Assessment of a students personal learning style

Evaluation of an understudies individual learning style Any instructive course is constantly started with certain desires and plans to accomplish some particular objectives. These desires and expectations are consistently unexpected to some estimation just as some vital designs to accomplish the set objectives. In this exposition I will try to compose an individual reflection on what I have realized after finishing the course .This will incorporate some evaluation of my own learning style and qualities and shortcomings, an expected work plan for my culmination of the degree, and the procedure I will mean to receive for future paper composing. This will be a valuable archive to help me through the course just as a significant piece of my appraisal. These desires regarding their vital getting ready for the achievement of the course are as per the following: My desires before the initiation of the B.Th. course at SLCC. Another learning involvement with London (SLCC). Investigation of learning possibilities and shortcoming. Assessment of my qualities and shortcoming to improve the slip-ups and inadequacies. The Assessment to pass judgment on my accomplishment and future intending to finish my degree at a particular decided time. MY EXPECTATIONS AND THE NEW LEARNING EXPERIENCE: It was normal by me that I would should experience the composed assessments as is told in my nation of origin, Pakistan. I was ignorant of the improved exploration learn at UK since I never investigated even at my Master certificate level examinations rather experienced a particular prospectus and assessment framework. I additionally thought to be set up for the assessment by packing the things rather than be imaginative disapproved of individual as I am currently. Learning through visual guides like motion pictures that are being appeared by Mercia time to time and utilization of PowerPoint in the workshops are extremely creative and another things to learn for me. These things left a changeless impact on my memory as is additionally said that sharing time is a decent method of instructing and one learns a great deal through hearing and seeing. Workshops that are hung on certain events are likewise a decent wellspring of training as they simply get a slight change ones ordinary dull everyday practice of learning work. Aside from this change, they additionally give an opportunity to gain proficiency with a complete and long subject inside a brief timeframe. These workshops are additionally an interesting encounter for me as they educated me about the things occurring on a global level for example mistreatment of the Christian all through the world went as far as anyone is concerned at SLCC as opposed to my past information on oppression that was just restricted to the Bible. Conversation on some point is a most ideal method of learning when contrasted with learning alone in light of the fact that in a gathering conversation various suppositions and thoughts are shared that draw out the most ideal answer of the confronted issue. Furthermore, question answer strategy for learn at SLCC likewise acquired certainty me to additionally investigate and clean my concealed gifts. I never had any plan to adapt to a climate where papers are composed by utilizing libraries and web since I was bad at web and never utilized any library coming to SLCC. In this manner, use and usage of library and the Internet made in me a feeling of interest for increasingly more just as right information. Investigation OF MY POTENTIALS AND WEAKNESSES:- I was familiar with read books rather than e-learning or learning by web most definitely. A poor information on PC and web got me far from utilizing a web yet it is currently trusted that I will be utilized to it very soon in my next two years. The Subject of philosophy was restricted to scriptural principles just however a cooperation with a multicultural situation at SLCC gave me a decent chance to learn religious philosophy at an expansive canvas; for some African nations laid more accentuation on stereology in spite of the Christology. On the off chance that I had not been here I would have not realized that I could compose and communicate in English effectively, in actuality I built up my English composing aptitudes here. An efficient and all around planned examination framework uncovered just as upgraded my qualities as an understudy as I will be adjusted to this framework to peruse the same number of books as potentially I can. Particularly, the course of examination and study aptitudes has been demonstrated the best source to make comfort for concentrate just as article composing. This course guided me to improve my investigation abilities by and large. It is said that voyaging is a piece of ones instruction. Neighborhood voyage through London and universal visits particularly of Israel is an enduring instructive encounter for me as an understudy of religious philosophy to gain proficiency with the Christian geological limits. Already I was not all around restrained and consistently trusted that last minutes will get ready and complete my examination errands yet now I am sufficiently trained to fulfill even the tight time constraints whether they are inside or outside of my investigation circles. THE ASSESSMENT AND FUTURE PLANNING:- By and large, a yearly and especially a week after week evaluation of my accomplishments is required so as to be responsible to myself to see whether I accomplish my set targets or not. This appraisal incorporates my instructive too fiscal commitments to the degree. I am being profited by a very much read personnel of SLCC to be bestowed with right Biblical and religious information to be empowered to compose my assignments. I am expected to benefit all the accessible sources, for example, books, the Internet, films and diaries to introduce a decent scholastic and insightful work to get considerable outcomes in future. I should finish a base one paper in seven days so as to finish my degree on schedule. Accordingly, remembering this tight and extreme everyday practice of exposition composing I am resolved to be customary and dependable in participation to explain my ideas about philosophy with the goal that I will have the option to repeat my papers without any problem. End: It tends to be reasoned that culmination of first year of B.Th. at SLCC as was normal and wanted by me, had been a superb scholarly and otherworldly experience for me as it featured shrouded characteristics and gifts in me. In this manner I could investigate my gifts to improve my scholastic profession. Assessments of my shortcoming and qualities as an understudy additionally animated me to improve my inadequacies of poor information on exploration and PC usage and utilize my past great information and aptitudes of English for the accomplishment of my objectives. The effective consummation of first year has mixed in me a superb soul to make a vital arrangement of my normal appraisal and responsibility on week after week, month to month, mid-termly, mid-every year and yearly reason for the further accomplishment of my points most definitely. Quickly, the examination at a degree level is an all around arranged and profession forming study. A Study at a degree level isn't just degree-arranged rather it is an all around investigated and information situated examination which really builds up a ones character too shapes ones goal.

