search rankings, and dramatically increase your number of quality connections. More than motivating and beyond inspiring, your eyes will be opened to the potential of this powerful international business networking site. Even more importantly, you will learn a few simple tricks that will help boost YOUR LinkedIN profile to the status of a pro — and maybe even help you make some extra money! I have been telling you about the power of this network and now we will have an expert spell it out for you! Don't miss this meeting at our new location!

Wednesday 9/22/10 meeting

2010-09-21T21:07:00.001-04:00

Hello Inventors,

If you have thought about taking your idea to the next level, into production, chances are that you will need to raise capital. The problem is that Angel investors and Venture capitalists don’t usually fund individual inventors but they will fund a business team. The trick is how to build a solid business team? That is where our next TBIC speaker comes in.

Boaz Vinogradov is currently focusing on helping Hi-Tech start-ups and Venture Capital funds raise capital and resolve strategic and go to market challenges. Since 2007 he has facilitated more than 10 deals totaling over $120M.

Boaz participated in the executive management of three Israeli based companies that went public. He is the author of three Internet / Cable TV patents which he sold in 2007.

As President of Nova Measuring Instruments, Ltd, he took the company from formation to $30M in sales. From 1994 to 1997 he served as an independent consultant to high tech start-up, obtained seven FDA 510(k) certifications and participated in taking Card Guard public on the Swiss stock exchange.

From 1989 to 1994 he served in various positions in Orbotech, making automatic optical inspection systems, based in Hong Kong. Orbotech was the result of a private company taking over its largest competitor during the 1992-3 electronics slow down. Boaz holds a Master degree in business from the University of Maryland & BA in Economics & Management from the Rupin Institute in Israel.

Boaz also served as an Infantry Battalion commander with a rank of a Major and is a director on the board of Entrepix, Inc.

It always helps to learn from someone who has been there and done that. So join us Wednesday, 9/22/10 to meet a remarkable individual and learn what you need to build your team!

Remember, starting October 13th we move in with Star Tec. Three weeks from this meeting!

Regards,

Wayne

TBIC

Prepare your brain for a storm this Wednesday...

2010-09-06T22:47:00.002-04:00

Thanks to all the inventors who joined in and helped out this year at the Inventors Fair! Now that we have an idea about what the public thinks about our inventions, what is next? I say it is time to Brain-storm about what works and what needs to work so we can progress in our inventions.
That's why this Wednesday night, 9/8/10, TBIC will welcome the President & CEO of "Brainstorm Weekly" to help us figure it all out! Joseph Warren has been making quite a scene around Tampa Bay with his "radical" ideas about finding the right path to success! I had the opportunity to hear Joseph earlier this year and he is a very energetic speaker who knows a few things about success. At age 19, Joseph opened a professional fundraising company and within 36 months grew his venture into a multi-million-dollar firm, with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Diego. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors for Creative Tampa Bay and is a volunteer speaker for Hillsborough County Schools. He's a serial entrepreneur, speaker, evangelist for entrepreneurship and an inspiration to those who know him. He has a great sense for knowing what works and can help you understand what is missing from your team.
Please help me welcome Joseph Warren to our innovative group. Mark your calander and join us from 7-9 pm on Wednesday, September 8th at 400 Highland Ave in Largo.
I hope to see you there!
Wayne

3RD Annual Inventors Fair 9/4/2010

2010-08-15T14:33:00.001-04:00

The Tampa Bay Inventors Council is pleased to invite all our fellow inventors to join us for our Third Annual Inventors Fair on Saturday, September 4th at the St. Petersburg Pier! We have expanded upon our last fair in that several booths will be spread throughout the facility to insure that anyone entering the Pier will know that we are there. We will invite the public to visit all of the booths and vote on the innovations that appeal to them for a people's choice award.

September 4th is on Labor Day weekend to insure the opportunity for good foot traffic. The Corvette group will also be holding a show that weekend to bring even more folk out and we have contacted the local ABC affiliate who also plan to attend. Of course any breaking news could divert them but they have expressed the desire to be there.

If you have an innovation that you want to share or demonstrate (safely please!), please contact us at admin@tbic.us and let us know. Each inventor will have a 6 foot table and two chairs with which to show your stuff. Those with displays can also bring them provided that they will fit within their space. Most locations will have power available but please indicate that you will need power so that we can plan accordingly.

The fair will be from 10 am until 4 pm but booths should be set up by 9:30. We will be able to drop off our displays between 8 and 9 am but no later so that the Corvette club can start lining up their cars. Here is a link to a map: http://www.mapquest.com/listings/St_Petersburg_Pier_St._Petersburg_FL_4605233?placement=results_org_map .

Please help us spread the word about this event and encourage other inventors to join us. We request that you provide your name, contact information (phone and email), and the name and type of innovation you wish to display by August 24th. Inventor with several item may display them provided they fit within your space.

So dust off those prototypes and get some exposure for your innovations! Join us on September 4th for a exciting and fun event!

Sincerely,

Wayne Rasanen

President, Tampa Bay Inventors Council

8/11/10 Meeting

2010-08-10T23:33:00.002-04:00

This Wednesday, we will welcome Tonya Elmore from Star Tec, to give us a quick briefing on the new direction the center is going. She says that they are going to focus on helping individuals and smaller businesses with the resources that they have. They were recently recognized by Entrepreneur.com to be among the top 10 roundup of international business incubators. Ms. Elmore serves as a vice-chair for the Florida Business Incubator Association. She has been named as among the top twenty technology leaders in the Tampa Bay region. Come and find out how you can leverage the power of Star Tec to help you develop your invention. Next we will open the floor to discuss where everyone is in their own development and how as a group, we can help. Please bring your devices and prototypes and plan to get feedback from the most innovative minds in Tampa Bay!

Improve your communication skills 7/28/2010

2010-07-27T20:43:00.003-04:00

Our 7/28 meeting will focus on how you can better deliver the message of your innovation so that you can influence decision makers to accept your ideas. Quite often, the best idea doesn't get funded and a lessor idea make it to the market because of a slicker presentation or quicker explanation. Joining us will be veteran news reporter for ten years, Barron Johnson, to help you define your message. He was voted People’s Choice Reporter for Tampa Bay and has appeared on ABC World News Tonight and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Barron now is a Business Performance Consultant with Dale Carnegie Training Tampa Bay. He was awarded Consultant of the Year and Instructor of the Year for 2009. Dale Carnegie Training is the world leader in professional development and is well known for the principals of how to win friends and influence people. As our guest speaker, Barron is going to share with us some proven methods to gain willing cooperation from others, and to sell our ideas to people who can benefit from them. He asks that you bring your prototypes and innovations with you so that we can have a completely interactive meeting and so he can directly help you custom craft your message. Don't be late for this meeting because the early part of the presentation is vital to achieving focus. Only those on time will be eligible for door prizes!
See you there!

July 14th Meeting

2010-07-12T22:34:00.002-04:00

Hello inventors,
I would like to invite you to meet one of the most humble people I have ever known who doesn't need to be humble at all. He was instrumental in the success of the Apollo / Soyuz mission, 35 years ago this coming Saturday, July 17th. It was an event that ignored the Cold War and led two world power adversaries to work together. iIt was the foundation of the space program that we have today with partners all around the world. Souren Soumbatov is now the president of Infosec, Inc and brings his vast experience to the Tampa Bay Inventors Council this Wednesday, July 14th for a round table discussion and to lend his perspective. He does not wish to lecture or tell stories, he would much rather chat and communicate with our creative group. Our meeting will be interactive so bring your questions, concerns and problems to the group for discussion. Don't miss your chance to meet an extraordinary person and share your story with him!

TBIC Meeting 5/23/10

2010-06-14T00:09:00.002-04:00

Greetings Inventors,
As a follow-up to our last meeting on licensing from the business perspective, Darla Phillips will return and help you understand the inventors side of the equation. Darla, unfortunately couldn't speak a few meetings back due to illness but is eager to share her experience this coming meeting. Darla has successfully licensed products and now is helping inventors do the same. She has a lot of tips that can help keep you from loosing money and make the best deal. Join us on Wednesday, June 23rd at 7 pm at 400 Highland Ave Largo, FL and learn what you need to know!

