Ideas Uploaded is an invention blog about inventing and licensing, including interviews with successful inventors

In this inventor interview Russ Cohn explains how he came up with the idea for his invention the NatureMill automatic compost bin and the steps he took to bring his invention to market.

Tara: What’s your name and Invention URL

Russ: NatureMill, Inc inventor Russ Cohn, website www.naturemill.com.

Tara: Please could you tell me a little bit about where you are based, your background experience how you first started inventing?

Russ: I am based in San Francisco. My background is in management consulting for big boring companies, although I got a few engineering degrees from MIT long ago.

Tara: Please could you tell me a little bit about your invention, what it is, and how you came up with the idea?

Russ: The invention is the NatureMill automatic compost bin. I came up with the idea by composting the “old fashioned” way with a big pile in my backyard and decided there must be a better (geekier) way to make compost.

Tara: What were the first steps you took after having your idea?

Russ: I started with a “frankenstein prototype” which is a very crude and fast model that actually works but isn’t pretty. Usually they are made in the garage and/or kitchen. It’s a great way to test an idea. It make one great batch of compost – and I still have it!

Tara: Did you get presentation drawing sheets produced or make a prototype of your invention, how did you go about this?

Russ: I made most of the prototypes myself. Then I worked with a mechanical engineer to make professional drawings of each component for our suppliers to build from.

Tara: Did you try and patent or protect your idea in any way and how did you go about it?

Russ: Don’t get me started! A lawyer friend helped me file a patent immediately (a preliminary patent application actually, a “PPA” as it’s called). Now years later we only JUST got that patent approved and our official patent number issued just this month! It took may years of waiting around for the US Patent and Trademark Office. Our tax dollars at work. They had all sorts of objections and completely and rudely rejected every claim in our patent many times. According to our lawyers this is standard process. You have to go back and forth with the patent office until everyone is tired out and just agrees. Kind of like haggling for trinkets at some sort of third world market. The lawyers and patent examiner are getting paid the whole time of course – and not small change either. It’s very traumatic and expensive for the first time entrepreneur. We figured out a few ways to shorten the process and we have since gotten two additional patents approved.

Tara: Did you always intend manufacturing your invention yourself or did you look into licensing the idea?

Russ: Yes we started manufacturing in my basement and kitchen. I was single then with a very old/un-remodeled kitchen. That all changed after the wedding and things got out of hand quick! We also outgrew the kitchen. At one point we had three employees in the house, my wife was home sick in bed, I was on a call with a big client, the UPS man arrived, and the dog started barking uncontrollably. Probably a few phones were ringing at the same time. So we found a company in Wisconsin to manufacture for us. It worked out well for everyone. We are now considering licensing for some of our international business but that is still in the early stages.

Tara: How did you go about finding a suitable manufacturer for your invention and did you self fund this?

Russ: Long story. Initially we were referred to a very large plastics molder, who said they could also do the assembly and shipping of our whole product. Turns out, that was their salesman taking and once they had our order they decided they couldn’t do any of the assembly after all. So we scrambled to find a factory nearby to do the assembly. We stumbled upon a nearby company that had just been downsized when their main business was sent to China. We stuck with them for many years. So it all worked out in the end.

Tara: What have you found are the best ways of promoting your invention?

Russ: TV. For all the hype of the internet and the “cloud” we are still a nation of couch potatoes. TV is the best way to get the message across because it is visual, engaging, entertaining, and pervasive. We were fortunate enough to be featured on the Discovery Channel, History Channel, and cameo appearances on Oprah, New Adventures of Old Christine, Big Bang Theory, and a few others. Mostly it was luck but probably the other smaller appearances helped in blogs and traditional print media. I think today most of our actual sales are through word of mouth. Customers love our product and they brag about it to their friends.

Tara: What were the most difficult elements of bringing your invention to market?

Russ: Suppliers. Unfortunately many of them are struggling or going out of business. We have a “Made in the USA” strategy which is very difficult to maintain these days. Sometimes components arrive late or incomplete, or the quality starts to suffer. But we have a very loyal and dedicated group of core suppliers now so we think the worst is behind us.

Tara: How long has it taken from your initial idea to taking it to market?

Russ: Every product launch we’ve ever launched took about a year. Even the little add-on accessories. Turns out, that is the minimum for just about any product in the world. It can take a lot longer if there are regulatory issues or new technologies or materials to develop.

Tara: Is there anything you learned developing your invention that you would now do differently if you had to do it all again?

Russ: What I learned is the invention process is the easy part. The product launch process (including testing, suppliers, marketing, etc.) is extremely slow and difficult. If I were to do it all over again, I would probably quit in month two and just get a regular job. Seriously, it’s a long and painful process. Licensing doesn’t help much because nobody will believe in you until you make the product a big success.

Tara: What advice would you give any aspiring inventor with an idea?

Russ: Don’t do it! Unless you are extremely passionate about your idea, don’t need any income for a long time, and can handle rejection and frustration. For me the motivation was saving the planet with a really great environmental invention. We are literally saving the Earth every day. That kept us going in the early days and sustains us still to this day.

Tara: Where can people find out more about you your invention?

Russ: www.naturemill.com – and also our product has been in Home Depot, Amazon, Lowes, Williams-Sonoma, and a few other places.

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