Battle of Chattanooga in American Civil War

Clash of Chattanooga in American Civil War The Battle of Chattanooga was battled November 23-25, 1864, during the American Civil War (1861-1865) and saw Union powers soothe the city and drive away the Confederate Army of Tennessee. Following its annihilation at the Battle of Chickamauga (Sept. 18-20, 1863), the Union Army of the Cumberland, drove by Major General William S. Rosecrans, withdrew back to its base at Chattanooga. Arriving at the security of the town, they immediately raised protections before General Braxton Braggs seeking after Army of Tennessee showed up. Moving towards Chattanooga, Bragg evaluated his choices for managing the beaten foe. Reluctant to acquire the overwhelming misfortunes related with ambushing an all around braced foe, he thought about moving over the Tennessee River. This move would drive Rosecrans to relinquish the city or hazard being cut off from his lines of retreat north. In spite of the fact that perfect, Bragg had to excuse this alternative as his military was lacking in ammo and needed adequate boats to mount a significant stream crossing. Because of these issues, and after discovering that Rosecrans troops were lacking in proportions, he rather chose for lay attack to the city and moved his men into directing situations on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge.â Opening the Cracker Line Over the lines, a mentally broke Rosecrans battled with the everyday issues of his order and demonstrated no readiness to make definitive move. With the circumstance breaking down, President Abraham Lincoln made the Military Division of the Mississippi and set Major General Ulysses S. Award in order of every Union armed force in the West. Moving rapidly, Grant alleviated Rosecrans, supplanting him with Major General George H. Thomas. While on the way to Chattanooga, Grant got word that Rosecrans was getting ready to surrender the city. Sending word ahead that it was to be held at call costs, he got an answer from Thomas expressing, We will hold the town till we starve. Showing up, Grant embraced an arrangement by the Army of the Cumberlands boss designer, Major General William F. Baldy Smith, to open a flexibly line to Chattanooga. In the wake of propelling a fruitful land and/or water capable arriving at Browns Landing on October 27, west of the city, Smith was capable open a gracefully course known as the Cracker Line. This ran from Kelleys Ferry to Wauhatchie Station, at that point turned north up the Lookout Valley to Browns Ferry. Supplies could then be moved across Moccasin Point to Chattanooga. Wauhatchie The evening of October 28/29, Bragg requested Lieutenant General James Longstreet to cut off the Cracker Line. Assaulting at Wauhatchie, the Confederate general connected with Brigadier General John W. Gearys division. In one of only a handful scarcely any Civil War fights battled altogether around evening time, Longstreets men were rebuffed. With a path into Chattanooga open, Grant started fortifying the Union situation by sending Major General Joseph Hooker with the XI and XII Corps and afterward an extra four divisions under Major General William T. Sherman. While Union powers were developing, Bragg decreased his military by sending Longstreets corps to Knoxville to assault a Union power under Major General Ambrose Burnside. Armed forces Commanders: Association Significant General Ulysses S. GrantMajor General George H. Thomas56,359 effectives Alliance General Braxton BraggLieutenant General William Hardee44,010 men The Battle Above the Clouds Having united his position, Grant started hostile procedure on November 23, by requesting Thomas to progress from the city and take a series of slopes close to the foot of Missionary Ridge. The following day, Hooker was requested to take Lookout Mountain. Intersection the Tennessee River, Hookers men found that the Confederates had neglected to shield a pollute between the stream and mountain. Assaulting through this opening, Hookers men prevailing with regards to pushing the Confederates off the mountain. As the battling finished around 3:00 PM, a haze dropped on the mountain, procuring the fight the name The Battle Above the Clouds (Map). Toward the north of the city, Grant requested Sherman to assault the north finish of Missionary Ridge. Moving over the stream, Sherman took what he accepted was the north finish of the edge, however was very Goat Hill. His development was halted by Confederates under Major General Patrick Cleburne at Tunnel Hill. Accepting a frontal ambush on Missionary Ridge to be self-destructive, Grant wanted to wrap Braggs line with Hooker assaulting the south and Sherman from the north. To guard his position, Bragg had requested three lines of rifle pits burrowed on the essence of Missionary Ridge, with ordnance on the peak. Evangelist Ridge Moving out the following day, the two assaults met with little accomplishment as Shermans men couldn't break Cleburnes line and Hooker was postponed by severed ties over Chattanooga Creek. As reports of moderate advancement showed up, Grant started to accept that Bragg was debilitating his inside to strengthen his flanks. To test this, he requested Thomas to have his men advance and take the primary line of Confederate rifle pits on Missionary Ridge. Assaulting, the Army of the Cumberland, which for a considerable length of time had suffered insults about the annihilation at Chickamauga, prevailing with regards to driving the Confederates from their position. Ending as requested, the Army of the Cumberland before long wound up taking overwhelming shoot from the other two lines of rifle pits above. Without orders, the men started progressing up the slope to proceed with the fight. In spite of the fact that at first irate at what he saw to be a negligence for his requests, Grant moved to have the assault bolstered. On the edge, Thomas men progressed consistently, supported by the way that Braggs engineers had erroneously positioned the big guns on the real peak of the edge, instead of the military peak. This blunder kept the firearms from being applied as a powerful influence for the aggressors. In one of the wars most sensational occasions, the Union fighters flooded up the slope, broke Braggs place, and put the Army of Tennessee to defeat. Consequence The triumph at Chattanooga cost Grant 753 slaughtered, 4,722 injured, and 349 missing. Braggs losses were recorded as 361 slaughtered, 2,160 injured, and 4,146 caught and missing. The Battle of Chattanooga opened the entryway for the attack of the Deep South and the catch of Atlanta in 1864. Moreover, the fight demolished the Army of Tennessee and constrained Confederate President Jefferson Davis to calm Bragg and supplant him General Joseph E. Johnston. Following the fight, Braggs men withdrew south to Dalton, GA. Hooker was dispatched to seek after the messed up armed force, yet was vanquished by Cleburne at the Battle of Ringgold Gap on November 27, 1863. The Battle of Chattanooga was the last time Grant battled in the West as he moved East to manage Confederate General Robert E. Lee the accompanying spring. The Battle of Chattanooga is some of the time known as the Third Battle of Chattanooga regarding the commitment battled in the territory June 1862 and August 1863.

