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- From Bell’s Breakthrough to Your Next Big Idea: This Week at Inventor Smart
From Bell’s Breakthrough to Your Next Big Idea: This Week at Inventor Smart
A new Spotlight episode, powerful inventor tips, community updates, and a moment in history that changed how we communicate.
Inventor Smart
July 07, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 19 minutes
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Hello Inventor Smart Community, and welcome to a brand-new week at HQ!
Today is World Chocolate Day and National Strawberry Sundae Day, so whether you're team cocoa or cream, treat yourself to a sweet victory (or at least a sweet idea) to start the week right. 🍫🍓
We hope everyone had a relaxing and recharging July 4th weekend. While the fireworks fade, the sparks of invention keep flying, and we’ve got plenty to fuel your fire this week.
🎤 Catch the Replay! If you missed our electric Inventors Got Talent showcase from Wednesday, June 25, now’s your chance to watch the creativity, courage, and cleverness of your fellow inventors light up the virtual stage. The replay is now available on YouTube and in the Community App.
🎧 Listen In: The newest episode of the Inventor Spotlight Podcast is live! Episode 16 features Deanna Ratnikova, creator of GoDeck, a deck of outdoor adventure cards born from walks with her 3-year-old. Hear how she turned a simple idea into a retail-ready product, overcame manufacturing hurdles, and found support in community and nature.
🗓️ Mark Your Calendars: Our next Monthly Meetup & Networking Event is coming up Monday, July 14 at 8 PM ET. Don’t miss this chance to connect with fellow members, get inspired, and share what you’re working on. Whether you’re a regular or it’s your first time, we’d love to see you there.
Scroll down to see what’s new, what’s coming up, and how to plug into this week’s community happenings, including Inventor Spotlight, On This Day in Inventor History, Inventor Tips, and a big welcome to our newest members. 👇
This week in HQ:
🛠️ Inventor Tip: Why naming your invention early gives it power and purpose
🎤 Inventors Got Talent replay — watch the full showcase & meet the winners
🎙️ Inventor Spotlight Ep. 16 with Deanna Ratnikova is now live
🗓️ Next event: Community Meetup on Monday, July 14 @ 8 PM ET
💬 New ideas stirring on InventorChat.com — join the conversation
🙌 Welcome to our newest members: MonacoluxIP, Kenneth Barns, Inventintent & Gozacompany
💡 Community Spotlight: Architect and design scientist Herbert Bennett (@herbb9001)
📸 Add your profile photo and get a little thank-you from Team HQ
🚀 Inventor History: Bell’s 1874 acoustic telegraph filing and why early steps matter
🌐 Reminder: The Inventor Smart App is open 24/7—jump in, share, build, repeat
Inventors Got Talent 2025 — Quick Recap & Replay
Last Wednesday was a blast! Over a dozen National Inventor Club members hit the virtual stage with prototypes, polished products, and powerful pitches. From floating-fear fixes to hands-free diaper duty, the creativity on display was off the charts.
🏆 Winners Circle:
• Most Innovative: Beth Goldman – PicChair
• Best Everyday Solution: Melon Dash – Learn to Float Station
• Audience Favorite: Turahn Williams – One Wipe Wonder
🎤 Presenters included:
Melon Dash, Jesse Morgan, Chris Foley, Moises Nevarez, Beth Goldman, Dan Dimitriu, Turahn Williams, Jeffrey Feinstein, Jenettie Pirtle, Denise Ramos, Abraham Espadas, and Ruby Smith. Huge thanks to all who brought the energy and inspiration!
🎥 Missed it live?
👉 Watch the full replay here → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1itCt9cmGKE&t
Grab a notebook and get inspired.
🚨 Want in next time?
We’ll run another Inventors Got Talent in a few months, so stay tuned if you’d like to take part. We also host fun events like Shop 4 Inventions and live pitch nights, so keep your radar on.
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Every click on the ad helps support the Inventor Smart Community—thanks for helping us help inventors.
Inventor Spotlight Ep. 16 — Now Live!
Episode 16 premiered on Friday, July 4 and it’s officially live for the world to enjoy! 🎆
This month, host Samantha St. Raymond sits down with Deanna Ratnikova, San Diego entrepreneur and creator of GoDeck—a 52-card deck that sends locals and visitors on one new outdoor adventure every week of the year.
