Some people follow rock stars. Steve Greenberg follows inventors.
Greenberg calls himself an “invention groupie.” The author of “Gadget Nation,” he’s written about quirky inventors who have dreamed up everything from a talking toilet paper dispenser to a “Vidstone” grave marker that displays a video tribute of the dearly departed.
Now is a great time for an inventor to become a rock star, Greenberg says. The economy may be slumping, but he and others say inventors are poised to enter a golden age, according to a story in CNN Living.
Businesses want to pull themselves out of this economic slump, and they’re looking for smart ideas,” Greenberg says. “You got the next big idea, and these folks want it. Inventors are in demand.”
Laugh all you want at the plastic-smiling people in the Snuggie commercials on late-night TV and the loud barking of the late Billy Mays, the television pitchman. The world of inventors — a notoriously difficult profession where inventors often lose jobs, home and family pursuing their creations — is booming, some say.
The Great Recession has created more opportunities for inventors, several industry insiders say.
Alan Tratner, who has run an inventors workshop since 1971, says he’s seen a surge in calls from companies seeking the latest hot idea.
He says companies are looking because they’re trying to lure back customers who are deserting them, and they’re trying to compensate for the staff they’ve laid off.
Photo by inkart.