Florida Patent Attorney John Rizvi, Founder of The Patent Professor®, interviewed Australian inventor of BetterBlocks™, Warren Wilson, about his remarkable journey from struggling inventor to successful entrepreneur on Facebook on April 16. Wilson, a native of Adelaide, Australia, is the son of an engineer and a dressmaker who instilled a love for creativity. During the interview, he explained how he “just kind of fell into” inventing, spending much of his time growing up in his father’s backyard shed making things. By the time he was a teenager, he’d lost both parents and was left to his own much of the time, allowing him to focus on his inventions.
By the time he reached his early twenties, Wilson had thought he knew everything about business and inventing, having developed his first invention, a ride-on toy called a shuffle wagon. However, he did not know what he did not know about business and marketing. The result? Wilson had a great product that was never successful, plunging him $100,000 into debt.
During the Facebook interview, he explained to Rizvi that the only thing he knew how to do was invent stuff. Soon after, a series of serendipitous events took place that led him to enormous success with BetterBlocks™ after friends suggested he come up with something to compete with Lego as they stood outside the Lego stand at a toy fair.
“As an investor, innovation never stops,” notes Rizvi. “Warren Wilson’s original BetterBlocks™ achieved sales of $45 million and over two million kits sold. Many would say, ‘Let’s leave well enough alone,’ but Warren went on to invent glow-in-the-dark and quick-release building blocks. He is an inspiration to inventors everywhere. He didn’t start at ground zero; he started $100,000 in debt but never gave up. I hope this interview encourages other innovators and inventors to keep going until they reach their goals.”
“I’m thankful to John Rizvi for the opportunity to share my story,” says Wilson. “To me, the key to success with inventing and life is to keep going, keep persisting through the obstacles. I was an introvert whose biggest obstacle was learning how to speak to people, but eventually, I got better at it. Everybody has a dream of some sort, and it’s a matter of acting. I’m an inventor and don’t pretend to be a businessman, even though I know the value of business and marketing. But I found people who were good at what they did and brought them on as a team. That’s why Better Blocks™ was successful. My best advice to other inventors is to work with good people who love your product. When you do that, the game’s easier. BetterBlocks™ was a big eye-opener for me. I learned a lot about inventing and about myself as a person. I hope my interview with John inspires inventors to persist until they succeed.”
To watch the interview, click here.
About The Patent Professor
John Rizvi, Esq., Founder of The Patent Professor, is board-certified by the Florida Bar as a Specialist in Intellectual Property Law. The Patent Professor ® has been recognized by Inc Magazine and listed in the Inc5000 as among the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. The Patent Professor® team consists of board-certified patent attorneys, former U.S.P.T.O. patent examiners, registered patent agents, engineers, designers, and illustrators specializing exclusively in protecting new ideas and brand identities. The firm was ranked among the fastest-growing law firms on the Law Firm 500 List for 2020.