A Frivolous Moment

Shoes
By Jen Cannon

It must be something that has become engrained in our DNA over the centuries, this love of shoes. What I am speaking of is a love of many, many shoes…a love so deep mere words cannot express it. From your classic Chuck Taylor to a Jimmy Choo sling back pump (a girl can dream can’t she?) I love them all! There is one shoemaker in particular though who has stolen my heart. His name? Donald J. Pliner. When I walk through the shoe department of Macy’s at the King of Prussia Mall, I can barely contain my excitement when I reach the DJP display table. On a recent trip with my visiting, and very sensible auntie, I spied a red (a bit muted, not garish) wedge loafer with a small buckle on the side. I held my breath as I picked up the shoe and turned it over…the numbers 275 (with a dollar sign in front) were staring back at me. I tell myself these are a little out of my price range at the moment. Upon further examination of this red shoe (a thing of beauty and perfection) I see stamped into the heel in pretty gold lettering, “Made in the Mountains of Italy.” While I appreciate the fact that Mr. Pliner is not having his shoes manufactured in a sweatshop somewhere, and I do appreciate good Italian leather, I am wondering why not the mountains of California or Washington (they have some big ones) or the Catskills or Adirondacks? Donald opened his first store (Pappagallo) in Beverly Hills the year I was born for Pete’s sake! (if you want to know what year that was you have to look it up yourself – hint: I’m no spring chicken honey). Maybe the shoes would be cheaper to manufacture somewhere in the good ol’ USA and thus have a slightly smaller price tag? (big sigh) I guess the reality is that for some of us, seeing that “Made in the Mountains of Italy” stamp just makes the shoes all the more special. Okay, so maybe I’m the only one. I am a sucker for that kind of thing. For now I will trust that DJ knows what he’s doing with this whole shoe thing. I will wait patiently until my entrepreneurial dreams are realized and I can finally make all of my shoe fantasies come true!
A note: I can only imagine what you must be thinking at this point. Please realize that I am not nearly as materialistic as this article may portray and can prove it with a brief tour of my closet. I just really like shoes A LOT!

Womentorz Selects The Spellman Company for Launching Success

We are so excited about the selection of The Spellman Company as our public relations firm. They will be truly instrumental in letting the public know both locally and nationally about Womentorz and the amazing talent that can be found on the site.

The Spellman Company has helped a bevy of the nation's leading companies — and some of Seattle's hottest entrepreneurs — build their brands and create buzz. A clever campaign, an appearance on Oprah, coverage in the New York Times or The Robb Report, a show-stopping event — these are just some of the tools used by The Spellman Company to launch new companies and products. Founded in 1995 by Kat Spellman, this boutique lifestyle marketing firm has continued to grow by knowing the Pacific Northwest market inside and out and by offering clients access to national contacts and expertise gained over decades. Read the latest news on their blog http://thespellmancompany.blogspot.com/ or visit their website http://www.thespellmanco.com/to discover more.

The Spellman Company will be an amazing compliment to Womentorz and an invaluable partner in bringing success to the launching of the website.

The Inventor Gene

I come from a family of inventors, much of which I had no knowledge of until recent years. When I call my father, Steve Jensen, Electromagnetic Engineer, HAM Radio buff (W6RHM) and all around genius to tell him about my latest idea, he tells me I must have gotten the "inventor gene". He has invented many electronic things, most of which are beyond my mental grasp, however one of his most notable inventions is something many of us come in contact with on a daily basis. On August 21, 1973, in North Hollywood, CA my dad invented the Electronic Ballast for flourescent light bulbs, Patent 3,754,160. The ballast keeps the bulbs from getting hot. Unfortunately for Pops, who was working at the time for a company called "Radiant Industries", they paid him exactly $100 and while he holds the patent, they own the rights to it. Yikes!

The next time you take a ride on a commercial airplane (fly SWA please!) note the two little thingymabobs (technical term) sticking out off the outer edge of each wing. These are called P-Static Precipitators and they keep static energy from building up on the outside of the airplane. The "ropes" were invented by my great grandfather, John Christian Jensen in 1937 under a grant from Curtiss Wright Corporation. I have attached a link to an article he wrote regarding some of his research on lightning. My father has a copy of his most famous "Ball Lightning" photos that the article refers to.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,744022,00.html

Maybe this is why I feel a passionate need to keep the inventing legacy of the Jensen family alive!