Before You Crowdfund an Invention, Consider Patent Protection

Before You Crowdfund an Invention, Consider Patent Protection Are you an inventor? Do you have an invention that works just as you expected?It all starts with a crazy idea which you believe in so much that you put in the effort to bring it to life.But the journey is never smooth. You will often get close to the working product only for a small hitch to take you several steps back.If you have developed anything from scratch, either a physical product to a virtual one like a software product, you know this process.So, when your eureka moment comes and everything works perfectly, you have a lot to celebrate.And the next logical step is to get funding so you can develop your product in large scale and sell.And where do you get funding from?Easy. You crowdfund. Right?Crowdfunding has gained a lot of popularity as startups seek to launch their business ideas despite having little cash.The idea is to have many people, referred to as backers, contribute small amounts to reach the desired amount.WHY CROWDFUND?The ease and convenience of getting funding through crowdfunding platforms is unmatched.Moreover, this funding avenue offers more than just funding opportunities.Crowdfunding also provides some good benefits which are worth appreciating:More Efficient Than Traditional FundingOne of the reasons crowdfunding is popular is the ease of access to backers.Backers don’t necessarily need to value your idea as banks would, before getting on board with it. It therefore becomes easier to access funding than if you visited a bank for a loan.In many cases, banks will require some form of security. Apart from that, the process is longer and tiresome.And since banks will consider your financial status before lending you any money, you may not stand a chance if you’re not a transacting customer.But what do backers require before giving you funds?All you have to do is win them using your invention and allow them to be first in experiencing it.Backers are people who love being ahead of others.They want to have the most novel of products so they enjoy their value as well as stand out from the crowd.This is why a platform like kickstarter has over 16.7 million backers.Check out the below official statistics about the platform. Source: KickstarterWhere you have such a big number of people willing to buy a new product before others can, the opportunities are unlimited.Also, launching your funding campaign on crowdfunding platforms is as easy as creating an online profile.Running the whole campaign, depending on the product and the duration you specify, can be very short.Indicator of Consumer InterestCrowdfunding also gives you an opportunity to gather customer feedback before having any real customers. You can look at this as product validation.If your invention is really cool and many people are eager to have it, then you know that your product is a success.Going through the comments from backers and potential fans of your product, you’ll see how much the market needs your product.There’s nothing as great for an entrepreneur as having the assurance that your product has a ready market.If the crowdfunding population wants your product, then so will the normal market outside the platform.Provides Cheap Bu t Excellent MarketingAnd with that assurance comes something else very critical for the “normal market.” That thing is marketing.You can look at the crowdfunding platform as a different world from the one you live in. In the crowdfunding world, people are eager to get new stuff. But in the “real” world, the skeptics could outnumber the potential customers.Furthermore, if you have no business experience or are little known, the chances of your business kicking off are slim.But not so if you first go through a platform like kickstarter or Indiegogo.Once the people in these platform go back to the “real” world of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat etc, they will spread the news.They will create lots of awareness and publicity about the new invention in town.And if you have a website and social media pages, they can share links and help get the word out there.This is what social media marketing is all about.However, the beauty here is that you don’t labor so much. Just do the r ight campaign in the crowdfunding platform and so much more will follow.CROWDFUNDING RISKSBut the benefits of crowdfunding do not in any way mean that there are no risks. In fact, the risks involved are big. These risks are the reason behind writing this article.By the time you’re done reading, you’ll understand what to do to stay safe.The information will help you avoid losing your invention to someone who never worked for it.Here are two of the biggest risks you should be aware of.Stolen IdeasThe problem with crowdfunding is that the platforms are public in nature. And the public nature we’re talking about here is the internet.That means that your fresh and unique ideas are basically visible to the whole world.This was designed and intended to be good for you as an inventor. And indeed, the benefits are great.The fact that you can get publicity from anywhere in the world increases your chances of hitting your funding target.But it’s in that same benefit where the problem l ies.And the problem is made worse by the fact that you have to share lots of information about your invention to get funding.The question is, how safe is the information you’re sharing?Had you been having a discussion with an individual, you could easily get him to commit to secrecy.But on the internet?That’s impossible.People from all over the world are looking for money.And just as thieves want money they never worked for, so do some people want to run with ideas which were never theirs.When you describe on the internet how a product works, it takes an expert in the field very little effort to make minor changes to the concept and make money with it.This is the birth of a competition which you’re likely unaware of.You go ahead to produce your product and find that someone has something which works better than your product.