How long does it really take to get your invention idea off the ground?

 When people first approach me, they usually have a great idea in mind but have not done much more than a basic patent search or created some rough drawings of their product idea.  That is a great start indeed and most people who think of ideas never actually act on those thoughts so they are ahead of the game.  However, many inventors think that at this point the hard work has been completed and the rest of the road will be rather simple.  The truth is that the work has just begun!

In order to take a product from an idea to the retail store shelves, you should plan on it taking anywhere from nearly a year to as many as two or three (or more) years depending on how much time you have to devote to your project and how well you learn what to do and how to do it correctly.  There are many “moving parts” such as patent filings, CAD drawings, prototypes, locating a reliable factory, creating a logo for your new company and a great website, packaging and pricing the product, and so much more!  If you plan on handling all of this yourself, it will take you quite a bit of time especially if you are doing it at night or in between your day job and your other commitments in life.  Even if you hire a person or two to help you, it will take many months as each piece of the puzzle takes time to research, coordinate and execute.  

The great news is that once you successfully complete these steps, the financial rewards can be all yours!!  Like most anything in life, great success comes from hard work.  Inventing a product that can be sold to major retailers is no exception.  Just be patient and take small and careful steps.  If you do, you will increase your chances of success exponentially.

If you have not been to my main website at http://www.jimdebetta.com please visit me!!  I offer many ways to help aspiring consumer product entrepreneurs get started!!

Jim