What does it take to turn a backyard game into a scalable business with patents, licensing deals, and national recognition? In this episode of The Bold Inventor Show, hosts J.D. Houvener and Matt Kulseth sit down with Brian Poeter, inventor and founder of Fanbags Cornhole, to unpack the journey of transforming a simple idea into a thriving company that’s innovating one of America’s favorite pastimes.

Brian takes us back to his college days when he first spotted the problem: cornhole boards were clunky, worn out, and expensive to replace. From a $350 garage prototype to a patented interchangeable playing surface system, he reveals the scrappy beginnings and the pivotal design iterations that made Fanbags stand out in a crowded market.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Brian shares the hard lessons learned from trying DIY patent filings, how COVID nearly shuttered his 6,000-sq-ft shop, and why licensing with other companies became a survival—and growth—strategy. He pulls back the curtain on the art of negotiating licensing deals, what pros and cons come with allowing other brands to white-label your patented product, and why he chose to keep tight control over the Fanbags name.

You’ll also hear about Brian’s foray into sponsorships with ESPN cornhole pros, near-misses with NFL licensing, and how he balanced protecting IP with building authentic business relationships. The conversation is rich with practical nuggets for inventors, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to take an idea from concept to commercialization.

💡 “If you’ve got an idea, write it down, protect it, and just take your shot. You only get one life—why not throw that bag?”

👉 Tune in for behind-the-scenes stories, legal insights from J.D. and Matt, and Brian’s no-nonsense advice for bold entrepreneurs ready to bring their visions to life.

• 🛠️ How Brian turned a $350 garage project into a patented product
• 📜 The dangers of DIY patent filings (and how pros saved the day)
• 🔄 Lessons from pivoting product design through four iterations
• 🤝 Licensing deals: handshake agreements vs. formal contracts
• 🎯 Why Brian refused to let others use the Fanbags name
• 📈 Sponsorships, ESPN exposure, and building credibility in niche sports
• 💰 The real costs of licensing with the NFL, NCAA, and Marvel
• 🚀 Entrepreneur mindset: protect your IP, but never stop iterating

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

On this episode of The Bold Inventor Show, hosts J.D. Houvener (patent attorney) and Matt Kulseth (trademark attorney) kick things off by exposing a bizarre Amazon trademark scam. Imagine someone registering generic design marks — like outlines of scissors — then using them to file takedowns against legitimate sellers. The duo breaks down how bad actors exploit loopholes, how Amazon’s automated system often enables these tactics, and why small businesses lose millions before appeals catch up. It’s a must-listen for any brand owner navigating Amazon’s complex IP battlefield.

But the spotlight shines brightest on guest Sarah Noah, inventor, founder of Apex Concrete Innovations, and director of global engagement at Clistar. Sarah’s journey is anything but conventional — from growing up in a household of 11 siblings and foster kids, to co-inventing a patented power trowel with her brother John, to spearheading sustainable building initiatives worldwide.

Her patented tool reimagines the ancient hand trowel, attaching to a drill for faster, safer, and more ergonomic concrete finishing. Yet Sarah’s impact doesn’t stop at tools. Through Zeolite Composites and GreenerConcrete.com, she’s advancing low-carbon, high-strength cement alternatives — a breakthrough that not only reduces emissions but also cleans contaminated soil and water.

The conversation covers:

• Why being a female founder in construction tech means breaking stereotypes daily.
• How 3D concrete printing combined with zeolite could transform affordable housing in Africa.
• What it takes to commercialize a patent beyond the grant — including prototypes, safety hurdles, and manufacturing partnerships.
• How global networks like GNII and collaborations with the UN’s SDG Academy are fueling her mission to scale.

Sarah also teases her next big stage: launching at the World of Concrete 2024 in Las Vegas, where she’ll showcase the patented power trowel alongside a book release documenting her founder journey.

This episode blends hard-nosed IP strategy with visionary sustainability goals. If you’ve ever wondered how inventions move from a patent drawing to global impact — or how one founder can juggle concrete tools, greener building materials, and global development — Sarah’s story is proof that innovation knows no boundaries.

