Awe-Inspiring Stories of American Tinkerpreneurs
Meet the inventors and entrepreneurs who built the United States.
The entrepreneurial spirit serves as the foundation of the United States. From Benjamin Franklin's numerous brilliant inventions and nineteenth-century industrial entrepreneurs to modern-day IT behemoths such as Apple and Microsoft, the United States has always been at the forefront of entrepreneurship and innovation.
What made it possible? One thing: free market capitalism. In the United States, anyone with a vision and the determination to work hard can capitalize on his concept and build a better society without the interference of government and bureaucracy.
However, this is changing rapidly, and the United States is losing its position as the world's innovation leader. It is no longer the country it once was, and unless we take action, the United States will be surpassed by its competitors. Fortunately, as this summary will show you, there are ways to prevent this.
This summary explains why Obama's stance on inventors is incorrect, why the US patent system should be reinstated, and why glassblowers were formerly imprisoned.
1. Tinkerpreneurs are the driving forces behind the invention.
Have you heard of "tinkerpreneurs"? Although the phrase may be new, their ideas and efforts are undoubtedly present in many facets of your life. Inventors who are part-tinkerers, part-entrepreneurs, or tinkerpreneurs have opted to take their discoveries from the lab and into the commercial world to generate firms, jobs, and profit.
According to President Barack Obama, inventors are nothing remarkable. They are not more intelligent than the rest of us, nor do they work harder. Their prosperity is based entirely on public works such as schools, roads, and bridges.
But this could not be further from the truth.
Tinkerpreneurs, contrary to Obama's perception, are active, bright, and determined. They are the ones that generate employment and companies, not just the individuals who work in them.
Tinkerpreneurs take full advantage of the opportunities the United States offers for invention and investment offers. Tinkerpreneurs rank among the top one per cent of makers and creators. They promote both advancement and growth. Nonetheless, their vocation presents numerous hurdles.
2. For tinkerpreneurs, inventions provide prospects for commercial success.
What do people hope to achieve as inventors? A place in history? Money? Progress for society? Tinkerpreneurs value all three of these ambitions because they see inventing as a business. And business entails being opportunistic.
Tony Maglica is one entrepreneur who embodies this. Born in Croatia, this young inventor moved to the United States with little to his name. He took up and succeeded as a contractor, working harder, quicker, and longer than the others. This helped him gain a reputation for skill and integrity.
During a job at a flashlight producer, Maglica saw an opportunity; in reaction to the low quality of existing flashlights, he invented the first Maglite, a breakthrough flashlight with a brilliant and focused light.
And Maglica did not stop there. He worked diligently to improve and grow the product. His hard effort and opportunistic attitude helped Maglite grow into a multibillion-dollar firm.
However, looking at ideas differently can also lead to innovation. Many items would only exist today if a shift in perspective transformed an invention into a commercial product. Consider air conditioning as one example.
Willis Carrier invented a revolutionary technique for cooling systems. The Carrier used air in his cooling systems instead of ice, which caused complications due to humidity. He was making steady improvements to his products and doing well overall. However, with Irvine Lyle, Carrier's idea had a remarkable impact.
Lyle was a clever salesman who envisioned expanding commercial uses for Carrier's work. These enabled factories and cinemas to operate during the summer heat, ushering in a new phenomenon: summer blockbusters. Air conditioning also affected where and when people worked, allowing them to relocate to hotter places like Texas.
Air conditioning is an excellent example of successful innovation. However, things sometimes go differently than planned. Innovation entails numerous risks, particularly on the side of the tenderpreneurs.
3. Tinkerpreneurs frequently encounter critics and detractors on their journey to success.
The world is packed with party poopers, and if you're a tinkerpreneur, you must be prepared to face them. The Roebling family's story is an excellent example of how accurately tinkerpreneurs stick to their guns.
Prussian-born John Roebling went on to design a groundbreaking wire rope. He witnessed firsthand how time-consuming and wasteful the rope-making process was. He also realized that procedures could only be improved with government permission. The Prussian government valued conformity above inventiveness, so Roebling relocated to the United States, where he successfully copyrighted and promoted his invention.
But he soon encountered another challenge. Instead of a strict government, the hemp rope business felt endangered by his success. Fortunately, the sceptics were no match for Roebling's captivating invention.
His ropes were utilized in the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge, the world's first railway bridge of this type. But then Roebling's ropes were put to the ultimate test: the stability of the Brooklyn Bridge. Unfortunately, John Roebling was murdered in a construction accident, leaving his son, Washington, to deal with naysayers, massive enterprises, technophobes, and political power brokers.
Washington fought hard and risked a lot to defend his wire rope from criticism. In reality, he overworked himself, resulting in decompression sickness. However, his wife, Emily, saw the project through to completion, proving all sceptics wrong. The Roeblings fought for their views, and it is excellent that they did! Otherwise, we wouldn't have renowned landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge.