Licensing - Topic of our next meeting 6-9-10

2010-06-05T23:29:00.004-04:00

On Wednesday, June 9th, TBIC is pleased to welcome Attorney John Schnackel to speak to our inventors about an issue near and dear to our hearts. John will speak to our inventors about licensing your innovation to businesses. John is dedicated to serving the legal needs of small and emerging companies throughout the greater Tampa Bay Area. He feels that small companies deserve the same kind of care and attention to their legal concerns as that given to the CEO’s at large companies – who tend to either hire in-house legal talent, or retain the services of large, expensive law firms. John has served for several years as the in-house General Counsel for two of Tampa Bay’s fast-growth, high-tech companies. Through his private law practice, he now offers this same level of personalized service to the owners and executives of smaller companies. John was the Past President for the Small Business Resource Network (SBRN), West Central Florida Region and was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1983 and the Florida Bar in 1996.
Join us this Wednesday to meet John and learn about protecting and licensing your intellectual property!

Transitioning from Inventor to Entrepreneur TBIC Meeting 5/26/2010

2010-05-23T14:54:00.003-04:00

TBIC is happy to announce that our speaker on Wednesday, May 26th will be Dino Eliadis, of DE, Inc. Dino dedicated his career to creating and leading high performance teams and organizations to grow and expand small businesses. With over 25 years of leadership experience and MBA credentials, Dino now focuses on assisting small business owners to make measurable improvements in business performance thus increasing the “book value” of their businesses. On Wednesday, he will talk about "Transitioning from Inventor to Entrepreneur and Turning Your Vision Into Reality." He will discuss the importance of creating a vision and how to decompose it into an action plan. We will do a quick vision workshop to get started with the process and show the importance of changing personally to create the outcome you want. I encourage everyone to come early as there will be a limited number of supplies for the workshop. Get a seat up front if you want to participate. Remember, the chance of arriving somewhere greatly improves when you know where you are going! Come to this meeting and get a map! 5/26/10 7-9 pm Be There!

Inventor Meeting 5/12/10

2010-05-07T20:22:00.002-04:00

Greetings inventors,
Have you thought that you may like to license your invention but didn't know how to do it or what options you have? Would you like to talk to someone who has successfully licensed a product and whats to share her knowledge? Than you can't afford to miss our next meeting on May 12th at 7pm. We will be joined by Darla Phillips, who has licensed her "Luggage Spotter" innovation several times and has answers to the question of what to do when someone starts knocking off your product. We all know that the best way to learn how to do something is by talking with those who know the ropes. Darla has been there and done that and is willing to reveal all! This is an opportunity that any inventor can appreciate so mark your calendar and get to the TBIC meeting this Wednesday night! To see more about Darla, go to: http://www.mominventors.com/2009/10/13/mom-entrepreneur-shares-secrets-to-licensing-success/ For more on us: www.tbic.us

TBIC Meeting 4/14/10 BOSS Panel Discussion

2010-04-10T13:44:00.004-04:00

This coming Wednesday, TBIC will host a very special meeting. We have contacted the Business Outreach Speakers Series to hold a panel discussion on how you can make the most of your contacts by "Networking your Invention to Success". Joining us on the panel are the return of Andoni Lizardy, Executive Director of BOSS and a business consultant to fortune 500 companies, and Dave DeVelder, Sales & Marketing expert and Duct Tape Marketing Coach. Joining them are; Sara Hand, a Perspective Consultant and Organizer of Barcamp Sarasota, http://barcampsarasota.ning.com/profile/SaraHand ; Judy Y. Gay, Executive Director of the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce ; & Bill Moline, Business Development & Master Net-worker. Make sure that you catch this important presentation and learn how you can make the connections that you will need to promote and develop your innovation into a successful business!

TBIC means business next meeting 2/24/10

2010-02-17T21:21:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday 2/24/10, TBIC will welcome Dave DeVelder of DevCom to improve your business IQ and help you do what all successful inventors must do...sell something! If your idea just sits on a shelf or only in your mind, you won't be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Dave is a business coach serving small to mid-sized organizations through his company DevCom and is an instructor of Duct Tape Marketing. He has three decades of business experience in Florida & has worked with resellers of business products and computer software here in Florida and nationally. He also owned the first PC software company to specialize in developing, marketing and supporting local government in Florida. Dave has dozens of leadership awards for excellence in revenue generation and has spoken on topics such as "7 Steps to Marketing Success for Small Business", Doing Business in Tough Times" and "Differentiating the Value of Tactics and Strategies." His article, "A Simple Business Plan," was recently published on biznik.com and he will join us to share his thoughts on taking a business from an idea into revenue generation!

So join us this Wednesday, 2/24/10 to educate yourself on growing from a simple idea into a profitable business!

Secrets of successful inventors... this Wednesday!

2010-02-07T03:33:00.002-05:00

Are you an inventor or thinking about becoming an inventor? Did you know most inventors waste 10’s of BILLIONS of dollars annually and never make a profit? Would you like to be one of the .1% of inventors to making a profit or better yet one of the .01% that get rich? Well here is your opportunity to learn what the invention submission companies do not want you to know!
The author of The Secrets of Successful Inventors, John R. Hobbs, is going to be speaking at the Tampa Bay Inventors Council on Wednesday, February 10th. John will share are the five steps every successful second time inventor does before spending much time or any money developing a new idea. Then John will give a step-by-step guide walking you through the remaining crucial steps to becoming profitable.
John will have a limited number of his books available for $14.95 at the meeting so you can practice the lessons at your own pace.
If your goal in 2010 is to grow professionally, attending this Tampa Bay Inventors Council, meeting at Highland Recreation Complex, 400 N. Highland Ave. in Largo 33770, on Wednesday’s February 10th at 7:00PM – 9:00PM can help you achieve it!

TBIC meeting 1-27-10

2010-01-27T00:11:00.002-05:00

On January 27th, TBIC will have a special presentation called "Funding Technology" provided by Pinellas County Business Development Center Manager, Kurt Forster. Kurt will also inform our inventors of a "business boot camp" sort of training program planned by Pinellas County in association with Star Tec. Join us for an engaging evening at our regular meeting this Wednesday and learn how you might advance your skills as a successful inventor!

TBIC meeting 1-13-10

2010-01-12T16:26:00.002-05:00

Greetings Inventors,
Our first meeting of 2010 kicks off in a big way. TBIC welcomes back William McHenery of Entrepreneur Sales & Marketing to help inventors get their innovations off the back burner and onto the table. Fresh perspectives and expert advice can mean a world of difference for your innovative product and Bill will help give you food for thought. Bill has presented at inventor groups all over the country and has an understanding of what inventors are going through. Come to the first meeting in 2010 and see if his insight can help boost your sales and get your products on the shelves. I hope to see you on Wednesday night!

ATTRACTING INVESTORS & FUNDING FOR INVENTORS & START-UPS 12/9/09

2009-11-30T08:52:00.004-05:00

Greetings inventors!
The next TBIC meeting will be a special one as we will hold a panel of speakers who's focus will be all about getting money behind your innovations! This is a great way to end the year and get you prepared for launching next year! Andoni Lizardy will host one of his BOSS sessions with three distinguished panelists. Joining us will be Tina Fischer, Business Editor and expert on Organization and Process Management, Joel Lopez, the Managing Director of 2Z Consulting Inc., and John Morrow, President of Morrow Consultants, LLC.

Tina Fischer founded Your Business Editor to help business owners and executives create predictable, productive, and profitable businesses by applying corporate best practices. Tina guides her clients in improving communication and quality through better processes and well-documented policies and procedures.

Joel Lopez is a non-practicing attorney and has over 15 years experience in legal, executive, marketing and strategy related positions. He has taught courses on internet law as well as other courses for Georgia State University, Emory and Kennesaw State University. Mr. Lopez has extensive experience in strategic planning, emerging technologies and business development.

Over the past three decades, John Morrow has started and grown a number of technology companies. In 2006 John founded Morrow Consultants, a strategic management consulting firm that helps clients understand their future. John works with each client to develop a response to the factors they have control over, as well as the forces they can't control.

This will be a real barn-burner of a meeting that will help you start thinking of your business as more than just a novel idea. Make sure that you get here early for the December 9th meeting scheduled from 7 to 9pm. This will be our last meeting in 2009 and a great kick off towards 2010!
See you there!