📌 Key Takeaways

• 🛡️ Amazon IP scams are real — automated systems often side with bad actors.
• ✍️ Design mark ≠ word mark — know the difference before filing.
• 🛠️ The power trowel reinvents concrete finishing — faster, safer, drill-powered.
• 🌍 Zeolite replaces cement — stronger, lower carbon, and cleans toxins.
• 🏗️ 3D printing with zeolite enables durable, sustainable housing.
• 👩‍🔬 Female founders innovate differently — persistence breaks barriers.
• 🌱 Sustainability partnerships matter — global networks accelerate adoption.
• 🚀 Prototypes > paperwork — investors want to see real-world proof.

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

On this week’s Bold Inventor Show, hosts J.D. Houvener (patent attorney) and Matt Kulseth (trademark attorney) open with fresh Q&A from inventors and entrepreneurs before sitting down with a guest who has turned decades of media experience into a tech solution for our cluttered digital age.

The show kicks off with JD and Matt answering real-world questions:

• Can you legally resell and restore old patented products, like fishing lures?
• How do expired patents open opportunities for innovators?
• What happens when trademarks, trade dress, and design patents collide?
• Is it trademark infringement to use real names or character-inspired names in creative works?

Their legal insights, explained in plain English, help demystify the overlapping worlds of patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

Then, from Amsterdam, Geoff Harrison joins the conversation to share his entrepreneurial journey. A veteran of professional radio and journalism, Jeffrey was first introduced to email at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer — a moment that inspired him to think ahead about how technology would transform everyday life. By 1996, he was envisioning what became the Multi-Screen Menu, a mobile filing cabinet designed to simplify how we store, organize, and access documents.

Fast forward to today, and Harrison has brought that vision to life:

• 18 customizable boxes to organize everything from travel papers to pet records.
• Offline access to critical documents, especially useful for travelers and in natural disasters.
• Encrypted storage, offering security at the same level as WhatsApp.
• Real-world use cases from airport check-ins to emergency evacuations, where seconds matter.

But building an app is only the start. Harrison reveals the uphill battle of getting listed on app stores, why 2.8 million apps were rejected in 2024, and why his strategy focuses on licensing deals with phone manufacturers instead of fighting for visibility in a sea of millions of apps.

From surviving rejection, pitching investors, and navigating IP strategy, this episode is a masterclass for anyone looking to transform a simple idea into a real-world solution.

📌 Key Takeaways

• 🎣 Expired patents open doors — innovators can legally improve old products.
• ⚖️ Trademark vs. trade dress vs. copyright — why knowing the difference matters.
• 📱 Multi-Screen Menu app organizes your life into 18 simple boxes.
• 🌍 Perfect for travelers, students, parents, and professionals.
• 🔒 Fully encrypted — even the app creator can’t see your data.
• 🛠️ Building an app is just step one — marketing and licensing are the real hurdles.
• 💡 Inventors should think beyond the app store and toward device-level partnerships.
• 🚀 Entrepreneurial wisdom: keep it lean, stay persistent, and focus on solving real problems.

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

On this episode of The Bold Inventor Show, patent attorney J.D. Houvener and trademark attorney Matt Kulseth dive into another round of hot Q&A before welcoming a visionary guest who is literally building the future.

The hosts open with practical, rapid-fire legal insights:

• Can a patent filing undermine your ability to secure a trademark?
• How long do international design patents really take?
• Are text messages about your “expiring trademark” scams? (Spoiler: yes).
• Why provisional patents often get misunderstood — and what inventors should know before filing.

Then the show levels up into pure sci-fi reality. Wally, founder of Avalon Holographics, joins to share how his team of 100+ researchers, 120 patents, and a decade of development have led to the world’s first true holographic display. Not smoke and mirrors. Not VR goggles. Real holograms that pop up on a tabletop like something out of Star Wars.

He explains how their technology manipulates billions of light rays per second to create holograms so realistic you instinctively try to touch them. He shares how defense and medical industries are early adopters, why the Michael Jackson “hologram” in Vegas isn’t a hologram at all, and why consumer holographic walls, floors, and even holodecks may not be far away.

The conversation also unpacks the business of deep tech:

• Why Avalon invests heavily in patents as a land grab in uncharted physics.
• How startups should “fall in love with the problem, not the solution.”
• Why true holography is still millions per unit today, but could follow the path of black-and-white TVs to mainstream adoption.

This is an episode for inventors, entrepreneurs, and anyone who has ever dreamed of seeing science fiction become science fact.

