About the World Innovation ForumNew York 2012: “Provoke change. Shape the future”

from their site: Our concept of innovation continues to expand and transform. It is no longer limited to one person or company, innovation is open and disruptive, multi-disciplinary and global. Collaboration is essential and reinforced by rapid, multi-faceted networks of communication: digital, mobile and interactive. This year, the most successful organizations will be the ones who know where to discover the potential of, and lead innovation… and it only takes one spark.

The World Innovation Forum brings together a whole new group of experts and practitioners who are shaping the way we do business. Learn more here: http://www.hsmglobal.com/event/world-innovation-forum-new-york-2012

In 1912, S.I. Russell invented and patented an electric heating pad for patients who had tuberculosis. The electric heating pad mad of a small square of fabric with insulated heating coils was designed to help them breathe and keep their chests warm. Amazingly the heating pad sold for $150 which was really pricey for the time. In the 1930’s due to popular demand and lower manufacturing costs, the first electric blanket came to market.

Today you can find electric blankets  in most department stores and online with a variety of features and options, making them a desirable addition to a cold winter night.

Since today is Chocolate Covered Anything Day, I thought I’d do some research on who invented chocolate and women and chocolate.

Here are four articles I found:

Chocolate invented 3,100 years ago by the Aztecs – while trying to make beer.

Scientists have discovered that chocolate was invented at least 3,100 years ago in Central America and not as the sweet treat people now crave, but as a celebratory beer-like beverage and status symbol.

Researchers identified residue of a chemical compound that comes exclusively from the cacao plant – the source of chocolate – in pottery vessels dating from about 1100 BC in Puerto Escondido, Honduras. To read the rest of the article visit Mail Online

Women and chocolate: Simply made for each other by Glenda Cooper

Women and chocolate are a dream team and advertisers have cleverly ensured they stay that way.

You can bet that when the first Aztec tentatively crushed a cacao bean, right behind him was an ad executive excitedly branding the muddy brown discovery “the food of the gods”. Or if there wasn’t, there certainly should have been — because chocolate hasn’t looked back since. Mars’s new “Mars Delight”, expected out this spring, is just the latest attempt to beguile us into seeing that a mixture of hydrogenated fat, sugar and theobromine (a type of caffeine) is an essential part of our life.  To read the rest of this article, visit Chocolate.org.

And then there’s the chocolate chip cookie, invented by a Woman!

Ruth Wakefield, Inventor of the Chocolate Chip Cookie:

Ruth Graves Wakefield (1905-1977) invented chocolate chips (and chocolate chip cookies) in 1930. Wakefield ran the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts. Her new cookie invention was called the “Toll House Cookie.” Her original cookies used broken-up bars of semi-sweet chocolate. Her cookbook, “Toll House Tried and True Recipes,” was published in 1940. Chocolate chip cookies are a favorite treat for people of all ages, but without the famous woman inventor Ruth Wakefield, the world might never have tasted those sweet delights. Born in 1905, Wakefield grew up to be a dietician and food lecturer after graduating from the Framingham State Normal School Department of Household Arts in 1924. Along with her husband Kenneth, she bought a tourist lodge named the Toll House Inn, where she prepared the recipes for meals that were served to guests. Here’s the story of Ruth Wakefield: http://www.women-inventors.com/Ruth-Wakefield.asp

So the Aztecs invented it and women perfected it!  Isn’t that divine?

Chocolate lover’s paradises around the world by By Joe Yogerst ~ From Belgium to Hershey, Pa., 10 Places to go cuckoo for cocoa

It’s just like any other addiction. You start slowly, gradually acquire a taste for the stuff and then ramp things up into a full-blown habit. But you can’t help yourself—you love the subtle buzz, the lingering aftertaste, the euphoric feeling that seems to follow every delicious encounter, to the point where you can no longer live without your daily dose. That’s when you know you’re a full-blown chocoholic. Read the rest of Chocolate lover’s paradise at MSNBC.

On Saturday (November 1st) I had a chance to attend the Inventors Society of South Florida monthly event. I was surfing online for events for inventors to post to Inventing Women and I came across their meeting announcement.

Steve Greenberg, Author of Gadget Nation was the guest speaker.  His presentation was interesting, fun and entertaining. And he had some great tips for inventors based upon all the inventors’ ideas he showcased in Gadget Nation. He talked about how he has traveled the country looking for innovative products. That’s why he has been dubbed “The Innovation Insider.”  Steve is also a television producer and “star” and has been seen on ABC’s World News This Morning and World News Now, Fox & Friends, and others. You can read more about Steve Greenberg at http://www.gadgetnation.net/steve-bio.htm.

Steve took us behind the scenes of many gadgets he wrote about in his book, he talked about how he came to find out about the inventions, how much they cost to produce and if the inventor is actually making any money from his innovative new product. Some of the inventions he showed us included “ Flight Suit Bird Diapers” for bird lovers who want to let their feathered friends fly around the house. They are disposable and come with an outer “diaper” and inner unit which is tossed when used.  The company is making money.

