HousewaresThe International Home + Housewares Show is March 14-16 at McCormick Place in Chicago, with a special pre-event “Inventor 911” educational day as well as an Inventors Corner area.

Here’s what’s on tap for inventor-entrepreneurs:

Inventor 911 Classes and Speakers

Saturday March 13, 2010

Inventor 911 is an education and networking event for inventors and entrepreneurs. Featuring topics of special interest to those individuals trying to develop, manufacture, market or license their ideas, this exciting schedule of classes will be held on March 13, 2010 from 8:00a.m. – 1:15p.m. in room 502bat McCormick Place, Chicago. After the classes are completed, attendees are invited to network with our guest speakers. Attendees also receive a complimentary badge to the Housewares Show and are invited to visit the Inventors Corner, hear our other guest speakers and watch the product reviews.

Intellectual Property Primer:  Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Licensing

Presented by Stephen Scherrer–President, Registered Patent Attorney at Scherrer Patent & Trademark Law, P.C. 8:00am-9:00am

This class will provide practical information to help any inventor
navigate the confusing world of intellectual property law.  Whether you
are a seasoned inventor or are just starting on the path of innovation,
the class will help answer such questions as: what are the different types
of intellectual property; what should you know about patents, trademarks,
copyrights and licenses; how can you best protect your invention and/or
your brand; and what pitfalls should you avoid?

How To Brand Your Business, Product or Service in the New Economy.
Presented by Howard Lim, a world-class brand specialist with over 22 years  of hands on experience setting new standards in many industries. CBO at How Creative. 9:15am-10:45am

In this dynamic class Howard teaches how you can deepen and broaden your market reach to maximize visibility, profit, equity and value as a brand. This class is for entrepreneurs as well as small-to-large companies interested in positioning themselves as world-class brands to reach new clientele, strategic partners and alliances, retain loyal customers, to find new profit revenues, and to differentiate themselves from competitors. And this is just the start.

Some of Howards clients include Apple, Honda, Disney, DreamWorks, Acura, Xerox—just to name a few.

Marketing your IP: Advice for IP Owners Seeking to License or Sell Their Idea

Presented by Jeff Badovick–CEO of auraMIST, an established and growing global company that develops highly innovative consumer product solutions using an unparalleled, multi-patent protected fluid atomizing technology.  Jeffrey was also the original founder and CEO of APTEC an IP and Product development firm for consumer products. 11:00am-12:00pm

In this session, Jeffrey Badovick will review the topic of developing real world strategies for marketing your innovation, primarily based on successful commercialization experiences.  Jeffrey will outline parameters of what makes your idea appealing and how to increase its market value to prospective buyers or licensees.  The session will also address alternative concepts for generating revenues, common misconceptions about marketing inventions and reference precautions for protecting your invention during the marketing process.

Direct Response TV Marketing–An Overview

Roundtable presentation features DRTV professionals discussing different aspects of the industry including home shopping, infomercials, and more. 12:15pm-1:15pm

More and more direct response marketing– on television and on-line is a viable alternative for inventors looking to launch their new products and create name recognition. Is this industry the right choice for you? Is your product right for this industry? What do you need to know to safely navigate the waters in the world of DRTV?? This class will feature experts in the various forms of the industry sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience working with inventors like you!

Sunday March 14

Program Schedule Inventors Revue

9:00 am-10:00 am      “You Have a Great Idea—What’s Next?” How do you transform a great idea into a great product?

Presented by Louis Foreman

As Seen on TV Panel Reviews

Moderators: Roger A. Colaizzi, Partner Venable LLP

Louis Foreman Founder and Chief Executive of Enventys

10:30 am-12:30 pm-Panel One

BJ Fazeli, Founder and President—BJ Global Direct

Tim Harrington, President—TV Goods Inc.

Karen Hyman, President/CEO—LiveLink TV

Ron Perlstein, President—Infoworx

Bernadette Voelker, Senior Buyer—QVC

Panel Two 12:45 pm-2:45 pm

Wendi Cooper, Owner –Cspot Run Productions

Edwin Garrubbo, CEO-—IComm

Paul Greenberg, Chief Creative Officer—Thane Direct Inc.

Scott Hynd, Co-Founder—Proformance Marketing

Gary Sullivan, Director of Merchandising—Allstar Marketing

Monday   March  15

9:00 am-10:00 am      “Outside Product Development” A general overview of the Housewares industry with advice on how to professionally approach manufacturers here and throughout the year.

Presented by Warren Tuttle

Pitch to the Pros” — Corporate Panel Reviews

Moderators: Roger A. Colaizzi, Partner Venable LLP

Warren Tuttle, President of Monashee Marketing and President of the

United Inventors Association.

Panelists Include:

Panel One: 10:30am-12:30pm

Barb Downey, Director of Merchandising—SkyMall

Danene Jaffe, Vice President of Consumer Development—Jarden Consumer Solutions

Howard Lim, CBO—How Creative

Warren Tuttle, President—Monashee Marketing, Lifetime Brands

Panel Two: 12:45 pm-2:45 pm

Danene Jaffe—Vice President of Consumer Development—Jarden Consumer Solutions

Jeff Lindsay, Director of Solution Development—Innovationedge

Bill McCoy, Product Director—SkyMall

Gary Seehoff, CEO—Evriholder Products

3:45pm-4:45pm Fostering a Culture of Collaboration to Create Innovation Opportunities

Presented by: Cheryl Perkins

Founder and President INNOVATIONEDGE

Cheryl Perkins will shares best practices for taking innovation to the next step. She will discuss how to create a strategy, structure and culture to successfully drive innovation efforts. Cheryl will share insights on how to engage internal stakeholders, address innovation fatigue and overcome barriers to personal and corporate success as discussed in the book Conquering Innovation Fatigue.

  • How to create a strategy, structure and culture to lead your innovation efforts
  • How to build a foundation to deliver a continuum of innovation
  • How to find the right partners to deliver a sustainable pipeline
  • How to engage internal stakeholders in your efforts
  • How to measure the success of your initiatives