(40) Buggers!

As everyone says, the invention process is 1 step forward, 2 steps back. Here on our vacation, I've had time to really test out the full-blown prototype, and a significant mechanical issue has developed. I've suspected the need for an extra part for some time to provide a particular kind of stability and directional alighnment, now those suspicions are realized. The invention looks good, but doesn't actually work (yet). So it's back to the drawing board to (1) re-engineer the primary part for additional fit and stability, and (2) create the new part and its attachment points. What started out in my mind as a very simple and hopefully cheap product, is rapidly becoming more complex and expensive (with more metal parts) to design and manufacture. And harder to use, as a consumer. This is not really the direction I intended. So, time to buckle down, and rework the design.

This state of affairs does come at a bad time, from a working capital perspective. It's really important, obviously, to have a decent pot of funds to keep the design, testing and prototyping going, and then launch the product. Mine have been diminishing steadily, and it's just become apparent to us that we need to "borrow" from the invention fund, to cover expenses on the kid's education and our own retirement front. This makes it all the more urgent to get a subsidiary revenue stream up and running (i.e. online reselling of stroller accessories), to cover R&D of the invention. So, the product launch keeps getting pushed back - being ready this Fall looks like it won't happen, without some considerable help and perhaps some kind of cash infusion from a partner or investor. The Catch-22 is that I can't yet demonstrate the product actually works, just its potential.