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The Story of Mar-a-Lago, the "Winter White House"

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Marjorie Merriweather Post was once the wealthiest woman in the United States. The daughter of breakfast cereal magnate C.W. Post, she inherited the Postum Cereals Company after his death in 1914, when she was just 27; she subsequently attained a net worth of $250 million, about $5 billion in today's dollars.

In 1924 she built a lavish estate called Mar-a-Lago on Palm Beach Island, Florida. The massive structure held 128 rooms spread over 110,000 square feet. It had 58 bedrooms, 33 bathrooms and the dining room was serviced by some 35 footmen.

In her will, Post donated the estate to the American government, hoping it would serve as a winter retreat for U.S. Presidents; but following her death in 1973, no President ever used it, preferring other properties. Thus the government, finding it too expensive to maintain, donated it back to the Post Foundation in 1981.

Post's three daughters allowed Mar-a-Lago to fall into disrepair and put it on the market. In 1985, Donald Trump made an offer to buy it for $28 million. The Post daughters said no, holding out for more money. Trump then told them that he had purchased the plot of land in front of it--which wasn't true at the time--and promised to build an enormously ugly house that would block Mar-a-Lago's view and ruin its value.

The Post daughters gave in, and Trump bought the property for just $5 million. He paid another $3 million for the antiques and furnishings within.

Fascinatingly, Trump subsequently transformed Mar-a-Lago into a members-only social club that broke a dirty, unspoken rule of white-dominated Palm Beach society: Mar-a-Lago readily accepted Jews and blacks. Trump heavily courted celebrities, and anyone who could pony up the $50,000 initiation fee (or was comped) could join. Trump supporters will say he did this out of a desire for equality; Trump opposers will say he did this because it was fabulously profitable. Whichever side you're on, I highly recommend you read the full story on it in both Vanity Fair and The Washington Post. Truth is stranger than fiction.

Today Mar-a-Lago is still a social club, with a portion of the house carved out as a private Trump family residence. He's renovated the estate and added a 20,000-square-foot ballroom. The membership initiation fee had increased to $100,000 in 2012 and remained steady until Trump won the election; now it's $200,000, plus $14,000 in annual dues.

Ms. Post had hoped Mar-a-Lago would become a Presidential retreat. Now it is, and it's even got a new nickname: "The Winter White House."



Design Job: Design It and They Will Come! Rhode Island School of Design is Seeking a Web Developer in Providence, RI

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RISD Media, the marketing and public relations division of Rhode Island School of Design, creates and executes integrated print and digital communications to engage prospective students, donors, and our overall community (both on-campus and off). We create and share a wide range of stories, news and information about RISD and

View the full design job here

These Sleek 3D Printed Vases Are Plastic Bottles In Disguise

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These cool geometric vases aren't just a fancy set of homeware, they're a gesture of repurposing aimed at reducing waste. The slim vessels were designed by Libero Rutilo to bring fun futuristic design to the issue of overuse and waste of PET bottles around the world.

After reflecting on the overabundance of un-recycled water bottles, Rutilo began working on solutions for reuse. After working with 3D printing and airy forms he created this series of vases, each produced with a threaded collar insert. This threading allows the user to screw a plastic water bottle into the vase base, and keep it as a useful decorating feature. 

As vases go, I love these both for their fun take on repurposing, and because slim tall vases are wonderful for statement flowers yet aren't terribly common in contemporary feeling product lines. That the plans are available for download or remote printing really sells it. 

Rutilo acknowledges that a single product and a single re-used bottle can't shift the tide of resource waste. However he does hope that reframing this ubiquitous piece of trash as useful will help shift people think differently about their consumption and waste, as one "first step towards environmentally friendly lifestyle." Whether you agree or not, they do look cooler than a decoupaged wine bottle.


Space-Efficient Storage: Tip-Out Designs

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When it comes to storage we tend to think in terms of cabinets, cubbies, drawers or shelves. Those form factors are all predicated on having enough depth to be useful. But as we try to squeeze every last useful cubic inch out of our homes, we can use tip-out form factors to gain storage from shallow, otherwise unusable spaces.

A prime example of this is in front of sinks, which are often faced with false drawer fronts. These seemingly scant inches of dead space can be filled with smaller items, whether in the kitchen or bathroom.

Your average bathtub is surrounded by a lot of potentially-useful dead space.

