AUL PALDER BRAINSTORMED

his invention to perfection ata small table at his “corporate head-quarters” as he worked with proto-typer Hank Lippisch. At each meetingthey pored over blueprints, criticallyevaluated the practical viability of thedesigns and constantly asked, “What

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racks that holdpoker chips. Heenvisioned con-tainers and lids ina circular storagesystem thatwould spinaround so everything would be easilyaccessible. “I went to a wood workerand had him make a prototype for me,”he says. “It cost $125. I knew the fin-

ished product wouldn’t be made ofwood, but I wanted to be able to showpeople what I had in mind.”

Prototype in hand, Palder’s first stopwas to a friend who owned a restau-rant. “I thought the product would beperfect for restaurants,” he says. “Butwhen I showed it to my friend, he

if?” As the design evolved, the twomen were oblivious to the activityaround them at Palder’s “corporateheadquarters,” which is actually theMcDonald’s on Rt. 128 in Newton,Mass.

With a twinkle in his eye, the 78-year-old Palder generously shares hisstory of invention. The idea for whatwas to become the Smart Spin beganas most inventions begin; he was try-ing to solve a problem. “I was in thekitchen and couldn’t find a cover to fita plastic storage container,” he says. “Igot to thinking there should be someway to organize the containers andthe lids.”

As he began to think about a solu-tion, his mind went to the circular

showed me why hecouldn’t use it.”When the unit wasput on a shelf, theshelf above it madeit impossible to take

out a container because there wasn’tenough height. So, back to the draw-ing boards.

“As I thought about it, I realized the

unit had to pull out so a containercould be removed,” he says. It wasabout this time, through a mutualfriend, that Palder met 78-year-old HankLippisch who was a retired industrialdesigner with years of experience inplastics. Palder hired Lippisch to pre-

S U C C E S S STORY

Oblivious to the activity around them, Saul Palder(left) and prototyper Hank Lippisch brainstorm theSmart Spin at a small table at Saul’s corporateheadquarters — a McDonald’s on Route 128 inNewton, Mass.

“WHEN I WALKED INTO MERCHANT MEDIA, I WAS PREPARED. I HAD DONE MY HOMEWORK. I HAD MYPATENT, MY BLUEPRINTS. I LOOKED SUBSTANTIAL.”

for this new project. “We did a patentsearch for Saul, and no prior art evencame close to what he has created,”says Wolf. Palder and Lippisch finalizedthe design, and Wolf filed the patentapplication.

Palder is a very experienced busi-nessman, with years owning his ownretail tire sales business, and he knewthat a patent was nothing if people didn’t like the product. “I asked every-one I knew what they thought of it,” helaughs. “I was like an old time peddlerbecause I even asked women on thestreet if they liked it.” Responses were

pare formal drawings for a prototype ofhis invention and drawings that hecould use to present to potentiallicensees or marketers.

As the concept evolved to a work-able solution, Palder’s next step was tolook into protecting his idea. Yearsearlier, when he tried to invent a newcatalytic converter, Palder had soughtthe advice of now 78-year-old Bostonpatent attorney David Wolf of the intel-lectual property law firm, WolfGreenfield. Although the catalytic con-verter project didn’t materialize, Palderknew Wolf was the attorney he needed

very positive so now he was faced withmarketing. “I knew I didn’t want to doit,” he says honestly, “so first I thoughtI’d give it away. I even called PaulNewman’s company to give it to themfor charity. I never got a call back.”

Stymied, Palder started to network,but “everybody said no. They liked theproduct but couldn’t help.” But oneconnection led him to a local company,Merchant Media in Framingham, Mass.,which is a direct response TV and retailmarketer. “When I walked intoMerchant Media, I was prepared,” hesays. “I had done my homework. I hadmy patent. I had my blueprints. Ilooked substantial. Unlike otherresponses I had gotten, no one therewas negative about it.”

Michael Antino, president ofMerchant Media, echoes Palder’s com-ments. “Saul had done it all right,” hesays. “He had his patent, and he’d per-fected the design. I knew this was agreat product within the first ten sec-onds. He hit it!” Antino knows a hotproduct when he sees it. His company,which he started in 1997 with hisfather, Michael, Sr., has representedsome of the biggest products in theinfomercial world. “One great sellerwas the Perfect Pancake, which madepancakes using two small fry pans that

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TIPS TO SUCCESSTHINK YOU HAVE A PRODUCT THAT WOULD BE PERFECT FOR

AN INFOMERCIAL? Here’s what Michael Antino says he looks for.“We’re looking for products that have some excitement to them. We wantproducts that will make a person stop watching TV, put down that remote

control, pick up their phone and their credit card and order right now!We want products that solve a significant problem that lots of

people experience.”