Wednesday, 11/11/09 meeting

2009-11-09T16:23:00.002-05:00

Greetings TBIC fans,
We had a real treat at our last meeting and will follow up with another great presentation. This Wednesday, we will be visited by the industrial design team from ROBRADY Design. Robrady Design is a premier prototype facility located in Sarasota and is involved in the creation of some amazing products. They are able to take a simple concept and bring it to life, ready for the market. Additionally, they have a capitalization branch to assist in the the finance and development of new products. Come to this meeting, our only one for the month of November, and connect with some of the best in class when it comes to product design!
Our next meeting won't be until December 9th so don't miss out! We will also finalize the schedule for those who want to present their products on Saturday, 11/14 for Worldwide TV Products. They will evaluate inventor's innovations and may offer to help bring them to the Home Shopping Network.
I look forward to seeing you all at this meeting!

How to Be Seen – and Heard – in Today’s Competitive Environment

2009-10-25T16:27:00.002-04:00

On October 28th, we will be joined by Jim Marshall to talk about how you can make your invention pitch effective. Jim is the President of Strategic Sales Solutions LLC, an authorized licensee of Sandler Training. Sandler Training is an international training and consulting organization with more than 200 training centers worldwide and utilizes distinctive, non-traditional sales and management methodologies. Jim has worked with hundreds of sales executives, managers, business owners and corporations in helping them hone their skills to achieve greater levels of success and productivity. He has a proven track record of success as an award-winning trainer and corporate coach, and brings added value to any company seeking sales management, coaching, sales training and improved client retention. Jim is also very active in local civic organizations such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa Chambers of Commerce and numerous charitable endeavors. Join us this Wednesday and benefit from his experience and grow your skills as a successful inventor!

TBIC Meeting 10/14/09

2009-10-06T11:03:00.005-04:00

TBIC meets next on October 14th and will feature another terrific guest speaker. Andoni Lizardy, President of Lizardy Associates and Executive Director of BOSS (Business Outreach Speakers Series), is a business expert with over 25 years experience in helping micro and small businesses, fund and market their products, services and ideas. His experience with over 1,000 high and low tech start-ups gives him a unique perspective on what it takes to attract money as well as market and sell your offering. What makes him especially effective is his ability to guide start-up owners to those who can help them achieve and succeed. Please join us on Wednesday, October 14th and get your innovation pointed in the right direction!

TBIC Election - Special guest speakers next meeting!

2009-09-19T16:17:00.002-04:00

On September 23rd, TBIC will hold our yearly election for our board of directors. I encourage all members to make the effort to attend this meeting and cast your vote for the people who you want to guide the future of TBIC.
As an incentive to have you attend, we have arranged to have 2 special guest speakers from "World Wide TV Products" to share their knowledge. Worldwide TV Products Inc. has been in the business of sourcing, developing, marketing and merchandising products through the TV Shopping Channels such as HSN, QVC, tSc The Shopping Channel –Canada and QVC-UK for the past 18 years. They have a proven track record and have been responsible for airing hundreds of products generating over $500 million in retail sales. Currently they are working exclusively with HSN.

Joining us will be: Gus Ibrahim and Matt Davis. Gus is Co-founder and Vice President of Worldwide TV Products, LLC. He is an accomplished marketing professional with a career long history of transforming unrealized potential into business results. Clients benefit from his extensive and diverse knowledge of the entire marketing process from the inception of a product or service to research, product design, international sourcing & manufacturing, brand strategy and execution, creative development, targeted marketing campaign development and execution. Gus operates out of 40,000 square foot facility in Clearwater, FL and maintains a staffed sourcing office in Beijing, China.

Matt Davis brings his clients strong product development and demonstration talents, along with a rare combination of HSN experiences as a buyer, vendor rep and on air guest. Matt has worked in merchandising and retail for over 20 years. At HSN, Matt was the buyer of record for a variety of products and businesses; fitness, vitamins, household electrics, kitchen electrics, storage and organization, tool and hardware and private label brands. His experience working with all aspects of the HSN process is invaluable.

Join us this Wednesday to learn from this amazing team of marketing professionals and cast you vote for the future of TBIC.
See you there!

Prototype 101 on 9-9-09

2009-09-06T21:46:00.002-04:00

If you have ever had an idea for a new product, chances are good that you have had to build a model or prototype to show how it works. Often, building a prototype will teach you how how things need to be rearranged in order to work. Sometimes it can drag you back to the drawing board but that's better than spending a lot of time and money on something that doesn't work.
This week on 9/9/09, our special guest will be our friend Mark Kemper of www.ems-usa.com who will show us a bit more into the latest process of making something out of nothing... or rapid prototyping! Mark uses a special printer that creates 3D products out of powder and glue (or something like that...) and can let you realize your product for much less than most other methods of fabrication. Please join us this Wednesday and see what Mark has been working on lately!
Also,
This is you last chance to throw your hat into the ring and be elected to our Board of Directors. All names must be in on the 9th so that we can make ballots for the election on September 23rd. If you want to really be a part of the Tampa Bay Inventors Council, why not take a position where you can make a difference. Step up and join the Board, some of the finest people I have had the pleasure of working with!
See you On Wednesday.

TBIC Meeting 8/26/09

2009-08-24T16:19:00.002-04:00

Greetings inventors!
We all want to be successful bringing our innovations to the market and it helps to learn from those have achieved some success. Our next meeting, you will have a chance to meet someone who is now selling her product worldwide.

Audrey House is a retired Nurse from Frederick Maryland and the Inventor of Grabaroos, gloves designed for Office work, health professionals, postal workers, etc to keep hands safe from paper cuts, dirt stains, etc..........

One of her other major markets is the quilting industry.

They currently have 5 major distributers and are in several quilting/sewing catalogs and the gloves are being sold worldwide! Audrey will join us to tell how she did it and what it took to get it done. Please join me in welcoming Audrey House this Wednesday night to the Tampa Bay Inventors Council!

Learn the SCORE and get connected!

2009-08-11T14:38:00.002-04:00

Our August 12th TBIC Inventors meeting will feature a presentation from Mats Bengtson of SCORE, and will discuss SCORE services that are available to help inventors turn their ideas into a business. Mats background includes industrial engineering with “ Lean manufacturing principles “ , Cosmetic manufacturing , Sales training , Insurance , Computer and software sales and retail sales and he is currently the chair of the Pinellas SCORE chapter. There will be plenty of time for Q&A and an opportunity to network. The meeting starts at 7pm and runs until 9pm. Details and a map are available at www.tbic.us.

Hope to see you there!

Marketing 101 - next meeting -7/22/09

2009-07-21T12:41:00.000-04:00

Allen Jernigan from My Marketing Department, Inc will give us an overview of the new marketing trends, Social Media (My Space, Facebook, etc) and Web 2.0 and how they apply to inventors and inventions. Allen will also give us insight into some low-cost and no-cost forms of advertising and marketing you can implement yourself. You will also learn about developing and utilizing a Power Team, Marketing to the Vital Few vs. the Trivial Many and some Free fun stuff!

Allen Jernigan is CEO of My Marketing Department, Inc and MMDprinting.com, which he founded in 2007. Allen spent 8 years working in professional sports including time with the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New Orleans Saints and Minor League Hockey. He was the Director of Marketing for SunTrust Bank-Tampa Bay and oversaw marketing and advertising for 110 bank branches and 5 lines of business. As Director of Sales and Marketing for Home Discovery Real Estate, he oversaw a $10-million advertising budget which included TV, Radio, Web, Direct Mail, Billboards, Mobile Media and much more. Allen is the Chairman of the St Pete Chamber’s Ambassador Committee, Leadership Team of BNI-Largo, USA Today Small Business Panel, American Business Awards Judge, 2008 Ironman World Championships Outstanding Volunteer award winner and Board Member of the Tampa Bay Inventors Council.

Life in 3D - next meeting

2009-07-04T00:31:00.002-04:00

Inventors need to be able to express their ideas to others in order to explain why they are needed and how they solve a problem. To get the point across quickly, a picture can say a thousand words. This week we will have two guests talk and show you how they are expressing their ideas with pictures in 3D. Mal Greenberg will demonstrate how drawings can help you iron out your concepts before spending lots of money on prototypes. Next, James Reid will discuss getting your design animated so that you can work out the details of how it operates.

Please join us Wednesday 7/8/09 at the TBIC meeting and gain some perspective on your invention! For the location map, go to www.tbic.us

Also, don't forget to watch the Fox 13 6pm news broadcast on Monday 7/6/09 when TBIC inventors will be featured in the broadcast!

