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Brian Fried
Inventor, Inventor Coach & Founder, National Inventor Club
In this conversation, Brian Fried, an inventor and inventor coach, shares his journey from being a curious child to becoming a successful inventor and coach. He discusses the importance of capturing ideas, the mindset needed for innovation, and the steps to commercialize inventions.
Capture the idea or poof, it's gone. Like a camera missing the shot, an uncaptured idea disappears with the next distraction — write it down, then verify it's truly yours with a patent search before investing time and money.
We are all inventors — adults just forget. Brian teaches kids they're inventors by having them improve failed products; the mindset is a habit, like brushing your teeth, at any age from classrooms to 80-year-olds.
License for royalties or build a brand — know your path. His Sesame Street snack containers earned royalties per unit while his Paper Towel Topper is self-manufactured; time, money, and goals decide which route fits.
Validate with strangers, not family. Friends say everything is amazing — online surveys and honest expectation-setting reveal whether a big enough window of opportunity exists before you spend.
