1. hobbies and interests
2. inventors and patents

&
Presents our 31st Annual Inventing Success™ Workshops
April 30 - May 1, 2015
What is the most important investment an inventor, small business owner or entrepreneur can make? To learn how
successful people develop marketable products and profitable businesses!!
Attend these sessions and find out from the experts how to spend your time and money wisely as you develop your
idea. Entrepreneurs will find value in the expert information being offered for effective business strategies. You will
find key ingredients to making better business decisions.
One day Package: Thursday $40.00 or Friday $40.00
Includes one day entrance, for one person, to the expo that day.
Two day Package: $65.00, includes two day entrance to the expo.
CLICK HERE
to Purchase Your Tickets!
THURSDAY SCHEDULE
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Thursday, April 30, 2015 8:00 a.m. " "
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PATENTS OVERVIEW: PROVISIONAL AND
NON-PROVISIONAL APPLICATIONS
Elizabeth Dougherty, J.D., Director of Inventor Education, Outreach, and Recognition, USPTO
Cathie Kirik, Management and Program Analyst, USPTO. www.uspto.gov
Utility patents are the most commonly filed-for patent because they protect a vast range of inventions and
discoveries. In this session, weʼll take an in-depth look at utility patents and the two types of utility applications—
provisional and nonprovisional—as well as the components that make up each application. Youʼll also learn what a
provisional application does, if it is right for you, and how to file one.
Room 103D
Thursday, April 30, 2015
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8:00 a.m." "
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10 KEY ISSUES TO ADDRESS WHEN PRESENTING
A TECHNOLOGY STARTUP COMPANY TO INVESTORS
Michael Moore, Director, William C Norris Institute, Opus College of Business, University of St. Thomas.
www.stthomas.edu/centers/norris
Most investor pitches focus on how the technology works and what the company will do. But investors want to know
these key things before they will consider risking their capital.
Room 103E
Thursday, April 30, 2015 9:00 a.m."
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VALUE START-UPS, PATENTS AND INVENTIONS
Clyde Hanson, CPVA, Venture Isles LLC. www.ventureisles.com
Inventors & entrepreneurs have their opinions of the value of their innovations and investors, acquirers and the IRS
may have quite different ones. This workshop is an overview of uses, methods and terminology of formal
valuations; a tour of two actual valuations; and the group will value a participantʼs invention as a demonstration of
key principles.
Room 103D
Thursday, April 30, 2015
9:00 a.m.
CREATING A MARKETABLE INVENTION
Doug Reuter, Inventor. www.qb8app.com
Learn from the inventor of the board game Sequence and our 2013 Grand Prize Winner about the lessons he has
learned.
Room 103E
Thursday, April 30, 2015
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9:00 a.m." "
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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING - HOW TO TAKE
AN IDEA AND BREAKTHROUGH TO ACTION
Jeffry Brown, Chief Innovation Officer, Simon Says Lead. www.simonsayslead.com
Dina Simon, CEO, author, Simon Says Lead. www.simonsayslead.com
Have you ever wondered how to take your idea and turn it into action? Dina and Jeff will share with you their
methodology for taking business ideas and turning them into thriving business models. They will share their secrets
to success from ideation to launching recent business ventures. You will walk away with tools to incorporate into
your own design thinking.
Room 103F
Thursday, April 30, 2015
10:00 a.m.""
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3D PRINTING
Tyler Pope, Co-owner, Manufacturing Engineer, 3D Printing Ally. www.3dprintingally.com
Learn how 3D Printing can help the inventor, the entrepreneur and the small business.
Room 103D
Thursday, April 30, 2015
10:00 a.m.""
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THE MANY PLASTICS MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
Ronald C. Johansson, P.E., Mechanical Engineer, 36 years with 3M
Injection molded plastics are being used to make everything from automotive body parts to human body parts.
However, there are many other manufacturing processes that are less well known. Ronʼs presentation will provide
an overview of injection molding and 13 other manufacturing processes. There will also be a focus on economics
and types of products best suited to each process.
