My advice to other mums wanting to combine motherhood with a new business idea.
 
Starting a business is going to be tough. It’s going to involve a lot of juggling and compromise. You will probably feel pretty stressed out. On the other hand, it will take you into the world of grownups again, provide stimulating balance to your life, be intellectually and, hopefully, financially rewarding. So, first of all, ask yourself if you really, REALLY want to do this? If the answer is passionately ‘Yes’ – then read on.

1. Check your proposed product or service fulfils a need that can’t be met in a cheaper way – otherwise no one will buy it.

2. Invest in a babysitter for the day and visit the Business and IP Centre at the British Library. They will guide you through the whole process and equip you with all necessary skills, including searching their incredibly useful data bases www.bl.uk/bipc/

3. If you are creating something original, look at the UK Intellectual Property office website to see what intellectual property rights can be used to protect it www.ipo.gov.uk If you need a patent, don’t skimp and try to write it yourself – it’s a job for professionals. Go to www.cipa.org.uk

4. Women frequently have difficulty in talking themselves ‘up’. Even if we are brilliant at doing something, we tend to say’ I’m quite good at…’ So, believe in yourself. Go to these websites for truly female inspiration, motivation and encouragement go to www.moretolifethanshoes.com and also, www.shesingenious.org

5. Finally, make sure that you have the support of your family and friends.

6. Go for it!
And never doubt your ability to succeed....




Mandy Haberman is a successful entrepreneur and inventor. She invented the Anywayup® cup, the first non-spill cup, in the early Nineties. The cup has had phenomenal worldwide success selling millions of units a year.

Mandy has won many prestigious awards for her innovative inventions and was recognized by HM Queen Elizabeth as a ‘Pioneer to the Life of the Nation’ in 2003.

www.mandyhaberman.com

I was a mum with a good idea and total novice in the world of business, intellectual property and law when I began inventing. Against all odds, and with a lot of luck, I made it! 

I'm one of the rare success stories of a lone inventor who has made money (actually, quite a lot of money) from my inventions. It has been an interesting journey and I learnt a lot along the way, particularly about the importance of protecting my inventions with Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). 

In the coming weeks I shall be writing more about inventing, including the perils and pitfalls of patents.  But to get this month rolling, I shall start by celebrating some November registration anniversaries of memorable IPRs. 

Can you believe that Kermit the frog is approaching retirement age and it’s over 30 years since the patent was granted for an artificial heart? The Kermit copyright is probably still making money for his creator, whereas the patent for the artificial heart would have expired and revenues stopped after just 20 years. Doesn't seem quite right, does it? But, such is life.

Here are some more well known creations* that share November Intellectual Property Rights anniversaries.  

November 2:  1955 Jim Henson's "Kermit the Frog" the first Muppet was copyright registered.

November 3:  1903 Listerine was trademark registered.

November 6:  1928 Colonel Jacob Schick patented the first electric razor.

November 9:  1842 George Bruce received the first design patent for printing type faces.

November 13: 1979 Robert Jarvik was granted a patent for an artificial heart

November 14:  1973 Patsy Sherman & Samuel Smith obtained a patent for a method for treating carpets known as Scotchguard.

November 15:  1904 Patent #775,134 was granted to King C. Gillette for a safety razor.

November 24:  1874 Patent #157,124 was granted to Joseph Glidden for barbed wire fencing. (Photo: ©://CORPORACT)

November 25:  1975 Robert S. Ledley was granted patent #3,922,522 for "diagnostic X-ray systems" known as the CAT-Scan..

November 26:  1895 Russell Penniman received a patent for a transparent photographic film.

November 27:  1894 Mildred Lord was granted a patent for a washing machine.

If you have an idea for an invention, it's important to check out what's been done before. The Business and IP Centre at the British Library can help you do this. 

* as published by About.com.

Did I tell you I was expecting another baby? No, I'm not confounding medical science! This one is a company that I have developed with my strategic partners - Laurence Milton, Paul Bottomley and Colin Jones.  

I've set up companies in the past but this is different (and very exciting). This time I'm  bringing together all my ideas to create a cohesive and comprehensive product range under my Anywayup brand".....and under my own control! 

I believe that innovation is essential to business success and my new company, Haberman Products Limited, is based on innovation and design.  A business based on intellectual property has always been my dream. 

Bringing this to life really feels like going through a pregnancy!  

Since the conception of my the idea I have been tirelessly moving through my first and second trimester.  There were a few scary moments in the early stages, when I feared all might be lost but I now am feeling totally up beat.  It's been, and still is, hard work and the side effects can be telling - roller coaster mood swings with stress,  exhaustion and headaches at one extreme, to bubbling excitement, joy and elation at the other. But, under pinning everything, I am positively  focused the ultimate, inevitable outcome. This beautiful baby is almost ready to come out - and it's going to be a big one!

Our aim is to bring real 'must have' products to the market at sensible prices.  As you probably know, my previous invention, the Anywayup cup, was just such a product. It took the nursery market by storm and started a revolution -  valved, non-spill cups are now the standard and no one has juice stains on their carpets any more! Its amazing what intellectual property can do.

Unfortunately, the Anywayup cup went off the shelf recently because the UK supplier went into administration. I've since been inundated with emails from loyal fans of the cup, desperate to get hold of them. So my first action will be to get the iconic Anywayup cup back out there. That will be followed by a new range of feeding products including a brilliant new cup.  I’ve also been working on a revolutionary new feeder - still under wraps at the moment but, next year we are set to change the world of infant feeding forever, just like the Anywayup cup did.   So, watch this space!

I would love to talk to you if you are a breast-feeding mum who has experienced difficulties with using bottles to deliver breast milk (or supplements), or if you bottle feed and your baby is still experiencing wind and colic despite using 'anti-colic' feeders.

To make contact go to Contact Mandy Haberman or go to Twitter.com/mandyhaberman.