Not every idea is worth a patent.
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That's because the patenting process often costs between $6,000 and $10,000 and, on its own, won't do much to make you money.
Some people get a patent just for bragging rights, said Steve LeBlanc, a partner in the Greenville, S.C., law firm Dority & Manning.
"You spend a lot of money, and the only value is to hang it on the wall of a bar," he said.
Some do that - collecting patents on ideas that they might never take to market.
Others, such as officials at Everthere Carriers, who are seeking a patent for their folding cargo carrier, want to protect a marketable idea.
When they approached Mr. LeBlanc's firm, Everthere already had a prototype and a marketing plan.
Such steps are wise before going ahead with the patent process because it weeds out nonmarketable ideas, Mr. LeBlanc said.
"You have to take your invention from the conceptual stage to the practical stage. Everyone sitting at a bar becomes an inventor after a few drinks," Mr. LeBlanc said.
After a solid plan is made, there are several ways to go about acquiring a patent.
Some do it themselves, saving a few thousand dollars on attorney's fees and paying only basic government fees, about $2,000.
The process, however, is difficult for most laypeople. Obtaining a useful patent, one that will discourage copycats, requires applicants to write in a way that broadly defines the idea to be protected. Otherwise, someone can legally use the idea after making slight changes to it, Mr. LeBlanc said.
When it came time to patent the carrier, Mr. LeBlanc used wording that was broader than what company President Steve Threet would have thought of.
"He saw much more than what I saw," Mr. Threet said.
His journey to a patent didn't begin with an attorney. He initially went to an inventor service company, Pittsburgh-based Invention Submission Corp., after seeing one of its ads on late-night television.
For about $1,000, he said, the company did some background work and market research to see whether anyone had registered the idea for a folding cargo carrier.
Mr. Threet decided to sever ties with the company after it asked for $15,000 and a portion of the profits from the idea in exchange for marketing and taking the product to manufacturers.
"I asked what percentage of people make back the money they invest, and they told me less than 2 percent," he said.
Mr. Threet decided a patent attorney could help him obtain a patent but would leave the rest of the business plan up to him. He decided on Mr. LeBlanc.
Mr. Threet said he felt going with an attorney was the better choice not only because of an attorney's experience but also because of the potential for developing a trusting relationship.
"Why would you not protect your idea as best as you can?" he said.
Reach Adrian Burns at (706) 823-3352 or adrian.burns@augustachronicle.com.
Building a Business
Building a Business is a new, yearlong series in which The Augusta Chronicle follows the progress of a local start-up company, Everthere Carriers LLC, as it attempts to take its fledgling product to a national market. The following is the first story. Updates will be made monthly.
• Series will follow company's journey
• Area men get education in business as they mass-produce novel carrier
• Go to manufacturers, designers with ideas
• Trade show marketing is success for local business
• Patent process is easier with help
• As sales grow, Everthere is turning into full-time job
• Product's success is dependent on testing
• Local business picks up by latching onto Internet
• Company revamps Web site to draw business
• Everthere settles into new offices
• Negotiating lease can be challenging
• Family support is important to fulfilling dream
• Work-life balance is one key to success
• Licensing lets buyers tote interest
• Logo-product partnership is beneficial to both sides
• Everthere Carriers staff works together for success
• New hires ease burden of increased workload
• Everthere Carriers takes new product to health exposition
• Preparation is important at trade event
• Firm wrestles with issue of foreign labor
• Cheap overseas work has its drawbacks
• Everthere Carriers bids farewell to productive 2005
• Everthere Carriers has come a long way
• Q&A with Everthere's Steve Threet