“How come?” you ask.Well, your idea was on the internet. Once on the internet, the safety of your invention is no longer guaranteed.Stolen InventionsA worse case is where the actual invention, not just the concept, is stolen.When this happens, the product which competes with you is a copycat, not a slightly different one. This is where everything is exactly like what you worked on in your private lab.This situation can be very heartbreaking because not only is it daylight robbery, but you can’t even distinguish your product from the robber’s.What’s worse is that you may not be able to do anything about it. You can lament, accuse, claim, threaten etc. But changing the situation altogether is extremely difficult.That was the situation in which an Israeli inventor found himself in. His invention wasn’t “improved” upon. It was replicated exactly as he had invented it.Yekutiel Sherman was sure he was going to become rich from exploiting the global selfie trend. Instead of relying on the traditional selfie stick, he designed a smartphone case which doubled as a selfie stick.All you needed to do was pull back the “stick” from the back of the cover, adjust the phone position and voila!But unknown to him, someone was keen on reaping where he had not sown. Just seven days into the kickstarter campaign, someone had stolen the invention, manufactured the product and was already selling it.Seven days is all it took for Yekutiel’s invention to make someone else rich.And that’s not all. Whereas the original product was to retail at $47.41, the copycat was on sale at $8.18. You can guess what the reaction of the backers was like when they got the news.HOW TO PROTECT YOUR INVENTIONIt’s always wise to learn from other people’s experiences. You don’t have to go through a similar situation so as to learn.This article teaches you how to protect your invention through patenting.Patenting is the only real protection you can have for your invention. The challenge however is that patenting is not easy.First, it’s a process and second, it’s costly.But does that mean that you should gamble and leave your invention vulnerable?Certainly not.There are steps you can take to safeguard your hard work and ensure you benefit accordingly from its commercialization.Here is what you should keep in mind as you seek to fund your invention.Patent Before Revealing Your InventionThe safest way to protect your invention is by patenting it before you go to source for funds.This is advisable whether you’re crowdfunding or looking for an angel investor or a venture capitalists.When you apply for a patent, you won’t get the patent immediately. It will take some time before the United States Patent and Trademark Office clears your invention for patenting. However, in the course of that time, your invention is well protected.As you go for patenting, it’s important that you understand that there are different protections that you can benefit from.Apart from protecting the invention itself, you can also protect your trademark and have copyrights for any written material used specifically to market you r product.The below video from the USPTO explains the differences between a patent, trademark and copyrights. Having done this, you can safely go ahead and describe your invention as required by backers.In fact, you can even say that your invention is already patented. That statement in itself will be a deterrent.In the event that someone steals your idea or the invention, you can take legal action against him.Patent Within One Year of Revealing Your InventionIn case you have already exposed your unique solution to the whole world without patenting, you can still do it.Normally, you are allowed by the law to apply for a patent within one year of disclosing your invention to the public. You should be relieved to know that all hope is not lost.However, you need to move quickly. If someone else beats you to that application, you might have difficulties getting the patent for yourself.It can be frustrating for you to start the process only to discover that someone else did it before you .At this point, you will have to prove ownership.Simply mentioning your crowdfunding campaign as evidence that you are the owner of the invention may not suffice in a court of law.Of course you can argue out your case logically.But will you be able to prove that the other party doesn’t have the knowledge you have? The idea? The resources?The best thing to do if you have an invention out there, just apply for the patent as soon as possible.Patenting is a “First To File” ProcessTo see the challenge in the situation of not patenting first, it might help to realize that the process works on a first come first served basis. It’s referred to as the “First To File” process.It is simple. The first person to file for a patent, he’s the one considered the owner of the patent.This idea was a solution to curb the cases of people trying to steal already-existing inventions being ignorant of secured patents.It’s pretty obvious that someone will steal an idea after seeing or hearin g about it.As such, it’s only natural for such a person to try and patent after the original owner already did it.But in the event that the original owner never patented the innovation, then he is at a loss.In the eyes of the USPTO, he will be the one to prove ownership; not the alleged thief to prove his.In fact, the thief can even be the one suing the owner. Taking the first step can be his defensive move to keep the product.Consider Making a Provisional Patent ApplicationWith the costs involved, it’s quite understandableâ€"though not at all excusableâ€"that many would opt for the risks. In any case, haven’t many entrepreneurs started off this way?But to help you safeguard your upcoming business, the government made it possible to get the same protection at a lower cost.You do this by applying for the provisional patent.A provisional patent application is different from the regular patent. Its purpose is to create room for you to apply for the regular patent later on. The du ration you’re given to apply for the regular patent is 12 months.If one year passes without you doing so, then the protection you had is forfeited.In the event that you have a lawsuit concerning your invention and you provide your provisional patent, the ruling will likely be in your favor.Keep in mind that the judge will consider other factors surrounding the case too.Patent Your Invention in Other Countries Too (Especially China)If you live in the US, patenting your products with the USPTO is key for business.But