Other products he mentioned were:

The Kosher Lamp (making money)

Turkey Transporter – used to carry heavy turkeys from the pan to the carving platter (not making money yet)

Smittens –mittens specially designed so that two people can hold hands inside of one mitten.

Naughty Spot Time Out Matt created by a Florida Woman for mommy’s on the go who need to give their children a “time out” (breaking even) and she has created a line of products as a result.

My personal favorite were the Bright Feet Light Up slippers with headlights. I plan to purchase a pair for my husband for Christmas (shhh, don’t tell him).

Steve talked about how inventors come up with ideas.  They see a problem and come up with a solution. Much like all of us do. Except that inventors actually do something about the idea.  Inventors come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and walks of life. 

He spoke briefly about home shopping channels and some of the criteria involved in getting on the show. Here’s what he shared:

The product has to be TV friendly – show well on TV

Cute products do well

Good demographics are a must

Products under $40 seem to do the best

Inventor must have a minimum number of units on hand in order to even be considered for the show.

When Steve was finished, he took time to chat one-on-one with several of the guests in the room.  When it was my turn, I asked if he would allow me to interview him for an upcoming teleseminar.  He said YES!  So stay tuned as Steve is on my radar for a future event.

You can learn more about Steve’s book ~ Gadget Nation, inventions and more at GadgetNation.net.  Watch the Gadget Nation Video at http://www.gadgetnation.net/gadget-nation-the-video.htm.  And for more interesting tidbits, check out Steve’s blog at http://gadgetnation.net/steve-blog/  

In case you were wondering, I purchased three copies of Steve’s book! I highly recommend this book for inventors and would-be inventors. You can read about each person’s struggles, successes and whether or not their idea has made any money yet.

I also joined the Inventors Society of South Florida. They are great people with incredible vision and I want to soak that up and learn all I can. Stay tuned, because there’s more to come.

The Grow a Million Dollar Business Summit and Celebration is THE eConference for Small Business Owners and Individuals who want to grow their business or idea into a financial empire. The even features 14 million-dollar achievers who have each built their own businesses from the ground up. Among Million-Dollar Experts, Kim Lavine, Inventor and Author of Mommy Millionaire, Tom Antion, President of Great Internet Marketing and Loral Langemeier, The Millionaire Maker

Miramar, FL September 7, 2008 — The Women’s eCommerce Association announces the lineup of guest experts celebrating our 5 year anniversary and International Women’s eCommerce Days September 18-20, 2008.

The Grow a Million Dollar Business Summit and Celebration is THE eConference for Inventors, Small Business Owners and Individuals who want to turn their business or idea into a financial empire. The event features 14 million-dollar achievers who have each built their own businesses from the ground up.

The grow a million dollar experts include:

• Tom Antion, President of Great Internet Marketing
• Loral Langemeier, The Millionaire Maker
• Andrea Nierenberg, President The Nierenberg Group
• Nicola Cairncross, President – The Money Gym
• Kim Lavine, Inventor and Author of Mommy Millionaire
• Annie Jennings of Annie Jennings PR
• Heather Juma of Wealth, Success and Women
• Elizabeth Gordon, Author of The Chic Entrepreneur
• Joyce Bone, Founder of Millionaire Moms
• Melanie Benson Strick, Entrepreneur Success Coach
• Chris Ramey President, Affluent Insights
• Diane Keohohou, CEO – Direct Selling Women’s Alliance
• Marilyn Jenett of Feel Free to Prosper
• Maria Marsala of Elevating Your Business
• Sheri McConnell, CEO of Sheri McConnell Companies, Inc

Highlights from the virtual women’s media conference include the following:

• From Small Town Kid to Internet Multi-Millionaire
• Building Leading & Protecting Your Business
• Million Dollar Networking: The Sure Way to Find, Grow and Keep Your Business
• How to Build an Empire from Your Kitchen Table
• The Mindset, Making & Marketing Of The Million Dollar Expert
• How to Become a Millionaire Diva: Helping Women Create Riches in all Aspects of Their Lives
• How to Grow a Million Dollar Business, The Chic Entrepreneur Way
• How Millionaire Moms Achieved Financial Independence ~ and You Can Too!
• How to Build a 6- and 7 Figure Business Using the Power of Virtual Teams
• How to Market to the Affluent
• How to Grow a Million Dollar Direct Sales Organization
• How I Attract Million Dollar Clients Using Prosperity Principles – and You Can Too!
• How to Grow a Million Dollar Business With a Mastermind Team
• Why Creating a Membership Based-Business Is So Smart – The Millionaire’s Business Model

Each one-hour session will be rich in information and expertise attendees can take away to achieve financial freedom and grow a million dollar business. Registered guests will have their choice of attending via the online conference room or they can call into a teleconference bridge line to participate. Registrants who are unable to attend any or all of the event, will have access to the live recordings online after the event and can also purchase a complete set of audio CD’s.

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About The Women’s eCommerce Association

The Women’s eCommerce Association (The WECAI Networkâ„¢), Founded by Heidi Richards Mooney, has more than 1400 members repressing 58 countries is the virtual organization that helps women to business on and off the web. The Women’s eCommerce Association has hosted and sponsored four past summits, The Woman’s Wealth Summit, Women’s Internet Marketing Summit, Women’s Media Summit and Women’s Writing & Publishing Summit. To learn more about The WECAI Networkâ„¢ go to http://www.WECAI.org. For more information and to register for Grow a Million Dollar Business Summit; visit http://www.WhereWomenProsper.com.

