Tonight’s webisode is the eighth in our 13-episode series and features Sharon Jones, inventor of the Cool Cot House, along with our talented, and often hilarious, team of Creationeers!  Join the “Dare to Invent” house party on YouTube and at Davison.com now!

Sharon, a small-town homemaker and self-published poet, got tired of seeing pets in stuffy, dirty doghouses or, worse yet, out in the rain and sweltering sun, where there was no comfortable spot to stretch out on. 

The animal lover, who often took her pet cats on walks and even camping trips, devised her own way to protect Fido, Lassie and Fluffy Kitty from bad weather and stinky shelters.

She brought her innovative idea for a comfortable, portable “tent” to Davison, where our team began working on an extreme pet home makeover that resulted in Sharon’s Cool Cot House!

Equipped with a comfortable raised pet bed that can be used indoors and out, the Cool Cot House is lightweight, portable and features a heavy-duty, water-resistant canvas cover with mesh vents to protect pets from the rain, while increasing air flow.

The end result?  Pets stay cool and dry!

Sharon’s Cool Cot House was licensed by Hugs Pet Products and has sold in SkyMall, Sam’s Club and several other retailers. Sharon and her product were also featured on Lifetime’s “The Balancing Act.”

Find out why Sharon says our team “went above and beyond the call of duty.”  Tune in as Sharon “Dares to Invent!”

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

It’s time again to release another exciting “Dare to Invent” webisode.  This week, our creationeers are getting… well, a bit creepy!

The seventh in our innovative 13-episode series features Pennsylvania native, Julian Smith, inventor of “The Best Stink Bug Trap Ever!”  The new webisode is NOW crawling on YouTube and Davison.com!

Just like you and me, Julian was your average, everyday person; but, Julian’s home was filled with uninvited house guests… stink bugs!

Now, we all know there are plenty of bug repellents and traps on the market.  Unfortunately, existing products didn’t seem to “put the boot” to Julian’s smelly visitors!

So, he took matters into his own hands and even created a model stink bug trap out of a soda bottle.  He brought his idea and working trap to Davison.

Tim, a talented team of Inventionland Creationeers and one very cooperative “test-bug” began buzzing away to make Julian’s trap appealing to bug victims and a friendly-fit for companies’ product lines.  After some intense testing and even a feature on a local news channel, Julian’s “The Best Stink Bug Trap Ever” is ready for production and to see the light of store shelves!

Tune in NOW to see all of the hilarious details as Julian “Dares to Invent!”

We’ve also compiled a few photos to get your mind crawling!

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

On tonight’s new “Dare to Invent” webisode, our inventor and Creationeers are really having a ball… meatballs, actually! 

The sixth in our 13-episode series features Jean Rindfuss, inventor of the Meatball Baker.  The tasty episode is live now on YouTube and at Davison.com!

An avid cook and loving mother and grandmother, Jean tries to make perfect meatballs for her family, but the meatballs always end up covered in grease.

After receiving some disappointing news from her family’s doctor, Jean vows to make a healthier option and she brings her idea for improved meatballs to Davison.

Joey leads our creative team to make a health-friendly pan for baking meatballs.  Through a lot of research, a little bit of redesign and some ridiculous product testing, Jean’s Meatball Baker comes to life and even lands on QVC and on the shelves of major national retailers!

Get your taste buds ready and tune in now on YouTube and at Davison.com for all of the “D-licious” details as Jean “Dares to Invent!”

Enjoy an appetizer-sized portion of photos from tonight’s show below:

 A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

Tonight, again, we beg the question, do you… “Dare to Invent?” when we feature the fifth in our 13-episode “Dare to Invent” series on YouTube and at Davison.com.  This week’s webisode is live now and features John Iavarone, inventor of the BikeBoard.

In tonight’s episode, the California native faces an “X-treme” problem:  Trying to ride a conventional scooter, enjoying the ride, then being jolted off by uneven pavement or stray twigs.  Worse yet, John has to watch in horror as his kids do the same thing!