Please do tell about any of the other inventors past or present in your family!

Tune Out, Tune In

Just returned from a week-long family vacation to Cape Cod, "The Cape" as the regulars refer to it. I want to be a regular! We were there for seven days, went to a different beach almost every day, some with waves, some not, ate some of the best seafood I've ever had and, best of all, watched our daughters (ages 6 and 4) make some wonderful sand-filled memories with their cousin. There was sunshine and a lot more humidity than I would have liked. Bill was hyped, but passed right on by providing surfers, who came from near and far, some "epic" waves. On the day that we thought we needed a break from the beach there was Candle Pin bowling, which we had never heard of before - apparently it's a Canadian thing - challenging indeed. We walked in the doors and stepped back in time it seemed. Even the owner, a slight man with long spindly fingers and grease embedded under his nails from the daily tinkering and repairing that goes on in his perfectly maintained alley, ball cap all askew on his head and teeth which have not discovered the wonders of a Crest whitening strip, looked like something out of central casting. There was plenty of ice cream to be had, along with miniature golf, a flea market and a train ride we didn't quite make.

Now let me tell you what there was not: At the house we shared with my brother-in-law for the week, which was what I will call "rustic/eclectic" there was no television, no phone, no cell reception and no computer! What was a totally technologically connected girl to do?? How would I know whether or not that e-mail from the Legal Department at Milojo finally came through? Don't worry, not going to beat that proverbial dead horse here (wink, wink). The sense of relief I felt as I could almost hear the actual sound of my brain winding down was incredible! Very calming and refreshing indeed. Now, how to find a way to bottle that calm upon our return...hmm.

It is no wonder we are a nation with so many depressed, anxious, stressed out people. We've got so much information at our fingertips and in our faces these days, most of it utter nonsense and unnecessary blather. Did you know that you can now enlist the services of a therapist who specializes in helping people with their overwhelming feelings of guilt for not doing all they can to recycle and go green?...alert -brain fart ahead - my brother-in-law, who I do not necessarily share the views of, sports a bumper sticker on his Jeep that says "Go Green, Go Nuclear"...sorry for that digression, where was I? And if you're wondering, yes, I do try to "reduce, reuse, recycle" as much as possible.

I guess the point I am trying to make here is that, while technology is incredibly fast and efficient, I am starting to liken it to that glass of wine or box of favorite cookies - it is best taken in moderation. I took the first baby steps this morning and told myself "Make coffee. Do not check your three e-mail accounts. Do not look at the pretty pictures (i.e., mindless b.s.) on Perez Hilton. Do not go to the Product X blog. Do not check Facebook to see what my 124 friends are up to. Go straight to Womentorz and post something NOW"! See? It totally worked! Thank God I don't Twitter!

Sometimes it's good to slow down and simplify things a little...now, time for another cup of Dunkin' Donuts deliciousness and it's off to the housewife races!

Please feel free to share your thoughts...

Being on Shark Tank

When I decided to go to the casting call for Kelly Ripa's Women Inventors show in Chicago I was probably the most nervous and excited I've ever been about anything in my entire life. I didn't have very much time to prepare for the event as there was only a week to plan everything from the time I found out about the search to the actual casting call. I think in a way the fact that I didn't have a lot of time to worry and think about the event was a blessing.

On the actual day of the casting call everything seemed surreal. I was just going through the motions to get to the location and set everything up. I didn't eat breakfast because I was afraid it might come back up during the off chance I might meet Kelly. The first person I met that morning was Jen Cannon who as a breath of fresh air. She was so positive and enthusiastic and that definitely helped ease my nervous energy.

Throught the audition process I was amazed at how many of the women came together to support each other. Sure there were the many that were competitive and didn't want a thing to do with the women next to them, but there were still quite a few that were cheerleaders for their fellow inventors. If it wasn't for those women I really don't think I would have made it through the process without having to quickly find a change of clothes at the end.

Because of my experience of really needing and relying on these women to get me through my audtion process I am absolutely in awe of the entrepreneurs that get on Shark Tank and present their idea. The process would be so different, and that group of cheerleaders wouldn't be standing with you prior to your big moment. I am so thankful for having met the women that I did and for still having them in my life so we can still be each others support system.

