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One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work Hardcover – March 15, 2011
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Turn your one simple idea into millions―without lifting a finger!
“Ever heard of Teddy Ruxpin or Lazer Tag? Both have Stephen Key’s mark on them. He is the Yoda or ‘renting’ ideas for serious passive income. From how-to to war stories, this is a great book.”
―Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek
“Mr. Key’s brilliance, wisdom, and insight will make you rich. Buy this book!”
―Mark Victor Hansen, bestselling author and co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series
“Stephen Key has written a book overflowing with the all-important information that inventors need: a step-by-step guide through everything that goes into a successful product introduction.”
―Gary Dahl, Pet Rock® inventor
“A terrific guide for anyone who wants to be a successful entrepreneur.”
―John Osher, innovation guru who created SpinBrush®, Stretch Armstrong®, Spin Pop®, and Quattro® Titanium Trimmer Razor
“Tired of working for corporate America? Tired of living paycheck to paycheck? One Simple Idea can teach you how to add a few zeros to your income. Buy this book and live your dreams now!”
―Kevin Harrington, infomercial king and featured investor on Mark Burnett’s Shark Tank
“Stephen Key turns conventional inventing ‘wisdom’ on its head and clearly outlines how anyone can earn a meaningful income with One Simple Idea.”
―Tamara Monosoff, founder of Mom Invented® and author of The Mom Inventors Handbook and Your Million Dollar Dream
“Whether you are a creator or a connector, this book will help you turn your ideas into a fulfilling, profitable career. Read it and WIN!”
―Patrick Lonergan, former vice president and general manager, Johnson & Johnson, and president/partner of NUMARK Laboratories, Inc.
About the Book:
For as long as you can remember, you’ve had a dream. You’ve longed to see your product idea come to fruition so you never have to work for anyone else again.
Stephen Key has been living this dream for 30 years. The developer of such lucrative products as Michael Jordan’s WallBall®, the Spinformation® rotating label, and HotPicks® guitar picks, he knows better than anyone how to make a great living as an entrepreneur. Key develops ideas for new products, licenses them out, collects royalty checks, and doesn’t look back. You can do it, too. All you need is One Simple Idea.
In this book, Key reveals the secrets that helped him and thousands of his students―including bestselling author Tim Ferriss―turn their creativity into a passive income generator by “renting” an idea to a company, which takes care of R&D, production, marketing, sales, accounting, distribution, and everything else you don’t want to do.
You’ll be amazed at how simple the process of licensing an idea for profit actually is. Key explains how to:
- Keep your ideas safe―without spending time and money on a patent
- Be your own boss―without formally opening a business
- See your product go to market―without footing a dime in expenses
- Make potentially big money―without quitting your day job
The age-old business assumption that ideas must come from within organizations has been shattered. From global corporations to small businesses, companies have become so confident in outside entrepreneurs that licensing is now a $500 billion industry. Businesses need “freelancers” like Key―and you―to provide creative, marketable ideas for new offerings.
With One Simple Idea, there’s no prototyping, no patents, and, best of all, no risk. You can make the system work for you―rather than the other way around.
- Print length256 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherMcGraw-Hill Education
- Publication dateMarch 15, 2011
- Dimensions6.4 x 0.9 x 9.3 inches
- ISBN-100071756159
- ISBN-13978-0071756150
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About the Author
Stephen Key has successfully licensed more than 20 simple ideas that have generated billions of dollars of revenue. His “10 Steps to Bring Your Idea to Market” course, which can be found at www.inventright.com, has attracted more than 10,000 students around the world.
Product details
- Publisher : McGraw-Hill Education; 1st edition (March 15, 2011)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 256 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0071756159
- ISBN-13 : 978-0071756150
- Item Weight : 1 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.4 x 0.9 x 9.3 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #435,003 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,272 in Motivational Management & Leadership
- #2,665 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Books)
- #2,696 in Entrepreneurship (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book very informative and easy to understand, providing step-by-step guidance on generating ideas and launching new products. The author receives praise for being a fantastic educator, and customers consider it well worth the money, with one mentioning it helps generate significant licensing income.
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Customers find the book very informative and inspiring, providing great insight into the licensing world and offering useful resources.
"...guide to the big picture of bringing concepts to market and covers the practical aspects of getting your concepts in front of companies...." Read more
"...It is the most practical book I have been able to find for inventors who are interested in licensing their ideas - to bring their dreams to life,..." Read more
"...The book has some valuable sections on how to generate ideas and explains how the author comes up with them, steps to take etc...." Read more
"...Once you get into the thick of it, it's fairly dense information (but not too complicated)...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to understand and appreciate its step-by-step approach, with clear examples of the licensing process.