TBIC Meeting 6/24/09

2009-06-20T04:52:00.003-04:00

Interested in developing your technology or business? Learn more as STAR Technology Enterprise Center (STAR TEC), visits the Tampa Bay Inventors Council on Wednesday, June 24th at 7pm. Jennifer Olsen will discuss their mission to “accelerate entrepreneurial success” through:

. Mentors and advisors

· Market research and idea validation

· Technology commercialization resources

· Specialized education courses

· Collaborative environment

· Affordable space, shared services and support infrastructure

· Links to no-cost community resources, sources of capital and valuable networking opportunities

Bruce is Back...

2009-06-09T22:36:00.002-04:00

Greetings inventors,
This Wednesday, 6/10/09, our old friend Bruce Elliott is back in town and he will relate what he has discovered about doing business in China and where he sees the best opportunities for manufacturing in the future. Many of you know that Bruce has spent quite a bit of the past few years abroad. He has been having things built and designed in China and has quite a bit to say about the topic. Wednesday, learn from his experiences and you just might walk a shorter path to your goal of getting a product on the market. Bruce will also share some of what he has learned about social media and why you need to leverage it to your advantage. Join us this Week at the Tampa Bay Inventors Council!
www.tbic.us

Patents explored 5/13/09

2009-05-11T23:01:00.002-04:00

Welcome TBIC inventors! Our next meeting will feature an interesting look at the Patent library at the University of Central Florida provided by the man on the front line, Patent Librarian, Hal Mendelsohn. You will learn about how to use the UCF Patent resources, some of the many patents UCF has been issued, and Statistics about patents in the U.S. and foreign countries. Hal will explain how future patent owners who visit UCF can search the records and how to use the USPTO website to search using the Classification Code. This will be a great opportunity to hone your skills at making effective patent searches. Additionally, we will have some show & tell from our members who want to share their skills and innovations. This will be another fun meeting so please come on in and make our guests feel welcome!
See you Wednesday!

Prototyping by Storm 4/22/09

2009-04-19T13:07:00.003-04:00

Hello Inventors,
Our meeting this Wednesday is a bit of a homecoming for a former member who has been busy creating some interesting prototypes. Chris Barrs will be speaking about product development and prototyping some interesting challenges. How do you build a wind storm in a portable booth? To see what he has done visit http://www.o8o.com/ and look at the projects his company has developed for locations all over the country. Join Chris and learn about materials used and the problems a designer faces with this and your own project.
Additionally, Doug Hall of Eureka Ranch hosted the launch of the USA National Innovation Marketplace on 4/17/09 with a special offering to inventors at the Orlando conference. This provided an opportunity to evaluate your innovation with the Merwyn Business Simulation, a $2,000 value, free to pre-screened inventors. Following the event, I asked for and recieved a few extra per-paid pass codes for our most serious inventors who simply could not get to the conference! We will have them for you on Wednesday and Mark Peterson will walk you through the process. Join us this Wednesday and advance your innovations!

Learn Guerrilla Publicity 2/25/09

2009-02-24T20:55:00.003-05:00

TBIC will have a special speaker for our February 25th meeting. John Hobbs has asked International Speaker & Best-Selling Author, Jill Lublin, if she will speak with our inventors!
As best-selling author of “Guerrilla Publicity,” and “Networking Magic,” Jill Lublin offers a powerful, street-smart, results-oriented, look on how to capitalize on media opportunities and get the word out about your company, products, books, programs, & services! This should prove to be an exciting meeting and an opportunity that you simply can't miss! Join us Wednesday at 7pm for this powerful presentation. Remember, our map and information can be found at www.tbic.us .
See you there!

February 11th Meeting

2009-02-08T22:52:00.002-05:00

If you missed meeting him the first time, back by popular demand, our guest speaker on 2/11/09 will be John Pfanstiehl! John shared a great deal about how he turned his ideas into a successful business but as time grew short, it was apparent that he had much more to say. Now is your chance to ask John the questions we just didn't have time for on his last visit. We also have much to talk about regarding the inventors fair at the end of the month so make plans to join us this Wednesday, February 11th at the Inventors Council. Visit TBIC.us for more information!

TBIC 2nd Annual Inventor’s Fair

2009-01-29T20:37:00.008-05:00

St. Petersburg, FL- Inventor’s from across the state will be presenting their ideas, prototypes and products at the St. Petersburg Pier during the 2^nd Annual Tampa Bay Inventor’s Fair on Saturday, February 28^th from 10am-4pm. Admission is free and will be held on the first floor.

The Tampa Bay Inventors Council is bringing together some of the great minds from across the state to showcase their ingenuity while encouraging others to invent the next great idea. Inventors will be available to answer questions about their inventions, give demonstrations and assist you with your ideas while they compete for awards. Awards will be given in categories ranging from electronics to apparel.

Inventors wishing to join us should contact admin@tbic.us . Inventor club members can demonstrate their innovations free and nonmembers pay only $10. No sales are allowed at the fair but we welcome positive contacts for all inventors to help promote innovation!

Welcome 2009 1st TBIC meeting

2009-01-12T10:17:00.002-05:00

2009 may be the year of change but some things will stay the same.
To that point we begin the year by talking about turning your innovative product into a successful business. Should you incorporate? Make a business plan? How do you position your self to look for funding? Our first guest of the year will help you figure it all out.
Jim Turner of Turner Consulting will join us on January 14th at 7pm to give you some advice to move you forward. Jim has written over 40 business plans, helped launch several start-up companies and knows the names and faces of several funding companies. He has been a pioneer of emerging technology and has the arrows to prove it. Jim will talk about his successes and failures and give you the take-away points to learn from the experience.
I hope you will all come to our 1st meeting of the year and get your innovation on the right track!

Only 2 Meetings Left in 2008!

2008-11-05T21:10:00.002-05:00

Hello Inventors!
With only two more meetings left this year, November 12th & December 10th, we are kicking off our next meeting with a special guest speaker. On November 12th we will hear from a local successful inventor, John Pfanstiehl. John has created breakthrough new products in both consumer and industrial markets, all designed with the core advantages of little or no competition, high profit margins, ease of manufacture and low tooling costs. He will discuss the importance of profit margins, manufacturing costs, marketing and distribution. John founded two successful start-up companies based on his new products and is well versed in intellectual property, federal trademarks and copyrights. Please join me in welcoming John Pfanstiehl to our November 12th, Tampa Bay Inventor's meeting!

Are You Patent Pending?

2008-09-15T22:49:00.003-04:00

At our next meeting on September 24th, you will have the opportunity to learn all about filing a Provisional Patent! Our guest speaker will be Andrew Knight, J.D. Andrew is a prolific inventor and Registered Patent Agent. He owns 14 issued U.S. patents with another dozen applications pending before the Patent Office on technologies including rocket engines, information compression, software, and business methods. He is a patent expert and teaches Do-It-Yourself Patent Course as well as Do-It-Yourself Provisional Patent, a 3-hour video course free to all inventors available on the internet at http://www.patentdvd.com/provisional.htm . He is a graduate of UF, MIT, and Georgetown Law and is willing to share his experience with you! Please join me in welcoming Andrew to our next TBIC meeting!

Inventors meeting 8/27/08

2008-08-24T18:01:00.003-04:00

Part of the challenges we face is getting our ideas brought to life. Having a good looking prototype really makes a difference when you are trying to sell people on your idea. This week we are pleased to welcome back Mark Kemper of EMS to share with us some of the latest projects he has been working on. He plans on talking about some recent projects EMS did that included: scanning, product design, prototyping and production.
They include:
- A medical product
- The drummer leash product.
- looney pals shoes
- mechanical pencil product
- guardian lion kids GPS tracking product
Mark will answer many of your questions regarding prototyping and developing a polished product. Please join me in welcoming Mark to the meeting!
Also, we will hear from Startec about an opportunity coming up soon to become one of their next tenants. This will be a great meeting so don't miss it!

TBIC meeting this Wednesday 8/13/08

2008-08-11T23:55:00.002-04:00

You asked, we listened. You wanted to hear from inventors who have successfully brought a product to the market and this week John Hobbs will share the trials and tribulations of getting his product to the market. John patented his innovative water bottle design, raised capital to design and develop it, and recently sold some on home shopping channel. He will join us on Wednesday to tell you all how he did it and answer any questions you have about his experience. But wait... there's more! John has also started a group called " Angels with Angles: Where Investors Meet Entrepreneurs" to help innovators network with other successful businessmen. John will share his vision of how this group works and how you could get involved. Make sure that you welcome John and learn all you can this Wednesday!