I was contacted by a very talented inventor who was actually looking for my invention because they had read about it on the internet and she thought I should apply to be on the show. After watching another episode of Shark Tank last night I couldn't even imagine getting enough courage to get up infront of the panel and demonstrate my idea. I really have to give the presenters lucky enough to be on Shark Tank props for having such courage even if their product doesn't find funding. I would love to hear about your experience applying or even presenting on Shark Tank. Maybe you know someone who has been on the show.

Juggling Being a Mom and Inventor

As the summer season comes to a close I find myself dreaming about how easy things will be once school begins. Even though the mornings are hectic getting everything and everyone together for school, the calm after the storm is quite productive and relaxing. I can't even imagine how much more I will be able to accomplish once both kids are in school.

I love time with my children and feel guilty for enjoying the peace and quiet when they are away, but promoting my invention and other businesses is challenging with screaming voices in the background and the never ending requests. My house has three floors with the bottom floor being an amazing office with enough space for three work stations and it's own entrance....the whole nine yards, but I can usually be found upstairs on the couch in the family room with my laptop, cup of coffee amongst my very energetic children and Wonderpets on the TV.

I have a wonderful nanny/babysitting service that I can call if I have a tight deadline on a project, but they are expensive and times are tough. With my husband's full-time job a bit unstable due to the economy, I feel even more pressure to save money while still getting my other business endeavors launched and stable. My number one goal is for us to be completely financially independent so we're in control of our schedules and our future.

It's also tough for me to have someone else taking care of my children. There's a reason I had kids and I love being a mom. I'm just thankful I can work from home and be a presence even if I'm not giving as much attention as I would like. It also feels good to be contributing to our financial future and have control over our destiny. Though it's a scary prospect, it's exciting at the same time.

Be the First to Sell on Womentorz

Womentorz is getting even closer to being launched. I'm so excited to be starting the public relations process. I have internviewed a couple of firms and was very impressed with David & Sam PR in Arizona and The Spellman Company here locally in the northwest. I plan on using both of them for different phases of my businesses. I feel that The Spellman Company is a good fit at this time in the launching of the website with their contacts and experience with women owned businesses.

This leads to the next exciting phase of womentorz. I'm looking for a couple of inventions to post on the website for the beta stage of testing the site out. There is no fee until the site is actually launched. All I need is a short profile written about you (1 to 2 paragraphs) with optional photo, various photos of your invention and/or video demonstration, detailed description of your invention, city state and zip code as well as how much you would like to see your invention for. You have no obligation to keep your invention on womentorz once it is launched if you change your mind. You can send your inventions to our new e-mail address: info@womentorz.com. Once the site is launched, members will have direct access for posting and updating profiles and product descriptions. Be the first to be part of this exciting opportunity.

Womentorz on Facebook

Womentorz is using all forms of networking and can now be found on facebook. If you're signed up with facebook be sure to become a fan. If you're not signed up with facebook now is a great time to become a member. I personally put it off until I realized what a great networking tool it can be. The fan base if growing everyday and it's a great place to get in touch with other fellow women inventors in another social forum.

New Website Design

I'm so excited to unveil the overall design and feel for the upcoming womentorz website. I have included the homepage, shopping page as well as the individual product page with inventor bio. Right now there just text filling space, so there's no written content at this point.....just graphics.

I have been extremely impressed with the quality of work and professionalism I have received from Blue Sky Projects. My formal background is in graphic design, but I'm not a web developer and have no interest in learning HTML. They were able to implement my design elements creating a cohesive and user friendly website.

Over the next couple of weeks my web developer will be actually building the site and testing all of the elements. I look forward to hearing your feedback on the site and any suggestions on what resources you would like available to members.

Women and Networking

When graduating from college and entering the working world I remember hearing the common phrase, “It’s who you know, not what you know.” At the time it just didn’t make sense to me because then what was the point in going to college and getting a good education if you’re going to have a tough time finding a job or being successful. Of course getting a good education is important, but I didn’t go to a school that emphasized networking and there wasn’t that loyalty you sense among alumni that “help” each other out after graduation.

The whole process of finding that first golden job being green to the professional world was challenging and definitely didn’t come easy. With hard work, determination and eventually learning the art of networking I was able to land my first job at a small advertising, marketing and design firm in the heart of downtown Seattle. It was one of the most profound and humbling experiences I’ve ever had. I went from being the daughter of a doctor and never really having to worry about money to living on $300 a month total spending money for food, clothes and entertainment……but I was on my own and doing it without my parent’s help. It was completely liberating and has taught me that you can live within your means and adjust your spending habits when you need to. Of course my salary grew over the years of working at the firm, but it was always tight and taught me a great deal in regards to money management that I’ve implemented in both my professional and personal life.