He wants a safer, sturdier scooter that is more unique and maneuverable; so, he takes matters into his own hands and brings his idea for a “west-coast” scooter, which combines surfboarding, skateboarding and biking… to Davison!

Nathan leads the creative team and, with a little help from fellow creationeer (and, often, test-dummy), Clay, they overcome all obstacles and the BikeBoard proves to be a rolling success!

John’s invention also reaches another exciting milestone when an international giant features the BikeBoard on some of their “cheesiest” packaging!

“This is an entrepreneur’s dream, to have a company like this to work with,” says John. “This has been a great relationship.”

Tune in NOW to watch John “Dare to Invent” and see all the twists and turns the BikeBoard takes as it goes from idea to reality!

Here is a sneak peek of some photos from this week’s “Dare to Invent” webisode:

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

It’s time again to release another exciting “Dare to Invent” webisode!  The fourth in our 13-episode “Dare to Invent” series is set to air on YouTube and at Davison.com, tonight at 7:00 p.m.

This week, we’re showcasing our client, Ed, in his pursuit for a more convenient and humane way to tether his dog outdoors!

You see, Ed got tired of his precious pup’s chain knocking over the food and water bowl while the pet was tethered in the yard… not to mention, the dish and the chain were often in the way of the lawnmower!

So, taking matters into his own hands, Ed brought his idea for a “better” tethering device to Davison.

In tonight’s “Dare to Invent” webisode, our Creative Coach, Jason, and his creative team quickly get to work, designing a tethered dish that will sit under a lawnmower’s reach.

After a few failed licensing attempts, major modifications and some intense testing, thanks to Clay, you can watch as Ed’s Better Tether goes into production!

See the hilarious details as the Davison Inventing Method is used to invent Ed’s “Better Tether” tonight at 7:00 p.m.!

For now, we’ve got a sneak peak of some images from the innovative “Dare to Invent” webisode:

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

Just as we were preparing to release tonight’s “Dare to Invent” webisode, I opened up the pages of a local publication and read all about it!

Nestled in the pages of The Horse Trader, you can find me, our client, Joseph, (inventor of the Silicone Dessert Bar Pan), plus a brief article about our innovative method and some of our featured inventors!

The same article also appears online at the ”San Diego NewsCape” and “Ingenious Ideas,” and even includes some “Dare to…” tips for all of you prospective inventors:

“Dare to Take Action:  Do your research to see if there is already something similar on the market.

Dare to Share:  Share your idea with others. A nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement will protect you from having your idea stolen.

Dare to Evaluate:  Evaluate your idea honestly and think about how to market the product.

Dare to Ideate:  Shape your creation with sketches, illustrations and photos.

Dare to Leave a Paper Trail:  Use a notebook to write down all your ideas.”

Finally, the article encourages all readers to Dare to… Watch our innovative webisode series!  This week’s episode, the third in our series, features Joseph Springer and his Silicone Dessert Bar Pan.  It’s live NOW on YouTube or through a link at Davison.com!

Watch “Dare to Invent” now!

 A typical client project is not licensed, sold in stores or profitable.

With reality TV shows like “The Voice,” “American Idol” and “The X Factor” captivating audiences nationwide, Walmart is making a play for a bit of the spotlight, with their own “Idol-style” contest called “Get on the Shelf.”

The “Get on the Shelf” competition, which launched in late January, gives small and large companies the opportunity to submit product ideas and supporting videos to the mega-retailer, in hopes of landing their products on Walmart’s store shelves.

Hugs Pet Products, an innovative pet product company that licenses many Davison-designed products, has entered several of those designs in the competition, including:

Since the start of the submission period, the “Get on the Shelf” contest has created quite a bit of buzz in the press.  USA Today reported on the competition and even showcased some early entries, including the Davison-designed Pugz Shoes for Dogs that our client, Kay, invented!

According to USA Today, “Some of the offbeat products competing include Pugz Shoes — boots for puppies that keep your pooch’s paws warm.”

