What do dreams, jewels, and cardboard helicopters have in common? They all helped build one of the smartest tools in your garage.

In this episode of the Bold Inventor Show, hosts JD Houvener and Matt Kulseth dive deep into the story behind the iLevel, a groundbreaking smart level invented by Andrew Varner — who literally dreamed it into existence.

With the help of Cleveland-based engineering genius Jason Coher, and the design wizards at Cardboard Helicopter, Andrew went from napkin sketch to a licensed product with Franklin Sensors, one of the top names in tool innovation. But it wasn’t easy.

🎧 You’ll hear the real inventor’s journey:

• How Andrew prototyped the first unit in his garage with a 3D printer and Arduino (spoiler: it worked).
• Why a sapphire gem inside the level solved an ancient problem of tilt detection.
• How Cardboard Helicopter transformed raw hardware into retail gold with stunning 3D visualizations.
• The ins and outs of a global patent and trademark strategy — including PCT filings and EU/AU expansion.
• The bold negotiation that landed a licensing deal with royalties and minimum guarantees, even before the patent issued.

Oh, and did we mention his IP was invented during REM sleep? That’s right. The I-Level — a spirit level that glows green when you’re level and red when you’re not — came to Andrew in a dream.

If you’re an inventor, hardware startup, or product designer, this episode is a masterclass in licensing, product-market fit, and not taking no for an answer.

✨Key Takeaways:

• 🧠 “I literally dreamed it” — the I-Level concept came straight from Andrew's subconscious.
• 💡 Fail forward: Prototyping with 3D printing + Arduino helped test before filing full patents.
• 🧲 Real-world engineering: the device uses sapphire bearings to solve for tilt and LED signaling.
• ✍️ Licensing done right: includes royalty structure, anti-shelving clause & global distribution.
• 🚀 “Don’t be afraid of ‘no’”: Persistence (and follow-up emails) made the Franklin Sensors deal real.
• 📈 Now selling 3,000+ units/month on Amazon with 5-star reviews — and growing.

🔥Teasers to Watch:

• How a CNC’d jewel-bearing mechanism mimics Swiss watches to detect perfect level.
• The one thing Andrew wishes more inventors knew about filing too early. 📜
• How Cardboard Helicopter turned rough ideas into a visual pitch that closed the deal. 💼
• Why Franklin’s “No” turned into a “Yes” (and how you can make that happen too).
• The legal clause that protects your IP even when they delay launching. ⏳

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

In this inventive episode of the Bold Inventor Show, host J.D. Houvener welcomes Rob Russell, the creative mind and founder of AnyRope, a design-forward hat startup that’s disrupting headwear one interchangeable cord at a time. Rob shares how his frustration with boring rope hat options and his DIY ingenuity during the pandemic led to a fully patented, modular fashion product now catching fire in both B2B and consumer markets.

From the clever analogy of neckties and dress shirts to high school rope drops and licensing dreams with the NFL, Rob walks us through the entire product journey—from concept to design patent to mass production.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🧵 How one rope sparked a revolution
Rob couldn’t find a hat with the rope color he wanted—so he invented a way to swap them at will, turning a style limitation into a creative platform.

🧠 The power of simple, brilliant IP
Learn how Rob kept his invention secret until his design patent (D1040482S) issued—then scaled it with confidence. J.D. breaks down what the patent protects and why it matters.

🎨 Form meets function
Explore how AnyRope hats offer universal aesthetics—worn with or without a rope—thanks to a clean, hidden-channel design built for endless customization.

💼 Two markets, one mission
Rob is selling direct to consumers and also empowering dealers (aka “rope dealers”) to buy blanks and ropes wholesale, customizing them for their own customers and building new brands.

🧾 Built for licensing scale
With a second utility patent application in progress, Rob is planning for collaborations with major labels, teams, and brands, including fully customized and screen-printed ropes.

🧺 Inventory, efficiency, and style
By storing thousands of ropes and a small selection of blanks, Rob maximizes inventory efficiency and still delivers the largest rope hat selection in the world.

🇨🇳 ➡️ 🌍 Supply chain agility
Faced with rising tariffs, Rob moved production out of China and into multiple countries—turning a cost challenge into global manufacturing resilience.

💬 Real talk for real inventors
Rob shares his startup hurdles, why he self-funded everything, and how he’s now assembling a team—including a CMO—to help scale AnyRope beyond fashion and into a lifestyle.

This episode is for you if:

• You love product innovation, especially fashion-meets-function
• You’re curious how to file patents before showing factories
• You want to scale with licensing, not just sales
• You're a creator looking to join a bold, growing movement

📨 Connect with Rob: rob@anyrope.com
🧢 Shop and explore: anyrope.com

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.

This week on the Bold Inventor Show, JD Houvener and co-host Matt Kulseth welcome a true grassroots innovator: Sean Miller, founder and creator of the Turfboard. What started as a snowboarding alternative in the off-season has evolved into an epic journey of design, setbacks, and resurgence. Sean shares his wild ride from snowy peaks to grassy hills, revealing what it really takes to create and relaunch a sports innovation.

🏂 What you'll hear in this episode:

🌱 Origin of Turfboard: Sean recounts how the seed for his all-terrain snowboard sprouted during a post-college road trip and snowless mountain runs. The itch to recreate the snowboarding experience on dry ground launched a decades-long pursuit.

🛠️ Prototype Evolution: Hear about Sean's mad-inventor roots—from early aluminum castings to vulcanized rubber tires—and why he had to invent everything from scratch. Learn how the board evolved from intimidating and heavy to modular, safer, and family-friendly.

🏗️ Engineering and Passion Collide: JD digs into the board's features—hand brakes, shocks, adjustable bindings, custom tires—and how Sean engineered for performance, safety, and accessibility. A true showcase of passion-driven innovation.

🏞️ Business Lessons from the First Go-Round: Sean opens up about early manufacturing mistakes, working with investors too soon, and why patience and product readiness are crucial in hardware startups.

🎯 Comeback Plans: With his kids off to college, Sean is ready to reboot the Turfboard. He's looking at ski resorts, influencers, and strategic partners for a grassroots rebirth of the concept—literally.

🤝 IP Protection & Next Steps: JD and Matt offer insight on what intellectual property protection could still apply, including new mechanical innovations, design improvements, and possible licensing models.

📦 Shipping, Scaling, & Vision: The discussion includes a reality check on shipping logistics, board sizing, and how modern materials and 3D printing could reduce costs and improve the board’s scalability.

💥 Bonus Segment: Shark Tank Critique The hosts and Sean analyze the success of 11-year-old entrepreneur Carson Kropfl, whose Locker Board invention wowed the Sharks and eventually sold to Wham-O. JD breaks down the design patent, Matt analyzes the trademark, and Sean offers a rider’s take

Support the show

Have an invention or brand to protect? Or just curious about learning more? Download our FREE Inventor Kit here: https://keap.page/gw292/inventor-kit.html

DISCLAIMER
Everything discussed on this podcast is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.