While working at this firm I was able to further explore how important networking is and how it relates to the growth of your business. Attending the right events and having memberships where you’re able to meet the right people was imperative to the success of your business. This is something that I have taken with me in all areas of my life and has been instrumental to the success of the three businesses I run from home while juggling two children.

I’m still awe struck in how powerful of tool networking can be. It’s amazing how when you are part of a group of people with a common goal and dream you can do amazing things. My hope is that this network of women inventors can become the driving force in showing the world how talented and creative women can be. With a strong network and a place to sell our inventions directly to the consumer there’s no limit to the amount of success we can all have.

Attending Milojo's Women Inventor Casting Call

Things are still progressing well with womentorz and I feel extremely confident with the direction and structure of the site. I can't wait to showcase the more finalized design of the homepage to everyone next week. I have decided to be very competitive with Amazon instead of partnering with them. Women inventors will be making a much better investment selling their product on womentorz. As you've seen through networking and blogging, when women come together and support each other we are a force to be reckoned with.

Earlier this week I had the great privilege of chatting with Lori Casciani and Jen Cannon, fellow women inventors I met at the Milojo/TLC casting call in Chicago and contributors to the blog. The feeling of being mislead is shared by us all; I don't think that Milojo and the people running the casting call realize how much time and INVESTMENT we all made just to get there. We're not just showing up and singing a song.....singing doesn't require a patent attorney or a working prototype. Not to mention the blood, sweat and tears we have all experienced going through the invention process. I'm probably over dramatizing the latter part a bit, but I wouldn't be a woman without a little drama. There's much more time involved and emotionally and financially invested than most non-inventors can understand. I think most of us can handle being told that we're just not a good fit for the show. There were so many talented women who applied for the show and there was literally a 1% chance of being chosen. A simple thank you and acknowledgement of appreciation would have been nice. The individuals who were chosen to move on were probably treated better, but the many who aren't moving on deserve a letter or update on where things are at. I guess this is show business and I should not be so naive and sensitive right?

Just the fact that we had the courage and ambition to audition for the show is testament to our character and drive. I truly feel that I went to the casting call to see the need for a way that women can get their inventions directly to the consumer and make the most profit possible. We all deserve to be successful and my ultimate objective is to get us there.

Intellectual Property

I seem to learn something new everyday in the invention process and what works best for me. We all need to do what benefits each of our individual situations ....whether you're working full time and don't have a lot of time to get your product to market and need to pay someone to help you, or you have the time and ability to make your invention from home, this is your intellectual property. I keep struggling and questioning my ability and what it comes down to is I need to believe that I can make my invention happen if I will it to. I feel that womentorz.com is not only an avenue for other women inventors to get their product to market, but a place that will allow me to get my own invention directly to the consumer.

No matter whether you're signing a contract from Milojo or working with someone to get your product to market, your invention is your invention and you need to protect yourself. Be very careful about signing contracts/agreements because it can come back to haunt you. I'm dealing with this on my own invention and need to keep telling myself that this was and is my project that I've invested a great deal into and I have control on what direction I take my invention.

We all need to believe in ourselves and our ability. The inventor showcases are testament to how much talent is out there! Please let me know about "inventor beware" situations so I can post them as a feature article. We all need to look out for each other!

Visit Product X Blog For Milojo Information

OK women inventors who attended the casting call for Milojo/Kelly Ripa....Tracy's blog at Product X has some VERY, VERY interesting information.

http://productx1.blogspot.com/

If you don't follow her blog you really should. It's extremely informative and entertaining! She has some huge news that she has posted today.

I really hope someone from our network of women inventors gets on the show to give all of us who are waiting something to live vicariously through. Right now I can't tell if it's a good or bad thing to get on the show, but it's all very interesting. I thank Tracy for keeping everyone in the loop.

