Steven W. Thrasher, Business Attorney in Richardson, Texas

If one word describes you now, it's probably: "CHANGER" ... as in 'Game-Changer.' Creative Hard-working Ambitious iNnovative Goal-minded Energetic & Resourceful ("Passionate" is probably close behind) But, below the surface is another word: "CLOUD" Confused Late Overwhelmed Under-Resourced & Distracted. You're pulled in two directions: all that is in you wants to fulfill a mission, but at the same time you've heard about the traps and dangers that scatter the road to your goal. Sure, you just want to get the legal stuff done -- out of your way -- and you don’t want to get stung by unexpected turns and costs. But, you want more -- you want a guide who's been there before, and who can keep you on the right path until your journey is completed. Whether this is your first serious start at an invention or a business, or your tenth, you’ve found the right place for you. I'm an inventor with patents, and an entrepreneur who's had some nice successes (and, yes, some painful failures). You Need a System By taking arrows in my back and stepping on traps (too many) during my journeys, I've learned a few things -- and over time I've built a system that I use to protect and monetize my own ideas. I've taught that same system to other inventors and entrepreneurs. Today, I’m fortunate to have clients who’ve received funding, made it on Shark Tank, and built successful enterprises.* Since you’re here, I know you’re full of energy, and ready to start doing something real with your idea. And, whether this is your first effort or your fiftieth, I'm confident that we can help you on your journey. Your journey is our mission: we help game-changers -- inventors and entrepreneurs like you -- turn your ideas and knowledge into assets you'll use to bring your dreams to the world to change it, while saving you months of frustration and thousands of dollars. Steve's Journey Begins as a Wide-Eyed Inventor So, you probably want to know a little about me? I’m Steven Thrasher, and I’m an inventor and entrepreneur. For over ten years my goal has been to help inventors and entrepreneurs like you avoid the pitfalls that caught me when I started inventing and creating businesses. My story starts back when I was a sophomore in college. I had a cool idea for an invention, but I needed some help getting it protected and launched. So, I hired one of those inventor assistance companies to guide me through what was to me then a new, confusing, and difficult process. Like most college students, I didn’t have any savings. But, I had faith, energy, and a passion for bringing a cool idea to market. It was gripping(!) keeping me up all night for weeks! So, I took a gamble: I used all the money I had, including the balance of a credit card, to sign up. I was going for broke! Steve Tries to Do It Himself, and Goes Broke You’re probably shaking your head right now and thinking what I did was crazy. . . . well, it was. To make a long story short, after sending the money, I jumped through a lot of hoops before it was clear that what had been filed was not really a patent! In fact, I still needed a patent (for a whole lot more money). I also learned (on my own) that everything I wanted to do required a patent. Worse, by the time I found out, I couldn’t afford it. In the end, I wound up losing the chance to bring that dream to the market and spent over a year and all the money I had trying to figure it out. I was frustrated, embarrassed, broke, angry, and powerless. I still remember the moment, when sitting at an old kitchen table in Auburn, Alabama, I decided to do all I could to crawl out of that hole. It was personal -- no one should feel that way. I was so frustrated that I made it my personal crusade to ‘figure out’ the patent system and rescue others in the same boat, and have now devoted my career to helping spare others from what I felt. To right the wrong, after earning my engineering degree, I went law school and cut my teeth at large law firms for over five years. But, even 'Big Law' couldn't kill the inventor in me ... in 2001 I "had the urge" to invent again, and left the large-firm scene for good. This time, things turned out differently: in 2005 I received my first patent, and since then I have received several more (by the way -- it feels really good to receive a patent with your name on it). But, not every invention I've filed a patent application on has been successful (not by a long shot). So, I still sweat when I open the results of patent searches and Patent Office letters for my inventions, and yes, sometimes my stomach churns. I hate that part for me, and for my clients, but it's part of being a professional innovative entrepreneur. Through all this experience and by helping my clients, I picked up on a few tricks - things very few, if any, patent attorneys know. And, I've put them together in a system I can't wait to tell you more about . . . Today: Helping Inventor and Entrepreneurs Since my rocky start as an inventor, I've learned a few things that have helped many inventors and entrepreneurs file hundreds of patent applications and create dozens of businesses. ‘My’ inventors and entrepreneurs have received licenses, funding, cash sales, and been acquired. Many have made it to market.* And, I hope to add you to this happy list! Today, in addition to identifying the traps you want to avoid, I show ‘the right way’ to invent and create innovative businesses. I took a long, expensive path so I wouldn't stay stuck; and now you get to benefit from my experience. Where Does Your Journey Begin? Maybe you’ve crafted a solution to a big problem that the world just has to solve. Maybe in a moment of desperation or necessity, you tapped your ‘inner MacGyver’ [a really cool fictional inventor who saves the world with duct tape and a Swiss army knife] and came up with a creative solution that can help others. You know deep inside that your idea has the potential to become something that will both help mankind, and help you find joy and enjoy the financial rewards of providing it. But, like me in my college years, you probably don’t know where to start. The Systems: That’s why I created the systems you’ll discover here on this website -- I call them The Invention Factory, and The Business Factory -- to get you started the right way. It’s kind-of a trail-map of where to go and what to do once that metaphorical lightbulb appears above your head.