Invent It, Sell It, Bank It!: Make Your Million-Dollar Idea Into a Reality Read Online Free PDF

and that means having a place to put them. When I started inventing products, I tried to think of things that people needed and wanted. There are so many things in life that we cannot control, but our stuff doesn’t have to be one of them! I design a lot of organizers because it makes people’s lives easier, including my own. My mom owned every single one of them. In fact, she owned every single thing I ever made, and watched every show I was ever on, calling me to share her thoughts after every one. Of course, she loved everything—she was my mom.
    My mom’s nemesis was her cluttered bedroom; mine is my office. It’s a nightmare, and I have yet to invent or find any tool to help me tame it. Like a lot of people, as soon as I put papers away, I forget about them, so I have to leave them scattered all over my desk. It’s chaos. When you’re a busy person (and who isn’t?), stuff just winds up everywhere. One of these days I hope I’ll come up with a solution for the office. Or I hope you will.
    Self-Sufficiency and Independence
    You’d think that it would go without saying that an inventor needs to be self-sufficient, but based on the questions people ask me, it does need to be said. I think some people believe that because they have an independent streak, they are naturally self-sufficient, too. But that’s not always the case. I’ve lost count of the number of entrepreneurs who have asked me for information, and after I’ve given them some guidelines about how to research their question, have come back at me with, “Couldn’t you just tell me what to do?” I don’t think those people stand a chance. You may want to be your own boss, but if you don’t have the wherewithal to figure it out on your own, you won’t make it.
    One of the hardest things about being an entrepreneur is that there is no one around to tell you what to do, and no one to make sure you do it. That’s what I love about it, but for others I often wonder, how will they cope? I’m sure they understand, rationally, what it means to be self-employed, but many will find it surprisingly hard to stick to a self-imposed regimen. You’ve got to be the kind of person who doesn’t need direction and enjoys figuring things out for yourself. My husband always jokes that I can never do anything like everyone else. They will be driving in one lane; I’m always off creating my own. Being independent doesn’t mean, of course, that you shouldn’t turn to others for expertise or guidance. It’s a wise person who knows how and when to do that. But you must have the initiative to take whatever you learn and run with it. Ultimately, it will make you a stronger, more competitive businessperson to try to figure things out on your own. Your mistakes will be all yours, but so will your triumphs.
    Charisma and Showmanship
    The three years you spent holed up alone in your garage tinkering with your product may have been the happiest days of your life, but they will be wasted and your invention will never see the light of day if you are afraid to talk to strangers about it. People drawn to entrepreneurialism are typically outgoing and unafraid of making public speeches, but I’ve often heard protests along the lines of, “I’m a scientist/engineer/accountant, not a salesperson.” It’s fine to live a life of the mind while building your invention, but if you ever want to sell it, you’ll need to embrace the limelight, too. Shyness will sink you in this business.
    We’ve discussed the importance of passion, and here, too, it plays a role. A large part of successful selling is demonstrating tremendous passion for your product or idea, because enthusiasm and excitement is infectious. But in general, the best salespeopledo genuinely like people. They like getting to know others and developing rapport, and most of all, they know how to listen so they can learn what people want or need. Developing charm (yes, it can be learned), being sensitive to others, and