Inventor Showcase - Heelskinz

I had the pleasure of meeting Terri Andrews last week over the Internet and I was very impressed with her ambitiousness and creativity. She has invested a lot of time and money in her invention called Heelskinz. She is an inventor at heart and will be coming out with a new invention shortly which I'm sure I will be showcasing as well. Please visit her website at http://www.heelskinz.com/.
Here is her bio and production information:

Terri Andrews
I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri and moved to Dallas, TX where I have resided since 1985. I have one grown son who is Ex-Navy and living in Atlanta, GA . I have spent most of my professional career as assistant to Top Level Executives. My entrepreneurial spirit, creative mind, and love for shoes is how HEELSKINZ was born. When not working, I enjoy many activities including fulfilling my "Bucket List" which includes traveling to many places in the world. I enjoy events with my wine group, my girlfriends, traveling and meeting new people through networking. I am most comfortable on the beach of a tropical island, with a Margarita, people watching, and marveling at God's handiwork.

HEELSKINZ™ was born out of necessity. After throwing away countless pairs of High Heel shoes because the right driving shoe was forever being damaged or destroyed, Terri Andrews began thinking of a way to solve that problem. The project began in early 2007 and after over a year of design trial and error, the perfect combination of usefulness along with style was created.

Unique Qualities:
Oh No! Not ANOTHER scuffed heel from my valuable shoe collection!!” Shoe Industry is a billion dollar business. Women spend thousands of dollars on shoes! PROTECT THEM NOW WITH HEELSKINZ™ HEELSKINZ™ is the fashionable way to protect the heel on your favorite pumps! HEELSKINZ™ easily slips on and off to guard against a torn and scuffed heel when driving your car. Use the handy, elegant pouch to keep a HEELSKINZ™ in your purse or glove box and prevent another scuff mark! You might even want to keep it on for that Unique and Sophisticated look (you Diva Fashionista you)! HEELSKINZ™ comes from the mind and imagination of Terri Andrews. There is nothing like HEELSKINZ™ on the market today. The need to protect her beautiful Stilettos and Boots along with a sense of fashion created HEELSKINZ™

Would like you to know:
This product is not only fashionable, but it is very cost effective. The money and frustration saved at not having to replace a pair of shoes because of damage from driving your car pays for the cost of the product 100 times over. HEELSKINZ™ comes in many colors to coordinate with just about any outfit. You can wear HEELSKINZ™ for driving or keep it on as a fashion accessory.

Who can benefit most:
Heelskinz can benefit any woman who is tired of having to throw away and replace their favorite pair of high heels because the heel on the right shoe is scuffed or damaged due to friction of the floor board in your car that wears the back down.

Women Inventors Are Amazing

I thought I had met all of the talented women in America when I went to Kelly Ripa's casting call, but I was wrong. Now that the word has gotten out about this network of women inventors promoting their product to actually make money I am finding so many fabulous women and ideas coming out of the woodwork. In the next couple of days I will be showcasing some truly creative ideas!

As we all know, inventing is not cheap! You invest so much in getting a patent, making a prototype, working with a manufacturer, building a website that no one may know about and the budget is shot for marketing. Don't even get me started on trying to get a license agreement where there isn't a quantity minimum. This is where womentorz comes into play! You are connected directly to the consumer with nooooooo middle man. No more wasting money on marketing! I will do that for you and provide the traffic your amazing ideas deserve. All transactions will be safe and immediate. It's a simple idea for all women inventors to make money.

BTW - Be sure to check out Jen Cannon's new delicious and entertaining recipe column that will frequently showcase her latest discovery while cooking. It can easily be found on the righthand side of this blog. Enjoy making the wonderful meals she has created.

Letter to Milojo

I just sent the below e-mail to Danielle at Milojo informing her of womentorz.com. I hope I hear something back. Keep your fingers crossed.

Hello Danielle-

I’m sure you’re receiving a ton of e-mails from women inventors who attended the casting call, so I understand time is limited. My name is Melinda Knight (Inventor of the AttachaTray from Seattle, WA) and I attended the Chicago casting call. It was a pleasure meeting you. You did an amazing job organizing everything. It was such a wonderful experience not only because of the casting call, but in the process I met some of the most amazing women with fabulous inventions. I’m an entrepreneur at heart and run four businesses from my home while juggling two kids. There were so many wonderful ideas and many women have actually had their inventions manufactured, but they don’t know how to market themselves or understand the business side of things. Many of the women I networked and bonded with have been staying in touch and have formed a supportive community of women inventors. I have started a blog that is gathering a lot of attention: http://womentors.blogspot.com/. After Chicago I realized there was a niche that hasn’t been explored where an ecommerce website is developed for women inventors to get their product directly to the consumer. The website will be launched in about three months and can be found at www.womentorz.com . It will basically be an Amazon.com , where buyers can find the latest and greatest inventions by women only that can’t be found in the stores. The sellers will have direct access to their product posting and buyers will be able to comment on the invention/inventor. So many women across the nation and even worldwide are very excited about this untapped market. I know that very few of the women who attended the casting call are going to make it on the show, so I would appreciate it if there was some way to let the many that won’t make it know about this exciting opportunity for women inventors to sell their inventions in a safe and supportive environment. I thank you for your time. Have a great day.

