Why Share Our Experience

Hi! My name is Melody Masters. I am the wife and business partner of an innovator, or inventor . . . whatever term is most familiar to you. I would love to share with you our experiences (challenges, lessons, milestones, etc.) as we try to introduce our "brain-child" to the market and make it successful. We are at a point where this product (I'll introduce it to you later) could really take off or just not quite make it. It's such an exciting adventure for us and we would love to share it with those of you who are curious. Wouldn't it be cool if in a year or so you were able to say you journeyed with us first hand and are able to participate in celebrating our success with us??!!


First, I'd like to explain why I feel compelled to share with you. Since we started designing, developing, and marketing our product, the Belt Bucket, I have had several friends and family call me to tell me they too have a great idea for a product, and ask how difficult and costly is it to pursue having their product idea patented and possibly manufactured. I try to best explain what my experience has been and then direct them to certain resources. However, it's a lot to cover in just one conversation. I want to be encouraging but realistic at the same time. I am starting this blog kind of late - we've been at this for a few years, so I have a lot to catch you up on. (Don't worry I'll try to summarize it and keep it brief!) But I feel like sharing our experience may help you decide if your unique idea is worth pursuing a patent on, and introducing to different buyers and/or your targeted market. All the books are written about the inventors who succeed - I'm not being a sceptic and saying we won't succeed, but I'm being realistic and saying there's always a chance that we won't. Of course I'm passionate about our product and we will do everything that we can to make it soar!

The second reason I suddenly decided I wanted to share this kind of information with you is because I feel like some information out there about pursuing an invention is misleading. For instance lately I have been watching Donny Deutch's "Big Idea" on MSNBC, and he interviews several innovators who have had a brilliant idea, pursued it and now are making millions. Basically, he introduces the inventor, has them briefly tell you what their idea was, talk about how they had very little money to put into the product, how persistent they were to get it on Oprah, and how they are now making millions. Watch it and see what I mean. It sends a message to viewers that not much money, work, or time is necessary to make your product succeed. Now, I believe this is true with some products - like the seamless, control-top underwear for women. Heck yeah Oprah's going to fall in love with it and promote it on her show and in her magazine! What women wouldn't? However a product like ours is a little different. It's a tool. Some people love it, others won't even try it for whatever reason. (Does Oprah paint? - Are you curious what our product is yet???) We are being diligent with branding our product, developing logos/trademarks/a website, pursuing distributors and rep's for the product, promoting our site, and exhibiting at tradeshows. Success doesn't always happen overnight. Also, what constitutes success??? Millions of dollars??? We'd love for this product to be available for you to purchase when you go into your local paint/sundries store (Sherwin Williams, Lowes, Kwal, etc.) But honestly, we'd just be stoked with having it be a company that supplements our income so we can run just one business and not three! That would be successful enough. Basically, what I'm saying is that sometimes you have to work long and hard to make your dream come true! Don't give up when it doesn't happen like Donny says. Also, be prepared to make it a full time job and invest several of thousands of dollars into it if it doesn't take off right away.

I'm excited to share our journey with you - I just pray that at the end of this we have some celebrating to do! I'm not a writer and this blog doesn't spell check for me - so I'm not promising that my thoughts/posts will always be exciting and well-written, but they will be honest and informative. I think I've written enough for now . . . I just realized I have to pick up my son from Grandma's and make something sort-of nutritious for my family to eat. I'll describe our product tomorrow and how we got started. Until then you can see it online at http://www.paintbeltpro.com/ - it's called the Belt Bucket!

Share more wit'choo tomorrow!