Starting today, consumers have the opportunity to visit www.getontheshelf.com to browse all submitted entries and vote for their favorites.  According to an Advertising Age article, top vote-getters will be featured at Walmart online and may sell in select stores.

“The top three vote-getters will be sold on Walmart .com, and a grand prize winner will be featured on the home page for its 50 million monthly unique visitors and in select Walmart stores,” the article stated.

“Get on the Shelf” voting runs in two rounds:  Round 1 is March 7 to April 3, 2012 and Round 2 is April 11 to April 24, 2012.

Let’s show Walmart how powerful the Davison community can be!  Alert your friends, family, coworkers and everyone else you know to vote for all entered Davison designs!  To vote, simply visit www.getontheshelf.com!

A typical client project is not licensed, sold in stores or profitable.

Along with our Inventionland creationeers and one of our clients, I’m back at it in tonight’s “Dare to Invent” webisode! This week’s episode features Michigan inventor, Kay, and her Pugz Shoes!

For our client, Kay, and her two Shelties, Autumn Angel and Rough Spot, taking a December trot in the snow, with her neighbor, Janice, and her golden retriever, was nothing close to walking in a winter wonderland. Instead, their faithful friends would wind up with either cold, wet snowy paws or even salt-soaked paws, from treated roads and sidewalks.

“I needed something that would stay on and protect their paws… [Something to] keep their paws from getting dry and cracked,” Kay said.

For Kay, the logical solution was boots for her pups. Follow along as Kay and her Pugz Shoes take the journey though project inception, development, licensing and beyond!

“I would advise [future inventors] to stay positive and do some research… Don’t get discouraged, it can happen,” said Kay. “I’m a firm believer… nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Tonight’s episode is live right now! Tune in on YouTube or through a link at Davison.com!

After you watch, head on over to our Facebook page for details on how to win a pair of Pugz for your four-legged friend!

The Pugz Dare to Invent webisode is the second in our interactive 12-video series, which debuted February 9th and portrays Davison clients and their inventions. Tune in March 8th for the third interactive Dare to Invent webisode!

A typical client project is not licensed, sold in stores or profitable.

Recently, the Wall Street Journal published an article called “Workplace Wonderland,” which featured our creative workplace, Inventionland, and me, Davison’s CEO and founder!  Since the article was published, the United Inventors Association of America and Yahoo! Finance both republished the Journal’s post!

Because we received so much press in response to the Wall Street Journal article, I couldn’t help but share my excitement with you all! 

And, it turns out, I wasn’t the only one who was impressed with the article… or Inventionland for that matter!  Thanks to Yahoo! Finance, who reposted “Workplace Wonderland,” many admirers have shared their comments on “America’s largest invention factory!”

I’ve listed ten of the most creative comments below:

From Texas to Maryland to… Sweden… everyone’s noticing Inventionland!  So cool!

I always dreamed of being in the Wall Street Journal when I was a boy in my teens, reviewing the paper with my grandfather.  This is one of the best days of my life.  A moment to reflect and be grateful for wonderful people who have, are and will shape my life and the Mission of Davison.  Happy New Year!

George… Aka Mr. D

It’s quite an exhilarating feeling when you have an idea and you work really hard to bring it to the world.  Having an idea, like all my clients out there, is something that we share in common.

Something very special is happening here in the next couple of days.  An idea I had for a reality TV show about what we do will be airing on the History Channel at noon on Saturday, December 24th.

As I’m sitting here working with my team, they are telling me that I have it too good, because it’s my birthday on December 23rd, the show airs on the 24th and Christmas is the 25th!  So, this is going to be three days of bliss!

For me, though, the reward is getting the opportunity to have that feeling that idea people get when the world comes in contact with their creation for the first time.  It’s kind of like that tingle when you’re a kid waiting for Santa to arrive!  It’s truly going to be a magical holiday this season.

Happy holidays to all you idea people out there who dare to create something new!