Why tune in?
• How a nature walk with her 3-year-old sparked a product line
• Bootstrapping production & launching in late 2023
• Retail placements, recycled materials & scaling from city to city
• Getting real about imposter syndrome & finding support through community
👉 Watch the full episode on YouTube
🔗 Explore the product: thegodeck.com
Prefer audio?
You’ll also find Inventor Spotlight on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major podcast platforms.
Let Deanna’s story inspire your next step, whether it’s a walk around the block or your next big idea.
InventorChat.com Is Open—Let’s Talk Shop
Got a fresh idea, lingering question, or a spark you’re not sure what to do with? Drop it in the forum at InventorChat.com and connect with fellow creators who get it.
Think of it as your off-the-clock inventor clubhouse—perfect for deeper dives, quick tips, and sharing wins outside of live events.
Here’s how to get started:
🚀 Say hey on the “Launch Pad” welcome thread
🧠 Explore channels on pitching, prototyping, funding, IP, and more
🤝 Trade intel and get advice from real inventors in real time
The app is where we meet—InventorChat.com is where we dig in.
👉 Join the conversation: inventorchat.com
Let’s keep building, sharing, and celebrating—together.
Welcome Aboard — New Members This Week!
Fresh off a long weekend of fireworks and freedom, we’re thrilled to welcome three new innovators to the Inventor Smart Community. Whether you're here to build, share, connect, or launch—you’re in the right place.
Say hello to this week’s newest members:
• MonacoluxIP (Kenneth Barns)
• Inventintent (Dom of the Dey:x)
• Gozacompany (Z)
🌟 Glad to have you with us! Hop into InventorChat.com to introduce yourself, ask a question, or explore the latest convos—and don’t forget to post in the app when you're ready to share what you're working on.
🎯 Not in the app yet?
Get started here → app.inventorsmart.com
Here’s to breakthroughs, bold ideas, and an even brighter community—together.
Community Spotlight: Herbert Bennett (@herbb9001)
This week, we’re turning the spotlight toward Herbert Bennett—a true visionary mind and longtime contributor to the Inventor Smart Community.
Based in Brooklyn, New York, Herb is an architect, author, DeSign scientist, and “artrepreneur” who blends creative innovation with a deep commitment to cultural evolution.
He’s not just building gadgets—he’s imagining a better future for all of us:
“What if we all became virtual inventors and creators of the next golden age—with cultural and scientific achievement ten times greater than all the golden ages in history?”
Herb’s posts call on inventors to think bigger—not just about what we make, but why we make it. From paradigm shifts to poetic philosophy, his contributions remind us that invention is both an outer and inner journey.
He also supports other inventors through funding connections—from seed investing to grants and crowdfunding—and brings a collaborative spirit to every conversation.
📌 Connect with Herb & follow his journey:
https://app.inventorsmart.com/profile/597
Herb, we’re grateful for your voice, your vision, and your encouragement to dream on a civilizational scale.
✨ Want to be featured in a future Community Spotlight? Stay active, share your insights, and show up for others—you could be next!
Inventor Tip of the Week — Name Your Invention Early
One of Brian Fried’s golden rules? “Give your invention a name—sooner than later.”
It might seem small, but naming your invention does three big things:
It makes it real. You’re not just talking about an idea anymore—you’re talking about a product.
It keeps you focused. A good name fuels your commitment and helps visualize packaging, pitch decks, and branding.
It opens up early research. You can check domain availability, run basic trademark searches, and even test reactions with friends and buyers.
🚀 Action step: Take five minutes today to brainstorm names. Aim for 3 strong options, then check domain availability on a site like GoDaddy and do a basic USPTO search.
Naming it doesn’t lock you in, but it gives your invention a new kind of power.
Tip adapted from Brian Fried’s books Inventing Secrets Revealed and How to Make Money with Your Invention Idea (Inventor Smart Publishing).
On This Day in Inventor History – Monday, July 7
The Patent That Helped the World Hear Clearly
July 7, 1874 – Alexander Graham Bell filed one of his earliest patents related to acoustic telegraphy, the foundational idea that would eventually lead to the invention of the telephone. While his more famous telephone patent would come two years later in 1876, this early filing marks a key milestone in the development of sound transmission technology.
