What's in Store for August at the
Inventors Council 
in Lexington:

 - Free Open Meeting Tuesday, Aug 1st
 - Inventor/Ent Workshop Tue August 8th
Stop Counting the Play Money 

 

Too many inventors, innovators & entrepreneurs are treating play "Monopoly" money like it's real.
 
If we're not careful, we'll end up counting things like we should be counting real money. And while these things should not be considered as bad things, and are actually in themselves good things, the problem arises when they become "counted" instead of the points that really count in business: customers and revenue. 
 
Here's some things we tend to want to count instead of those dollars, but really shouldn't. 
 
Pitch Competitions.  Now let me say this up-front.  Pitch competitions are good.  I am ALL for them.  I have participated in many of them, won them, and even teach how to do them.  You NEED to know how to master this skill if you are going to be a success with an invention, a business, or even in life.  However, I also know how easy it can become to start believing that they are an end unto themselves, and that can be dangerous.  Winning a pitch competition can and will (I know, I've been there) be like throwing gasoline on the fire of your ego.  It's great to win.  But if you begin to tell yourself that "now that you've won" that you have also won the end game of a successful startup, you are fooling yourself, and that can lead you down a path to ironically, failure. 
 
Investors & funding does not mean success.  It only gives you the opportunity to be successful.  Plus there will be strings attached.  Don't kid yourself - you are getting married to these people. 
 
Social media "Likes", "Favorites", "Subscribers", etc., are great.  You want this to boost your audience.  But again, when you start to confuse "Likes" with money, you are headed for scary territory.  I've seen a lot of people who have 100K Likes on Facebook but virtually no business.  Again, it's not a bad thing to have them, and while they can be helpful for getting business, they are not the end-all. 

Want to learn how to keep your eyes on the prize of real customers and revenue?  Here's some ways we can help you:  
  • Join us us next week at the Inventors Council Free Open Meeting in Lexington on Tue Aug 1st as we hear from John Schlipp at the Intellectual Property Awareness Center. See all the details below.
I hope to see you at the next Free Open Meeting, Workshop or Class. 

- Don 
Tuesday - August 1st, 2017
At the next :

Do you have questions about patents or other intellectual properties? Are you confused about patent owner rights for inventors, entrepreneurs and business start-ups?  Then you won't want to miss our next Inventors Council Lexington Open Meeting as we hear from: 

John Schlipp
with the
Intellectual Property Awareness Center


John will cover the basic facts about patent law, patent owner rights, and related intellectual properties for inventors, entrepreneurs and business start-ups.  

John will also include brief highlights on 7 Step Patent Searching utilizing the new CPC (Cooperative Patent Classification).  

Patent
Learn about NKU Steely Library's IPAC: Intellectual Property Awareness Center in Highland Heights, KY, which is also an official Patent & Trademark Resource Center representing the US Patent & Trademark Office.



John Schlipp is an Intellectual Property Librarian and Associate Professor of Library Services at W. Frank Steely Library at Northern Kentucky University. He holds a master's degree in Library Science from the University of Kentucky. He is the manager of the IPAC: Intellectual Property Awareness Center. 

NKU IPAC

Important note about John's presentation: Information at this program is provided for informational purposes only. Any information provided should not be considered legal advice. Any information received at this program should not substitute for securing legal advice from a licensed intellectual property attorney.

Join us as we learn about protecting your intellectual property for your idea, invention, product or business.  

We'll look to see you on Tuesday, August 1st in Lexington ! 
When: Tuesday, August 1st, 2017
Doors Open at 6:30pm
Meeting Begins at 7:00pm

Where:  Eastside Library

Don't Miss this Free Open Meeting 
in Lexington

Doors Open for Networking at 6:30pm
Meeting Begins at 7:00pm
Want to Learn More about Meetings, Workshops & Classes from the Inventors Council?

The Inventors Network KY is a nonprofit that has been helping inventors and entrepreneurs in KY for over 20 years.
Learn more about us on our website: 


Want to Become a Member or Help Support the great things we do at the Inventors Council? 

Your donation support may be tax-deductible! 
View our profile on LinkedIn  Find us on Google+  View our photos on flickr

   Visit our blog