"...The book is a great overall guide to the big picture of bringing concepts to market and covers the practical aspects of getting your concepts in..." Read more
"...This book is different in that it offers a logical, step-by-step plan of action and execution...." Read more
"...Author has explained well the reasons and general approach to how to come up with and license new ideas to companies...." Read more
"...The content is fantastic, the writing flows easily (it's the kind of writing you don't notice because it's so smooth), and the overall tone is very..." Read more
Customers find the book well worth the money, appreciating how it helps save time and resources while potentially generating significant licensing income.
"It's a good book that opens one's mind to another approach to income generation...." Read more
"...Given the very reasonable price, I'd say don't give this too much thought. If you're interested in inventing products, just buy the darn book." Read more
"...Not only will it save you thousands, more importantly it will give you a whole new perspective on taking those ideas or prototypes that are on the..." Read more
"...I saved so much money and many mistakes just by reading Steven Keys book...." Read more
Customers praise the author's teaching and communication skills, describing him as a brilliant and fantastic educator who makes readers feel like disciples.
"...its mark perfectly; the message within is instructional and educational by nature, and Stephen Key presents himself as a natural teacher and mentor,..." Read more
"...Let this very kind and intelligent man, Stephen Key, show you the way to license your great idea and MAKE MONEY$$$ NOW!!!!!!!!!!..." Read more
"...as a product developer and speaker in the industry make him the perfect teacher on this paradigm shift in product innovation...." Read more
"...In its pages, the author has been my personal coach, helping me to kick my fear to the curb as well as providing a cogent road-map for me to follow..." Read more
Customers find this book valuable for entrepreneurship, particularly for budding inventors and those looking to launch new products.
"Great primer on launching a new product...." Read more
"Stephen Key's book is a great place to start if you are interested in learning how to License a product...." Read more
"Got a fantastic product idea and don't know what to do next? Let this very kind and intelligent man, Stephen Key,..." Read more
"...Great advice for the aspiring entrepreneur/product developer/inventor!..." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2011If you are a part time inventor with a day job and interested in licensing your invention in your spare time this is likely the best book available, at least the best book I have found (and I have read a lot of them). It is a very easy read and yet it has a ton of advice I found immediately useful to my situation.
As the title implies, this book is most appropriate and applicable if you have a simple idea. For myself, and perhaps unfortunately, my idea is significantly more complicated than the examples in this book. The great news is that most of the advice in this book translates well to more complicated inventions. However, the patent advice in the book probably does not translate well if your project will take several years before it is ready for showing to potential licensees or if your invention is complicated to the point where invention "enablement" and having a application specification that aligns well with the claims can be more of an issue.
If you are going the route of starting a manufacturing operation to bring your concept to market, this book does not provide significant advice to that topic, although it is still an excellent read to help you verify if that is the right direction verses licensing. The book is a great overall guide to the big picture of bringing concepts to market and covers the practical aspects of getting your concepts in front of companies. Overall, an excellent book and highly recommended!
- Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2012I love this book - I own the hard copy and the Kindle version so that I can carry it with me at all times. It is the most practical book I have been able to find for inventors who are interested in licensing their ideas - to bring their dreams to life, and to the market!!! I have read plenty of other books in this space - some are bogged down in legal considerations (to me, the cart before the horse), others are almost purely inspirational with no practical steps. This book is different in that it offers a logical, step-by-step plan of action and execution. However, even with this book, I need personal motivation. For me, it's like reading about exercise and then doing it. A lot of people stop at reading (like me), or they try for a few days and lose motivation. A personal trainer, on the other hand, makes you totally accountable. Although I generally eschew books that also tout some kind of corresponding program or system, I was really curious about InventRight. I recently signed up, and within 24 hours, I had both Stephen Key (OMG!!!!!!!) and Andrew Krauss personally CALL me. If that's not personal motivation, I don't know what is!!! After years of my product languishing, I finally feel like I have a genuine shot at bringing it to market with Mr. Key and Mr. Krauss lighting my path!!!
- Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2014It's a good book that opens one's mind to another approach to income generation. Author has explained well the reasons and general approach to how to come up with and license new ideas to companies. The book has some valuable sections on how to generate ideas and explains how the author comes up with them, steps to take etc.