that patent cannot protect your products outside the US.If your idea is stolen by someone in another country, your US patent won’t help you in a legal battle.The argument here is simple: other countries can also make inventionsâ€"and they do.For that reason, you will do well to consider patenting your product in other countries too.This is especially so if you intend to sell it outside the US.Still, even if you’re only selling it in the US, e-commerce can enable som eone else sell the product online.As long as he is not a US citizen, you can’t stop him from doing so.Most US inventions are sold within its borders. If they cross the borders, they often land in ally states who might respect US patents. One longstanding friendly country is the UK. Unfortunately, that cannot be said of all others.China is known to steal intellectual property. The Israeli innovation mentioned above is not a rare case.The US-China trade war which started in 2018 raises this issue. And not only is it from a purely business perspective, but also from a military one.It has been reported that the Chinese J-20 fighter jet was built using data stolen from US military systems. Going by these reports, then you can see how much of a problem stealing inventions is.MORE TIPS TO SAFEGUARD YOUR INVENTIONApart from these steps you can take to protect your invention, there are a couple other things you can do to increase your business success rates.Here are some things to consider even when you’re making your product known to backers.1. Don’t Expose Your Trade SecretsIntellectual property is a term which covers many different things.. Generally, anything that is derived from the mind through creativity qualifies to be called intellectual property.This can include music, poems, software code, drawings, fashion clothing designs, car designs etc.Still, there are other pieces of information which are very critical to the business or the successful operation of an invention. Such are what are called trade secrets.These include things like formulas, processes, practices and other technical information which give you an economic advantage. These are the things which when your competitor knows, he’ll be able to produce an exact replica of your product.Let’s consider the example of a car manufacturer. For him, trade secrets can include the exterior design, technical engine specifications, materials used to create the engine or body, suspension design etc.If a competitor got these details, he could make something similar or even better.This will take away the competitive edge the original inventor had.2. Clearly Differentiate Your Invention from OthersWhen applying for a patent, you have to show that your product is truly unique.This is the basis of calling it an invention. There must not exist anything similar to it.Of course, there can be some sort of similarity and this is where the problem arises.In such a case, it’s your ability to describe and elaborate on the uniqueness that will get you a patent.Ensure you are technical and detailed with your illustrations.3. Be Careful with Stranger “Co-Inventors”As you market your new product on the crowdfunding site you choose, beware of those who comment giving you advice on how you can make your invention better.This is good feedback that will come in handy later.However, it’s wise to remember that unexpected challenges can never be completely avoided.The same way someone may try ste aling your idea, the same way someone may try to do it by indirectly contributing to it. If you include his contribution to the final product, he can then claim a part of it since his ideas are implemented in it.In business, feedback from customers is used to improve products and services. Customers are happy about it and the company also benefits through additional sales and increased revenues.Take note however that this is where the company is established. In your case, you aren’t. You probably haven’t even started your campaign. The chances of someone trying to play a trick on you is high.How do you recognize such people?They will often be busy giving you ideas even when everyone else is not.Or if everyone is excited and giving you their thoughts, they are more dedicated and seem too interested in getting their ideas accepted.They can even follow up through frequent communication to see whether you incorporated their thoughts into the final product.Note that it doesn’t mean that anyone who is very excited about your invention is out to rob you.To ascertain that, you’ll have to take your time or maybe just go by your instincts.4. Protect Your Brand TooIf you’re set to run your own business, you might be having other intellectual property ready for take-off.Two of these are your brand name or exact name of the final product and your trademark.Do not reveal this information when crowdfunding. These can be stolen too, especially if they are catchy and easy to market.The name of the upcoming company or product can be used to register domains and even set up websites and blogs. If this happens, you’ll have a hard time getting started since searching for an appropriate domain name can be challenging.You may struggle coming up with the right name which is also available. This will delay your progress unnecessarily.5. Be Ready to ManufactureSince manufacturing is a big challenge and you can be beaten at it, try and seal a manufacturing deal before launch ing your campaign. This will help save the time used looking for a manufacturer after the funds have been secured.Depending on what you’re manufacturing, consider Chinese manufacturers.Although the Chinese are the ones commonly accused of insincerity, they happen to have cheap raw materials and labor.These two resources make manufacturing in Chine cheaper than in other countries.If you’re in a position to, visit your preferred manufacturer and see his work. Depending on the internet too much can cost you. You might fall into the hands of fraudsters.6. Set Up an Online StoreAfter you have done all that, set up an online store for selling your own product. This can be implemented in various ways.If you only have one product, then you won’t have much work to do. A simple plugin for your website or blog will be enough.If you’re selling many products, consider going fully e-commerce.You can also sell your product on Amazon. That will help you avoid the extra work of building your own e-commerce website.CONCLUSIONWith all the work you put in to invent your product, be wise to follow the advice given here.You will be able to enjoy the fruits of your own labor if you protect your invention.You can also consult an attorney for further help with these matters.