📌 Key Takeaways

• ⚖️ Patent filings don’t always block trademarks — strategy matters.
• 🚨 Beware trademark scams — USPTO will never text you.
• ⏱️ International design patents usually issue faster than utility patents.
• 🌐 Avalon Holographics leads with 120+ patents protecting true light-field holography.
• 💡 Billions of light rays per second make holograms possible — not VR, not projections.
• 🎯 Defense + healthcare are first movers where visualization = life-or-death.
• 🛠️ Deep tech takes patience — 10 years, 100 people, countless iterations.
• 🔑 Entrepreneur wisdom: fall in love with the problem, not just your solution.

🎬 Teasers

• Can a patent actually hurt your trademark chances?
• Why those “trademark renewal” texts are a scam.
• What separates real holograms from Vegas illusions?
• How Avalon Holographics built the world’s first tabletop hologram.
• When will kids first see consumer holograms?

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

In this episode of The Bold Inventor Show, patent attorney J.D. Houvener and trademark attorney Matt Kulseth open with a rapid-fire Q&A on patents and trademarks — covering the tricky realities of co-inventors, domain name disputes, and whether provisional patents are worth it.

But the spotlight turns to special guest Jimmy W (Wanichsuksombat) is the inventive mind behind Step-in-Lock — a sleek, ergonomic device that turns a simple sliding door into a fortress. What began as a frustration with wooden sticks and flimsy locks in 2019 has grown into a patented invention, a viral Kickstarter campaign with 500+ backers, and $55K in pledges.

Jimmy takes listeners through his five-year journey from provisional filing in the middle of COVID to full patent grant in 2024. Along the way, he battled Wi-Fi hiccups, doubts about viability, and the challenges of manufacturing hardware with razor-thin margins. He shares what it’s like to bootstrap with a spouse as co-inventor, why Kickstarter was his litmus test for market validation, and how strangers pledging money gave him the confidence to push forward.

The conversation also dives into the business side of IP:

• Why timing your provisional vs. non-provisional patent filing is critical.
• How USPTO trademark refusals don’t mean the end of the road.
• Why energy and confidence are as important as legal filings when bringing an invention to life.

If you’ve ever thought about protecting your big idea, crowdfunding your product, or just wondered how to go from sketch to patent to sales — this episode offers both a reality check and a roadmap.

📌 Key Takeaways

• ⚖️ Co-inventor conflicts are common — and forming a company early can avoid messy disputes.
• 🌐 Domains don’t matter like they used to — but trademarks still carry real legal weight.
• 📝 Provisional ≠ Patent — it’s just a placeholder; you must follow through.
• 🚪 Step-in-Lock proves hardware can win on Kickstarter — 500 backers and $55K raised.
• 💡 Validation matters — test ideas with real customers sooner than later.
• 🔑 Energy and confidence keep inventors moving forward — IP is a marathon, not a sprint.

🎬 Teasers

• What happens when co-inventors disagree on how to handle a patent?
• Why a provisional patent might be a waste of money (or the smartest move).
• How Jimmy turned a stick-in-the-door hack into a patented product.
• The single design feature that got Step-in-Lock “over the line” with the USPTO.
• Why Kickstarter validation mattered more than the patent itself.

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

In this inspiring episode of The Bold Inventor Show, hosts J.D. Houvener and Matt Kulseth sit down with entrepreneur Maddie DeJong, the inventive mind behind The Green Sling—a sustainable running belt designed to solve the age-old problem of “Where do I put my extra layers?”

What started as a personal pain point during marathon training turned into a unique blend of functionality, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. Maddie shares how she went from frustrated runner to product creator, conducting market research while completing her master’s in entrepreneurship, and ultimately launching her business from the ground up.

Listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at how she:

• Developed a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that went viral on LinkedIn.
• Built a supply chain of upcycled leggings to keep spandex out of landfills.
• Partnered with a Houston-based cut-and-sew studio that provides employment for women in need.
• Navigated the provisional-to-non-provisional patent process while bootstrapping her business.

Maddie opens up about the realities of product tweaks, the challenges of scaling sustainably, and her aspirations to bring The Green Sling into big-box retail stores. She also shares candid insights about pricing strategy, influencer marketing, and how staying true to her values differentiates her from fast-fashion copycats.

From her marathon finish line to pitch competitions and intellectual property strategy, this conversation is a goldmine for inventors, small business owners, and sustainability advocates alike.

Teasers:

• The “aha moment” when old leggings became the perfect solution.
• Why upcycling is both a mission and a challenge for growth.
• How LinkedIn became her unexpected launchpad.
• The one feature coming in The Green Sling 3.0 that runners have been begging for.