Women Inventor Website Design

I'm very excited to be able to utilize my formal training in graphic design to create the overall look and imagery for womentorz.com. My business, MAK Promotions, LLC, had gone the route of interior design, which is my passion, but graphic design is still a nice creative outlet. I have no interest in learning HTML, so I'll leave that to the experts. Blue Sky Projects will be providing all of the web development to set up the ecommerce portion of the site. The buttons for navigation have not been designed, but the image you see is pretty close to what the final site will look like. I would love to hear your feedback and suggestions on what you would like to see on the site and information that should be available to fellow inventors.

For those of you who are new to this blog, I will be launching an ecommerce site for women inventors to sell their inventions and deal directly with the consumer in a safe environment where all transactions are immediate. The site will be a heavily marketed tool where traffic will be high and reputation will be outstanding.

Inventor Showcase: Umbrella/Slicker

One of the reasons I started this blog was to showcase women and their fabulous inventions. Deborah McCullough from South Carolina contacted me concerning her invention called the Umbrella/Slicker that she is in the process of marketing to the world. Below is a description and photo of her invention. She would greatly appreciate any feedback.

If any of you have an invention you would like me to post on the blog just e-mail mknight@intuitivesafetysolutions.com with a write up and photo. Thank you and thank you Deborah.

*How many time have you gotten dress to find it's raining and you get your clothes all wet from the rain?

*How many times have you had to leave a outdoors sporting event because it started raining?

*How many times have you been just walking with a regular UMBRELLA and the water was dripping down your back?

FINALLY I have invented a new UMBRELLA/SLICKER which is considered a two in one Umbrella. This umbrella comes in 4 different sizes (small folding, long stick, golf & children) and a variety of colors. This UMBRELLA/SLICKER has many different features that the original umbrella doesn't have. You may be happy to know what makes this "UMBRELLA/SLICKER" so unique ; YOU CAN SIT ON THE SLICKER while watching the game or any outside events; as well as just walking in the rain from the office or any place. YOUR TEAM's logo or any logos can go down the back of the SLICKER and be seen from a distance.

I understand that umbrellas are not allowed in some stadiums, but this umbrella can be used at any time displaying YOUR TEAM OR ANY logo over town. We all keep umbrellas in our cars for that rainy day, and with the UMBRELLA SLICKER you can have TWO-N-ONE.

This UMBRELLA/SLICKER will allow you to stay DRY while enjoying outdoors sporting events as well as just walking in the rain from the office or any place. You may be interested to know that I have filed a United States patent application entitled, "UMBRELLA SLICKER."
My reason for writing is to see if a company would be interested in being an exclusive licensee to manufacture and distribute this new invention. I believe that the UMBRELLA SLICKER product would be perfect and profitable with ANY COMPANY. Your feed back is greatly appreciated.

1) Would you buy this product?
2) what size
3) what color
4) with or without logo
5) how much would you pay for it.

Finding a Manufacturer

I feel very lucky right now. Through my relationship with my product designer, Pillar Product Design, I was connected to the most amazing manufacturer located in Kent, Washington. Breedt Production Tooling & Design has been wonderful to work with and I feel very safe with my invention in their hands. They basically performed the impossible making my prototype for the Kelly Rippa's TLC show in less than a week. To have a working prototype for such a complex invention is amazing. It wasn't cheap and I did have to pay well for the prototype, but it was a tall order to achieve. Right now I'm working with them to keep tooling costs down and rework the design without compromising the product integrity. I'm so happy to bring my invention to a local manufacturer and help in my small way in building the economy. So many people go to China to keep cost down, but manufacturers are hungry here and will work with you to fit with your budget. They also seem more flexible in regards to quantity. I would recommend inventors interview local manufacturers in their area. You never know what deal you might get.

womentorz.com Even Closer to Launching

The launching of my website for women inventors to sell their latest inventions is even closer to launching. I just purchased the domain name womentorz.com yesterday and selected an amazing ecommerce website developer called Blue Sky Projects located in Seattle, WA. Since my background is in design I will be doing most of the graphics for the site, but I'll leave the coding to the experts. I'm hoping that the site will be up and running within two months. All women inventors are welcome to let me know of their interest prior to the launching so they're the first inventors viewed.