4. Even small ideas can transform the world.
The most straightforward answers can sometimes provide the most significant innovations. Consider the basic crown cap, a simple invention that made it feasible to seal bottles safely, hygienically, and affordably.
William Painter, the originator of the crown cap, was similarly met with criticism and scepticism. To demonstrate that his crown cap kept soda fresh, he shipped bottles sealed with the cap to South America and back in 40 days, celebrating their return with a taste. Everyone agreed that the soda tasted like it was freshly bottled. His idea was disposable and highly cost-effective, and it became the industry standard, revolutionizing the beverage business.
But William Painter's influence didn't end there. He had some of the most innovative brains working for him, including a man dubbed King Gillette. Gillette shared Painter's love for creativity, resulting in a deep and lasting friendship. Painter's achievements led Gillette to create another radically fundamental invention: a steel razor that, like the crown cap, was disposable.
Gillette razors were patented in 1904. Only five years later, they have become a household item worldwide. And he did not stop there. In 1910, he introduced the first razor for ladies to the market. Painter and Gillette's connection exemplifies how tinkerpreneurs foster innovation by surrounding themselves with creative brains and great salesmen.
5. Collaboration is the most effective catalyst for innovation.
As we have seen, creation is rarely a single endeavour. Two heads are usually consistently superior to one. Consider Edward Libbey and Michael Owens, who are responsible for revolutionizing how we make glass.
Owens was an engineer, while Libbey advocated and protected property rights. Owens and Libbey would not have achieved success in a cutthroat and secretive sector like glass if they hadn't had each other.
Guilds and labour organizations aggressively guarded the secrets of glassmaking. In the Middle Ages, glassblowers were sometimes imprisoned on the island of Murano to keep their secrets hidden. Owens and Libbey were motivated to break through these barriers and create a more efficient and practical glassmaking method. Their tenacity paid off. At the turn of the century, Owens and Libbey's machine-made bottles transformed the soda industry.
The story of scientist Nikola Tesla and investor George Westinghouse provides another example of a successful partnership. Tesla worked on systems that used and generated variable current electricity, or AC. Today, AC is the global standard. However, this is the case with Westinghouse.
Tesla and Westinghouse collaborated to take on their primary rival, Thomas Edison, who advocated for direct current systems. DC systems could have been more effective across long distances. But Edison had connections in high places. Combining Westinghouse's dedication and financial support with Tesla's findings, they set themselves up for success.
Because of their perseverance, the AC system triumphed, benefiting Westinghouse Tes, LA and the entire civilization. Without the low-cost electricity production enabled by Tesla and Westinghouse, industries such as the automotive sector would look substantially different. Their story demonstrates how successful innovation can be revolutionary. So, why are certain authorities threatening innovation today? That's what we'll look into next.
6. The United States is facing a significant threat to its innovation.
The United States used to be a haven for innovators. Why? The US patent system is a unique framework that supports small-scale inventors and enables their discoveries to be used worldwide.
The US patent system was established in 1790 and is market-based. The basic notion is that financial incentives drive innovation; hence, patent holders should be able to sell, license, or assign inventions to others for monetary gain. In exchange, inventors agree to public disclosure and the patent's expiry after a specific period.
This enabled widespread diffusion and a rising number of inventive inventions. In the end, personal wealth was used to benefit the general good. However, today, this critical system is under threat of modification.
In recent years, the US patent system has switched from a "first to invent" to a "first to sign" approach. This means that who signed the patent papers first, rather than who came up with the idea, is now more critical. This minor policy change has enormous consequences.
First and foremost, large firms now have a significant edge. They can allow themselves to sign more patents, even if they are still determining if they will be profitable. Small inventors require funding to file a patent and must enhance their innovation to realize its full potential. And if they are not the first to sign, they lose everything.
Unfortunately for our tinkerpreneurs, government regulation is undermining innovation and creativity. A free market in which everyone is free to make money, collaborate, and innovate boldly is the cornerstone of a modern society - and these are the liberties being taken away.
Final Summary
For almost a century, tinkerpreneurs have coupled inventors' talent with brazen opportunism to make their innovations commercially successful, frequently transforming industries. Tinkerpreneurs in the United States have thrived thanks to collaboration and a helpful patent system; nevertheless, recent reforms may bring the tinkerpreneurial age to an end.
Actionable advice: Who built this?
Take a moment to learn about the history of a product you use daily. From toilet paper to smartphones to glass coffee tables, someone's bright concept or shrewd marketing propelled these products from the lab to your home. This will make you appreciate the hardworking workers who create the items you rely on. They need your help to continue tinkering!