📌 Key Takeaways

• 🏃‍♀️ Innovation from frustration can lead to breakthrough products.
• ♻️ Sustainable materials can be a competitive edge, not just an eco-choice.
• 📈 Provisional patents buy you time to test market demand affordably.
• 🤝 Local partnerships can solve production and social impact goals simultaneously.
• 📣 Social media virality can happen in unexpected places—like LinkedIn.
• 💡 Product evolution is constant—listen to customer feedback.

🚀 Hashtags

#Entrepreneurship, #StartupStory, #ProductDesign, #RunningGear, #Upcycling, #Sustainability, #Patent, #Trademark, #MarathonTraining, #Innovation, #SmallBusiness, #GreenBusiness, #MadeInUSA, #Athleisure, #EcoFriendly, #LinkedInViral, #Inventors, #FoundersJourney, #WomenInBusiness, #BoldIdeas, #BoldPatents

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

🧠 Why inventors should (or shouldn’t) file a provisional patent — strategic pros, common misconceptions, and timeline advantages

⏳ How long patents actually take — from provisional filing to non-provisional and issuance timelines (hint: it’s slower than you think)

💼 The importance of talking with a patent attorney early — especially before going public or seeking licensing deals

💸 Costs associated with patents — including initial filing, examination, and attorney fees

📜 What “patent pending” really means — and how long you can use it

🤖 AI-generated inventions — can AI be listed as an inventor? What the USPTO and courts say

🧑‍⚖️ Court cases around AI inventorship — discussion of the DABUS case and its global implications

📝 How provisional patents are often misused — and why a weak provisional can sabotage future patent rights

🚫 Common mistakes inventors make when filing on their own — boilerplate language, lack of enablement, and filing too soon

📈 The evolving role of AI in invention — and why human inventorship still rules (for now)

🤝 Why working with real professionals matters — protecting your innovation is about more than just paperwork

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

What do dreams, jewels, and cardboard helicopters have in common? They all helped build one of the smartest tools in your garage.

In this episode of the Bold Inventor Show, hosts JD Houvener and Matt Kulseth dive deep into the story behind the iLevel, a groundbreaking smart level invented by Andrew Varner — who literally dreamed it into existence.

With the help of Cleveland-based engineering genius Jason Coher, and the design wizards at Cardboard Helicopter, Andrew went from napkin sketch to a licensed product with Franklin Sensors, one of the top names in tool innovation. But it wasn’t easy.

🎧 You’ll hear the real inventor’s journey:

• How Andrew prototyped the first unit in his garage with a 3D printer and Arduino (spoiler: it worked).
• Why a sapphire gem inside the level solved an ancient problem of tilt detection.
• How Cardboard Helicopter transformed raw hardware into retail gold with stunning 3D visualizations.
• The ins and outs of a global patent and trademark strategy — including PCT filings and EU/AU expansion.
• The bold negotiation that landed a licensing deal with royalties and minimum guarantees, even before the patent issued.

Oh, and did we mention his IP was invented during REM sleep? That’s right. The I-Level — a spirit level that glows green when you’re level and red when you’re not — came to Andrew in a dream.

If you’re an inventor, hardware startup, or product designer, this episode is a masterclass in licensing, product-market fit, and not taking no for an answer.

✨Key Takeaways:

• 🧠 “I literally dreamed it” — the I-Level concept came straight from Andrew's subconscious.
• 💡 Fail forward: Prototyping with 3D printing + Arduino helped test before filing full patents.
• 🧲 Real-world engineering: the device uses sapphire bearings to solve for tilt and LED signaling.
• ✍️ Licensing done right: includes royalty structure, anti-shelving clause & global distribution.
• 🚀 “Don’t be afraid of ‘no’”: Persistence (and follow-up emails) made the Franklin Sensors deal real.
• 📈 Now selling 3,000+ units/month on Amazon with 5-star reviews — and growing.

🔥Teasers to Watch:

• How a CNC’d jewel-bearing mechanism mimics Swiss watches to detect perfect level.
• The one thing Andrew wishes more inventors knew about filing too early. 📜
• How Cardboard Helicopter turned rough ideas into a visual pitch that closed the deal. 💼
• Why Franklin’s “No” turned into a “Yes” (and how you can make that happen too).
• The legal clause that protects your IP even when they delay launching. ⏳

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.