Inventors Meeting July 9th

2008-07-03T18:09:00.002-04:00

Attention Inventors! You don’t want to miss this next meeting and the speaker we have for you!

Brian Graham joins us this week, July 9th at the Tampa Bay Inventors Council to help our inventors learn to focus on their target market and insure that they are prepared to make that important presentation when the opportunity is right. Brian has over 20 years experience in electronics manufacturing including 10 years in management of businesses with over $200 Million in revenue annually. He was recently a Business Director for one of the top EMS companies in the world and has served as Director of Operations for Domestic and International customers. Brian has an MBA from the University of Colorado and a BS in Engineering from Michigan State. He is currently a Managing Partner with Quintic Capital and has recently formed the Sun Coast Angel Network to help bring together investors and advisors with entrepreneurs. During the last TBTF Boot-camp, Brian gave one of the most inspiring and motivating presentations of the whole event. I have no doubts that this will be one of the best speakers to join us in recent months! Mark your calendars and make sure you don’t miss this coming meeting, July 9^th at 7pm.

Meet the Pathfinder at our 4/23/08 meeting

2008-04-17T11:45:00.003-04:00

Our special guest this coming meeting is James L. Cairns, author of The Inventor's Pathfinder. According to Amazon, "Most inventors' self-help books overlook the crucial steps of creating and maturing inventions. The Inventor's Pathfinder fills this void, carefully examining each step leading from the moment of inspiration to product release.
Drawing on forty years of practical experience, author James L. Cairns clearly reveals all the basic strategies of successful inventing. He teaches you how to get ideas, gauge their potential, establish their ownership, and profit from them. Cairns also shows how to avoid the devastating mistakes commonly made by independent inventors."

He's a lifelong inventor, devoting full time to it in the late 1970s. His most important inventions have been inspired by his early career as a sea-going oceanographer and scientific diver.

Most of Cairns' inventions have been components for connecting electrical and fiber-optical communication systems underwater. He has introduced nearly all of the successful technology in that relatively new field. His products have greatly increased the flexibility of subsea-system architecture, allowing components of complex networks to be added or removed at the sea floor. One of the results has been a remarkable expansion of the global area available for offshore oil and gas production, something that has indirectly benefited us all.

Many of today's major offshore programs in oceanographic research, homeland security, and subsea communications would not be possible without the technology that Jim pioneered.

Join us at 7pm and meet Jim. I asked him to bring a few books with him so if you want one, don't be late!

See you all there,

Wayne

3/26/08 Meeting - Corporate Advice

2008-03-21T20:30:00.003-04:00

Greetings Inventors,
This week we will share the perspective of a Patent Attorney from the corporate side of an agreement. How do you approach a perspective company for licensing your invention? Are your claims strong or can someone work around them? What is a fair percentage to receive in a licensing agreement? All this and more will be discussed this week when Gilbert Alberding, Patent Attorney, (retired) joins us. This is sure to be an excellent discussion that will help you prepare to become a successful inventor. Please join me in welcoming Mr. Alberding this Wednesday, March 26th to the Tampa Bay Inventors Council!

TBIC meeting 2/27/08

2008-02-24T21:29:00.002-05:00

Hello Inventors,
Is your idea right for a patent? Do you know how best to protect your invention? Do you need advise? Well this week you can get the answers from our guest speaker at the TBIC meeting. Attorney Mike Colitz will join us to discuss patent law and show you some interesting thing that people have invented. We all have questions about the impact current legislation may have for inventors in the near future. If there is anything you want to ask a patent attorney, write it down and ask mike! Remember, we start at 7pm at 400 Highland Ave. in Largo, Fl. Please join us and help Mike feel welcome!
I'll see you there!

TBIC Meeting 2/13/08

2008-02-11T20:46:00.000-05:00

Having a great idea is a good start, getting the patent is even better but where do you go from there?
How do you get the word out and market your product to the world? We are going to try to find the answers this Wednesday night as we talk all things marketing with our special guest, Jeff Belyea of Affinity Marketing & Communications. Here is a bit about Jeff:

Jeff Belyea, the Creative Solutions Officer at Affinity Marketing and Communications, in Dunedin, will present a talk on creative advertising and marketing - "A New Formula For Success in the 21st Century".

Jeff has 30 years of experience as Creative Director with ad agencies in Washington, DC, New England, and most recently Florida. He is an artist and writer with a PhD in Communications, and was worked with a broad range of clients on everything from new product roll-out to product name and logo design, package design, print, radio and TV advertising, direct mail campaigns, and Internet marketing.

His ad agency's web site is at www.amcenergy.com

January 9th Meeting

2008-01-09T00:50:00.000-05:00

TBIC is kicking off the new year and wants all our inventors to have a voice. For our first meeting of the year we will talk about the directions we want the council to take and subjects we want to explore. We will also hear from our special guest Wendy Hatton. Wendy is the Central Florida President of CEO Space and has had over 20 years experience in business coaching as an adviser to government, major multinational industry and local business owners. A university lecturer in business development and organizational structure she brings insight on how to connect inventions to investments and onto income. You will have an opportunity to learn about CEO space and if it is right for you. I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!

October 24, 2007

2007-10-23T12:17:00.000-04:00

On October 24th, we will have a very inspiring speaker who has had a great deal of experience in business and he will share his advice to the dreamers among us. Chuck Papageorgiou of Ideasphere http://ideasphere.com/CKP_Page.html will help inspire you with a discussion on visionaries and dreamers.
"Chuck has managed organizations ranging from 5 person startups to 1000+ employee international operations. He has held a number of executive positions including, Executive Vice President - International Employer Services for First Advantage, President & CEO of Discrete Wireless, Inc. a wireless Managed Service Provider, Founder, President and CEO of Transportal Network, an internet-based solutions provider to the transportation industry, President of, Intellisource Advisory Services and held a number management positions with United Parcel Service in Information Technology, Operations, International Strategic Planning, and Quality Planning."
Visit his page and see more about him, you don't want to miss this meeting!

TBIC / Largo Rec. Center Inventor's Fair

2007-09-06T22:45:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, September 15th, The Tampa Bay Inventors Council in association with the Largo Recreation Center will host our first annual Inventors Fair! Anyone with an invention that they would like to publicly display (please, family friendly only!) is welcome to take part in the event! The Fair is from 9am till 1pm and judging will be announced an 1pm. Contact the largo Rec. center at 727-518-3021 to reserve a table for your display for $15 (or $30 for up to 5 inventions).
Even if you don't have an invention to show, come to the Fair to see what the Tampa Bay Inventors are developing to improve your world! The Fair is at the Largo Rec. Southwest Complex at 13120 Vonn Rd. Largo, Florida 33774.
I hope to see you there!

TBIC 8/22/07 meeting

2007-08-19T01:34:00.000-04:00

This Wednesday will be an important meeting and we have much to do. It is time for our yearly elections to establish the board to represent TBIC in the coming year. As you know, I have dedicated myself to insuring thatTBIC continues to help inventors and that we enjoy interesting topics & speakers, but I can't do it alone. We need a group of interested people who want to advance their inventor IQ. You don't have to be knowledgeable about inventing to contribute and the time required is minimal. Help make a difference and sign-up to be on the board at TBIC for 2007/2008.
Second, It's almost time for the invention fair with the Largo Recreation Center and we have a great opportunity to show the community our inventions. This will be a sort of a trade show in our own back yard, hosted by TBIC! Please be ready to commit to attending the fair next month, if not to demonstrate your innovation, just come and pitch in.
Last but not least, this Wednesday you can practice your demonstrating skills as we open the floor to offer focus group advice to our fellow inventors. This is a great time to see what others are working on and to offer your opinion about what you like or don't like. If you have a protected idea, bring it to the meeting, show us what you have. You will have about 5 minutes to explain what it is and we will spend another 10 minutes talking about it. This will help you learn your strengths and areas where you need to improve when you get your big break in front of a perspective company.
TBIC is all about Inventors helping inventors so pitch in and we will all grow stronger!
See you Wednesday! WR

Learn Prototyping & product design

2007-07-05T01:26:00.000-04:00

Coming up we will have some excellent speakers at the Inventors Council. On July 25th, Mark Kemper of Engineering & Manufacturing Service will make a return visit. The subject we will focus on is taking someone’s idea and helping them develop it through research, sketches, design and prototyping. Mark always has something interesting to share about the latest techniques so don't miss this presentation. Not to be outdone, on August 8th, Jeff Herbert of Black Hagen Design will give a presentation on some of the products they have brought to the market. They are based right here in Dunedin and they do some high quality, world class work so mark your calendar for these great events! The best way to advance as an inventor is to get an education and TBIC is proud to bring you some of the best! See you there!