The one downside to using tip-out storage in kitchens and bathrooms is moisture. Were I to install those I'd use them for dry items rather than put-away-wet items; without air flow, I'd think moist items in an enclosed space would be a recipe for mold.

For frequent cooks with families, there are tip-out storage units for bulk food storage:

Shoe storage is another good application for the tip-out form factor.

Unless you're storing boots, it's a good way to fit a lot of footwear in much less space than they'd take up horizontally. In particular, look at how shallow these white cabinets are.

Tip-out designs are also good for deeper bins that get steadily loaded and periodically emptied, like laundry, trash and recycling.

Here's an example of how a tip-out bin can be integrated into dead space in a kitchen island.

You can also take a cue from the boatbuilding industry. Companies make tip-out units designed to fit into bulwarks, and precisely sized to hold standardized containers like tackleboxes. This could come in handy in a shop or craft environment where you're periodically accessing self-contained kits.

If you're DIY'ing a larger-sized tip-out unit, you can hinge the bottom with steel pins or wooden dowels acting as pivots, then rig up a stop that interacts with the side of the bins. Scroll back up to the brown shoe cabinet and you can see there's a channel routed into it that travels along the stop. (I wouldn't go with the chain shown in the kitchen island example, as that seems like it would get in the way.) But if you're creating a smaller-sized tip-out, you may want to go with some off-the-shelf hardware, which is relatively inexpensive. Here's a couple sources to get you started:

- Amazon

- Hardware Hut

- Hardware Source

- Home Depot

- Lowes

- Richelieu

This Guy Animated Loading Icons By Hand

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Artist Raphael Vangelis has given our familiar and increasingly rare digital waiting signals a hands-on portrait. His animated short "Analogue Loaders" takes on several ubiquitous symbols for loading and injects them into IRL environments using stop motion. Seen in a new locale some might take a moment to identify, and then several more moments to figure out how he managed them with practical effects. 

Between 3D printing and painstaking sculptural detail he rendered the aggravating icons with a care that might shift how you look at them in the future. Well maybe not, but you might have time to while you're waiting.

His behind the scenes video is equally fun and impressive. If this labor of love doesn't remind you to be grateful for the engineers (physical and otherwise) behind your spinning wheels and mid-typing icons, I don't know what will. 

Reader Submitted: A Wearable Device that Restores "Vision" to the Legally Blind

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Artefact worked with eSight on the design of eSight 3, the only patented wearable in the world that restores vision to the legally blind. With eSight 3, visually impaired people can recognize the faces of loved ones for the first time, navigate the world around them, and independently manage daily life. We redesigned eSight 3 to be 50% lighter, sleeker and more comfortable. For a device as important to its users as eSight 3, lightweight wearability is crucial for using eSight 3 in daily life and restoring vision.

View the full project here

Davis Furniture Industries' Sexy Wall Hooks

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Last week we looked at unusual hanger designs, this week I'm looking at hooks. Specifically the ones from North-Carolina-based Davis Furniture Industries, which licenses European designs. Like these polished chrome Bits created by Walter Zwick:

And this Lux double hook by Christian Hoisl:

The Plane by Gino Carollo incorporates Ash wood, and pleasingly leaves the grain visible beneath the paint:

My favorite of theirs isn't a standalone hook, but more of a system. This is their Line line, which features a pull-down bar and three fixed knobs. (I'm guessing this one was designed in-house as no designer is credited.)

Check out more of Davis' stuff here.

Cover Your Old Car Personality With 'New Car Smell' Cologne

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Want to seem like you're into cars, without having to actually give a damn about cars?* Ally Financial debuted some conceptual "New Car Smell" scent options at this year's NAIAS that might be able to help you out.   

Their fine line of auto-themed scents first showed up at last year's Detroit Auto show, where it drew bigger crowds than an auto financing vendor's booth should be able to. This year the presentation included custom scent demonstrations by a professional comedy-scent mixologist, and the unveiling of two thrilling new arrivals based on industry trends: 

The Future: 47% Hard Drive, 27% Laptop, 19% GPS, 7% Sandwich

Smell that? It's the future. Where you don't drive cars—they drive you. Sure, its intelligence is artificial, but its fragrance is as natural as it gets. So inhale the intoxicating aroma of modern technology, people. And buckle up.
Luxury Coupe: 67% Plush leather, 28% Shoe Polish, 4% Caviar, 1%

Benjamins Hire a chauffeur and load up on lobster: you've arrived. Enjoy the refined air of the 1%. The road is your red carpet, pedestrians your paparazzi. Don't spare the horses, Jeeves.

