Florida Inventors and Entrepreneurs Enjoying Healthy Snack Success
As a registered Florida Patent Attorney, I enjoy reading about fellow Floridians achieving success via the fruits of their inspiration. This morning, I read about two such innovative entrepreneurs Daniel Schapiro and Nathan Feldman (Sun-Sentinel, March 10, 2008). The two friends are avid physical fitness buffs who found the available protein bars less than palatable.
Despite the fact that Feldman was a chiropractor and Schapiro had a career in finance, they found a joint interest in creating a patently unique protein bar formula, and one that would whet the appetite, not squelch it. They formed , a Florida based company that makes "whey protein bit-size snacks targeted to active people of all ages, but primarily the serious athlete." They began night after night, after full days of work, creating different recipes in a local deli-grocer in Boca Raton, Florida. Patent attorneys, like myself, appreciate the dedication innovative entrepreneurs show in continued perseverance through obstacles, as the road to product development is one of trial and error, in most cases.
One of the first hurdles for Feldman and Schapiro was figuring out how to use protein in baked goods. It wasn’t as easy as they might have thought, so they brought in food science specialists to figure it out. Once they’d figured out a (hopefully) patentable formula, the pair went door-to-door to gyms, health restaurants/delis, sports equipment stores, etc. in search of distribution channels. For their first year in business in 2007, they earned $125,000; this year they project that number will increase to $500,000, a sizable jump.
Being a Florida Patent Attorney, I see the critical investment inventors must make in bringing their goods to market. With diligent time and attention, dreams and visions can become a reality, and, as always, I’m here rooting you on.