The Research Phase: How to Know If Your Idea Is Worth Pursuing

For over 20 years, I've been invited to speak at libraries, schools, government agencies, and industry trade shows across the country. People ask me why I keep doing this when I could be building my own businesses.

The answer is simple: inventors are the lifeblood of innovation. And most of them don't know where to start.

I've been fortunate enough to hold 15 issued U.S. patents, though not every one turned into a product. Some were dead ends. Some weren't marketable. Some didn't have the margins. But the ones that did work? They've landed in Target, Walmart, QVC, and Amazon. I've helped thousands of inventors navigate the journey from idea to market, and here's what I learned along the way: most of the problems inventors face don't happen because they're not creative enough or don't work hard enough. They happen because they skip the research phase.

They get excited about an idea, spend money on a prototype, maybe even file a patent — and only then discover that someone else already owns the patent. Or that the market doesn't want what they built. Or that the margins don't work.

That's why I speak everywhere I can. Because if I can help an inventor do one thing before anything else, it's this: do your homework first.

When people come to me with their ideas, I see the same energy every time. Their eyes light up. They tell me about their invention like it's the greatest thing in the world. And you know what? I love that energy. I really do.

But then I have to ask them to put on their business cap.

Because inventing isn't just creativity. It's business. It's research and development. It's understanding the market. It's knowing the numbers.

This is where a lot of inventors get stuck. They're wearing their heart on their sleeve, emotionally attached to their idea. And I get it. You came up with something. You've been thinking about it. You've probably told your family about it.

But business is different. Business asks hard questions.

Does this already exist? If it does, can you make it different enough to matter? What's the market size? Who's going to buy this? Can you make money on it?

Here's the truth that no one wants to hear: most ideas shouldn't move forward. And that's not a failure. That's intelligence.

My job as a coach isn't just to help people keep going. Most of the time, my job is to help people stop and move on to the next idea. Because the inventors who end up winning are the ones who have the confidence and the wisdom to walk away from ideas that don't have legs.

That's the first mindset shift you need to make before you do anything else.

Here's my exact process when I come up with an idea. I teach this at libraries, trade shows, everywhere I speak. And it starts with free research.

Don't lose it. Seriously. If you don't write your idea down within 10 minutes, it's going to be gone. Your brain will move on, your kids will honk at you, your phone will ring, and the idea will be lost forever. Just jot it down—quick description, sketch if you can, don't worry about perfect. Get it out of your head and onto paper.

Now you're home, or you're at your desk. Time to see what's already out there.

This is where most inventors get lazy. They type their idea into Google once and assume they've done their research. That's not research. That's a Google search.

Real research means thinking about every possible way to describe your idea. Every different angle. Every alternative term.

Let me give you a practical example. If you're inventing a pen with a light, you don't just search "light pen." You search:

Each search is going to show you different results. Some products you've never heard of. Some approaches you didn't think of. Some problems other inventors already solved.

Cost so far? Zero dollars. But you're building a map of the market.

Go to Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Target and search for products that solve the same problem your idea solves. This isn't about finding exact copies. It's about understanding what's available, what's popular, what the pricing looks like, and how people are talking about these products in the reviews. You're learning the language of your market and seeing what actually sells.

Now you're getting into the real database where patents live. Google Patents (https://patents.google.com/) is a free, accessible way to search U.S. patents and international patent filings, and you're looking at actual patents that have been granted while understanding the patent landscape. Here's the thing most inventors miss: they don't know how to read a patent. They see one that looks similar and panic, or they see one that's expired and don't realize the opportunity.

This is when you go to your Patent and Trademark Resource Center. There are 81 PTRC locations across 46 states. They're usually in public libraries.

A trained PTRC representative will:

They won't give you legal advice. That's not their role. But they'll teach you how to search like a professional.

Cost? Zero dollars. This is a free public service.

I work with Will Salas at Smithtown Library in New York. He's trained to help inventors do this. His job is to make sure you understand what already exists so you can make an informed decision.

After you've done this research, you're going to find one of four things:

You searched, you looked at patents, and you found something almost identical to what you came up with. And it's still under patent protection.

This is a hard moment. But it's an important one.

What this means: If you manufacture or sell this product without permission, you're infringing on someone else's patent. You could be sued. You could lose money.

What you do: Stop. Walk away. Move on to your next idea.

This is exactly why inventors need to do this research first. I've seen inventors spend $50,000 on manufacturing before they discover they're infringing. That's tragic. And it's avoidable.

Your best decision right now is to go back to the drawing board.

You found a patent that's similar to your idea. But when you look at the filing date, you realize it expired 10, 15, 20 years ago.

What this means: The patent is no longer in effect. The invention is in the public domain. Anyone can make it now.

What you do: This is actually an opportunity. The idea works. The market proved it worked. There's probably demand for it. You can commercialize it now without infringing.

This is where companies like Slanket made money. The Snuggie patent expired, and Slanket came in with a similar product but a different approach, different branding, different positioning.

Expired patents are a goldmine if you know how to look at them.

You found products and patents that are in the same space as your idea. But your approach is different. Your function is different. Your mechanism is different.

What this means: You might have something patentable. You might have a clear market gap you can fill.

What you do: Take this research to a patent attorney or patent agent. Show them what you found. Let them compare your idea to existing patents and give you a professional opinion on patentability.