Previous options include stinks like the needlessly gendered "Pickup Truck" and "City Compact" which boast notes of "beard" and "lipstick" respectively. But regardless of other auto industry trends, I'm going to take it as a sign that "The Future" is gender neutral. 

*I'm not sure why you would, unless you're trying to steal my job.


Chinese Power Company Rigs Up Drones That Can Spray Fire

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"Drones" is a broad term, encompassing both the friendly multirotor type that carry GoPros over snowboarders, and the more menacing UAV type that fires rockets into convoys. The safe kind requires little more than a credit card to acquire, whereas the dangerous kind needs an encrypted satellite uplink and a team of burnt-out pilots manning workstations in Nevada.

Those differing barriers of entry are why I don't like the idea of weaponizing the former. Yet it's happening, though the people doing it may not realize they're doing it. First graffiti artist Katsu rigged up a drone that could spraypaint. If multirotor drones can spray paint, then they can spray other compressed gasses, which I imagine has to give a terrorist ideas. And now a power company in China has rigged up a drone that can spray fire.

What's happening is that airborne garbage is getting caught on overhead high voltage lines. The company reckons that the most efficient way to get it off is to burn it off--I guess this is what happens when you don't have an OSHA or an EPA--and a multirotor is easier to send up than a worker in a hydraulic bucket.

All I can think about is how much damage something like this could do in, say, Manhattan. A firefighter's bane is a blaze he cannot easily get to, and what we see here seems like the ideal way to start hard-to-reach fires.

Via Gizmodo

Design Job: Set the Table For a New Career! Town & Country Living is Seeking a Junior Industrial Designer in New York, NY

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An established privately owned Home Textile company with a Product Innovation Department is seeking a highly creative Jr. Industrial Designer. The candidate must be highly creative and a conceptual thinker possessing strong work ethic and standards. This position requires a passionate problem solver who wants to work all hours. He/She

View the full design job here

Reader Submitted: Modefi: A Bike Designed by You 

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Modefi is a bike designed by the user. Bike commuters share a common purpose, but not a singular way of use. Commuters modify their bike frame to fit the their diverse needs; we wanted to embrace that. Individuality and the power of choice, are key in today's marketplace. Users desire to have complete control over the most important aspects of the products they purchase. With these features as a main focus, Modefi allows users to create their own bicycle tailored to their specific lifestyle. Users choose from a range of storage options and aesthetic modifications, creating a unique bike to fit their needs. Recent 3D printing and manufacturing technology advancements make this bike possible. It introduces a revolutionary way of looking at personalized transportation systems that can grow and transform with you and your lifestyle.

View the full project here

Jay Leno and Direct Metal Laser Sintering: 3D Printing Replacement Parts for His Rare Car Collection

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You wouldn't suspect a comedian and former talk show host would be an early adopter of 3D printing. But regular viewers of "Jay Leno's Garage" know that for years, Leno has been using a 3D printer to help keep his collection of 286 rare vehicles up and running. While he can buy over-the-shelf parts for his McLaren P1 and Audi R8 Spyder, replacement items for his for his 1963 Chrysler Turbine concept car or one of his 1930s Duesenbergs are impossible to come by.

That's why Leno has had engineer and former jet engine technician Bernard Juchli, his shop manager, scan old parts in need of replacement, 3D print them on-site in plastic, then send the plastic part to a foundry. The plastic is sacrificed to make a mold, and the replacement part is then cast.

Recently Leno has learned of a more efficient method. Here he brings in Bry Ewan, a rep from Stratasys' Direct Manufacturing offshoot (think Kinko's for all things digital fabrication) to explain how their Direct Metal Laser Sintering process is right up Leno and Juchli's alley. Here Ewan discusses the pricing, materials available, and where an economy of scale actually does exist within the digital fabrication world:


The Clock That Tells Time With Hair

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Bina Baitel is an artist and designer with an odd take on material. Her work often ranges into the whimsical and fantastic, but this piece feels a bit sinister. The Lash Clock doesn't just remove normal markers for time telling from the clock's face, it adds slowly undulating hair. 

The quiet format and imprecise organic feel are an interesting pairing given our usually mechanized treatment of time. Sculptural merit and all, this piece and its material play seem to raise my neck hairs.

