The return of Pitchmen

Good morning all!

What a perfect way to start the day - Pitchmen is back!

Below is what I have found out so far but I have a few emails out to get more info.

Do any of you live close enough to go? I would love any excuse to go to Vegas but I am sending in a video this time...need the money, honey...

When one door closes (WI) another opens (PM)!

Good luck!

Attention all Pitchmen, Presenters, and Inventors:

Discovery Channel's "Pitchmen" is holding auditions for season 2. Inventors, if you think you have an product that will make you millions... Presenters, if you have the chops to pitch with the big boys... we want to hear from you!

Please submit your information to pitchmen.casting@gmail.com with the following

Name
Contact Info
Recent Photo
Short Bio

• Location: Las Vegas
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
• Compensation: no pay

It's been 2 weeks

I know there were a lot of you that received contracts and signed them but you were not sure if you made the finial cut.

August 25th was the magical date that you would hear back if you were selected...so...anyone hear back?

New Reality Show! Hang tight

OK ladies, I have some good news!

There is a new show in the works that is going to benefit a lot of you!

If you are currently selling your invention(s) on your web store, you are going to be able to have your product(s) seen by millions!

The show is not going to try to "own" your product or make you sign your product(s) away like all the other shows that are in Production now.

This will be a show that is there for YOU to help YOU get the word out about your invention(s)!

So hang tight...when I have more info, I'll let you know!

(un)Focused

I am terribly unfocused. So much so that my nickname is Spacey Tracy. Since the second grade. Spacey Tracy.

An example of how my nickname is truer than not, I was purchasing a birthday gift for a good friend of mine and I happend to see really pretty tea towels (the towel you hang on your oven door to wipe your hands when you're cooking) that were monogrammed.

Should I get her a towel with the letter "C" or Caroline or "S" for her last name?

I was very rushed... I had just dropped off my crying daughter to cooking camp (she wanted to stay with me) , my son was playing with every breakable item in the store and could NOT be late for the party...it was a surprise party...so I chose "S" for her last name and picked up a cute bowl to go with the tea towel.

I was very pleased with my birthday gift for Caroline...I knew she'd love what I had chosen...that is until she opened her present (with all the guests looking on) and sort of furrowed her brow in confusion, and asked why I had chosen the tea towel with an "S"?

Well, for your last name, of course...until I realized my dear friend of 4 years had a last name that started with the letter "C"...oh, the horror!

So Spacey Tracy it is.

Luckily I was able to laugh it off and had the other ladies laughing with me (or was it at me?)...hopefully with...

Each time I have a Spacey Tracy moment, I try not to beat myself up...I had read awhile ago that we should embrace our faults and find the positive...I may not be focused but I am spontaneous...and creative/inventive...and think outside the box...

So the next time you start wagging your finger at yourself...tisk tisk...for not being perfect, give yourself a break and find the positive!

Who are you?

Well, the suspense is killing me and we all want to know...who are you?!

If you have been given a contract for W.I. and want to give us the 411, here is the place to do it!

And ya know what, if you haven't received a contract but want us to know who YOU are, post it here too!

We're waiting...now get typing!

Not Standing Still

When you look at life and the paths that lead you forward, it's always interesting when see a pattern.

Personally, I can not stand still and just "wait"...I have to be working on something that is progressing forward and I think that is why I have so many irons in the fire (so to speak).

That is my pattern.

I am still looking for a way to get The Everything Marinator made but while I am "waiting", I have a new project in the works that is keeping me very busy but I LOVE IT! I love having my creative side challenged because let me tell you, this new venture is a challenge!

If I let my life become just about doing the dishes or folding the laundry or moping the floor, I become very blue. Creativity is in my blood so for me to be standing still is like telling the sun not to rise (OK, that was a little dramatic).

I have put a deadline on my new project...this will ensure that I stay focused...and plan to launch...dare I say, "Project Z".... notice that it is "ProJECT" and not "ProDUCT".

Yes, there will be no standing still for me!