Before You Crowdfund an Invention, Consider Patent Protection

Before You Crowdfund an Invention, Consider Patent Protection Are you an inventor? Do you have an invention that works just as you expected?It all starts with a crazy idea which you believe in so much that you put in the effort to bring it to life.But the journey is never smooth. You will often get close to the working product only for a small hitch to take you several steps back.If you have developed anything from scratch, either a physical product to a virtual one like a software product, you know this process.So, when your eureka moment comes and everything works perfectly, you have a lot to celebrate.And the next logical step is to get funding so you can develop your product in large scale and sell.And where do you get funding from?Easy. You crowdfund. Right?Crowdfunding has gained a lot of popularity as startups seek to launch their business ideas despite having little cash.The idea is to have many people, referred to as backers, contribute small amounts to reach the desired amount.WHY CROWDFUND?The ease and convenience of getting funding through crowdfunding platforms is unmatched.Moreover, this funding avenue offers more than just funding opportunities.Crowdfunding also provides some good benefits which are worth appreciating:More Efficient Than Traditional FundingOne of the reasons crowdfunding is popular is the ease of access to backers.Backers don’t necessarily need to value your idea as banks would, before getting on board with it. It therefore becomes easier to access funding than if you visited a bank for a loan.In many cases, banks will require some form of security. Apart from that, the process is longer and tiresome.And since banks will consider your financial status before lending you any money, you may not stand a chance if you’re not a transacting customer.But what do backers require before giving you funds?All you have to do is win them using your invention and allow them to be first in experiencing it.Backers are people who love being ahead of others.They want to have the most novel of products so they enjoy their value as well as stand out from the crowd.This is why a platform like kickstarter has over 16.7 million backers.Check out the below official statistics about the platform. Source: KickstarterWhere you have such a big number of people willing to buy a new product before others can, the opportunities are unlimited.Also, launching your funding campaign on crowdfunding platforms is as easy as creating an online profile.Running the whole campaign, depending on the product and the duration you specify, can be very short.Indicator of Consumer InterestCrowdfunding also gives you an opportunity to gather customer feedback before having any real customers. You can look at this as product validation.If your invention is really cool and many people are eager to have it, then you know that your product is a success.Going through the comments from backers and potential fans of your product, you’ll see how much the market needs your product.There’s nothing as great for an entrepreneur as having the assurance that your product has a ready market.If the crowdfunding population wants your product, then so will the normal market outside the platform.Provides Cheap Bu t Excellent MarketingAnd with that assurance comes something else very critical for the “normal market.” That thing is marketing.You can look at the crowdfunding platform as a different world from the one you live in. In the crowdfunding world, people are eager to get new stuff. But in the “real” world, the skeptics could outnumber the potential customers.Furthermore, if you have no business experience or are little known, the chances of your business kicking off are slim.But not so if you first go through a platform like kickstarter or Indiegogo.Once the people in these platform go back to the “real” world of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat etc, they will spread the news.They will create lots of awareness and publicity about the new invention in town.And if you have a website and social media pages, they can share links and help get the word out there.This is what social media marketing is all about.However, the beauty here is that you don’t labor so much. Just do the r ight campaign in the crowdfunding platform and so much more will follow.CROWDFUNDING RISKSBut the benefits of crowdfunding do not in any way mean that there are no risks. In fact, the risks involved are big. These risks are the reason behind writing this article.By the time you’re done reading, you’ll understand what to do to stay safe.The information will help you avoid losing your invention to someone who never worked for it.Here are two of the biggest risks you should be aware of.Stolen IdeasThe problem with crowdfunding is that the platforms are public in nature. And the public nature we’re talking about here is the internet.That means that your fresh and unique ideas are basically visible to the whole world.This was designed and intended to be good for you as an inventor. And indeed, the benefits are great.The fact that you can get publicity from anywhere in the world increases your chances of hitting your funding target.But it’s in that same benefit where the problem l ies.And the problem is made worse by the fact that you have to share lots of information about your invention to get funding.The question is, how safe is the information you’re sharing?Had you been having a discussion with an individual, you could easily get him to commit to secrecy.But on the internet?That’s impossible.People from all over the world are looking for money.And just as thieves want money they never worked for, so do some people want to run with ideas which were never theirs.When you describe on the internet how a product works, it takes an expert in the field very little effort to make minor changes to the concept and make money with it.This is the birth of a competition which you’re likely unaware of.You go ahead to produce your product and find that someone has something which works better than your product.