Product Creation

[cfo3074]

Hi All,

I have a product that I would like to have made but I'm not sure how to get started. I went to thomasnet.org like the book suggested but all the companies I found had products of there own to sell but nothing helping you to create your own unique product. Am I missing something or did the book leave this very important piece out? Is there a place I can go to get this done?

[chigurh coin flip]

I don't have an answer, but I am "bumping" this in order to see if anyone else does.

I too, have some ideas for products. I don't have one big muse in mind. More or less some mini-muses.

[yuugen]

I'm having the same problem. The amount of research needed to find the materials I need, plus coordinate the manufacturers is incredible. I need a VA I don't have money yet...I thought muses were supposed to make things easier?

[wildsoul]

Yes, I think things are supposed to be easier. Excellent point!

The book has lots of different ways to make a muse happen, but what it can't take into account is how much biz experience you already have, what resources, etc.

Unless you're already doing manufacturing, or know people who are, I think it's a hard road. If you're already connected, then that's another story.

[Vagabond]

You should be able to find people on thomannet.com that are able to make prototypes for you, you can then take that to manufacturers to have it made, but you should patent the prototype.

do google searches for prototype designers, custom contract manufacturers... do some digging..

[Marcie]

patents are verrry expensive and there is no guarantee your patent will be granted at the end of the process. Just wanted to throw that out there since the expense could kill the ROI on a muse, depending on what it is. Tim posted a resource in his Licensing Ideas to Others for Royalties section of "TOOLS & TRICKS BY CHAPTER - Chapter 9 – Finding the Muse":

InventRight (www.inventright.com)

In many cases it's not worth the patent...

[erinmariedris]

I was also really frustrated with finding manufacturers on Thomasnet.org. In the end, I did not find what I was looking for directly on that site. I used maybe one or two references from that as well as looking at general ads and doing google searches to eventually find legit manufacturers - but only by asking for references from them. I sent out a standard email to those whose contact I could find on the Web. Some answered me, others did not. Calling seems to be the most efficient, but only if you have the time. Overall, it is not a quick find and seems to get more complicated the deeper you go. But, I have now narrowed down to about 8 legit manufacturers, so it's a start! Next, I have to get pricing guidelines and before that test to see if someone is actually going to buy my product!

Also, I like security (why am I becoming an entrepreneur?! )so I paid $100 for a provisional patent. It is easy to do and only involves a title, description (as brief as you want b/c you can always change it later), and a pdf cover letter (of title, desc.) and any associated drawings.

http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/provapp.htm

Hope this helps!

[Marcie]

Oh yes I meant to say a provisional patent is an excellent idea, that's what the website I referenced talks about...

[CobaltSailor]

elance and guru.com both feature companies that can create a prototype for you, as well as business consultants that can aid in getting your things manufactured.

[Burgher]

The Thomas register has everybody and everything, so you really need to have a good idea of what product you want to buy. If you have an original design then you need to look at design companies and custom manufacturers. Tim "created" a vitamin/nutritional supplement product, there are a number of companies that will create a unique or private label formulation of a vitamin supplement like Tim's. The trick, as Tim states in the book, is finding a niche market to sell your product. You can have a product made that is exactly, or virtually exactly, like Tim's and sell it to a different niche market. If nutritional supplements are your interest then take a look at NHK laboratories, Maat Nutritionals or Pan American Lborotories, those are just 3 of the many listed in the Thomas Register.