#mark reyland

[markreyland]

A not so good inventor seminar

A not so good inventor seminar

I had a friend several years ago who hosted a weekend seminar for inventors. Each inventor was given the chance to spend the weekend talking with, and gaining insight from, the assembled team of experts.

Monday morning I call my friend to inquire about how the weekend turned out.

“It was horrible” she said with what I could hear were tears in her voice.

You see, my friend learned a very important…

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[markreyland]

"Nothing" is what most inventors have

“Nothing” is what most inventors have

I’m a guy who helps inventors. Being a guy who helps inventors you can imagine most of the conversations I have with people I meet start off just like this cartoon. “I have a …..”.

An exuberant, almost animated fountain of enthusiasm excited to tell me (or anyone who will listen) all about their life changing, world tilting, money printing idea for a new product.

Much like this cartoon, most of…

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[markreyland]

Lady Gaga invented new sunglasses - who cares

Lady Gaga invented new sunglasses – who cares

Lady Gaga invented new sunglasses. Do we actually care? No, but we should pay attention to the lesson in it all.

In early 2011 LADY Gaga pushed the boundaries of fashion and music, “inventing” the first sunglasses with a built-in camera in partnership with Polaroid. “These are something I envisioned many years ago when I made glasses out of iPod screens” She said of the new product, called…

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[markreyland]

Is Apple shunning inventors?

Is Apple shunning inventors?

Is Apple shunning the inventor community? Of course not.

For most inventors sending an email, or making a phone call to a company is excruciatingly painful. You often feel like the deck is stacked against you, and when the reply is like this one from Apple, it’s easy to feel a little shunned.

Apple thanks you for your inquiry and feedback.  Apple has a stated company policy of not accepting or…

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[markreyland]

Living on the Inventor Planet

Living on the Inventor Planet

I thought it would be a good idea to do a series of blogs on the subject of the Business Planet and the Inventor planet since the comparison provides a very strong image of where we as inventors live, where we need to go, and the problems that often face us on our journey.

This planetary relationship illustrates the dynamic between the two worlds that govern the innovation and commercialization…

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[markreyland]

This woman inventor changed our lives

This woman inventor changed our lives

For many women inventors in years past, the invention process was twice as difficult because, in addition to the hardships of inventing, they also faced the skepticism of a world that didn’t believe women could create something of value. Fortunately, over the years, that perception has been blown out of the water by women inventors like Margaret E. Knight, who were willing to fight for the…

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[markreyland]

It doesn't always turn out the way you plan.

It doesn’t always turn out the way you plan.

The summer of 1974 I was living with my family in the suburbs of northern Virginia. By all accounts my six siblings and I were pretty normal. We rode bikes, we went swimming, we did all the things you would expect kids to do over a lazy summer.

But I’m an inventor, and since I can remember I’ve been tinkering with, building, and yes, destroying, items around the house. The result no doubt of my…

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[markreyland]

Just a bunch of Inventors roaming around

Just a bunch of Inventors roaming around

As inventors we often find ourselves mentally roaming around trying to find direction. In fact, for most inventors the journey is like crossing a pond full of stepping stones, not to getting wet, but never really getting anywhere.

Sit back for a moment, relax, and close your eyes. Picture a large tree lined pond in the middle of gently rolling grass covered hills. In the pond are a number of…

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