June 13th meeting 3D modeling

2007-06-12T15:48:00.000-04:00

Hello Inventors,
This week we will have a special presentation arranged by Mario for an in depth look at 3D modeling and CAD design. Please welcome Marcello Algranatti of Solid Experts and Matt Samalis of Solid Works for a terrific demonstration of the powerful Solid Works program and how it could help you create effective prototypes. These are the steps you might need if you want to utilize rapid prototyping technology and should prove to be a great education for any inventor. Learn what tools are available and you will advance your innovator IQ. Make sure that you get to our meeting at the Largo Rec. center for this presentation. Refreshments will be provided!
Hope to see you all there!

TBIC has MOVED!!!

2007-04-26T18:48:00.000-04:00

The Tampa Bay Inventors council is now relocating our meetings to the Largo Recreation Complex beginning on May 9th at 7pm and will continue to host meetings every 2nd and 4th Wednesday each month! While we have enjoyed a long run (about 4 years) hosted at a private facility, we are looking forward to a greater involvement with the Largo Recreation Department and some of the synergies we hope to develop there. We are already planning an Inventors Fair in the months ahead coordinated by TBIC and the Recreation Department to help get the community involved in inventing. Our new address is: 400 Highland Avenue, Largo, FL 33770
I hope that everyone comes to the first meeting at our new home and feels welcome back to every meeting!
Regards,
Wayne

March 14 meeting

2007-03-13T11:29:00.000-04:00

We have another double-header for you again in this week's meeting as we continue to focus on prototyping. First we will will have a short presentation from Alro Metals by Russ Hunt, a manager of this large metal & plastic supplier. They can provide some cuts and small quantities of stainless steel, roll stock, and other metals, and can have product shipped here from all over the country at no cost.
Next we will have a presentation from Frank Verona of Verona Design. Mr. Verona has for the past thirty-four years, worked with the design and development of new products, in the fields of business equipment, consumer products, and medical devices. His areas of specialty are in plastic part design for injection molding, structural foam, and extrusion processes. Also with metal extrusions, stampings (i.e. progressive dies & short run stamping) and die castings. His work has won several design awards (Zenith Lap Top Award, 88' Design Excellence Award & 2002 Silver Award at the MDM show for the “Siemens Portable Ultrasound Unit). He holds several certificates in Plastic Part Design, Material & Processes, and is a member of the "Society Of Plastic Engineers".
If you are working in, or just want to learn more about building with metals or plastics, make sure to get a seat at out March 14th meeting!
And remember, any member who needs rapid prototyping can put their name in the hat for a $250 coupon off from Mydea, the drawing will be held on March 28th.
I hope to see you all there!

Inventors Meeting 2/28/07

2007-02-25T02:27:00.000-05:00

One of the main ingredients in creating a successful invention is producing a working prototype. This can be an expensive and confusing process and this week we will try to help you out. First we will hear from Barry's Tool & Die about machining and problems you could encounter if you don't do your homework. Berry's Tool and Die has been in business for over 12 years, serving the Aerospace, Military, Industrial and Commercial industries. They specialize in Machining Prototypes and Short Production runs in Aluminum, Plastic, Copper, Steel, G-10 (PC board), and Phenolic. They also worked with Inventors to Design, Document and Create Prototypes for Patent Submission. Customers include Fortune 100 clients, as well as Individuals and Small Production Facilities.
Please make them feel welcome and prepare any questions that you may have for a Q & A session!

We will also hear about the networking opportunities associating with the Tampa Bay Technology Forum, one of the largest groups in Florida working to make Tampa Bay the next big technology hub in America. Several hundred companies and thousands of members work with TBTF to make their associations count. Find out if TBTF is right for you in promoting your innovation. Visit www.tbtf.org to learn more.

And one last thing. All TBIC members in good standing can enter to win a $250 credit for rapid prototyping from Mydea Technologies. Just drop your name in the hat and we will draw a winner next month.

See you at the meeting!

TBIC has a new phone number

2007-02-14T14:29:00.000-05:00

We have recently aquired a new phone number using Skype to hopefully improve communications with our members. This number, 727-565-2085, will connect through the internet when monitored or will allow you to leave a message that we can respond to. Please start using this number whenever you want to contact someone from TBIC or e-mail admin@tbic.us
Regards,
Wayne

Dr. Forrest Bird at TBIC

2007-01-16T00:46:00.000-05:00

On January 10th, we were happy to have American Hall of Fame Inventor Dr. Forrest Bird come to Tampa Bay to inspire our inventors with tales of his amazing experences helping us win the fight in World War 2, developing life saving respirators that reduced infant mortality world wide and his thoughts on inventing in the world today. Here is a sample of what he had to say: Remember that TBIC meets every 2nd & 4th Wednesday and we would love to have you join us. Visit www.tbic.us for a map and details along with some great resources and newsletters for inventors.

TBIC Meetings January 2007

2007-01-08T23:56:00.000-05:00

On January 10th, TBIC is proud to welcome our special guest Dr. Forrest Bird, of the American Inventors Hall of Fame and his wife, Pamela Riddle Bird, Author of "Inventing for Dummies" and principal of Innovating Products Technologies. Mr. Bird will deliver a presentation sure to inspire drawn from a rich life filled with amazing experiences including being one of the first Jet and helicopter test pilots during WW2. Don't miss this opportunity to meet an American legend at this, our first meeting of 2007.

On January 24th, we will welcome William McHenry, President of Entrepreneur Sales & Marketing LLC. Entrepreneur Sales and Marketing’s business model allowing Inventors and Entrepreneurs to pursue professional Sales and Marketing services otherwise unaffordable to small and start up companies in their beginning stages of bringing their product to market. Find out how you can partner with Mr. McHenry’s company and improve your chances in the marketplace. Meetings start at 7pm and our map can be found at www.tbic.us/map.html
See you there!

2006-12-15T17:08:00.000-05:00

Need to Search Patents? Try Google
Search giant now provides easy access to U.S. patent database.
Part 1 of a special five-part series.

Nancy Gohring, IDG News Service
Thursday, December 14, 2006 09:00 AM PST

If you've ever dreamed up an ingenious new invention and then wondered if someone else has already made it, Google's new patent search offering is for you.

The new site lets anyone search for U.S. patents by keyword, patent number, inventor, and filing date. Users can view a scanned image of the original patent and zoom in on pages.

The main search page displays five different random patents each time the page is visited. Recent inventions that popped up include a toy skunk, a pocket protector, a toupee, and a doll having delayed wetting and crying action.

An Inventor's Take on the Site
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office already allows anyone to search its site for patent documents. But Google's offering may have some advantages. "The existing Web sites have patents that you can view so it's not that the information isn't there. The problem is finding it and that's where Google's expertise comes in," said Mike Overy, secretary for the Wessex Round Table of Inventors, an inventors club in England. Overy formerly developed products for Nokia and is now a freelance inventor.

Google said that like its Web search technology, the patent search site uses a number of different signals to evaluate how relevant each patent is to a user's query and then determines results algorithmically.

The USPTO is not the only patent office to offer an online patent search facility. The European Patent Office also hosts such a service, covering patents from European countries, the U.S., Canada, and other patent authorities. Overy finds that database good but not very user friendly, he said.

Discovering existing patents is critical for inventors, whose ability to make money on an invention could be severely reduced by an existing patent, Overy said.

While Google's new offering may ease what is often an incredibly tedious job, it may not be able to fully solve the problem, he said. One issue inherent in new inventions is naming them. "If you've invented what you think is the first gizmo whatsit and you type that into a search engine, you won't find much because the other person who invented it called it something different," he said.

Database to Grow
Google's patent search covers 7 million patents. The database doesn't include patents issued in the last few months, but Google "looks forward to expanding our coverage in the future," according to the frequently asked questions section of its site.

Although Google's database only lists U.S. patents for now, the company said it hopes to expand the patent offices it includes and languages it supports.

Presumably the site will one day allow users to save and print patents too: A note at the bottom of a posting about the new service on the Google blog says that a reference to saving and printing has been removed since Google is still working on the capabilities.