“How come?” you ask.Well, your idea was on the internet. Once on the internet, the safety of your invention is no longer guaranteed.Stolen InventionsA worse case is where the actual invention, not just the concept, is stolen.When this happens, the product which competes with you is a copycat, not a slightly different one. This is where everything is exactly like what you worked on in your private lab.This situation can be very heartbreaking because not only is it daylight robbery, but you can’t even distinguish your product from the robber’s.What’s worse is that you may not be able to do anything about it. You can lament, accuse, claim, threaten etc. But changing the situation altogether is extremely difficult.That was the situation in which an Israeli inventor found himself in. His invention wasn’t “improved” upon. It was replicated exactly as he had invented it.Yekutiel Sherman was sure he was going to become rich from exploiting the global selfie trend. Instead of relying on the traditional selfie stick, he designed a smartphone case which doubled as a selfie stick.All you needed to do was pull back the “stick” from the back of the cover, adjust the phone position and voila!But unknown to him, someone was keen on reaping where he had not sown. Just seven days into the kickstarter campaign, someone had stolen the invention, manufactured the product and was already selling it.Seven days is all it took for Yekutiel’s invention to make someone else rich.And that’s not all. Whereas the original product was to retail at $47.41, the copycat was on sale at $8.18. You can guess what the reaction of the backers was like when they got the news.HOW TO PROTECT YOUR INVENTIONIt’s always wise to learn from other people’s experiences. You don’t have to go through a similar situation so as to learn.This article teaches you how to protect your invention through patenting.Patenting is the only real protection you can have for your invention. The challenge however is that patenting is not easy.First, it’s a process and second, it’s costly.But does that mean that you should gamble and leave your invention vulnerable?Certainly not.There are steps you can take to safeguard your hard work and ensure you benefit accordingly from its commercialization.Here is what you should keep in mind as you seek to fund your invention.Patent Before Revealing Your InventionThe safest way to protect your invention is by patenting it before you go to source for funds.This is advisable whether you’re crowdfunding or looking for an angel investor or a venture capitalists.When you apply for a patent, you won’t get the patent immediately. It will take some time before the United States Patent and Trademark Office clears your invention for patenting. However, in the course of that time, your invention is well protected.As you go for patenting, it’s important that you understand that there are different protections that you can benefit from.Apart from protecting the invention itself, you can also protect your trademark and have copyrights for any written material used specifically to market you r product.The below video from the USPTO explains the differences between a patent, trademark and copyrights. Having done this, you can safely go ahead and describe your invention as required by backers.In fact, you can even say that your invention is already patented. That statement in itself will be a deterrent.In the event that someone steals your idea or the invention, you can take legal action against him.Patent Within One Year of Revealing Your InventionIn case you have already exposed your unique solution to the whole world without patenting, you can still do it.Normally, you are allowed by the law to apply for a patent within one year of disclosing your invention to the public. You should be relieved to know that all hope is not lost.However, you need to move quickly. If someone else beats you to that application, you might have difficulties getting the patent for yourself.It can be frustrating for you to start the process only to discover that someone else did it before you .At this point, you will have to prove ownership.Simply mentioning your crowdfunding campaign as evidence that you are the owner of the invention may not suffice in a court of law.Of course you can argue out your case logically.But will you be able to prove that the other party doesn’t have the knowledge you have? The idea? The resources?The best thing to do if you have an invention out there, just apply for the patent as soon as possible.Patenting is a “First To File” ProcessTo see the challenge in the situation of not patenting first, it might help to realize that the process works on a first come first served basis. It’s referred to as the “First To File” process.It is simple. The first person to file for a patent, he’s the one considered the owner of the patent.This idea was a solution to curb the cases of people trying to steal already-existing inventions being ignorant of secured patents.It’s pretty obvious that someone will steal an idea after seeing or hearin g about it.As such, it’s only natural for such a person to try and patent after the original owner already did it.But in the event that the original owner never patented the innovation, then he is at a loss.In the eyes of the USPTO, he will be the one to prove ownership; not the alleged thief to prove his.In fact, the thief can even be the one suing the owner. Taking the first step can be his defensive move to keep the product.Consider Making a Provisional Patent ApplicationWith the costs involved, it’s quite understandableâ€"though not at all excusableâ€"that many would opt for the risks. In any case, haven’t many entrepreneurs started off this way?But to help you safeguard your upcoming business, the government made it possible to get the same protection at a lower cost.You do this by applying for the provisional patent.A provisional patent application is different from the regular patent. Its purpose is to create room for you to apply for the regular patent later on. The du ration you’re given to apply for the regular patent is 12 months.If one year passes without you doing so, then the protection you had is forfeited.In the event that you have a lawsuit concerning your invention and you provide your provisional patent, the ruling will likely be in your favor.Keep in mind that the judge will consider other factors surrounding the case too.Patent Your Invention in Other Countries Too (Especially China)If you live in the US, patenting your products with the USPTO is key for business.But that patent cannot protect your products outside the US.If your idea is stolen by someone in another country, your US patent won’t help you in a legal battle.The argument here is simple: other countries can also make