There is nothing greater than the good old “EUREKA!”, that moment when your ideas spark beyond your imagination in finding the simplest solution to your problem after days of wandering and brainstorming. You can already see it coming to life and suddenly, the world becomes different. That is what an innovative mind works like and that is what makes the world get better, simpler and more self- sustainable every day.
How do you do it though? How do you set your mind on bringing an idea to life once it’s there? These were the questions that first hit me when I started down this path and I’ve learned the following:
Step 1
Develop your idea into something more palpable, more concrete. This comes in handy for the next step of the process.
Step 2
Find a team. In this case, we refer to “team” as a number of people who share the same vision and passion that you do for the project. In order to make them join a common goal journey you have to let them know about the idea, its good sides and it's bad and explain all aspects that are about to come. I have a very strong sense of responsibility regarding my team and always find it very important that they get paid for the job they do regardless of my personal share of comfort at the time being.
Many people are skeptic when it comes to investing their time for free but that is the beauty of those who do: you can be sure they are dedicated and won’t let you down. That is mainly because they believe in your idea and will appreciate their share when it comes, meaning that they choose to put development ahead of money. If you feel that the team motivation is going down start involving them as shareholders in the project. This way you will have them involved at a more personal level and they will even come up with more ideas that could help boost the business. Trust me, these simple factors go a long way when it comes to choosing the right people you want to work with.
Step 3
For me, investors are not the way to go since they always come with constraints or modifications that end up altering your idea & project and at one point it gets hard to understand even where you are
In this case I recommend platforms like Indiegogo or Kickstarter where you can attract the public’s attention and gather bit by bit all you need to get everything up and running. A great example here is that of G-RO which I personally think is a great example of what an Indiegogo campaign should look like. All I'm saying is that on such platforms not only you get the necessary funds, but you get a validation from your public that your idea is wanted and that they also think it's brilliant. Now what better way to start this journey if not like this?
Step 4
Live up to your word. Once you have the money the pressure is truly on because you have reached the moment of truth. Now, development begins and there is no turning back. Your idea is going to come to life after a long time in which imagination and perseverance were your only friends.
Yes, there are many sleepless nights involved, many moments of “Am I doing this right?” and “Will it ever happen?” but no one ever got to change the world by simply saying the word.
Get up and get started
Whether you’re designing the next revolutionary water filtering cup or self-cleaning t-shirts don’t give up and fight for your dream because inventors not only make the world go round but they also make it a better place.