What do you think? Beautiful? Creepy? Fun? None?

Designing adaptable furniture for the Parsons Making Center

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The Parsons School of Design Making Center, spanning 2 floors and 35,000SF, is a sprawling, dynamic hub for students to work side by side on projects as diverse as fashion, product design, architecture, print making - with the goal of “fostering a new generation of creators”. Milder Office worked closely with the Parsons School of Design team to develop furniture solutions that are durable, attractive and adaptable. Serving as both studio and classroom, with on site training and technical suppor

View the full content here

Tools & Craft #36: I Learned Something New - Native American Woodworking

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Isn't it great to learn something new! This past Sunday we took my son to the National Museum of the American Indian for an hands on crafts event and then we wandered the exhibits.

When I think of Native American woodworking I mostly think of carved masks and totems. Which, depending on age and where they came from and their purpose range from simple to spectacularly sophisticated. Over the years and several visits (their collection is spectacular) I have developed an appreciation for how sophisticated the Native American level of craft can be. What I didn't know was that basic forms of furniture were also made. (and generalizing this is pretty stupid as Native American culture and crafts spans a couple of thousand years and hundreds of different tribes with different cultures and traditions). The first picture is of a stunningly beautiful box of bentwood, with ivory decorations. Sort of like a shaker box but made by Tiffany. Sadly I didn't have a pen and the picture I took of the caption didn't come out. It's 19th century I think.

This second image (sorry about the quality of the picture - through glass in a dark hall) is of what I would call a blanket chest (it's not a religious object). It gave me the idea for the blog entry because of the really subtle carvings. I have no idea of the construction. The picture does not do it justice.

A annoying thing about these pieces is the reminder, yet again, that I still have a long way to go.

A wall of masks. The one in the center is modern; I don't know about the others but I think they are much older.

Finally we have another mask, carved into the marble of the building. The building the museum is housed in was the old Customs House which was built in 1907 (architect Cass Gilbert) and is one of the most spectacular buildings of the 20th century anywhere.

Note: In case you are curious I started making furniture because the stuff I liked I could not afford to buy. I also in general like making things. Museum exhibits make me curious about the world around me. I also find constant inspiration for both project ideas and just ideas about esthetic every time I wander through the halls of a museum. So I try to do that a lot.

_______________________

This "Tools & Craft" section is provided courtesy of Joel Moskowitz, founder of Tools for Working Wood, the Brooklyn-based catalog retailer of everything from hand tools to Festool; check out their online shop here. Joel also founded Gramercy Tools, the award-winning boutique manufacturer of hand tools made the old-fashioned way: Built to work and built to last.


Danish Design Team Creates New, Saucer-Shaped Multi-Directional Form Factor for Smart Lighting

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That the traditional light bulb form factor still exists is purely a function of incumbency. On its own it's effective for general illumination, but not much else; it must be aimed, guided and/or reflected with shades and housings to provide the results we want, whether it's ambient lighting or task.

It can be tough to re-think something so entrenched, but product designer Øvind Slaatto and the folks at Danish company Shade have designed a light from scratch with function in mind. One of their insights is that there's times when you want light shining upwards to bounce off of the ceiling, providing soft ambient light; there are times when you prefer stronger ambient lighting, as from a source going sideways; and there are times when you want it shining straight down at the task--cooking, reading, etc.--that you're conducting.

Here's what they've come up with, and though it isn't spherical, they've named it the Orb:

The downside is that it's fabulously expensive, ringing in at USD $189 per bulb or $347 for a pair. But that hasn't stopped it from being over $250% funded on IndieGogo: At press time they were up to $125,745 in pledges on a $50,000 target.

Want one with that sexy transformable shade, the Slaatto?

That'll set you back $794 with the Orb.

I hope that they keep developing this, and that the price comes down. I want these all over my house.


Ford's Super-Strong, Lightweight Shelf Made From Honeycomb-Structured Paper

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For their new EcoSport model, the designers of Ford have incorporated an adjustable rear cargo shelf that weighs just six pounds, yet can hold nearly 700. The combination of sturdiness and light weight is a result of it being made from a paper honeycomb structure, similar to what Ikea uses inside their Lack tables (see link below).

Here's what it can do:

Although it's not clear from the video, the shelf slides into brackets of differing heights. It can also be stored on the back of the seats.

