Have the privilege of meeting inventors and hearing their stories. There is a Hollywood reinforced stereotype that inventors are a strange breed that go into a laboratory, experience some type of revelation and have a eureka moment.

My experience is that inventors are people who apply logic and engineering with a certain amount of trial and error to a problem that vexes them in their everyday life. I always ask inventors why they invented their solution. The problem they describe may be fairly obvious from the nature of the invention, but sometimes it is unexpected.

The I-Brace is a new invention that supports stone overhangs used for breakfast bars, etc. I initially assumed that the product was simply a better answer than traditional corbels. When I asked the "why" question, I was surprised to hear that this was their answer to a crazy pricing practice in the granite business. They explained that people often comparison shop for countertops by the square foot. Although it is possible to educate customers that this is not the best or only consideration, it is often easier and faster to offer them an enhanced kitchen layout. The IBrace is significantly less expensive than corbels, so the customer gets a value-add proposal, at a reasonable price and the fabricator can show how they are getting a great value since the cost per square foot is now more "competitive" because the countertop is larger.

So on this beautiful May morning in Knoxville, as I contemplate terrific inventions such as the I-Brace, the EZ-Bracket, The Hercules® Sink Harness, the EZ Level, the Tomahawk, The Renegade, Polishing Pro, the 3-Step Viper®, and all of the other wonderful new inventions that I have seen, I am very thankful for problems.

Thanks for reading,
         Rich Hassert

Email responses to:
         publisher@slipperyrockgazette.net

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