The Finish Line

The 3 musketeers did it.  Maybe we didn't create the most profitable product or even the most successful.  We joined together in the beginning of the semester and created a product.  We prototyped and prototyped till we got it just right.  Just the other day we though of adding another element to our product: a flashlight???  Research should be done before adding this element to our product...Thats one thing we learned.  We learned a lot working together on this project.  And we made friends along the way.  this was definitely a great experience for each or us and we are grateful for being part of it.  

If we could start over what would we do???? Nothing would be the understatement of the world.  Given the fact that we think everything happens for a reason and we believe that everuthing seemed to play out was the way it was suppose to play out.  We do beleive if we would have figured out our product sooner in the semester we would have excelled.  

Advice to others:  Just do it!  Try everything you possibly can.  When you think there is nothing else that can't be done push through it.  If a group member is being hard headed work to make him/her understand.  If you have an idea share it.  Listen to other ideas.  Don't push people down immediately.Work together and never think it over or its too late.  Its never to late!!

a non-smoker selling a product for smokers by bianca

In my group , I'm the only one who doesn't smoke cigarettes. Therefore, I have never experienced the problem of losing my lighter. That being said, I didn't really know much about our demographics. I have a whopping total of 1 friend who socially smokes and the rest never touch the things. I was curious as to how I was going to sell these things to people. The right people.

I'm a bit of a shy person and going up to people is not really my style. After I get to know someone I am very open but at first I am very shy, so that approach was completely out the window. What I did was attach a lighter link to my keys. Whenever I pulled out my keys the person I was with got caught of guard at the fact that I, Bianca was carrying around a lighter. That's when I started to explain my new product. The history of it all and people became more and more interested in the idea. Questions like how much and what is it made of ect... arose. I have managed to gain 10 pre-orders in this fashion.

I wait tables at a local restaurant and we often serve birthday cannoli's with a candle. I always keep my keys in my apron and the other day we couldn't find a lighter to light the birthday candle so I whipped it out. My co-workers were in shock. Reaction's varied "that's so cool", "look at you handy man" "whose prepared" and my boss really liked the lighter link he said we should sell them at the restaurant. I don't really think that would be quite the right market but his heart was in the right place. I gained 3 pre-orders from co-workers and my boss wants 2.

Another strategy that worked to my benefit with carrying the lighter link on my keys was losing my keys. Yes, I lost my keys in the library the other day and someone turned them into the front desk. Thank God for the great kids of JMU. Thats when the clerk started asking questions about the lighter attached. I joked and said I was planing to burn the place down, just kidding I would never joke like that. Anyways he seemed really interested.

Maybe I should lose my keys more often!

It's 3rd down!

The end of the semester is in sight. Both good and bad news for inno-nation and our product the lighter link. We must hit our marker! It going to be a challenge in this time frame. We have managed to sell our entire first batch of 17 so far and pre-orders for batch two are in. Production is underway for batch two. It has been difficult trying to find time to produce our product. It is a very time consuming process not to mention we constantly find thing we like to modify. I believe if we had more time the lighter link could become a quality product however due to the time constraints we have decided to stick to our current design. Our goal for this week is to complete and distribute batch two of the lighter links.

Let the games begin!

So we hit a few bumps in the road this week. First and for most the materials we need to make our product come from a distributor in New York. Implying we had to get everything shipped at the lowest possible cost. We ordered a few weeks back and we knew we would have to wait for the reels to come in but two weeks have passed. Our launch day passed. We needed the reels this week. We were stuck we didn't want to hassle with the distributor and possibly ruin our young relationship but something had to be done. We called them and at first it seemed as if the order was never sent. Bianca was quickly redirected to a completely different company. Rather strang but nevertheless it turns out the address was not comprehendible and the package was ship back to the manufacturer. This seemed odd because we typed in the address online. We suggested that they change there font on the packaging labels, this way the mailman can read the labels more accurately and the the guy on the phone laughed. Building a relationship YES we ARE!

So the order came in on Thursday. Bianca worked all day Thursday and Grant had a huge test that evening. Alex go to work! As soon as Grant finished he rushed to get supplies, he started knocking them out like Mike Tyson. I, Bianca, got back around 1030 it was a long day waiting tables. But some how some way I managed to sell my first "lighter link" our official name for the product, to my roommate Francesca.

Enjoy the show:

to be continued...

*Video would not load after multiple tries but ill get it up soe how some way

Production time

Our product has been launched. The final prototype is done. Materials have been purchased and production deadline have been set. A new development: we have pre-sold 12 of our product!! Hurray!!! Hopefully the success continues!!

Cast-off!

The final prototype!! When sat down on Tuesday and worked out the last kinks figured pricing and determined the goal for sales!

Prototype # "I lost track of the number"

This is our next prototype! We took the advice of our class mate we are working on creating a sleeker design!!

Progress...possibly!!

