Inventions will bring wealth to many people. Until now, inventions are generally regarded as the road to wealth. This is a way for genius to win in a world controlled by big companies.
Patent offices on both sides of the Atlantic receive thousands of patent applications every week, and these people are confident they will win. Of course, many of them will never win. But the fact that some simple ideas are the most successful inventions gives people a lot of encouragement. Wouldn't you rather be the person who invented the zipper, the coat hanger, the mousetrap, the pin and the ball pen?
Unfortunately, inventors are often people with no business acumen who already have ideas in their heads and generally lack the funds and marketing skills needed to launch the product they invented. As a result, many people sell patented products to others at low prices.
However, there are also people who have done very well. One example is worth taking a look at, that is Dr. Edwin Land, who invented the "Instant Camera".
Lander’s first product was a transparent paper that filters light. He became interested in this aspect as early as the age of 17. At that time, he was a first-year student at Harvard University. When he was walking on Broadway one night, he suddenly thought of using filter glass to reduce the strong light of car headlights. Reduce the dangers of driving at night. So he took leave from school and read various books about this in the New York City Library day after day. At night, he conducted experiments in a rented room nearby. When his filter paper was patented, Harvard University not only welcomed him back, but also provided him with a laboratory. He stayed there for three years and never received a degree. The doctorate title attached to his name was only an honorary doctorate.
In 1937, when he was 28 years old, he founded the Polaroid Company. With the help of a Wall Street consortium, he wanted to use filter glass in the headlights and windshields of every car. on the glass. For the next 10 years, he maintained a majority stake in the company and had full control.
But the Detroit auto industry showed up and ignored this. Lander had to find another outlet for his invention, so he used it in products like sunglasses. .
During World War II, the company was busy producing camera lenses and scopes for the military. But Rand still spent a lot of time in the laboratory studying "instant cameras." He said the inspiration came from his young daughter. He took photos of the family over the holidays, and his daughter impatiently asked how long it would take to see them. He explained to her that it would take a lot of time to develop the photos. Later, he realized something was wrong. He had to wait several hours or even days to take the photo before seeing it. There were problems with this method of taking the photo. So he began to study how to take a perfect photo out of the camera after taking the photo. He succeeded in his research in 1947, and in 1948, his new camera that took photos in 60 seconds was launched. People in the industry were skeptical, but the consumer public loved it.
Lander later invented a simple machine that could take color photos instantly, and also studied various ideas. In 1980, more than 400 patents were filed in his name. He also played a major role in the invention of a camera that could take photos from very high altitudes. This camera was used on the U2 reconnaissance aircraft and took photos of Soviet missiles in Cuba. Now a millionaire, he has always insisted that he wasn't in it for the money: it was just a by-product of inventing something useful.
Lander believes that the ability to create inventions is not uncommon. In his opinion, everyone has it, but they have not developed it. He once said: "I have been telling others all my life that through continuous concentrated research, you can find talents that people have not discovered themselves."
His followers have continued, He was so successful in his own right, who could deny his proven teachings?
When Lander retired as chairman of the Polaroid Corporation's board of directors in 1980, his shares were worth $75 million.