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By Sandra Butterworth, director of innovation, the BIC

“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” (Kurt Vonnegut)

Each time I read Vonnegut’s quote I find myself both admiring the sentiment and feeling nervous about it. I love the idea of creating a culture in which, as businesspeople we feel able to take leaps of faith and invest, both emotionally and financially, in our ideas. There are hundreds of products that we use in our daily lives that wouldn’t be there without the brave entrepreneurs and inventors willing to take risks.

However, as someone who advises businesses on the best way to develop and launch their innovations every day, I don’t see the need to jump off as many cliffs in the modern business environment.

Happily, we find ourselves in a culture where most things can be tested and proven before they launch.

It’s for this reason that, on June 12, we will be running an event called Will Your Idea Work at the Sutherland Institute in Stoke-on-Trent. The event is free to attend and will be packed with the kind of information that minimises your own leap of faith when launching a new product.

At the same time, we will be conducting the event in the spirit of Vonnegut’s quote about developing wings by encouraging bravery and innovation in business.

Will Your Idea Work is a half day event that will give you the skills to take your idea from concept to prototype and beyond. It will include presentations from two entrepreneurs who have successfully taken their ideas to market.

The first of our speakers will be Deb Leary OBE, the CEO of Forensic Pathways, who will talk about the development of the products sold by her company. Next will be Richard Olphin of Cabbunk Limited who will discuss the development and launch of his company’s innovative system to create up to two extra children’s bed in a motorhome for couples.

There will also be presentations from trademark attorney Swindell & Pearson, manufacturing expert Arvada Strategic Marketing, Stafford-based product design consultancy Haughton Design, 3D printing firm the 3D Creation Lab and yours truly.

Between them, these five organisations will address intellectual property protection, product marketing, product design and rapid prototyping, as well as how to fund your idea. The tickets for the event are free and can be booked via Eventbrite here.

So if you find yourself, metaphorically speaking, at the edge of a cliff, deciding whether to take the crucial step forward, come along to our event on June 12. We can help you develop wings with less risk.