Networking

I'm heading to the east coast where Everyday Edisons is wrapping up its Season 3 casting calls at the Providence Rhode Island Convention Center on March 17. This will be the first casting call in the Northeast, and inventors will be arriving with sketchbooks, notebooks, and prototypes to see if their idea has what it takes to be on the PBS Show Everyday Edisons!

However, before going to Providence RI, I'll stop in Boston where I'll meet with a fellow inventor, Nancy Kerrigan. I met Nancy, whose products are in the pet industry, a few years back when I was in Boston for a meeting at Staples headquarters. I took her with me to my meeting to let her see what it was like doing business with "the big boys." Then I introduced her to my outsources in China. It wasn't long before her products were being manufactured there. Today, Nancy sells to the "big box" pet supply retailers.

Networking with other inventors works well because even though our inventions/products differ, we are often working on the same problems, issues, and challenges. Nancy and I support one another as we discuss our experiences and especially the challenges that we face selling to mass market retail stores. Not only am I looking forward to talking business with her, I hear Boston is beautiful this time of year and that Nancy's Auntie's spaghetti and meatballs are the talk of the town.

After saying good bye to Boston, I'll head to Providence, Rhode Island to meet up with the EDE crew for the last call. My job is working with the US Patent Office to talk with the participants about getting patents. I can't wait to see which inventors make the final cut of 14 inventors for next season's show.

Trips like this inspire and energize me because I love being in situations that support and promote inventiveness and entrepreneurial ventures.
j

Staying Inspired

Part of being an inventor/entrepreneur is staying motivated, engaged, and informed about the world. One way I stay inspired is by attending relevant conferences. I recently attended the 19th annual Professional Business Women of California Conference (PBWC ) in San Francisco.

This year PBWC chose to focus on 4 generations of women in the workplace who have broken ground in politics, business, medicine, and beyond. We shared experiences, exchanged ideas, and inspired each other to keep making history.

The highlights for me included hearing Martha Beck--a writer and columnist for the Oprah Magazine--tell about life changing experiences that resulted from choices she made. She said we all have our own "North Star within" and she encouraged us to follow it. Another awe-inspiring speaker was Madeleine Albright, 64th US Secretary of State. Albright shared her hopes of reinstating America to a source of inspiration across the globe and she encouraged us to find ways to deal with challenges while making the most from our opportunities.

I learned so much from the other women at PBWC as well as from stars like Martha Beck and Madeleine Albright. Please leave a comment telling us who is inspring you right now.
J