To save $20 on registration, go to http://wherewomenprosper.wordpress.com/register/

Media Please Contact: Heidi Richards Mooney, 954-625-6606, Heidi@wecai.org

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On Wednesday, September 10th at 11 AM (EST)

Inventor of the Cleavage Caddy™ Tells how she got her idea onto the chests of women in America.

If you are interested in attending this FREE teleconference, send a message to heidi@inventingwomen.com with “Cleavage Caddy RSVP” in the subject line and you will be sent instructions to participate.

Have an invention?  Need to get your invention off the ground? Join Heidi as she interviews Kim Lavine, Inventor and Author of Mommy Millionaire and 14 experts on building wealth September 18-20 for the Grow a Million Dollar Business Summit. Learn more and register WHERE WOMEN PROSPER.

You can learn more about the Cleavage Caddy™ at http://www.mazantricreations.com/mazantri-cleavage-caddy.html

  Join us on Wednesday, June 18^th at 11 AM EASTERN TIME for an Interview with Sarah Miller Caldicott , Co-Author of Innovate Like Edison

 

“If we all did things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves.”  That quote by Thomas Edison begins a wonderful journey on his amazing accomplishments as an inventor and more importantly sets the stage for a book filled with a blueprint to help each of us through the process of innovation, Innovate Like Edison: The Success System of America’s Greatest Inventor.  Innovate like Edison was co-authored by Sarah Miller Caldicott, A great grandniece of Thomas Edison and his second wife Mina Miller Edison and Michael Gelb the world’s leading authority on the application of genius thinking and the author of nearly a dozen books, most notably “How to Think Like Leonardo DaVinci.” 

 

 

ABOUT Sarah Miller Caldicott:

 

Sarah has been surrounded by creativity and innovation throughout her life.  When she was seven years old, Sarah learned of her unique relationship to her great great aunt Mina Miller, and Mina’s world-famous husband, Thomas Edison.  Curious about why the Edison phonograph and cylindrical records in her home worked so differently from the small plastic record player that spun 45’s and wax LP’s, she wondered, “How did they get this way?”

 

Intrigued Sarah went on to learn about the accomplishments of Mina Miller Edison’s father – Sarah’s great, great grandfather, Lewis Miller (1829-1899) – an agricultural equipment inventor whose Buckeye Mower & Reaper dramatically improved the productivity of American farmers in the 1850’s and beyond, later inspiring development of the modern Combine Harvester.  A recipient of 92 patents, Lewis Miller was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006, and co-founded the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York in 1874 – a place Sarah and her family still visit every year.

 

Sarah received her MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business, and began her 20-year career as a Marketing executive with brand-driven firms including Pepsico and Unilever. For 12 years, Sarah spearheaded domestic and international rollouts of mass brands including Cycle, Suave, Salon Selectives, and Degree.

Desiring to pursue more entrepreneurial projects, in 1998, Sarah established StarWave Associates, a strategic marketing and branding consultancy assisting CEO’s and business owners in transforming the growth of their brands. StarWave clients have included DHL Global Mail, Cox Enterprises, Andrx Pharmaceuticals, Shay Financial Services, and Lucent, as well as numerous entrepreneurial firms. 

 

Sarah speaks to audiences across the country, and leads executive seminars on how to embed Edison’s Five Competencies of Innovation in their organizations.  These competencies propelled Edison to generate a record-breaking 1,093 US patents and 1,293 international patents over 62 successive years.

 

You can visit Sarah online at PowerPatterns.com.

 

In this session, Sarah is going to share her Five tips for jump starting your invention prowess and getting the creative juices flowing, give an overview of some of the five competencies as well as other innovative practices.

 

To join us send a message to heidi (at) inventingwomen.com with “RSVP Innovate Like Edison” in subject line. Instructions will be sent in a reply.

 

Tomima Edmark is the the inventor of the wildly successful TopsyTail, a hair accessory for women that she marketed by herself to revenues of $150 million. She is also the founder of HerRoom.com and HisRoom.com.

During her interview Tomima shared her journey of taking her invention to market, how she promoted Topsy Tail, got them in major retail outlets, got funding and all the challenges and victories that went along with creating a mutli-million dollar empire.

You can listen to Tomima’s interview here: .

The next interview was with Denyse DuBrucq, inventor, educator and scientist. 

Denyse shared her story about all the things she has invented including the resistance to her ideas even though they could change the world, how she found the perfect patent attorney to work with, the resources she has found helpful in her journey and also the story of her newest invention and how she plans to save millions of lives with it.

You can listen to Denyse’s story here: http://inventingwomen.com/audio/DenyseDubrucq.mp3 .

If you haven’t got your idea in yet, it’s not too late! The Hunt deadline is March 28, 2008.

For more information, visit The Big Idea Group Idea Hunts and Contest Page

Here’s the Inventor Guidelines  and Submission Guidelines