Bell’s work wasn’t just about making a phone call—it was about solving a bigger problem: how to carry human voice over a wire. That challenge sparked innovations in vibration, conductivity, and amplification—principles that still shape audio and communications tech today.
Why it matters to modern inventors
Bell’s early filing shows how the road to a breakthrough often starts with testing pieces of the puzzle. His 1874 patent wasn’t “the phone,” but it proved a concept, made a case for ownership, and laid a foundation for collaboration, competition, and continued iteration.
So ask yourself:
🔍 Is there a piece of your invention you could isolate, test, and protect—even if it’s not the full product yet?
📞 How could your idea evolve into something bigger than you first imagined?
Innovation rarely arrives all at once. But documenting your early spark? That’s how legacies get started.
What’s Coming Up This Week
It’s a quiet week for live events, but the second half of July is packed with connection, coaching, and community.
🗓 Mark your calendar for next Monday:
🎤 Inventor Smart Community Meetup: Connect & Network
📆 Monday, July 14 @ 8 PM ET
📍 Join the event →
Bring your updates, your questions, and your latest wins—it’s a great way to meet fellow members, get inspired, and stay plugged in.
Looking ahead:
📰 Inventor Smart Newsletter – July Edition
📆 Tuesday, July 15 @ 8 AM ET
📍 Read it here →
💬 Ask the Inventor Coach – Live Q&A with Brian Fried
📆 Thursday, July 24 @ 8 PM ET
📍 Save your spot →
🧭 Tip: All events are listed in the app.
Just open app.inventorsmart.com, tap “Events”, and RSVP to stay in the loop.
Let’s keep building momentum together.
Add event to calendar
Show Your Face, Share Your Spark
A quick profile photo upload helps turn usernames into real people—and makes our community feel more connected, collaborative, and human.
Why now’s the perfect time:
We just welcomed new members—make it easier for them to recognize and connect with you.
Next week’s meetup (July 14) is a face-to-face opportunity—avatars don’t smile back 😉
Networking works better when we can see who’s talking. It’s not just friendly—it’s proven.
🎁 Snap it, upload it, and DM us, we’ll send a small thank-you gift to celebrate you showing up as yourself.
Let’s keep building a community that’s real, relatable, and ready to invent—together.
Inventor Smart Community — Built for Inventors, by Inventors
From first spark to final prototype, you don’t have to go it alone. The Inventor Smart Community App is your 24/7 workspace, sounding board, and support team—built entirely for you.
Here’s what’s happening inside this July:
✅ A growing network of inventors, product pros, and decision-makers—all speaking the same language
✅ Live events, expert Q&As, and a full lineup of pitch and feedback sessions
✅ Weekly-updated resources: NDAs, pitch decks, templates, and toolkits to help you move faster
✅ A place to stay motivated, get real feedback, and connect with people who get it
No membership fees. No gatekeeping. Just a community that wants to see you win.
We love inventors. Everything we build, we build for you.
Let’s turn ideas into action—together.
Before You Go…
This week, we’re soaking up the calm before a July full of connection, replaying the brilliance of Inventors Got Talent, tuning in to Inventor Spotlight Ep. 16 with Deanna Ratnikova, and getting ready for our next Community Meetup on July 14.
Whether you’re naming your next big idea, uploading a profile photo, or jumping into a thread on InventorChat, every step counts. These small moves build momentum, and momentum builds breakthroughs.
📱 Your inventor home base is just a tap away:
👉 Hop back into the app → app.inventorsmart.com
Stay visible, stay curious, and keep building. We’re right here with you.
— The Inventor Smart Team
📩 Got feedback or a story to share? We’d love to hear it: [email protected]
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Meet Brian Fried - Your Inventor Coach, Author, Speaker, and Founder
Get to know Brian Fried, the Inventor Coach. With 15 patents and a successful licensing history, he has dedicated 18 years to coaching inventors. Explore his ventures like the Got Invention Show, National Inventor Club, and Inventor Smart Community app. Schedule a call with Brian at brianfried.com.
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
We’re grateful to our amazing sponsors for their unwavering support of the Inventor Smart Community. Your contributions empower us to continue offering essential resources, tools, and opportunities to inventors around the world. Together, we’re turning ideas into reality!
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