See Also:

- A Look at Torsion Boxes

- Look Inside Ikea's Lack Tabletops


How to Negotiate Your Own Licensing Agreement

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For the past few months, I've been describing what is needed to license simple ideas for new products. Designers pride themselves on their execution. But the licensing model requires you to be willing to relinquish some control. There are enormous benefits — and self-employment is freeing.

To briefly summarize, if after you've studied a market and done a prior art search; determined your product idea is indeed novel; made a list of potential licensees; filed a provisional patent application; and begun reaching out to said companies over LinkedIn or by calling their corporate office… one day soon, you'll get a response! Which may surprise you.

Know that smaller, more aggressive companies will get back to you quickly. Predictably, large companies move more slowly. They may need to bring a larger group of people together before replying, which could take between five and 10 days. My best experiences have been with midsized companies.

You'll say to yourself, "Shit, this actually works!" Now you're in the game. I try to get my students in the game as quickly as possible so they know this is for real, and I advise you to do the same. Polishing your design may be satisfying, but it won't help you secure a licensing agreement.

Don't overthink it.

The licensing process is actually pretty straightforward. It's always made sense to me on a very practical level in that way. If your marketing materials are good, companies will be able to quickly decide if they want to discuss your idea with you further. Yes or no.

The challenge really lies in finding the right partner — the perfect match for your concept. The closer you get, the sooner you'll hear back.

Remember, companies today are stretched thin as it is. Getting them to do something new is damn near impossible. You need to show them something that is just different enough. Of course, some companies do take chances on products that fall outside their typical purview. But those who do are most often small companies, which by definition have access to fewer resources.

Soon enough, you'll land one. (If not, you may be approaching the wrong companies.) And just like that — the time to dance has begun.

Keep in mind… this is a slow dance. Finalizing a deal will take longer than you expect. No matter. Your attitude is everything. Be explicit, and continue to tell the company that if they're interested, you can get a deal done. Make it very clear that you're happy to be working with them — that you're optimistic, excited, appreciative, and looking toward the future. Setting the right tone is extremely important; I cannot stress this enough. Look at every interaction you have as an opportunity to keep setting the right tone. When things move more slowly than you want, don't let your emotions get the best of you.

You don't want to step on anyone's toes and you don't want to unnecessarily throw up any red flags. Be patient.

Early on, most of your conversations will be through email. That creates a paper trail, which is great.

But after a few exchanges, get on the phone. You need more information, and having a phone conversation will provide some in more ways than one. Everything from what is said to how much time on the phone your contact spends with you will shed light on their level of interest. I previously wrote about the value of sending each company on your list a unique link to your video. This allows you to track when and how often they click that link. Have they been watching? If they're playing it cool, but they've watched your video 12 times… draw your own conclusions. The party with the most information usually wins.

After you get some initial interest, continue reaching out to other potential licensees. Don't assume it's a done deal! Deals falls out all the time.

Keep the momentum you've got going. Time is money! Having multiple companies interested in your product is never a problem. (Not because I think you can leverage one against the others, per se. That's unrealistic, although it does happen.) The bigger picture is, continuing to reach out to other potential licensees is a form of protection. If you've filed a provisional patent application, your patent pending status is a ticking 12-month time bomb. So make haste!

Because if you disclose your idea publicly and don't move quickly enough, you may end up having to make an expensive decision when those 12 months are up — meaning file a non-provisional application. Filing a non-provisional patent application on your own, with no interest? That's more risk than I want to take on. I prefer to get my licensees to pay for a patent to be written in my name, of course, and so do other licensing experts like Gene Luoma, best known for inventing the drain-clearing tool Zip-It. "The hardest part is keeping it simple," Luoma likes to say. I agree.

The original prototype of the Zip-It drain clearing tool, invented by Gene Luoma, which has sold over 32 million units.
Look at it like this. The minute a marketing manager (or whoever else it is you reached out to) gets back in touch with you, the negotiation process has begun. 

Expect to receive a response along the following lines. "Thank you for submitting your idea to us. Do you have time for a few questions?"

This is the ideal opportunity to gather as much information as you can about the company. You're both checking each other out! So prepare to ask questions. Is this company the right fit for you?

You'll be asked what you're looking for. My answer: "I am not looking to manufacture; I'm looking to license my product. I'm looking for a royalty on each unit sold."

At that point the first thing out of their mouth will be, "What royalty rate are you looking for?"