Be Careful of Invention Promotion Companies

Many of us just don't have the time to promote our inventions since we're busy being moms or we're working full time jobs, so companies claiming to be able to promote your idea are very appealing. Though there are companies who are legitimate, there are some that will take advantage of you and are a complete waste of money. Some invention promotion firms may claim to know or have special access to manufacturers who are likely to be interested in licensing your invention. In addition, some firms may claim to represent manufacturers on the look-out for new product ideas. Ask for proof, such as contacts at manufacturers, before you sign a contract with any invention promotion firm that claims special relationships with manufacturers and/or media. If the promoter provides only one or two names, be careful: The contacts may be "shills" — people hired to give favorable testimonials.

A Good Cause

Good morning Womentorz!

I recently found out about this great cause through Tracy's Product X blog here on blogger.com. Kelly Ripa, spokeswoman for Electrolux, is asking us all to open our own Virtual Lemonade Stand. For each stand opened, Electrolux will donate $1 to Ovarian Cancer Research. People can also buy virtual glasses of lemonade to raise even more money. The idea of a lot of people giving a little is big and can really make an impact. It takes just a couple of minutes and you will also automatically be entered to win a beautiful Electrolux French Door refrigerator!

Those dollars add up, so go ahead, open your own stand, tell all of your friends and let's help fight Ovarian Cancer together!

Go to http://www.electroluxappliances.com/ to open your stand today!

Have a great day!

Jen C.

Kelly Ripa's TLC Women Inventor Casting Call

There are thousands of women inventors out there who were part of the casting call for Kelly Ripa's latest show on TLC. Whether you sent in a video or actually traveled to the casting call, I would love to hear your story.

I traveled from Seattle to Chicago with my invention and recumbent bike in hand ready to dazzle. I'm not the most confident person, but I was determined to showcase my invention. Even though the experience was quick and somewhat confusing.....(the all elusive green card, which I didn't receive) I met the most amazing women in the process. We have formed a small network of support to help each other become successful through our inventions. I look forward to hearing other experiences across the country and if you have received the much anticipated call that you've made it to the next step.

The AttachaTray

I'm in the midst of making my first cold calls seeing if people are interested in my latest invention called the AttachaTray™. I'll tell you a bit about the AttachaTray:

The patent pending and trademarked AttachaTray™ is a portable, yet stable working platform for use with a multitude of applications. The clamping mechanism can attach to virtually any shape and size of support structure within its opening radius. The detachable arms can reach up to three feet and have adjustment points allowing 360 degrees of angle versatility for the ultimate in ergonomic functionality. The adjustment points are also easily and quickly secured at desired height and angle. Another feature is that each arm unit can be eliminated if a shorter distance is needed. The tray portion of the invention is an improvement to the typical laptop tray. It has a unique nonslip pad with holes that extend through the stamped aluminium tray to help with heat reduction therefore helping with laptop performance. On either side of the tray are openings where a bungee cord system with anchor secure either a laptop or reading material at various adjustment points depending on the size of the item. This is much more useful and less cumbersome than the typical velcroe straps. It is also much less obtrusive to the task at hand. The unit is lightweight and easily portable. There will be a custom carrying case that will hold the AttachaTray™ as well as a laptop or whatever else would be used on the tray.

I have a manufacturer that I'm working with right now to get the product ready for distribution. Now I only need a license!

Calling All Women Inventors

Hello! I recently attended a casting call in Chicago for TLC looking for Women Inventors. The experience was amazing and it provided an avenue to meet some astounding women in the process. I'm a business woman at heart and saw that there was a real need for a safe environment for women inventors to showcase and sell their inventions. I am about to launch a web site that I'm calling womentors.com and would like to start gathering interest. Everyone I have spoken with has been extremely excited about the idea and I already have a team of ecommerce pros that will assist me in creating an amazing and user friendly web site. I would love to hear from fellow female inventors. I will also be posting information I compile through my own struggles in getting the "AttachaTray" (patent pending) to market. I look forward to hearing your stories and building a network of support.