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  • What Happens After You Have the Idea: Licensing, Scaling & Success Stories | HQ #44

What Happens After You Have the Idea: Licensing, Scaling & Success Stories | HQ #44

Inside this week’s HQ: Brian Fried’s live event with Steve Greenspon, new inventors joining the app, a global spotlight on Reynaldo Juan, and tools to take your invention further.

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H.Q. Weekly #44

👋 Hello Inventor Smart Community,

It’s the final week of October — invention energy is buzzing, and Halloween’s just around the corner 🎃. While the costumes and candy might take center stage this week, we’re focused on something even sweeter: turning ideas into real success stories.

This Wednesday, join Brian Fried for a powerhouse conversation with Steve Greenspon, inventor and former CEO of Honey-Can-Do International, who built a $110 million business from scratch. You’ll learn what happens after you have the idea — from licensing and scaling to building your exit strategy.

We’re also welcoming a wave of new members, spotlighting Reynaldo Juan from Canada, sharing a crucial Inventor Tip straight from Brian’s playbook, featuring an AI tool called Lovable that lets you build apps just by chatting, and highlighting Inventors Digest, a must-read for every innovator.

Plus — this week’s “On This Day in Inventor History” reminds us how a simple idea like barbed wire reshaped entire industries.

Grab your notes, light a pumpkin candle, and let’s get into everything happening this week at Inventor Smart HQ. 👇

This Week in HQ

  • 💬 Main Event: What Happens After You Have the Idea: Licensing, Building, Scaling & Exit — with Brian Fried & guest Steve Greenspon · Oct 29 @ 8 PM ET

  • 📥 New Members: 12 new app members + 2 new forum members — say hello and welcome them!

  • 🌟 Spotlight: Reynaldo Juan — Canadian inventor & entrepreneur bringing a global perspective to our community.

  • 🎙️ Podcast: Who’s on Your Invention Team? — Brian shares who to bring on board and when to level up your invention process.

  • 💬 Forum: Join real inventor discussions anytime at InventorChat.com.

  • 💡 Tip: Talk About Your Idea — how sharing (with protection) sparks connections and opportunity.

  • 🤖 AI Spotlight: Lovable 2.0 — build apps and websites just by chatting with AI.

  • 🧭 Resource: Inventors Digest — the go-to publication for inventor news, advice & success stories.

  • 🕰️ On This Day: Oct 27, 1873 — Joseph Farwell Glidden files his patent for barbed wire, reshaping agriculture forever.

  • 🗓️ Upcoming Events: Licensing & Scaling (Oct 29) · Networking (Oct 29) · November schedule drops next week!

💬 Main Event This Week

What Happens After You Have the Idea: Licensing, Building, Scaling & Exit
📅 Wednesday, October 29
🕗 8:00 PM ET
📍 Live on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn & Inside the App

This week, The Inventor CoachBrian Fried, sits down with Steve Greenspon — entrepreneur, inventor, and former CEO of Honey-Can-Do International — for an inside look at how he built a consumer goods powerhouse from scratch, scaled it to $110 million, and successfully exited.

With 35 patents of his own, Steve knows both sides of the invention world — from creating and licensing products to manufacturing, distribution, and scaling a national brand.

What We’re Covering:

  • What licensees look for when inventors pitch products

  • How licensing deals work (royalties, terms, structure)

  • Manufacturing partnerships and working with factories

  • Distribution strategies with buyers, reps, and catalogs

  • Building and scaling a consumer goods business to 9 figures

  • The exit journey and lessons learned

Whether you’re just starting with an idea or already growing your business, this conversation will show you what it really takes to turn an invention into a lasting company.

🎥 Watch Live:
LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Live Stream in the App →

Add to Calendar

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🤝 After Meeting Networking Event

📅 Wednesday, October 29
🕗 9:10 PM ET
📍 Live on Zoom
🔗 Join Zoom Meeting →

Stick around after the main session for our After Meeting Networking Event, where inventors and innovators connect, share ideas, and discuss takeaways from the evening’s talk.

It’s a relaxed, collaborative space to meet fellow members, exchange insights, and grow your network within the National Inventor Club community.

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👋 Welcome to Our Newest Members

The Inventor Smart Community keeps growing — and this week we’re excited to welcome 12 new inventors into the app and 2 new members in the Inventor Chat Forum!

If you’re new here, you’ve just joined a community of creators who get it — people turning napkin sketches into prototypes, and prototypes into real products.