To which I respond, "If I understood your business a little bit more, I could come up with an appropriate royalty rate that works for both of us."

Pulling a number out of thin air without knowing the potential revenue opportunity? That's not smart. At this point, the tables will have turned a bit. Now, they're selling you.

Ask them how many stores they have product in. Some people will readily share this information with you, but it's more likely they'll be vague. That's okay. You can find out more on your own. If they tell you they're in Walmart or Kmart, you can always Google how many retail outlets there are.

Assume each retail store sells one unit a week. (If not… your product is going to be kicked to the curb.) Now apply different royalty rates. How much will you make at a five percent royalty? Seven? Three?

Almost always, they will ask you for an exclusive. When you give someone an exclusive, you lose the ability to sell your technology to anyone else, meaning your royalty stream is finite. If your projected revenue is too low, you should walk away. If you've been granted a patent or have proven sales, you can negotiate a higher royalty rate, like between seven and 10 percent.

To be clear though, royalty rates are less important than how many stores they're in and the minimum guarantees they're willing to commit to. Remember, at this point, you're still dating! You don't want to ask any hard questions, which include minimum guarantees, yet.

Don't be caught off guard when they ask you about your intellectual property fairly quickly as well. If you've filed a provisional patent application, then your answer is easy; tell them your concept is patent-pending. At that point they may want to see your provisional patent application, which is not a problem. But you might want to ask them to sign a non-disclosure agreement, given that you'll be sharing confidential information with them.

Most likely, they will not sign yours, and will instead offer one of their own. There is nothing wrong with this, but make sure to examine their document very closely. Confidentiality agreements are written so that they protect both parties — what is known as a mutual non-disclosure agreement — or just one. If something doesn't sound right, consult a patent attorney or a licensing attorney. Yes, this will slow down the momentum you've got going. But it also makes you look more professional. To be honest, I've never relied on confidentiality agreements to protect me. But from a public disclosure standpoint, they're absolutely helpful. They can help you extend the length of your provisional patent application, for example. But please note laws regarding non-disclosure agreements differ between states. IPWatchDog.com has some good sample confidentiality agreements.

Once you've come to an agreement, send them your provisional patent application and any other information that might help them figure out whether your product is right for them.

Continue following up with your contact.

inventRight coach David Fedewa, who has licensed several of his ideas, puts it like this: "You want to stay on top of their pile — on their radar, in other words." So Fedewa follows up with companies that are interested in his ideas every week and does so alternating between emails and calls. He focuses on how he can be helpful by literally asking questions like: How can I help? Do you need any more information?

"If you keep demanding, 'Do you have a decision? Do you have a decision?' then you're likely to be thought of a pest. But if you offer a helping hand, they're more likely to think of you as a resource. 'Why not work with him?'" Fedewa explained.

If the company isn't getting back to you despite your best efforts, you can always ask them pointblank as a last resort: Are you interested? In my experience, that's usually enough to get people off a rock.

If they are interested, that's when you should ask if you can put together a few terms that you all agree upon before moving forward. Technically, what I'm referring to is a term sheet, but you don't have to call it that.

Next up, I'll tackle what that term sheet should include, as well as negotiation dos, don'ts, and deal-killers.

Congrats - You've got interest!

Design Job: Off to the Races! The New York Racing Association, Inc. is Seeking a Graphic Designer in New York, NY

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Job Overview: Responsible for creative design for various New York Racing Association properties while maintaining and implementing brand guidelines. Responsibilities: * Production management/ project management across online and offline platforms, for all tracks, including video production, web graphics, marketing collateral (booklets, posters, brochures, etc.), advertising

View the full design job here

Striking Lighting from Humble Parts

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A recent interior design collaboration by Marta Ayala Herrera and Cito Ballesta resulted in some of the more dynamic lighting I've seen so far this year. Working for the Casa Encendida creative space, the product designer/architect duo aimed to emphasize honesty and simplicity from the materials through their use. 

The entire resulting project is a lovely synthesis of modern and contemporary thinking. The lighting in particular uses industrial materials and colors to surprising effect. With parts as simple as fluorescent tubing and bent perforated sheet steel, Herrera made spatial arrangement an almost physical ingredient in how the lights feel in the space. Alone or interlocked together, the lights play along X, Y, and Z axes, keeping the simple shapes as interesting and dynamic as the space they're meant to light.  

You can find more on the project and its odd modular furniture on Marta's website

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