THINK YOUR INVENTION HAS WHAT IT TAKES? Go to www.merchant-media.com and click on “Inventors.” Antino says if you’re local, stop byand visit. His offices are located at 10 California Ave., Framingham, MA

01701. Or give him a call: (508) 655-0200.

INVENTORS’ DIGEST JULY/AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2005 17

you flip over,” he says. “That wasinvented by a 78-year-old retired guyfrom Milford, Mass. We created thePasta Pro ourselves. We didn’t have apatent on that because there was toomuch prior art, but it sold very well.But if we’d had a patent, we’d be billionaires!”

As many inventors know, theinfomercial industry is fraught withplayers of dubious character. “Ourbusiness, unfortunately, has a historyof snake oil salesmen,” says Antino.“We don’t do any copy cat promo-tions. All of our products are original.We’re a good fit for someone like Saulwho had his plans and a patent, butwe’ve also worked with folks whocame in with ‘cocktail napkin’ ideas.”In Palder’s case, Merchant Medialicensed the rights to his inventionand did everything necessary to getthe product to market.

“We get the products manufacturedby our contacts in the Far East,”

explains Antino. “Speed to market iswhat’s going to give us the biggestshare of the market because even witha patent, copy cats will back into itand avoid the patent. So, it comesdown to a race. But we can competeand have the muscle to let a smallinventor go head to head with aRubbermaid or other big company.”

And race to market was exactlywhat Merchant Media did. Theystruck a deal with Palder in the fall of2003, and Smart Spin hit the market ayear later. Flooding the airways withinfomercials, it didn’t take long beforesales exceeded capacity. ButMerchant Media was ready and pro-duction was ramped up.

isn’t slackening. “I think the SmartSpin could last forever,” predictsAntino.

So, why didn’t a company that sellsfood storage containers come up withthe way to organize them? From hisyears of experience, Lippisch has theanswer. “Companies have a very rigidstructure,” he explains. “Risk taking ordeveloping new remote products is notencouraged by the corporate structure.

S U C C E S S STORY

• Have a betterlife jacket? Whowill pay you for it?• Where can inventorsget FREE engineering help?• Which Angel networkinvests in early-stage products?

The answers are in recentissues of Inventors’ DigestThe Newsletter, which ismailed to subscribers only!It’s not on the newsstands.It’s not free on the Internet. But this information-packed newsletter IS freewith your subscription toInventors’ Digest TheMagazine! Order today!

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“SPEED TO MARKET [IS ESSENTIAL], BECAUSE EVENWITH A PATENT, COPY CATS WILL BACK INTO IT ANDAVOID A PATENT”

“Manufacturing capacity is critical,” saysAntino. “As soon as you can’t fill all theorders, the sellers will look for otheravenues to get the product.” Frominfomercials to 24/7 home shoppingchannels to catalogs and, finally, toretail, Smart Spin was everywhere. Inless than six months, more than six mil-lion units were sold, and the sales pace

SMART SPIN STORAGE SYSTEM - Get Yours!End your cupboard clutter with the Smart Spin! The cleverly designed storage con-tainers are easy to seal, come in three sizes, and one size lid fits all three sizes ofcontainers! Order online at www.smartspin.com or call (800) 643-4772. Twelvecontainers, 12 lids and the Smart Spin cost $19.99 plus shipping and handling.Also available at Target, Wal-Mart and other outlets.

WANT ONE?

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With a grand slam at nearly his firsttime at bat, is Palder ready to relax andhead to Florida to enjoy his goldenyears? No way. He and Lippisch stillmeet at the “corporate headquarters”

There is much hand wringing whenthey are faced with anything new. Saulwas free from the constraints that facecorporate people who are responsiblefor a product line.”

devising improvements to an alreadygreat product. Attorney Wolf explainsthat “if you’re a good inventor and agood lawyer, you don’t sit on yourhands. Saul has patent applicationspending that may surprise a lot of peo-ple about how broad his protection is.”Wolf has enjoyed watching his client’ssuccess and says, “Saul is a down-to-earth inventor who doesn’t play gamesor treat his lawyer like an enemy. Hesaw beyond the invention. He had a little luck, but he knew people hecould trust and he made the connec-tions.” With 50 years experience as apatent attorney, Wolf says that in manyways a product’s success depends onthe inventor. “Saul has the bug,” helaughs. “He’s not about to stop now.”

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