This is where a professional patentability opinion is worth every penny. They'll tell you honestly: Do you have something here or did you just hit a brick wall with a slightly different angle?

You've searched everywhere. Patents, retail, Google, Amazon, trade shows. Nothing comes close.

What this means: You might have found a real market gap. Something genuinely new.

What you do: Don't celebrate yet. A gap doesn't automatically mean opportunity. But it does mean you've cleared the first major hurdle. Now take your research to a patent professional. Let them confirm that you're not missing something obvious.

Once you've done your homework, you're ready for the next step: talking to a patent attorney or patent agent.

But here's the key difference most inventors miss:

A patent attorney went to law school. They have a full license to practice law. They can represent you in court if needed. They cost more, but you're getting legal expertise.

A patent agent is trained specifically in patent law and procedure. They can communicate with the USPTO and help you file patents. They cost less than attorneys, but they can't represent you in court.

For your first conversation, either one is fine. What matters is that you bring your research with you.

Ask for a patentability opinion. Here's what they'll do:

This conversation might cost you $500 to $2,000 depending on the complexity of your idea. But it's an investment that could save you tens of thousands down the line.

Because now you're making your decision from a place of knowledge, not hope.

Based on your research and a professional patentability opinion, you have a few options:

You found something patentable. The market looks good. The margins work. You're ready to go deeper into prototyping, licensing conversations, or manufacturing.

Great. Now you're playing from a position of strength.

Your research showed that someone already owns this space. Or the patent expired but there's not enough market demand. Or the margins don't work no matter how hard you optimize.

This isn't failure. This is wisdom. You just saved yourself months of work and thousands of dollars by making an informed decision early.

The best inventors I know have killed way more ideas than they've pursued. That's not a sign of weakness. It's a sign of experience.

You found something similar, but you think you can approach it differently. Design it better. Position it better. Solve a different part of the problem.

This is where your research becomes your competitive advantage. You understand the landscape. You know what's been tried. Now you can be intentional about how you want to be different.

Before you move forward, understand the costs.

Free research: Google searches, retail browsing, PTRC visits. Cost: $0.

Patent professional: Patentability opinion. Cost: $500 to $2,000.

Provisional patent application: If you want to file something quick to protect your filing date, you have two options. You can file it yourself for $100 to $500, or I recommend hiring a professional to do it, which typically costs $700 to $1,500.

Full patent application: Utility patent filed through an attorney. Cost: $2,000 to $5,000+.

Prototype: Depending on complexity. Cost: $500 to $10,000+.

Tooling and manufacturing: If you decide to manufacture yourself. Cost: $2,000 to $50,000+.

Here's the beautiful part: you can do extensive research before spending a dime on any of this. You can figure out if your idea has legs before you invest real money.

Most inventors get this backwards. They spend on a prototype first, then discover someone already has the patent.

Do your research first. Then spend your money.

Let me show you how this worked in practice.

I was annoyed by bread bag twist ties. They hurt your fingers. They get lost. I sketched something that combined a button mechanism with a drawer lock concept.

I did basic research first. I searched every variation of "bread bag tie," "reusable clip," "plastic fastener." I found some similar products, but nothing that worked exactly like what I imagined.

I had a prototype made and showed it around. Three years on QVC led to millions in sales, and now it's in retail stores. I spent weeks on research before I spent a dime on prototyping, and that made all the difference.

During COVID, people couldn't find paper towels, and every time someone touched the top of the roll with dirty hands, it would dry out and get disgusting. I took photos. I asked friends for pictures of the problem. I understood it deeply, then sketched a solution.

I did a patent search and found designs for paper towel holders, but nothing like a topper that fits inside the roll to keep the top clean. I had a prototype made, filed a design patent, and moved forward with tooling. Now I sell hundreds of units a month on Amazon with 5-star reviews because I did my research first.

I had an idea for a collapsible egg tray that organizes eggs a certain way inside the refrigerator. I did my searches and found some similar products on the market already solving the problem well enough. The market didn't need another version, and I didn't have a clear angle for why mine would be better, so I stopped and moved on to the next idea. That's not failure—that's the research working exactly as it should.

Before you do anything else with your idea:

Based on what you've learned, decide:

I go to libraries. I speak at trade shows. I do podcasts and YouTube videos about this stuff because knowledge should be accessible to everyone who's building something.

The inventors who follow this research process make better decisions. They waste less money. They get to yes faster when yes is the right answer, and they get to no faster when no is the right call. That's the competitive advantage. Not brilliance. Not money. But wisdom earned through a process.

Once you've done your research and made your decision, the next steps depend on which path you chose:

If you're moving forward, we'll talk about prototyping without making expensive mistakes.

If you're licensing your idea, we'll cover how to pitch to manufacturers and negotiate royalties.

If you're manufacturing yourself, we'll walk through the math of tooling costs, minimum order quantities, and margins.

But none of that matters until you've done this research phase the right way.

That's where invention begins. Not with excitement. Not with money. But with information.

If you found this helpful, share it with a fellow inventor and subscribe to The Invention Playbook at https://inventionplaybook.com

I also recommend downloading a free invention evaluation at https://app.inventorsmart.com to see how your idea stacks up against other inventions in early development.

And if you want personalized guidance on your specific invention, you can connect with me at https://brianfried.com

Inventively yours,
Brian Fried
The Inventor Coach