Room 103E
Thursday, April 30, 2015
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10:00 a.m.""
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BASIC NETWORKING: THE FUNDAMENTALS
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OF BUILDING YOUR NETWORK
Ron Wacks, CEO, Entrepreneur. www.microbusinessstrategies.com
What is “networking”? Why should you care about it? Why do you need to effectively network? How to effectively
Network. What will that accomplish for you? And how do you network to monetize your IP? Of all the tactics and
strategies one can learn to improve a business, learn why Networking is the most important skill to develop…and why
itʼs the most important thing youʼll do every day.
Room 103F
Thursday, April 30, 2015
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12:00 p.m.""
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PATENTS - WHAT IS THE PROCESS, TOOLS FOR
SUCCESS, AND HOW TO AVOID BEING SCAMMED
Cathie Kirik, Management and Program Analyst, USPTO. www.uspto.gov
Elizabeth Dougherty, J.D., Director of Inventor Education, Outreach, and Recognition, USPTO.
Getting a patent is a complex process, one that requires specific forms and fees depending on the type of
intellectual property protection you seek. For the beginner, it can be intimidating, and even once youʼve filed, there
may be multiple correspondences between you and the USPTO regarding your application. This session will take
you into the prosecution process and discuss terminology, forms, and fees, and give you expert information on what
to expect and how to respond to office actions during the course of your patent application prosecution. Attendees
will also learn tools for success and how to avoid being scammed.
Room 103D
Thursday, April 30, 2015
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12:00 p.m.""
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WHY AN INVENTOR NEEDS TO ACT
LIKE A BUSINESS OWNER
Bob Voss, Author, Entrepreneur, Educator, New Business Bob. www.newbusinessbob.com
Turn your invention into a real business! Start with an Invention Business Plan that leads to the best legal business
entity and ends with four critical growth habits that drive real financial profitability for you! Learn how to give your
invention the best possible chance of success by thinking and acting like a Business Owner not an inventor!
Room 103E
Thursday, April 30, 2015 12:00 p.m." "
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ACCESS TO CAPITAL: WHO, WHERE AND HOW
Patrick Donohue, Finance Strategist and Entrepreneur. Chartered Financial Analyst. INVESTyR. www.investyr.com
Sourcing capital for your project or company is a critical for scaling a business opportunity. Learn what others have
done to get investments and how you can identify and partner with investors.
Room 103F
Thursday, April 30, 2015
2:00 p.m." "
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TRADEMARK AND COPYRIGHT BASICS
Courtney Hofflander, Attorney, Fredrikson & Byron PA. www.fredlaw.com
John Pickerill, Attorney, Fredrikson & Byron PA. www.fredlaw.com
The session will address that advantages of protecting your intellectual property through non-patent options,
including trademarks and copyright. It will also equip you with techniques to effectively leverage your trademarks
and copyright in the marketplace, and touch on asserting or defending advertising claims. Room 103D
Thursday, April 30, 2015
2:00 p.m." "
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HOW TO PITCH YOURSELF OR YOUR PRODUCT
Cathy Paper, M.A. President, RockPaperStar www.rockpaperstar.com
A great pitch sets the tone for key messages, audience reactions an ultimately product sales. Explore several of the
ten steps to the spotlight for your new invention, idea or company. Build your buzz without breaking your budget.
Room 103E
Thursday, April 30, 2015 2:00 p.m."
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SBDC, SCORE, LegalCORPS
Diane Paterson, Associate Director, Small Business Development Center, Opus College of Business, University of
St. Thomas. www.stthomas.edu/sbdc"
Gillian Rosenquist, IAP Administrator, LegalCORPS. www.legalcorps.org/inventors
Rick Barkley, MN State Director, SCORE. www.score-mn.org
Learn about the resources available for inventors and entrepreneurs.