🆕 New in the Inventor Smart App:
L&A • Agni • younissco2000 • Sabari Girivasan S • abou elies saleh • Hillbilly (Hillbilly Hear Muff) • marcelin Gavensky • clancy • resirch110* • tammy.stafford • swagitarius • Carl Samuel

💬 New in the Inventor Chat Forum:
luisrayrios • InventorOars

Next steps for new members:
👋 Say hello: Post a short intro and share what you’re working on.
🖼️ Add a profile photo: It makes it easier for others to connect with you.
🧠 Share your progress: Post a sketch, prototype, or question — and get real feedback from the community.

👉 Not a member yet? Join the conversation in the Inventor Smart App or at InventorChat.com — your next big idea (and the support to bring it to life) is waiting.

🌟 Community Spotlight: Reynaldo Juan — Senior Innovator & Entrepreneur

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on Reynaldo Juan (ReyA1) — a senior Canadian inventor and entrepreneur from Brampton, Ontario, who recently joined the Inventor Smart Community!

Reynaldo describes himself as a “Senior Canadian Innoventor/Entrepreneur” currently in the process of developing his invention journey. With years of business experience and a passion for collaboration, he brings a fresh, international perspective to our growing global community of inventors.

In his recent post, Reynaldo shared his excitement about joining Brian Fried’s network of inventors and entrepreneurs — emphasizing the importance of mutual cooperation and cross-border collaboration among like-minded creators.

“As a Canadian inventor/entrepreneur, it would be nice to have mutual cooperation and venturing with like-minded individuals, beyond national borders!”

We’re so happy to have Reynaldo as part of the Inventor Smart family — his enthusiasm and global mindset reflect exactly what our community is all about: connection, creativity, and collective growth.

Want to be featured in a future Community Spotlight? Stay active, post your updates, and share your wins — your story could be next.

🎙️ The Inventor Coach Podcast — New Episode Out Now!

Inventing starts as a solo idea — but bringing it to life takes a team.

In this week’s episode of The Inventor Coach Podcast, Brian Fried breaks down who you need on your invention team, when to bring them in, and how to avoid the most common mistakes that slow inventors down.

Whether you’re just sketching your concept or preparing for manufacturing, this episode is packed with practical steps to help you move smarter — not harder.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

  • Who to hire and at what stage

  • How to protect your idea early

  • The importance of prototypes and design

  • What to look for in a manufacturing partner

  • Why strong relationships lead to successful products

🎧 Listen or Watch:

 New episodes drop every other week — subscribe today so you never miss Brian’s latest tips and inventor insights!

💬 Join the Conversation at InventorChat.com

Big ideas don’t grow in isolation — they grow through connection.

That’s what Inventor Chat is for. It’s your round-the-clock space to ask questions, share updates, get feedback, and celebrate the small wins that keep you moving forward. No noise, no sales pitches — just real inventors helping each other make real progress.

Whether you’re stuck on a prototype, preparing a pitch, or just curious how others are turning ideas into products, the Inventor Chat Forum is where collaboration happens between meetups and events.

👉 Start a thread or jump into the discussion today at InventorChat.com — your next breakthrough could come from a single comment.

💡 Inventor Tip of the Week — Talk About Your Idea

Too many inventors keep their ideas secret for too long. As Brian Fried explains, that fear of sharing can hold you back from ever getting the help, feedback, or partnerships you need to move forward. Once you’ve done a basic patent searchand have some form of protection—like a provisional patent or NDA—you’re ready to start talking about it.

When you discuss your invention with trusted contacts, mentors, or industry professionals, you open the door to connections that can help with manufacturing, licensing, funding, or distribution. The right conversation could be the spark that takes your idea from concept to market.

📌 Pro Tip:
Go to the store aisle where your product would sit. Write down the companies making similar products and research who to contact. Many successful licensing deals start with a single phone call or email to the right company.

🎯 Action Step:
Tell one new person about your idea this week—a mentor, a fellow inventor, or a potential licensee. Protect it properly, then share it confidently. Remember: ideas grow through conversation, not secrecy.

🤖 AI Spotlight of the Week — Lovable 2.0: Build Apps by Chat

Imagine building a full app or website just by chatting with AI — no coding required. That’s exactly what Lovable makes possible.

Lovable is an AI-powered platform that turns natural language into real, working software. Simply describe what you want, and Lovable builds it for you — front-end, back-end, and even database connections. And with the brand-new Lovable 2.0 update, it’s smarter, faster, and built for teams.

 Why Inventors Love It:
Lovable lets you build product pages, investor demos, or even custom apps to show off your invention — just by chatting. No coding experience required.