November 8th meeting

2006-11-04T02:39:00.000-05:00

The success of your invention relies greatly on how it is perceived by the public. If it doesn’t make a positive first impression, you might not get a second chance to sell it. Our guest on November 8th will demonstrate and teach you to capture an image of your innovation professionally. Please welcome Digital Photo Creations as they demonstrate the best way to photograph your product shot. Learn how to light, what kind of background to use, mistakes to avoid and what camera equipment works best. Make sure that your products shots are the best they can be by joining us at 7pm on November 8th!

October 25th meeting

2006-10-23T08:47:00.000-04:00

Join us October 25th as we welcome Kevin Drumm of Competitive Technologies. Established in 1968, Competitive Technologies is a full service technology transfer and licensing provider, focused on bringing the intellectual property assets of its clients to the marketplace. CTT specializes in identifying, developing and commercializing innovative technologies in a variety of areas, including life and physical sciences, electronics, and nanotechnologies. CTT is also active in setting up global distribution channels for clients who have a product on the market. Through its global distribution platform, CTT maximizes the value of its clients’ intellectual property assets.
Also,
Tim Brady of GuidedStar consulting will be back to offer free one-on-one consulting during the meeting to our members! We also have a few other tricks or treats for you so I'll see you there!
WR

TBIC meeting September 27th

2006-09-25T21:36:00.000-04:00

Just a reminder that our speaker this Wednesday will give you insight into one of the most important aspects of becoming a successful inventor.... Marketing!
Tim Brady is the principal at Guided Star Consulting, a sales and marketing orientedpractice. Aligned and collaborating with other Independent Professionalsand Partner Firms, he provides Consulting Services to Companies large andsmall across North America. Relocated from the Washington, D.C. area in2005, Tim now operates out of Bradenton, on the central Florida Gulf Coast.A career spanning 30 years in Marketing, Sales, and Management in theTechnology sector provides the basis for his work. A particular focus hasbeen dynamic new technology Start-Ups where he helped ten new firms bring aproduct to market for the first time.
Please join me in welcoming Tim to TBIC!

Speakers coming to TBIC

2006-09-06T22:17:00.000-04:00

Hello all,
TBIC is pleased to welcome our guest speakers for september and October. Mark your calendar and be sure to attend these meetings to get educated on these important topics!

Sep. 13th Stephen Powers, Principal at Gulf Coast Intellectual Property Group. He will discuss searching for prior art related to your innovation, writing broad claims on your patents and some of the new changes at the Patent office. If you have any IP questions, this is a great opportunity to ask them without costing you a dime.

Sep. 27th Tim Brady is Guided Star Consulting, a sales and marketing oriented practice. Aligned and collaborating with other Independent Professionals and Partner Firms, he provides Consulting Services to Companies large and small across North America. Tim operates out of Bradenton, on the central Florida Gulf Coast. A career spanning 30 years in Marketing, Sales, and Management in the Technology sector provides the basis for his work. A particular focus has been dynamic new technology Start-Ups where he helped ten new firms bring a product to market for the first time.

Oct. 11th Cassie Bouldin of Savvy Buzz, Inc. The presentation will focus on "How to Get News Coverage for Your Invention". In addition to talking about "How To" get news coverage, She will tackle the issue of "When to" get news coverage. As you are aware, inventors don't want to get into the spotlight too soon because you only get one chance to make a first impression.

Get your innovation on course and learn all you can. For details on time and location, visit www.tbic.us
See you there!

Wayne Rasanen
President, TBIC

Your Idea in Focus

2006-08-06T19:38:00.000-04:00

I just want to let you know that we are going to have the opportunity this next meeting to demonstrate and discuss innovations in progress. As you (should) know, your idea is only the beginning step to being a true inventor. You need to develop your idea and ensure that you aren't going down a blind path. That's why feedback is so important! Bring your (protected) idea to the meeting this Wednesday, August 9th, and be ready to explain what you are thinking. As a group, we will try to give you hints going forward to help to develop a successful invention. The rest of our scheduled meetings are filling up with some great speakers so this could be your last chance this year to get feedback from an all inventor focus group! See you this Wednesday!

TBIC in the OSC

2006-06-19T11:26:00.000-04:00

TBIC was happy to particapate with the Orlando Science Center and their "Meet the Inventor" program on June 17th. This was a great chance to demonstrate our ideas and get feedback from the public about how "really cool" our inventions are!

TBIC inventions at the Orlando Science Center 6/17/06

2006-06-02T17:04:00.000-04:00

Attention TBIC inventors!
If you have an invention that relates to kids or playing in any way (or pets even), we have a terrific opportunity to show them at the Orlando Science Center Museum on Saturday, June 17th and get some exposure and feedback! TBIC has been invited to set up tables and display some of our inventions from 11 am till 4 pm inside the museum and talk to the public about inventing. This will be a great place to get feedback about what people like or don't like about your innovation. Even if it isn't "play" related, you can still join us and show off your solution (ideas suitable for children or not offensive please :-). You could spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for the chance to publicly display your product but this will cost you nothing! I need to know who will be joining us as soon as possible so contact me before June 13th to save a space! This is the day before Father's day and will make for a very memorable weekend. Even if you don't have an invention, please come on out and promote inventing & TBIC.

2006-05-08T12:23:00.000-04:00

UPCOMING SPEAKERS

May 10th ••• Tina Campbell will provide us with her marketing expertise to help our inventors learn new ways to market their products and compete in the marketplace.

May 24th ••• Mark Kemper of Engineering & Mfg Services, Inc. will demonstrate rapid prototyping using Z Corp. equipment. If you have plans for building a prototype and have accurate engineering drawings, Mark may be able to help you out. His equipment will produce a three-dimension plastic model that can give you a hands-on feel to determine how best to build your products.

June 14th ••• Our own Mario Lombardo will give us an education on open-source computing using free software and the Linux operating system.

June 28th ••• TBIC is proud to introduce Brent Britton, a professional patent attorney here in Tampa Bay. Brent specializes in working with technology and enjoys helping inventors take the first steps to profitability.

I hope that everyone takes advantage of the knowledge that we disseminate in our meetings. I hope to see you all there!

The ABC's of Patents

2006-04-10T19:09:00.000-04:00

Greetings Inventors,
As another part of us helping you become successful with your invention, we are pleased to announce that Patent Agent, and former TBIC President, David Kiewit will be our guest speaker Wednesday, April 12th.
The process of inventing involves some risks and David's job is to help reduce those risks by getting the right protection for the innovation. Some things are best protected by a patent, some by a copywrite and others by a trademark. All of these can be confusing and expensive if you don't know what you are doing. That's why it is always best to talk to a pro before you get into the game. Line up your questions and if David doesn't cover it in his presentation, he will do his best to get you an answer!
Remember, the only thing worse than saying "I thought of that first" is knowing that you didn't protect it when you could have.
Please join me in welcoming David this Wednesday, maybe he'll give me some tips on running the meeting too!
See you there!

Wayne Rasanen
President, TBIC

Spring into session

2006-03-20T03:39:00.000-05:00

With the first of spring comes the reminder...but the tax man is in far behind. For those of you who have made your invention into a business, this is a good time to take into account where you've been and where you're going. Producing a product and selling it is often the best path of success for an inventor. Where you produce your product has become more cost-efficient in many cases by outsourcing. Please join me this Wednesday, March 22 in a welcoming Ron Dick of Access International as our guest speaker to learn the advantages and pitfalls of outsourcing your product to Asia. Ron and his partner have been helping USA inventors establish relations with Asian manufacturers for several years. He is agreed to share with us his expert experience and help teach us what we should expect when getting your product manufactured in Asia.
Visit Ron's web site www.asiasourcenow.com and prepare your questions for what should prove to be a very lively debate during our first spring session.
See you Wednesday night!

ICTT's new liquid asset...

2006-03-20T02:27:00.000-05:00

In a case of persistence finally paying off...ICTT and has recently signed a contract to provide its "Coral Water" for mass consumption. Not to say that ICTT's ship has come in yet but, very soon quite a lot of water will! Because of their good fortune, the space we currently occupy will unfortunately be needed for day-to-day operations and holding some very large water tanks.
The good news is that we will simply move to the opposite side of the wall without affecting operations and have all the conveniences that we've been used to having. It was suggested in recent board meeting that the club needed a bit of an update and clean-up, so now we have a perfect opportunity to dress up our location!
We would like to invite our members to make suggestions and get involved with TBIC's growth and development. We will need to revise our display area and will soon accept requests from members who wish to display their products in the TBIC facility. Those that pitch in will get first bid on getting a space so put on your thinking cap and your work gloves so we can all help each other out. Inventors helping inventors!