Room 103F
FRIDAY SCHEDULE Friday, May 1, 2015 8:00 a.m. "
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USING FREE PATENT DATA TO UNCOVER
COMPETITORS AND PATHS TO EXIT
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Jeff Carpenter, Certified Licensing Professional, Bird Dog Innovation Strategies.
www.birddoginnovation.com
Patent searching is typically focused on your own invention, to evaluate patentability or freedom to operate. This
session is about using broader patent searches to discover crucial information about your competitors, other players
in the space, and companies that might acquire you.
Room 103D
Friday, May 1, 2015
8:00 a.m."
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LOW COST/ HIGH RETURN INVENTING
Carrie Jeske, Inventor, investor and Direct Product Licensee, Inventive Ideas Inc. www.inventiveideas.com"
and in charge of inventor education at Will It Launch, LLC.
Learn how to maximize your cash and increase profits in the world of inventing. Learn how to maximize your cash
and increase profits in the world of inventing. Gain understanding of market viability testing prior to patenting or
manufacturing. Guard your money like a junk yard dog, as your travel the path of “make and sell” or “licensing” your
invention. Room 103E
Friday, May 1, 2015 9:00 a.m."
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HOW TO CONDUCT A PRIOR ART SEARCH
Christian Hansen, Patent Attorney, Patterson Thuente IP. www.ptslaw.com
In this seminar, we will discuss strategies for effectively conducting your own search for prior art. We will then walk
through the steps of an actual search, with helpful hints from a patent attorney who routinely conducts these types
of searches along the way.
Room 103D
Friday, May 1, 2015 9:00 a.m."
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5 REASONS ITʼS HARD TO SELL YOUR
INNOVATION TO A LARGE ORGANIZATION
Scott Propp, Innovation Strategist, Engineer, Dentro Consulting. www.scottpropp.com
In this session, learn the strategies needed to successfully approach larger firms with discovery, product or piece of
intellectual property. Scott will share from his experience leading CTO incubation teams what you can do to
increase your chances of success using tools you have available to you.
Room 103E
Friday, May 1, 2015 9:00 a.m."
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10,000 FOLLOWERS IN 10 MINUTES A DAY
Lou Abramowski, Founder, Evergreen. www.hotlou.com
Lou spent the last decade joking that he was an expert user of Facebook. Today, much to his surprise and delight,
that's no joke and he's created multiple businesses to scale based on what's he's learned.
Room 103F
Friday, May 1, 2015 10:00 a.m."
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SO YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA... NOW WHAT?
BRINGING YOUR INVENTION FROM CONCEPT TO REALITY Michael Wayman, President, Integrity Design Engineering. www.integrityde.com
How to engage with an engineering company to develop your invention. Session will explain how the engineering
process works and explain the steps in the product development process.
Room 103D
Friday, May 1, 2015 10:00 a.m."
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INVENTING AND LIFE - LESSONS LEARNED
THROUGH FAILURE, GREED AND DETERMINATION
Greg Amundson, Inventor, CornerFlex, Inc. www.cornerflex.com
My journey of inventing began when I was a child as a creative outlet. Over the years I have come up with many
ideas but only one has become a reality through many failures, near financial ruin and ultimately, invaluable lessons
in life.
Room 103E
Friday, May 1, 2015 10:00 a.m."
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EQUITY FUNDRAISING 101
Andy Amoroso, Deputy District Director, US Small Business Administration, Minnesota. www.sba.gov/offices/district/
mn/minneapolis
David Russick, Founder, Managing Director, and Board Member, Gopher Angels LLC. www.gopherangels.com
Jeffrey C. Robbins, Attorney,, Messerli & Kramer. www.messerlikramer.com
Financing your business concept is one of the most talked about challenges facing entrepreneurs. This session will
help you learn what you – the business owner – needs to do to plan and secure traditional financing through lending
institutions, angel investors and the age old “family, friends and fools” method of financing your business.
Room 103F
Friday, May 1, 2015 12:00 p.m."
