The Right to Invent and Profit

This week, librarians, booksellers, and readers every where are celebrating the right to read by observing "Banned Book Week"--Sept 24-Oct 2. According to the American Library Association, "Banned Book Week" underscores each American's right to "intellectual freedom."

It's not likely, that my book, The Right Sisters: Women Inventors Tell Their Stories, will be banned. However, my motivation in part for writing The Right Sisters stemmed from discovering how women were once banned from getting patents for their inventions. In other words, they were denied the intellectual freedom to invent and profit from their creations.

In 1793, Sybilla Masters invented a corn refining machine. However, the patent for her method was issued in her husband’s name. The paperwork actually reads: for “a new Invencon [sic] found out by Sybilla, his wife.” In the early days of this country, women’s rights were overshadowed by those of men. The cultural norm at that time dictated that a woman’s place was in the home.

By the late 1800s, women were finally granted patents for their inventions, but as the stories in The Right Sisters relate, our journey toward intellectual freedom and enterprise continues to be challenged even in the 21st century. Last week, I wrote a blog post about the challenges women face when negotiating with big companies. That's why organizations like Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and web sites like Women Negotiating are necessary resources for women.

Just as librarians and booksellers work to maintain our freedom to choose what we read, these organizations work to maintain women's rights in the world of business. We have a right to invent and a right to profit.

Let's celebrate our right to intellectual freedom. Post a comment about a challenge you faced head on to secure your rights.

The Right Sisters: Hot Off the Press!

My newly published book, The Right Sisters: Women Inventors Tell Their Stories, is getting rave reviews.

Don Kelly, Former US Patent and Trademark Office Chief of Staff who now runs Patent Agent Plus had this to say:

“A MUST READ!” for anyone with an inventive idea and curiosity about what it takes to bring that idea to market. Rhodes and Harrelson have captured a wonderfully readable collection of richly moving stories about contemporary women innovators - - in their own words. As a special tribute to sisters everywhere, The Right Sisters is an eloquent commentary on still-prevailing barriers faced by female inventors. Beyond that, the tales of their courageous struggles and heartwarming victories deliver a powerful dose of motivation for us all.

Lorin Beller Blake at Big Fish Nation says

The Right Sisters is brilliant! Women entrepreneurs all over the world are becoming a force that is having more and more impact. We need inspiration every day to remind us to keep going. That is what this book offers—inspiration from women who have a seedling of an idea and make it a reality.

Bob DeMatteis, author of From Patent to Profit, says

The Right Sisters will make you laugh, make you cheer, and at times make you cry. It will give you a whole new perspective on the extraordinary vision, perseverance, and generosity of America’s women inventors. Julia and Patricia tell why the next wave of innovation in America will be from women!

Order your copy now on the "Contact Us" page of KleenSlate Concepts.

Pitching Your Idea 2- Speaking Up

Wanda Plimmer, who is featured in The Right Sisters: Women Inventors Tell Their Stories, was an actress before she was an inventor. Her skills as an actress have served her well in presenting her idea to others. After Wanda invented her Nursing Nest, she decided to pitch it to a large company.

In the Right Sisters, she tells this hilarious story about getting through to the “right” person.

I called the corporate headquarters and told them I had a product that I wanted to present to the person responsible for buying breast-feeding pillows. The receptionist told me to send them a sample and they would take it from there. I insisted that I needed to talk to the buyer, but she said she couldn’t give that information and ended the call.

I waited a few minutes and called back, disguising my voice in a twangy, southern accent: “I’d like t’ speak t’ the person who buys breast-feedin’ pillas?” The operator seemed about to transfer me, but I stopped her and said, “Couldja just gi’ me her name?”

“Marcia Costello,” she said,

“Oh, thaaank you, honey,” I said and she patched me through. I reached Marcia’s assistant, and when I told her I wanted to present my product to Marcia, I got the same instructions: “Just send us a sample.” So, I said, “Thank you, very much,” and ended the call.

A few minutes later, I called back a third time, using yet a different voice. I said, “Marcia Costello, please. This is Wanda Plimmer from Peaceful Peas.” When I finally got to speak to Marcia, I felt like I’d reached the great Wizard of Oz. I told her I had five products that I was ready to present including the Nursing Nest.

“I can’t see you for another three weeks,” Marcia responded.

Keeping my voice level in the face of this thrilling news, I said in a very businesslike manner, “That will be fine. What time is good for you? I had assumed a totally different persona from the ones who busted their way through by phone.

Wanda used her talents to good advantage to get through to the right person. However, most of us have not been actresses in a previous life, so getting up the nerve to talk to people about our ideas is sometimes a tough thing to do.

If you lack confidence in the public speaking arena, I recommend that you get help from those who are more expert and practice what you learn. For example, Lisa Marshall offers some wonderful guidelines on her podcasts at The Public Speaker. Check them out.

And please let us know your tips for overcoming public speaking angst.

Philanthropy-Giving Back

Ever since I started KleenSlate Concepts, I’ve looked for opportunities to help others as a way of acknowledging the help that has propelled my inventor journey. For instance, I frequently donate product to schools locally as well as across the country and internationally.



I learned about philanthropy from my mother as well as from the generosity of others. When I was a kid, my family lived in Mexico while my parents did graduate work. Because they were going to school, they had to get resourceful about how to earn money. Mom started selling homemade granola to the local super market. It was soon a reasonably lucrative enterprise. When we were ready to move back to the States, Mom turned the business over to our housekeeper. She taught her about business, especially bookkeeping, and she introduced Maria to the store manager as her business partner.

When I was a single mother at 20, I realized that an education could get me out of poverty. I enrolled in the local community college, Columbia College, where I applied for and was awarded various scholarships. The generosity of people who established these scholarships helped me through tough times. The gift not only helped me financially, but it also boosted my self-esteem because I felt like someone believed in me.

That’s why I’ve chosen to donate a portion of the proceeds from The Right Sisters: Women Inventors Tell Their Stories to fund a scholarship at Columbia College for women like me—young women in difficult situations who recognize that education is a way out of poverty.

My mother’s generosity was a significant influence in my life. Philanthropy is as important to me as the more practical issues in the inventor-entrepreneur life—things like patents and manufacturing and promoting.

I’d like to hear how readers are repaying the help they’ve received during their inventor journey.

The Right Sisters: Women Inventors Tell Their Stories

I will not beat myself up over not writing in my blog. My writing time has been absorbed finishing a book that was started 2 years ago! The Right Sisters: Women Inventors Tell Their Stories should be ready to go to press in August and released in Late Sept or early October. It has been a fascinating and inspiring journey interviewing 10 amazing women inventors. I am honored to be telling their stories and I look forward to sharing them with you. My mother's artwork inspired the cover while her encouragement and support throughout my life gave me the confidence I needed to make this happen. I love you Mom!