inventionsâ€"and they do.For that reason, you will do well to consider patenting your product in other countries too.This is especially so if you intend to sell it outside the US.Still, even if you’re only selling it in the US, e-commerce can enable som eone else sell the product online.As long as he is not a US citizen, you can’t stop him from doing so.Most US inventions are sold within its borders. If they cross the borders, they often land in ally states who might respect US patents. One longstanding friendly country is the UK. Unfortunately, that cannot be said of all others.China is known to steal intellectual property. The Israeli innovation mentioned above is not a rare case.The US-China trade war which started in 2018 raises this issue. And not only is it from a purely business perspective, but also from a military one.It has been reported that the Chinese J-20 fighter jet was built using data stolen from US military systems. Going by these reports, then you can see how much of a problem stealing inventions is.MORE TIPS TO SAFEGUARD YOUR INVENTIONApart from these steps you can take to protect your invention, there are a couple other things you can do to increase your business success rates.Here are some things to consider even when you’re making your product known to backers.1. Don’t Expose Your Trade SecretsIntellectual property is a term which covers many different things.. Generally, anything that is derived from the mind through creativity qualifies to be called intellectual property.This can include music, poems, software code, drawings, fashion clothing designs, car designs etc.Still, there are other pieces of information which are very critical to the business or the successful operation of an invention. Such are what are called trade secrets.These include things like formulas, processes, practices and other technical information which give you an economic advantage. These are the things which when your competitor knows, he’ll be able to produce an exact replica of your product.Let’s consider the example of a car manufacturer. For him, trade secrets can include the exterior design, technical engine specifications, materials used to create the engine or body, suspension design etc.If a competitor got these details, he could make something similar or even better.This will take away the competitive edge the original inventor had.2. Clearly Differentiate Your Invention from OthersWhen applying for a patent, you have to show that your product is truly unique.This is the basis of calling it an invention. There must not exist anything similar to it.Of course, there can be some sort of similarity and this is where the problem arises.In such a case, it’s your ability to describe and elaborate on the uniqueness that will get you a patent.Ensure you are technical and detailed with your illustrations.3. Be Careful with Stranger “Co-Inventors”As you market your new product on the crowdfunding site you choose, beware of those who comment giving you advice on how you can make your invention better.This is good feedback that will come in handy later.However, it’s wise to remember that unexpected challenges can never be completely avoided.The same way someone may try ste aling your idea, the same way someone may try to do it by indirectly contributing to it. If you include his contribution to the final product, he can then claim a part of it since his ideas are implemented in it.In business, feedback from customers is used to improve products and services. Customers are happy about it and the company also benefits through additional sales and increased revenues.Take note however that this is where the company is established. In your case, you aren’t. You probably haven’t even started your campaign. The chances of someone trying to play a trick on you is high.How do you recognize such people?They will often be busy giving you ideas even when everyone else is not.Or if everyone is excited and giving you their thoughts, they are more dedicated and seem too interested in getting their ideas accepted.They can even follow up through frequent communication to see whether you incorporated their thoughts into the final product.Note that it doesn’t mean that anyone who is very excited about your invention is out to rob you.To ascertain that, you’ll have to take your time or maybe just go by your instincts.4. Protect Your Brand TooIf you’re set to run your own business, you might be having other intellectual property ready for take-off.Two of these are your brand name or exact name of the final product and your trademark.Do not reveal this information when crowdfunding. These can be stolen too, especially if they are catchy and easy to market.The name of the upcoming company or product can be used to register domains and even set up websites and blogs. If this happens, you’ll have a hard time getting started since searching for an appropriate domain name can be challenging.You may struggle coming up with the right name which is also available. This will delay your progress unnecessarily.5. Be Ready to ManufactureSince manufacturing is a big challenge and you can be beaten at it, try and seal a manufacturing deal before launch ing your campaign. This will help save the time used looking for a manufacturer after the funds have been secured.Depending on what you’re manufacturing, consider Chinese manufacturers.Although the Chinese are the ones commonly accused of insincerity, they happen to have cheap raw materials and labor.These two resources make manufacturing in Chine cheaper than in other countries.If you’re in a position to, visit your preferred manufacturer and see his work. Depending on the internet too much can cost you. You might fall into the hands of fraudsters.6. Set Up an Online StoreAfter you have done all that, set up an online store for selling your own product. This can be implemented in various ways.If you only have one product, then you won’t have much work to do. A simple plugin for your website or blog will be enough.If you’re selling many products, consider going fully e-commerce.You can also sell your product on Amazon. That will help you avoid the extra work of building your own e-commerce website.CONCLUSIONWith all the work you put in to invent your product, be wise to follow the advice given here.You will be able to enjoy the fruits of your own labor if you protect your invention.You can also consult an attorney for further help with these matters.