My name is Larry K. Roberton inventor and owner of this site. I have many years of experience in the development and the manufacturing of small products. Some of the products you see here are my own and some are from other inventors. I am open to new ideas and will work with you to get your products on the market. If you are at the stage of manufacturing and in need of assistance, I may be able to help you in any area of your product development from design, moulding, production, packaging and sales. I still believe in North America. I may have the skills to get the job done with local talent and with skilled trades people. If you haven't already done so:

Here are some web sites for searching for your idea:

(copy and paste into your browser window)

2. U.S. Patent Search: http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html

3. Google Patent Search: http://www.google.com/patents

4. Join a group of inventors in your area: In Toronto: http://www.innovationinitiative.org/

5. United Inventors Association: http://www.uiausa.org/

Once your search is complete and you feel it's time to go ahead with your idea, then you may wish to speak with a Patent Lawyer about protection. Patents are very costly and time consuming. They may or may not help! Some ideas are good, especially high tech or new technology, but most are not that good as to truly justify spending a pile of your life savings, before you've even tested the market with one sale of your product. Personally, I believe sales should be the main focus. Sales is the horse that pulls the cart. It's the leading factor in winning the race, and the patent process is the cart, loaded down with tons of wasted cash and discouragement. Now I'll make my point. If you've spent years (or know someone who has) lingering and waiting with their top secret idea, and spending their hard earned money on patent protection, only to see that very product on a store shelf, well ... how would that make you feel? Now how would you like it if instead, one million people gave you one dollar and in return you gave them something back. That is ... focus on sales, give something back, SALES is KING, SALES WINS the RACE. It's SALES that will make YOUR DREAMS come true. Now I will give you an example.

PICK ANY PRODUCT ON THE MARKET: ELECTRONICS, AUTOMOTIVE, HOUSEWARES, SPORTS EQUIPMENT, BOATING, PET CARE, CLOTHING, YOU NAME IT . . . JUST LOOK AROUND AND PICK ONE THING.

EVERYDAY, THE RICHEST COMPANIES WITH THE MOST HIGHLY EDUCATED AND EXPERIENCED PEOPLE ARE BRINGING NEW PRODUCTS TO YOU. BUT DID YOU EVER NOTICE THAT YOU CAN GO INTO ANY STORE AND PURCHASE ALMOST ANY ONE OF THE ITEMS YOU PICKED (EACH ONE BEING ALMOST THE SAME) BUT WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND NAME. COMPANIES ARE FOCUSING THEIR ATTENTION ON SALES . . . WHICH IS THE HORSE THAT WINS THE RACE! AND WHEN THE RACE IS OVER . . . IT'S OVER. THE POOR STRUGGLING (MAYBE) PATENT HOLDERS ARE LEFT IN THE CART, WHILST THE HORSE HAS BOLTED OFF . . . IN SEARCH OF NEW IDEAS, NEW SALES AND A NEW SHARE OF THE MARKET.

HERE IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE: YOU CAN MAKE A LIST AS LONG AS YOUR ARM OF THE COMPANIES WHO MAKE HAMBURGERS. YOU CAN MAKE THAT LIST LONGER BY ADDING SUPERMARKETS AND CORNER STORES, BUT WE'RE NOT DONE YET! YOUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBOURS AND RELATIVES MAY ALSO INVITE YOU OVER FOR A WONDERFUL BURGER (AND IT'S EVEN FREE!) . . . WHOSE IDEA WAS THAT ANYWAY? . . . AND NOW WHO CARES? IF A MAJOR CHAIN GETS ONLY 2% OF THE MARKET, THEY ARE FABULOUSLY HAPPY WITH THAT! IT MEANS THEY ARE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY! BECAUSE THEY HAVE " A SHARE" OF THE MARKET. YOU CAN TOO! IF YOU GET YOUR PRODUCT OUT WHERE PEOPLE CAN BUY IT! BE FAST . . . BE FIRST! AND THE CASH IN THE CART WILL BE YOURS.

In order to receive . . . first . . . you must let go

These are the basic steps for turning your idea into cashing a cheque at the bank.

OBSERVE: What is needed to solve a problem? Begin the creative process.

SEARCH: Is it already out there? In most cases it is, you just didn't look hard enough.

PROTOTYPE: Make one and try it. Use a non disclosure agreement. Get all the feedback you can, change it, improve it. Most importantly find out if other people really want it and will pay you for it. Get advance orders for sales from your prototype.

MANUFACTURE: Find a way to make your product and store it. See if you can make you product in small quantities and generate sales before you invest in mass production. No need to make millions in China yet. Take the little steps first and the big ones later, using profit from proven sales not your life savings or borrowed money from relatives. The doors will after you have proven sales not before.

PATENT: Speak with a lawyer, his search will be even more thorough. Will your idea be worth the money spent for a patent? Should you just quickly make your product and get all the sales you can and not look back, or use the money from early sales to cover the legal costs. Few inventors are able to licence their invention to a large company without an iron clad patent. They may not want your product or even want to talk to you about it. The company may just change the version of your idea. Great to licence your product, if you can do so.

NAME: Your product needs a name. This also requires a trade name search for Canada and the U.S. If your new product name is available, it needs to be applied and paid for (to search go to patent web sites).

GRAPHICS: You will need packaging, instructions and photos.

COMPANY: Work with your own personal name and bank account for awhile. Get some sales first, then register a company name and open a company bank account.

SALES: You've got to get your product into the market in every possible way to begin receiving a return on your investment. You need to learn how to ship boxes and fill out the paperwork.

BOOKKEEPING: Your sales minus your expenses is your taxable income. Keep all your receipts and bank statements. If you're not a bookkeeper, hire one. The greater your profit, the hire the tax bracket you will be in, until you've reached almost 50%. Congratulations! You get to keep one half of every dollar you've worked so hard for. If your goal is to be a millionaire, you must make two, but you'll have so much fun along the way.

Comment: This is a time consuming process, a labour of love - so don't quit your day job too soon. Students stay in school and add this knowledge to your education.

I wish you all the best and the best of luck!