Inventors get expert advice from Jim Debetta; Featured Inventor and Creator, Lillian Campos, Good Wish Umbrella – A Chic Ribbon Bouquet for any celebration

Innovation Divaz

We are so lucky to have Jim DeBetta as an amazing resource for the Inventorz Network inventor community! He has been an amazing support and trusted expert for our platform for years, and we're excited to have him back on the Innovation Divaz show to share his knowledge! Meet Jim DeBetta Jim DeBetta's product development and sales experience has amassed millions of dollars within the retail selling world. Known nationally as a trusted coach and mentor to thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs, he knows how to take new ideas from a sketch on a napkin to selling the final product to major retailers worldwide. Jim's career in retail began at an early age with the family business - a fireplace and home hardware company. After graduating from college, Jim went home to help expand the business from a small successful operation into a multi-million dollar business and became one of the most recognized and respected store of its kind on Long Island. Jim stimulated new business, purchased products from all over the world, and ran the overall daily operations. Jim decided it was time to grow and joined a start up firm that imported binoculars, telescopes, and optical products for children. His retail customers included a "who's who" in retail such as Target, Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, Sears, Michael's, Cabelas, Home Shopping Network, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Discovery Channel Stores, Costco, and many others. Jim employed nearly 20 people inside and had dozens of sales reps all over the US, Canada, and Europe. Ultimately, Jim helped expand the company from virtually no significant revenue to a leading brand in the industry that has sold more than 50 million dollars of product since the mid 1990?s. When Jim was ready for a new adventure, he left the company as President and Chief Operating Officer. Jim decided he was ready for yet a bigger challenge and joined a leading premium incentive company as their National Key Accounts Manager. Jim represented major national brands for this $100 million a year premium incentive firm such as Toshiba, Sony, Nikon, Nautilus, Movado and others. The products were used to create various incentive programs for fortune 1,000 companies around the world. Jim's experience has reached far and wide working with various products, retailers, manufactures, and factories. He knew it was time to help those that had a product in mind or ready for production. His goal was to teach others the process without unnecessary expense, time and red tape. That is how DeCavi Corp was born. As the founder of DeCavi Corp, Jim has helped thousands of inventors and start-ups learn how to get their products developed and sold to major retailers. Jim then merged his firm with the renowned Slingshot Product Development Group which employs a team of 35 engineers, designers, and marketing experts who help individual inventors and Fortune 500 firms alike. Both are recognized as leaders in the inventor product development and commercialization arena. Today, Jim continues to broaden his reach into the world of consumer products and has formed DeBetta Enterprises which is a private consultancy that coaches and advises inventors and entrepreneurs on everything from manufacturing to sales and marketing of consumer products. Jim also heads up the Retail Distribution arm of Kevin Harrington's TV Goods corporation which today is fueled by the hit ABC reality show Shark Tank. Jim teaches inventors how to create sales and marketing strategies, understand the world of licensing, develop a product using CAD design, raising money to fund a business, and locating factories overseas to produce products. Jim is now reaching out to individuals who want to learn how to do it for themselves. Learn how he does that by clicking here. Jim is a Professional Member of the United Inventors Association, a member of the Georgia Inventor's Association, Rocky Mountain Inventors Association, and was the former co-host of the Launch Hour - a popular radio program for inventors and entrepreneurs. He is also the author of The Business of Inventing and has written hundreds of articles for industry publications, newspapers, and websites such as Inventor's Digest, Georgia Magazine, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Jim also appears as a guest speaker for leading trade and consumer organizations, speaks at international conferences, and hosts forum and blog discussions on prominent invention and entrepreneurial websites. The Good Wish Umbrella® serves a purpose that provides a memento and beautiful display for celebrations such as bridal and baby showers. It is for the women who are looking for new trends that substitutes that flimsy paper plate that woman have been using for so long. Take a tradition that's normally tacky and flimsy to a chic display any bride or new mom will be proud of! We asked Lillian Campos, CEO and Founder of Good Wish Umbrella...How did it all begin? I was employed as a waitress by Land & Sea Restaurant in Harrison NY in 1997. We catered many private events. The most memorable ones were bridal and baby showers, it was just so much fun to watch. Through the years I witnessed one tradition that bridal and baby showers had in common; the making of a bow-hat also to be used as a practice bouquet. This was made while opening gifts they would assign a person to tape, staple, poke holes on to a paper plate symbolizing good luck, and fortune showering with gifts to help the recipient in the transition of her new life or for the babies necessities. One day at one of these events I was approached by a young woman and asked if we had a paper plate available and she needed to borrow scissors and tape. I knew then what she was going to do with it. I noticed that there was a great demand for this tradition. I asked myself; How come there is nothing in the market for this tradition? I started sketching and writing notes while working, thus the Good Wish Umbrella® was born. I decided to design it in the shape of an umbrella to give appeal to the occasions. The Good Wish Umbrella® is an all-in-one keepsake for a diverse use that can be passed down to generations. In 2002, I filed for a patent and in 2005 I received the good news that my patent was granted. I needed a name to brand the product I thought that Good Wish Umbrella® was appropriate because all bridal and baby showers are full of good wishes. Because Good Wish Umbrella® was making such a big splash, I wanted to incorporate other functions into the patent design for multiple uses like centerpieces making the product even more functional. With this new concept there were many ways to enjoy the ribbon bouquet!!! I heard about a casting show for inventors called Everyday Edisons (Bouncing Brains Productions Season Three) in Providence, Rhode Island and went. I've never seen so many inventors in one place, it was a long day. It was time for my pitch in front of a panel of three Judges and got all three yeses from the Judges. My invention was chosen for final consideration but not fit for the show. I was just happy that I got a good feedback from all three judges. I was born in NYC and raised in Puerto Rico returned when I was 18yrs old. I became an entrepreneur at age 42 not knowing what to expect. I didn't even know how to send an attachment on an email nor anything about computers but I've come a long way. I have struggled and still struggling to make the business successful. In the past I've hired various website developers but there were always something's wrong that set me behind almost to the point of giving up, but I know that I have a product that women want. I currently work from home hoping to expand into a more appropriate location. One word of advice to others is not to establish a business without some computer knowledge so that you can be independent. Our award winning brand is currently manufacture in Meriden, Connecticut making the Good Wish Umbrella® an American Made Product, which is something I'm very proud of!