Interviews are underway. I (bianca) just finished my first two interviews, both of which were females. Learning is the process! and ohh how we are learning. I have learned that tons of people are experiencing the problme we are tackling. People misplace there lighters on a regular basis. The most common place people are losing there lighters are in social settings. Both of the females I interviewed said they often loss there lighter when they led it to a friend and then they just forget to ask for it back. A solution I did not think about that one of the girls brought up was useing matches. She said they are free at most places and its ok if you loss them cause you can just pick up some more from anywhere. After explaining our product and showing them a picture of it, I got the same response from both the girls. Thats pretty cool, for guys. One of the participants was an occational smoker and she said she doesn't ever clip anything to her pants. The other girl thought it was pretty cool but she would not have it on her pants but rather her backpack. She said that guys wouldn't mind cliping something to there jeans but girls is a different story. I have one more interview to do...wish me luck!!

Additons+++(Continued for pics)

Continued...

Schematic For Metal Bottle Opener

First Lighter Bottle Opener Prototype

Additons+++

Our first prototype was a success but now we have decided to add another element to this idea. A bottle opener. On one end you have your lighter holder and on the other the handy-dandy bottle opener. We have made two prototypes using pre made bottle openers and we've attached them to the lighter holders. An issue that arose is where exactly to attach the key chain.

Progress is on the outlook. Our final prototype might possibly accomplished next week. We have talked to the engineering department and they might be able to help us with the bottle opener part.

We have gone around asking people if they would be interested in purchasing our product...outlook is good.

The business model is our next assignment and we are excited to work it out and figure out the logistics of it all.

Observing previous approaches to problems from previous classes, Inno-Nation really liked the lighter holder key chain approach and problem. Two of our members being experienced smokers have noticed that there is a problem with loosing or having lighters pocketed by friends or co-workers. So we decided to come up with an idea to add the key chain holder design to a retractable key holder, to allow the user to hand out the lighter and guaranteeing its return to the lighter’s owner. These ideas resulted into the group’s first prototype, shown below, and our new Mantra “Keeping the Light Close”.

Figure 1: First Prototype

Researching online, we have found that our approach to this problem has already been taken (lighterleash.com). Looking into the products provided by this manufacturer, we noticed that the company took a lighter with a bottle opener (with experience of use we know these lighter bottle openers like this are of poor quality), and this lighter bottle opener is then permanently attached to the retractable key chain. When the lighter is done, the whole commodity will need to be tossed unlike the other design the company has where you can change the lighter.

From this, our team believes we can make a better design by making the lighter removable, and attaching a bottle opener to the lighter holder, allowing the user to change the lighter when it has met its life end.

After an exercise done in class, Inno-Nation believes that there is a large quantity of materials that don’t meet quality specifications are thrown away daily from clothing donators. From this, Inno-Nation is looking into ways to use this free and currently unusable material.

Ideas, I-deas, eye-deas

We just had a meeting and I feel like we are hit the ground running, at a very fast pace. We looked at all sorts of problems but I think we found the one problem that we want to solve, OFFICIALLY.

"Losing shit" as put in our meeting tonight. We want to stop losing stuff, we as human being are constantly misplacing things. I think we have all experienced losing a pencil in class, you remember it in your hand and you remember puting it down but you don't see it. It was your only pencil your freaking out. This rush of anxiety come over you and your in panic mode. Frantacly shuffling through the papers on your desk, you find it! It was under some random piece of paper. You feel stupid for a second and then go back to what you were doing.

Lets go back to the part where you just found that pencil: The feeling in that moment when you find something you've been looking for, its one of the most rewarding feelings. This is a type of "piece of mind". It's something we all long for!...it's that "thank god" moment in life. Now, weather it be a pencil or the love of your life, finding that "something" tends to make life much easier.

Our issue to resolve in most basic form: figure out a way to stop losing the tools we use everyday to prevent the anxiety of losing stuff.

possible solution:

Keep lighters, jac cards, keys, usb drives all together and all connected!

Grant McDaniel

A James Madison Engineer, I enjoy solving problems using creativity and a practival approach. I am a highly motivated student who can sufficiently manage project teams and work with a group of peers towards a common goal. I am extreamly excited about this Entrepreneurship class and can't wait to get stared on this start up project. In the past, I always loved generating ideas regarding how and why things in our world should be improved. I am looking forward to implementing some of my more innovative ideas and testing them in the marketplace.

Currently enrolled as a Junior in the James Madison School of Engineering. I have a minor in Mathematics. Have work experience from IT work in a small trucking company to interning at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Currently I am the team leader of my Senior Capstone Team. My favorite hobby is fishing.

One small step for man, one giant leap for innovation!

Team Mantra: Students of Innovation!

My name is Bianca Russo, I am a junior at James Madison University. I am currently double majoring in Italian and Communication Studies. Entrepreneurship is not a new concept however, I have never really considered myself to be one. You could say I am a dreamer, but I don't really do anything about it. This year it all changes. I will be part of the spring of 2012 breed of entrepreneurs. My partners Grant and Alex are also juniors here at JMU and they are studying to become engineers. Together I have faith that my team will rise to the occasion!