Attention Sullivan Productions

Being Honest

I am taking a risk here and typing out of emotion and with only a half cup of coffee in me...

Look in "comments" and you will see that many W.I. received contracts via email yesterday and for them, I say "Hooray"!!! But...well...I thought FOR SURE I'd get a contract and to be honest...I'm really bummed...like sad, puppy dog eyes bummed...

When I started hearing that the women selected had inventions that were already manufactured, it made me feel better. So I wasn't chosen because I was just in prototype stage. Lick my wounds and move on. Well, now there is a W.I. that received a contract and she is in the prototype stage...once again, happy for her but...shoot!!!

And another thing ladies...(this makes me smile and shake my head)...what if they have so many W.I. not signing contracts and they have to keep going down the list and there - way, way down - is The Everything Marinator?

Do I actually have that flutter of hope again?

Time will tell but for now, I will be posting the video of me demoing The EM for Sullivan Productions to look at (you can send a video link instead of a DVD).

Thanks for letting me be honest... :)

Next step

I am geared up and ready to go! I want to see The Everything Marinator for sale ASAP so it's back to work...

I waited until the clock chimed 9am and dialed Sullivan Productions. Sullivan Productions is located in Tampa so I thought, with a resource so close to home, I'd start there.

My first question for the very helpful Marie was, "May I schedule a meeting with Mr. Sullivan please". *see I put a period at the end of that sentence and not a question mark? I was trying to sound very authoritative. I may have even dropped my voice a little*.

Her polite answer was an authoritative "no".

I went on to inquire about having an infomercial shot. $45,000. Next question.

I asked if they were in the business of purchasing products and manufacturing them.

"No, we are solely a Production Company but if we like your product, we may submit it to Telebrands to see if they would be interested".

Yeah! Getting somewhere!

Could I drop off the taped demo at your office. *once again, no question mark. I must like speaking like that. Interesting. Learn something new everyday.*

"No, we are discouraging that. Please send it in via mail".

Shoot.

I happen to know that Mr. Sullivan frequents a certain restaurant here in Tampa on a weekly basis. Maybe I could stalk the restaurant and personally hand it to him. A good friend of mine works there. She could call me and I could race there and hope to catch him. Only problem with that is I would most likely be in my pajamas with no make-up because he only goes late at night.

OK, scratch that...

Looks like today will be about taping my pitch (hopefully my daughter can hold the camera still and my son will be quiet as a mouse), downloading the video, recording it on a disc, writing a letter to...Dear Sirs...oh...it's going to be a fun day!

I asked how long until I know if they like the product and she said if I hear back from them in 6 weeks, they are interested. Another waiting game...

Another iron in the fire is the email to a contact at HSN hoping to get a name of a Kitchen Appliance Buyer to see if they would be interested in selling it.

I'm happy to feel like I am "back in the game"!!!I've got a plan!

On a side note:
Remember the W.I I wrote about that received a contract from Discovery but did not sign it? Well, I checked in with her today via email to see what was going on and she has not been contacted again by the show. It's been weeks. Interesting...I thought they would at least negotiate...

frockZ rocks!

I am back from my last family vacation of the summer - it's good to be home!

I successfully washed off all the dirt from the Farm (my Grandparents Dairy Farm in PA)and went to check the mail that had piled up while I was away and there was my purchase from frockZ. Yeah!

You know that feeling that you get when you buy something new? Guilt? No, not THAT feeling! The good feelings...like happy and excited that you came across a product that you LOVE! And it's YOURS!

Well, that's how I feel about my frockZ. The good feelings.

I opened the brown UPS box and tucked inside was this adorable, little plastic purse with a red snap and a scalloped top. Perfect for my daughter to play with. Inside this clever package was my frockZ - a lampshade cover - and I picked the coolest pattern - cheetah! Animal accents are my thing but that's a story for another time and place.

When I held it, I thought for sure that I had ordered the wrong size. But no worries, with some help from my Mom, I was able to put the frockZ on my cream, boring lampshade and tada! A beautiful, new cheetah lampshade just for me! Well, for my whole family actually...it's in the family room...

