| This week I had the opportunity to launch a new | | | | to corporate headquarters to formally present the |
| product at the Juvenile Products Manufacturers | | | | prototype to the corporate team and commence |
| Association's annual trade show in Orlando. This is an | | | | negotiations for a license deal. |
| annual fair that brings together the manufacturers of | | | | Now this is a great step for her but she realizes she |
| all size to present and introduce new wares for the | | | | has a long way to go before she closes a license |
| youth market. As in all industries, the competition is | | | | deal. I know this after several days of exposure to |
| fierce, the innovations many and the marketing | | | | this woman, if the deal does not happen I will see |
| strategies are endlessly varied. | | | | her at this or another show down the line with a fully |
| During lulls in the action I walked the floor and did a | | | | branded product ready for sale. She will not stop until |
| bit of networking. I had the good fortune to meet a | | | | she achieves her goal. |
| woman, standing at the smallest, most sparsely | | | | My consulting firm looks at hundreds of new |
| merchandised booth in the show. As we chatted she | | | | invention and product submissions each year. We |
| opened up to me about what her goals were for her | | | | actually engage about a dozen in an average year. A |
| product, at this time and at this expensive, high-end | | | | very high percentage of the items we pass on |
| show. | | | | nevertheless have real commercial merit. What they |
| Her display consisted solely of a single prototype of | | | | invariably lack is a person such as the lady I have |
| her invention. She had no packaging, no graphics, no | | | | described in this article. |
| branding, none of the elements present in glowing | | | | The ability to take an alternative path, expose your |
| abundance at every other booth on the trading floor. | | | | idea to a critical marketplace and take a risk is what |
| She was also scared. Her expressed fear was that | | | | separates successful entrepreneurs from dreamers. |
| she would be dismissed as a dreamer for attending | | | | The word "no" is something all of us dread hearing. |
| such an event with no bullets in her gun. | | | | And yet, overcoming "no" is the hurdle every |
| Despite all of her perceived disadvantages, this lady | | | | entrepreneur must learn to accept, understand and |
| had a really great product concept. Her invention was | | | | handle. I tell my clients, "no just means not today". |
| novel, a true product improvement over the existing | | | | I meet many people who simply give up. Their |
| universe of competitive brands currently being | | | | reasons, really excuses, are endless. I could not raise |
| marketed. I thought she had an excellent chance to | | | | the money. I was misled. I have three kids. My |
| find a partner, a license or sell her patented concept | | | | partner took off with the plans. I can't sell. These, |
| and told her so. | | | | and countless other complaints are indicative of a |
| Each day I would see this nice lady several times and | | | | fear of success. Not everyone is constructed with |
| I noticed a subtle change happening at each meeting. | | | | the "right stuff" to succeed as an entrepreneur. |
| She was gaining confidence. She was seeing her | | | | I was personally and professionally re-energized after |
| product concept being exposed to a very tough | | | | my brief, meeting with my new entrepreneurial friend. |
| crowd and people were confirming her assumptions | | | | She had taken an uncertain, risky and novel road to |
| about product potential. Her experience at the show | | | | launching her product. Her courage was to be |
| was proving invaluable in energizing her for the task | | | | admired. She confirmed my belief that the road to |
| ahead of making her invention market ready. | | | | success is open to all with the drive, ambition and |
| The last time I saw this lady she was positively | | | | positive attitude essential to face and overcome the |
| glowing. A senior executive from one of the largest | | | | obstacles that inevitably must be encountered. |
| companies in the industry had visited her stand. Then | | | | Markets are brutally competitive. Only the strong will |
| he returned with subordinates. She had been invited | | | | survive in this jungle. |