2006-The Year of Innovation!

2006-01-03T20:36:00.000-05:00

Last year we saw the start and casting of several new TV shows featuring inventors. This year they will be aired in millions of homes around the nation(s). Being an inventor today is a powerful thing with the ability to change the world like never before. (Please note, Rock Stars still get more groupies!) Make sure you get off on the right foot & make plans to attend our first TBIC meeting on January 11th. Our guest will be Mr. Edward Dutkiewicz, Registered Patent Attorney and all around good guy. Ed will address all of our questions (as time permits) about protecting your intellectual property. The first step with any invention is always to make sure you have your ducks in a row before you let the cat out of the bag!...I'll let you think about that one for a few seconds....

Next up on January 25th, our meeting will cover how to license your ideas to corporations with our special guest, Mr. Robert Oros of Business Development Resources. Robert will tell you about a step by step process that can enhance your ability to become successful in licencing your inventions. As you may already know, less than 4% of patents typically earn much money. I believe that if we can improve our odds of success, than we must! Robert will cover Strategic growth opportunity, due diligence, technology development, branding & licensing. If you are serious about being an inventor, you don't want to miss the opportunities we have this January! Remember, for directions and information, visit our website www.tbic.us

2005-11-14T16:35:00.000-05:00

Make Plans For December 14th Meeting

Be sure to join us for the last meeting of 2005 on December 14th when we plan to have a “double-dose” of speakers.

First up, Tina Brudnicki of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers will give us the 411 on Who's Who in Tampa Bay and how local inventors can tap into their network to find the services we need to move our projects forward.

Next, meet Bob Solomon. Bob has been inventing for several years and has remarkable insight developed from his experience -- some of it good, some of it not so good. You can always learn things the hard way or you can learn from someone who has been there and done that. Bob has been speaking all around the country and now brings his humor, passion and flare to TBIC.

Lets end this year with a bang! Join us on December 14th for the merriest meeting yet.

TBIC Fall Schedule

2005-11-06T13:20:00.000-05:00

Please remember that TBIC will only hold meetings on the 2nd Wednesday during the months of November and December. The 4th Wednesday is too close to the seasons holidays so we hope you will enjoy those times with friends and family.
On November 9th, please welcome Toyna Clark, Executive Director of Star Tec, Technology Enterprise Center form the Young/Rainy Star Center in Pinellas County. Many of you have driven past the Star Center but how many of you know much about it or how they help accelerate the development of small business? They and entering a new growth phase and this is an excellent time to hear about the coming opportunities there. Make sure you don't miss this second to the last opportunity this year to network with Tampa Bay area inventors. The meeting starts at 7pm, hope to see you then!

Inventors on TV

2005-11-06T13:00:00.000-05:00

Greetings to all inventors!
The Tampa Bay Inventors Council was pleased to be on hand at WEDU this weekend during the casting call for Bouncing Brain's production of "Everyday Edisons". This was an opportunity for anyone with an idea for "a better mousetrap" to hopefully put it on the fast track to the marketplace. TBIC was happy to help get the word out about this show and very pleased to be on hand at the casting to help inventors learn more about the process and invite them to join with other inventors in Tampa Bay. We hope that Bouncing Brain got more than they expected when they came to Tampa and asked if there is any innovation to be seen here!

2005-10-27T13:54:00.000-04:00

Attention Star / Inventors:

Bouncing Brain Productions, in conjunction with WEDU, will be conducting a casting call on Saturday, November 5th for Everyday Edisons™, a reality TV show that chronicles inventors and the product development process. Unlike most TV reality shows, this show does not let America vote and send the losers away. Casting calls have already been held in Atlanta, Nashville, Columbia, and Charlotte. Tampa will be the final audition for Season 1, and the only visit to the state of Florida. Upon the conclusion of this casting call, 12 inventors will be chosen, and all of them will see their products developed on TV.

I know that your members would really benefit from this opportunity to present their ideas. I have attached more information on the show. I would appreciate it if you would pass on this information to your membership and encourage them to come out. I also wanted to see if you would like to play any role in the upcoming casting call on Saturday, November 5th in Tampa. We have worked with Inventor Organizations in Charlotte and Atlanta and allowed them to distribute literature. As a result, these groups added a bunch of new members to their organizations. If you would like to have any literature at the event...you are more than welcome.

The official audition for ideas or inventions is November 5th at WEDU Studios, 1300 North Boulevard, Tampa, FL . Registration will be open from 7 AM until 1 PM. Registration forms will be available at the event or online http://www.everydayedisons.com/. If you have the next big idea, you could be one of the select few innovators chosen for the show. So log on to http://www.everydayedisons.com/ for details and bring your innovative idea to Tampa on November 5th …and maybe you'll be the next to reinvent history.

Feel free to give me a call at 704-369-7333 if you have any additional questions.

Louis Foreman Louis@BouncingBrainProductions.com

Speakers Scheduled Oct./ Nov.

2005-10-24T18:27:00.000-04:00

Attention TBIC members,
Please join us on Wednesday, October 26th as we welcome Ed Ansell and John Hackett of Professional Business Solutions, LLC as our guest speaker. John will give a presentation on the Value of Intellectual Properties and will discuss various essential elements of effective businesses. Topics may include Business plans, marketing, financial management, and other business basics as time will allow. He will help you understand the value of your patent and discuss how you can cash-in by selling it. If you have any interest in dealing with the business world, I urge you to attend our next TBIC meeting.

Also make plans to join us for our only meeting in November on the 9th when our speaker will be Tonya Clark of Star Tec Technology Enterprise Center at the Young-Rainey STAR Center. Star Tec is charged with bringing promising start-up companies into the Pinellas County STAR Center incubator program, and accelerating their growth and development. If you haven't heard of the STAR Center or you just want to know more about the vast array of resources available in our area, you can't miss coming to this event. Again, this is part of our regular Wednesday night meeting and available to all TBIC members.

So mark your calendars and remember there are only three more meetings left in this year. Don't miss a single one!

See you Wednesday!

Packaging : Your Product’s First Impression

2005-09-02T16:06:00.000-04:00

For September 28th:

Packaging has many important roles as a part of your product. It displays, it protects and it informs. With only 4 to 5 seconds to grab a consumer’s attention—your package has a tough job to do. The competition is fierce. Thousands of products are introduced each year. What can you do to stand out from the crowd? Create a package that does its job better than everyone else. Use graphics that wow, innovative and interesting materials and copy that sells.

There is a multitude of options for packaging a product. How do you decide what is the most effective and cost efficient solution for your product? You need to look at all of your options as you begin the process of preparing the package for your product. Packaging Management Group specializes in packaging development. With over 40-years, combined experience in the packaging industry, PMG is uniquely qualified to prepare the right package to successfully market your product. They can assist in the process from start to finish with expertise in designing, sourcing, printing, and marketing. You won’t get a second chance to make a first impression so come and get some information on how to do it right the first time.

Lynor Romer and Joan LeRoy of PMG will present to TBIC at the September 28th meeting. Their presentation topics will include:

-- Image Development

-- Packaging Your Product
-- Promoting Your Product

Speaker Set for September 14 Meeting

2005-09-01T16:23:00.000-04:00

Rick Austin, Executive Producer at Lion’s Share Entertainment in Orlando, will be the speaker at the September 14th meeting. The company produces infomercials, TV ads, corporate videos, and presentations on CD/DVD. They are also responsible for the production of the TV program “Inventors Showcase”. The following brief description is taken from their website which can be found by clicking: http://www.lions-share-ent.com/
__________________________________

Lion's Share Entertainment is a creative company that uses "moving pictures" to sell.
In some instances we use moving pictures to sell products. In others we use moving pictures to sell ideas. In some instances we create what looks like pure entertainment, for the purpose of selling advertising, merchandise, and character based products. These moving picture images can be delivered in various formats- including television, film, interactive, Internet, CD-ROM, and DVDs. Thus, we create and produce programs, films, documentaries, videos, commercials, infomercials, DVDs, music videos, and interactive media that deliver a message, that entertain, that teach, that train and that tell a story. These messages and stories ultimately sell products by delivering audiences to advertisers, either directly or indirectly.