🧭 Inventor Resource of the Week — Inventors Digest: The Magazine for Idea People

If you’re serious about invention, licensing, and product development, you need to stay plugged into what’s happening in the inventor world — trends, success stories, patent updates, and industry tips.
That’s where Inventors Digest comes in.

Founded in 1985, Inventors Digest is the longest-running publication for inventors in the U.S., dedicated to educating and inspiring independent innovators. Each issue features real-world inventor success stories, insights from industry experts, patent office news, and practical business advice — all written in a way that’s easy to apply to your own journey.

📌 Why It Matters:
As Brian Fried often reminds inventors, knowledge is power. Staying informed helps you make smarter decisions, avoid costly mistakes, and understand how today’s inventors are successfully bringing their products to market.

🎯 Action Step:
Visit InventorsDigest.com and sign up for their free newsletter or browse the latest issue. Look for topics that align with your current stage — whether that’s prototyping, licensing, or pitching — and take notes on strategies you can apply right now.

🔗 Explore the publication → InventorsDigest.com

📜 On This Day in Inventor History

On October 27, 1873, American farmer-inventor Joseph Farwell Glidden filed a patent application for his improved barbed wire design, featuring two twisted strands that securely held the barbs in place.

Glidden’s simple yet revolutionary improvement transformed agriculture across the American plains — turning open range into protected farmland and changing the way property was managed forever.

🗓️ Upcoming Events at a Glance

🎙️ What Happens After You Have the Idea: Licensing, Building, Scaling & Exit
📅 Wed Oct 29 @ 8 PM ET — Learn how to license, scale, and plan your exit with Brian Fried and guest Steve Greenspon.
🔗 Join in the App →

🤝 National Inventor Club: After Meeting Networking Event
📅 Wed Oct 29 @ 9:10 PM ET — Connect with other inventors and discuss insights from the evening’s talk.
🔗 Join in the App →

💡 Coming Soon:
Our November event schedule will be announced in next week’s HQ email — stay tuned for new guests, topics, and community sessions you won’t want to miss!

Add event to calendar

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Let’s See Those Faces, Inventors!

Real people. Real ideas. Real community.

If you haven’t already, take a moment to add or update your profile photo in the app. It’s a simple step that makes a big difference — especially with upcoming meetups and live events where connections matter most.

💬 Makes networking smoother
🎤 Helps others recognize and connect with you during live events
🎁 Bonus: Send us a quick DM once it’s updated and we’ll send you a small thank-you gift!

Show up. Be seen. This is your inventor community.

Level Up Your Inventor Game with the Inventor Smart Community

Why stay stuck in “idea mode” when you can supercharge your inventor journey?

Inside the Inventor Smart App, you’ll unlock:
 Live Q&As + insider events to keep you moving forward
 Ready-to-use tools — NDAs, pitch decks & more
 A supportive network of inventors who push you to go bigger

No fees. No fluff. Just momentum.

Your ideas deserve more than the drawing board — they deserve to fly.

✨ Before You Go…

As we wrap up October, it’s a great time to look back at how far you’ve come — and look ahead to what’s next. Every sketch, prototype, and connection you’ve made this month has moved your invention journey forward.

This Wednesday, join Brian Fried and guest Steve Greenspon for a masterclass on what happens after you have the idea — from licensing and scaling to building a business that lasts. And don’t miss the After Meeting Networking Event right after, where collaboration turns into opportunity.

💡 Keep this week’s Inventor Tip in mind: Talk about your idea. Once it’s protected, share it confidently — because the right conversation can change everything.

🎃 As Halloween approaches, remember: innovation is all about turning imagination into reality. Whether your idea is spooky, serious, or somewhere in between — keep experimenting, sharing, and building.

✅ Your Inventor To-Do List This Week:

  • Tune in Wednesday for What Happens After You Have the Idea

  • Say hello to our newest members in the app

  • Check out this week’s Community Spotlight on Reynaldo Juan

  • Try Lovable, the AI that builds apps by chat

  • Read Inventors Digest and stay inspired

The magic of invention doesn’t happen overnight — it happens week by week, one idea at a time. Keep going, keep learning, and keep inventing.

Stay inventive,
— Team Inventor Smart

📬 Have a win, story, or question for us? We’d love to hear from you: [email protected]

Take your invention to the next level with Inventor Smart 'Premium Insider'!

Enjoy monthly Q&A sessions with Brian Fried and industry experts, share your story on the Inventor Spotlight Podcast, and gain access to exclusive events and discounts, including a 10% discount at InventorMart and on services at brianfried.com.

🔗 Learn more and join today: Premium Insider

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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