StartupNation® Returns to INPEX® as Keynote Speakers
On Saturday, June 11, 2005 INPEX welcomed brothers Jeff and Rich Sloan as its keynote speakers. The Sloan Brothers, inventors and co-hosts of the nationally syndicated radio show StartupNation, recorded a live show in front of exhibitors and attendees.
Two exhibitors, Dave Hammond and James Acevedo, were chosen to participate in the discussion along with patent attorney Blynn Shideler of BLK Law Group.
After struggling to launch their invention, the Battery Buddy, which prevents dead batteries on cars and boats, Jeff and Rich Sloan have made it their priority to give other inventors and entrepreneurs the tools they need.
The discussion at INPEX focused on tenacity. "You should never take 'no' for an answer," Jeff exclaimed as he looked at Dave Hammond inventor of Intelligent First Aid, a talking first aid kit. Hammond offered his advice to the other inventors in the audience. "My best advice is to focus, keep it real, and don't buy into your own hype."
"[Inventors] recognize a problem and come up with a solution, said Jeff Sloan. Need is the mother of inventions." James Acevedo, an EMT for the FDNY, realized there had been no improvements in the design of the smoke alarm in decades. Acevedo came up with a dual smoke detector system that could alert multiple rooms simultaneously up to five times faster than standard smoke alarms. Acevedo shared his wisdom of perseverance. "I had been working on my idea for over 15 years, but it wasn't until my partner believed in my idea and backed me financially that my faith was restored. You have to be patient." As a result of exhibiting at INPEX, Acevedo has received an invitation to attend the ERA Product Showcase in Las Vegas this September.
During the question and answer session, Blynn Shideler fielded patent questions from inventors at various stages of product development. Shideler offered his expertise by giving the four most important things inventors should do to protect their ideas. "First, check out the United States Patent Office web site and learn as much as you can. Then, find and talk to a patent attorney that you are comfortable with. Next, make sure you write down a description of your invention. And finally, keep an 'inventor's log.' The United States is a 'first to invent country' so, the person who proves they invented it first is ultimately coined the inventor."
The Sloan Brothers were excited to return to INPEX for the second year in a row. "We are thrilled to be surrounded with all of these new innovations." Jeff and Rich Sloan will always consider themselves inventors and they hope their radio broadcasts and their new book, StartupNation: Open for Business, will help other entrepreneurs in their endeavors.