Wanda, one of the creators of frockZ, auditioned for W.I. as well and I wanted to show my support by purchasing one of her products. It's not expensive either and the website is very user friendly! Oh yeah, and quick, quick shipping. I ordered it before I left for the Farm.

Take a minute and go to www.frockZ.com and have fun "building" your new lampshade cover. I promise you'll love it AND you'll be supporting one of us - a Women Inventor!

My only wish is that I had more boring lampshades to cover...looks like I have some early Christmas shopping to do...

Something to think about

I love analogies and there are some good ones out there. I am sure you have your favorites!

I was taking a bath last night (I know...TMI, but stay with me)and I took out my very, very nice bubble bath. I have had this bubble bath for quite a long time because I only use a little bit each time so I don't run out.

Well, last night I was not paying attention and poured A LOT of my precious bubble bath into the water. I literally said out loud, "Oh no"! Over bubble bath! "Oh no"!

Ok, damage was done so I picked up my US Weekly and go in.

Next thing I knew, I was in bubble heaven! It was beautiful...the type of bubble baths you only see in movies! Think Julia Roberts in Pretty Women.

And here is my analogy.

Life is like a bubble bath. You can put just a little into it and get mediocre results.
Or you can pour as much into life as you can and get big, huge, wonderful results!

I will never again take a bubble bath with tiny, little bubbles...just like I will not live a life with tiny little results.

My life will be overflowing with glorious bubbles because I plan on putting that much into it!

Do Tell

I have been seeing so many comments and questions regarding who has or has not received further information about the show so I thought I would dedicate this blog post to the ladies who would like to share whatever information they feel comfortable sharing about Women Inventor.

If you would like to share if/when you were contacted from Milojo/Discovery, what was said or written to you about your invention, if you are signing the contract, etc., I'm sure we'd all be happy to support you in any way we can!

On a side note,
I am honored that a few Women Inventors have shared their stories with me (via phone) about being contacted by the show, what was said, what contracts they were given and what they plan on doing going forward. They have trusted me not to reveal who they are and I think that is a good testament to how we all are looking out for each other!

After a phone "interview" today with a Women Inventor that auditioned for the show, I was given permission to say that she is NOT signing the contract that was given to her by Milojo/Discovery.

From what I understand from what she and another W.I (Women Inventor)has told me, the contract is very vague and does not state what percentage of sales you will receive.

Also, Discovery wants the W.I to sign a contract saying they "own" your invention for a period of 7 years. During that time, if you have your product for sale somewhere else, ie: online, you must stop selling from the time you sign the contract.

Although the show stated that you did not have to have a "shelf ready" product, it appears that shelf ready products are the ones that have been selected.

If you are reading this and you HAVE been given a contract without having a "shelf ready" product, let us know!You can always remain anonymous.

If you have been contacted asking from more info and are still waiting, let us wait with you! Fill us in and let us be your cheerleaders!

I will leave it open to you now... so ladies... Do tell!

Turn on a dime

It's no secret in our house that The Everything Marinator is important to me and getting it on the shelves is my goal.

Manufacturing The Everything Marinator will be somewhat pricey so Jason and I often talk about what it'll take (ie:how much money) to get The E.M (Everything Marinator) off the ground.

My sweet, little daughter walked up to me yesterday with a dime and said, "Here Mommy, here is ten cents to put towards The E.M".

Looks like I have my first invenstor!

That ten cents made me think about how everything can turn on a dime.

When it was apparent that Women Inventor was not in the cards, I was floundering...trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my invention.

As I told friends and family that a camera crew would NOT be coming to my house and HSN was more of a dream than a reality, I found some wonderful support. And some suprising offers of free advice, phone numbers for professionals that would help me for little or no money if I told them who reffered me,some friends that believed in me so much that they wanted to invest in The E.M. and... my daughters dime.

There is more than one way to skin a cat (gross saying but you know what I mean) and I am looking for that "way"!