A plastic egg-shaped container that lets you prepare boiled eggs or egg whites outside their shell -- it's an 'As Seen on TV' blockbuster, having sold millions, now being updated. The invention was Betsy Kaufman's brainchild.
Kaufman invested just $25 entering a competition sponsored by Edison Nation, and she won. Now she has two patents in her name.
Edison paid for the patents, made the mold, researched it, and marketed it. Kaufman has earned enough to put her son through college.
Experts say contests and grants are a good option for novices. But if you go it alone, first, get a patent, that way no one can steal your design. Patents can cost between $5,000 and $10,000 so you may need hit up your family and friends for funding.
Rice University's Brad Burke says another approach is fill up your credit cards. He says it's not unusual to see an inventor or entrepreneur with maxed out credit cards.
He says the next step should be creating a prototype. The Manufacturers Association of Houston can help.
Finally, you have to market the idea/ Kaufman's idea was marketed through "As Seen On TV" but you can use social media and YouTube to get the word out there.
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