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Rich Billion, Attorney, Billion & Armitage. www.billionarmitage.com
Intellectual Property basics and what you do with it once you get it.
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IP BOOT CAMP Room 103D
Friday, May 1, 2015 12:00 p.m."
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LICENSING VS. GOING TO MARKET ALONE Warren Tuttle, Licensing guru, Monashee Marketing. www.monasheemarketing.com, www.accessisllc.com
Identifying and decoding many behind the scenes issues for those struggling with the decision of how best to take
their new product to market. Learn from the person who helped launch the TV mega-hit Smart Spin, MISTO -The
Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer, The Toss and Turn Pan, The Odor Absorbing Splatter Screen and Food Huggers. Tuttle
has taken several products to market directly, as well as initiated close to 100 licensing agreements. He oversees
the Open Innovation programs for Lifetime Brands and Techtronics Industries, and co-owns Access Innovation
Solutions.
Room 103E
Friday, May 1, 2015 12:00 p.m."
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OUTSOURCING...WHEN, WHY AND HOW
Marc Mallory, CliftonLarsonAllen. www.claconnect.com
Jody Weinberg,CEO, J. Teleconnections
Mary Ellen Leary, President, The MEL Group, LLC
Ryan Brellenthin, Partner, Waypoint Insurance Providers
A panel of experts will explore how outsourcing can improve operations and decision making ability for small
businesses. Understand the pros and cons of outsourcing accounting, IT, marketing, HR and other non‐core
business functions and be able to evaluate firms that provide outsourcing services.
Room 103F
Friday, May 1, 2015 2:00 p.m."
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HOW TO FAIL EARLY AND OFTEN BUT STILL SUCCEED
Michael Moore, Director, William C Norris Institute, Opus College of Business, University of St. Thomas.
www.stthomas.edu/centers/norris
By following this process, you can take incremental steps in developing an idea into a valuable innovation. Small
failures that are inexpensive in money and time are an integral part of moving toward success.
Room 103D
Friday, May 1, 2015 2:00 p.m. "
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THE 4 Pʼs: PREPARING YOUR PROTOTYPE AND
PACKAGING FOR PRODUCTION Edith Tolchin, Author, Owner EGT Global Trading. www.egtglobaltrading.com
Josh Wallace, Graphic designer, Illustrator and Artist. www.joshwallace.com
The first step is having a good, working prototype. But hereʼs what youʼll need to know about packaging, branding,
logos and how to prepare your prototype for factory quotes, government and safety regulations, manufacturing, and
then a shelf-ready product. Taken from new industry guide, Secrets of Successful Inventing: From Concept to
Commerce.
Room 103E
Friday, May 1, 2015
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BE UNSTOPPABLE. LEARN TO APPLY THE STOP MODEL
TO ALLOW YOU TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS
Dina Simon, CEO, author, Simon Says Lead. www.simonsayslead.com
Donʼt be stopped in your tracks. Donʼt let obstacles get in your way. Donʼt let fear stop you. Bring your largest
challenges to this workshop and learn how to apply the proven methodology to breakthrough. This will be a handson workshop that will arm you with a real game plan to put into practice when you leave the conference.
Room 103F
____________________________________________________________________________
SBAʼs participation in this co-sponsorship is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products
or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs, services and
cosponsored activities are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable
arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in
advance. Contact: the Minnesota Inventors Congress at 507-627-2344 or info@inspireexpo.org
________________________________________________________________________________________
*Workshop speakers, schedule and prices are subject to change.
Inspire 2015 Innovation Expo Exhibitors are allowed to attend any of the workshops. Held during
the Minnesota Inventors Congressʼ Inspire Expo 2015 at the: Minneapolis Convention Center,
1301 Second Ave S, Minneapolis MN 55403
Inventors Resource Center, 500 Airport Road Suite 211A, P.O. Box 71,
Redwood Falls, MN 56283
507.627.2344 or 1.800.468.3681"
www.inspireexpo.org"
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www.inventorsresourcecenter.org
15.26.4