I have an idea, what do I do next?

I am natutally a creative person, over the course of my career  I have been able to channel this creativeness into my work. Since I was made redundant in 2008 I have continued to have many ideas for things, however I have not quite known what to do with them all. usually I  think about them for a few days and then they fizzle out to nothing. I hit my brick wall then walk away.

The idea for my invention struck me one night, it was a very unglamourous setting I might add! I was sitting on the floor in the utility room folding washing when I had my eureka moment. I abandoned the washing and went and told James my idea, he liked it, so I rang my mum, she liked it too. I was on the internet into the early hours trying to find out if the invention already existed, it didn't!

Ok, so where to go next with this idea, just because I thought it was good didn't mean others would think it was good. So, I decided to follow it untilI hit my brick wall, knowing at least I would have tried.


After some research I discovered there are  many companies out there that will review an idea for free after signing a non disclosure agreement(NDA). I plucked up the courage to call one of them and they sent me some information by email and a pack in the post.

After the NDA was signed, I sent them drawings and a brief explanation of what my idea was. I was very nervous about being laughed at. A few days later I got a call to say my idea had been reviewed and that the initial internet search they had done showed nothing like it. If I wanted to get to the next stage with them then I would need to have CAD (computer aided designs) work done, other drawings and eventually a prototype made. Now you can imagine this didn't come cheap. £2k+ for the drawings and a further £2k+ for the prototype. A patent search would be £500 and all of this plus VAT ofcourse!

The suspicious side of me was thinking 'are they just saying they like my idea so that I spend money with them'? I was starting to doubt my idea, oh yes, plus I had not got this money to spend!! Had I hit my brick wall already,

Using the information I had been given and the steps necessary to get my idea presentable to anyone, I thought about which bits I could do myself, erm none. I could not do CAD or build a prototype but if I could find someone to build me a prototype then that would be a great start.

More research on the internet showed up a local firm that could build me a prototype for around £100: Perfect! They didn't require CAD to build the prototype, just a rough sketch on some paper would be adequate. It didn't need to look pretty, it just needed to work.

A week later with the 2 eldest monsters at school I dropped the 2 youngest monsters at my mums and went to collect my prototype, my new baby!!

Next week: Testing the prototype.

Important info
Always get a NDA signed by anyone you are discussing your idea with

Let's begin... Me, an inventor?

Yes, the title, Me, an inventor? Who would have thought that?

I am now on the road to becoming an iventor, I didn't start out to become an inventor, it just sort of happened.
I want to share with you how this happened and how my invention is coming along.

Despite having an IQ of over 150, I quit college without finishing my Alevels and went travelling on the other side of the world. I finally came home aged nearly 21 without a clue as to what to do in life.
Move forwards 12 years, having had a successful career in call centre and sales management and 1 redundancy nicely behind me I found myself expecting baby number 3 and also being made redundant... again!

Redundancy can make or break you and I am pleased to say I am still friends with my old boss who made me and my partner redundant on Xmas eve whilst 5 months pregnant! It was nothing personal, just a sad sign of the times we were in as were many other businesses following the credit crunch. In fact, life has so far turned out fantastic since then. I have had baby number 4 and made a decision that I don't want to return to being employed, at least until my youngest starts school, hopefully it won't come to that, but you never know what opportunities are out there.


Like many people, I watch Dragons Den and either laugh at the ridiculous inventions and business ideas or occassionally sit and say 'wow, that's brilliant'. We would always sit and say if only we could come up with a great idea, little did I know that day would finally come.....


Next week: I have the idea, what do I do next?