My only peeve, perhaps minor, is that there is at times too much repetition of some of the stuff that, after reading those thoughts like the 3rd or 4th time, you wonder why such filler was needed. A shorter book would not have taken away from how good it is.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2011Having worked as a buyer of gifts and novelties prior to leaving the working world, I've always been interested in learning more about the other side of the equation. This book is by far the best book I've ever seen on the invention and licensing process. The content is fantastic, the writing flows easily (it's the kind of writing you don't notice because it's so smooth), and the overall tone is very inspiring.
The best part about this book? It gives you an alternative to the hugely expensive and labor-intensive process that most books seem to advise.
The worst part? I felt like the first couple of chapters spent a little too much time trying to sell the reader on the concept rather than just getting to the good stuff. It's a very minor complaint, though. Once you get into the thick of it, it's fairly dense information (but not too complicated).
Given the very reasonable price, I'd say don't give this too much thought. If you're interested in inventing products, just buy the darn book.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2014I read "One Simple Idea" in the midst of undergoing treatments for Stage IV cancer. My career was over as a corporate attorney, and I was lost in searching for what I would do for the rest of my life and struggling financially.
The book helped set my life in motion again. While the book speaks a lot to licensing and how to navigate one's way through the process, I found most helpful was how the book made me think differently about the power of an idea. I found myself with a paper and pen in hand and my creative skills were unleashed. In addition, I found the book very helpful in that it provides examples and resources. I have used the resources in my own research.
My idea turned into a series of children's books which are now available nationwide. While I did not go the patent and licensing route, I found that the book helped me to think outside of the box. While I am still undergoing cancer treatments, my life is on a new path. I really appreciate Mr. Key's instruction in helping me find my way back.
Top reviews from other countries
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PMReviewed in Italy on April 7, 20152.0 out of 5 stars La fiera dell'ovvio
Libro in tipico stile americano, approccio basico al business, privo di spunti originali, una serie infinita di ovvietà. Non lo consiglierei
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AnthonyReviewed in France on December 22, 20114.0 out of 5 stars Zapper les 90 1ères pages ! Ensuite, c'est Parfait !
Ce livre est à la fois génial et énervant.
La partie énervante dure 90 pages, les 90 1ères : l'auteur nous "vend" son livre.
Il nous explique que c'est possible et que ce n'est pas un escroc... que l'on peut appliquer sa théorie.
Il nous "vend" un book qu'on a déjà acheté et qu'on est en train de lire : tout simplement inutile et énervant, tant il tourne autour du pot.
La partie géniale commence en douceur après les 90 1ères pages de blabla irritant.
Là l'auteur commence tout juste à parler de la technique, le langage se fait moins "comte de fées", et la difficulté s'instaure. Ce qui est pour le mieux, car ça donne du crédit à sa méthode.
Plus on s'approche de la fin et + l'auteur devient intéressant.
Un bon conseil : zappez le début. Le milieu est bon, la fin : excellente.
Pourquoi ? Parce que l'auteur cesse de blablater, il n'a plus rien à "vendre" et se contente (enfin!) de faire ce qu'on lui demande : de nous expliquer l'idée !
ça reste une référence en matière de Licensing. Mais faut pas être pressé. (en même temps, l'auteur est Cancer... ;))
Mr C M ChinReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 17, 20145.0 out of 5 stars 100% bona fide goldmine of the most incredible information for would be inventors!
This book is a MUST listen/read for anyone in the process of inventing or developing ideas. Just by listening to this 8 hour plus MP3 in my car sitting in traffic five days a week, has probably saved me a lot of time, money and immeasurable heartache. It truly is a 100% bona fide goldmine of the most incredible information for would be inventors!
One person found this helpfulReport
BC333Reviewed in Canada on April 6, 20215.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational AND practical. A must-read. Highly recommended.
Bought this book 8 years ago and haven’t looked back. Always wanted to license something and this book gave me the roadmap to follow. Signed up for Stephen Key's inventRight coaching, but tried to keep my expectations low as I didn’t want to be disappointed. Wrong. Stephen and his team turned out to be the business mentors I always dreamed of having. Not only did they “speak my language,” but they are positive, encouraging, generous, AND world-class experts. Gave me the confidence, support, tools and information to succeed. I wasn’t one of the “rock-star students” who signed a licensing deal in their first 6 months, but I just persistently followed the steps and eventually licensed my first kitchen gadget! I’m continuing to develop other product ideas, find my creative niche, and now have a skillset for the rest of my life. If you are a creative person who wants to license your ideas, this book (and all of Stephen’s books) are a must-read. Highly recommended.
篠原太朗Reviewed in Japan on June 25, 20115.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book,indeed!
This book tells us how to make our business successful.
Especially for the entrepreneur,this a must one to read.













