Andrea Harding

Colorado Springs, CO (USA)
Role(s):
Founder/Owner/Principal

ShapeMaker

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Location: Colorado Springs
Industry: Healthcare
Year Founded: 2018
Number Employees: 1-10 people
Business Stage: Creation/Idea
Entity Type: Limited Liability Company
Description: I am an inventor and own a patent on a product and I am looking for the funding to facilitate this. My product is patented in the Classification: Medical Therapeutic Device/Health-Fitness and Prevention. All medical claims have been substantiated. Proof of Concept In 1988 I brought a product to market. I did this completely alone, every day working diligently. I raised the money for tooling and start-up by selling my Catering Company in Marin County, CA. In 1988 there was no internet, no social media, and no GPS. Everything had to be done by hand, on the phone and on foot. I bought mail-lists and did mail-outs. I made phone call follow-ups and did go-sees. I took it to fairs and expos, advertised in magazines and got it into a few catalogs. Within eighteen months I had built my sells to approximately $300,000.00 per month It was at this time a large company out of New York approached me to ask for a license. This New York based company seemed over-the-top enthusiastic about the potential of my invention. At that time I had a one-up tool and limited production capacity. They explained that they had a manufacturing plant in China and could easily meet massive sale orders and could manufacture more cost effectively to offer a more attractive retail price point to encourage much stronger sales and that their reach into the marketplace was more extensive and could market my product more efficiently. They seemed to hold the same vision of what I wanted for my invention I granted them an exclusive license. For 18 years they paid royalties. In that time they sold over $48,000.000.00 in product inside the USA. $48,000.000.00 over 18 years does not sound like that much but those were sales from just inside the USA. My predecessor product sold in seventeen additional countries. I do not have the sales statistics for this. While under contract my product was relegated to several catalogs with a 1/8th page Ad and no real sales pitch or product description. It was not until the internet became a substantial resource for information that I discovered that I had licensed my product to my competition. My product was a ‘one stop shop’ where their merchandise was repeat purchase. To increase the sale of my invention would have substantially damaged the sales of their repeat buy products. I later learned that this is a common practice called ‘Catch and Kill’. At first this news was very upsetting however, today, markets and mind-sets have changed substantially and I can easily say that it is now a product whose time has come. As well, this mismatched association had allowed for extensive product and market testing as well as proof of concept. Shortly after my patent and our contract expired I began to reengineer and redevelop my product for a contemporary new market. At this time the only competition to my current product is my predecessor product. Over the years the market for this product has only grown. Thanks to the internet, social media and the changes in lifestyles and a more open and forward thinking marketplace, this is the time for this great new product. I have invested close to $70,000.00 in re-engineering and the patent process. I am the sole owner; there are no loans, leans or partners. I need help with funding for the tooling and start-up, as well as someone that understands the scope of this incredible product. At this time I have a commitment from one Online Product Distributor that is willing to eBlast our catalog sheet to the 138,000 Online Product Boutiques that they service. Revenues from this one resource could be substantial. If this is something that you might be interested in I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss my product, its market potential and the direction that I believe would create new and exciting avenues of possibilities and several outstanding streams of income. Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you. Andréa Harding Email: (URL removed) Subject Heading: In response to your inquiry Legal representation: Fitch and Even. D.C. Office