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.

This week on the Bold Inventor Show, host J.D. Houvener dives into the human side of innovation with Natalie Turner, founder of The Six ‘I’s® of Innovation and author of Yes, You Can Innovate. Natalie joins live from the UK to unpack her game-changing framework that helps individuals and teams unlock their unique contributions to innovation—and create meaningful value from ideas.

👁️ What are the Six I’s?

• Identify – Spot emerging trends and opportunities
• Ignite – Spark new ideas and rally others
• Investigate – Analyze and assess feasibility
• Invest – Secure buy-in and resources
• Implement – Deliver real-world solutions
• Improve – Reflect, iterate, and grow

🔬 At the core of this method is purpose—the “why” behind innovation—and the belief that everyone can play a role in the innovation process, not just designers, engineers, or inventors.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

🧠 Why self-awareness is critical to innovation
Natalie explains how her self-assessment profiling system helps you discover your innovation strengths—and your blind spots.

📊 How to read and use your Six I's profile
See examples of both individual and team-based profiles to understand how organizations can align innovation roles with actual strengths.

📕 The power of codified IP
Natalie shares her own entrepreneurial journey, how she built a global innovation training company from scratch, and how her Six I’s model is now taught worldwide.

🤝 Why collaboration beats solo genius
Innovation doesn’t live in isolation. Whether you're an igniter or an implementer, knowing where to partner is the key to progress.

📈 Real-world use cases
From global companies to solo inventors, Six I’s has helped thousands align purpose with action—driving innovation culture, leadership, and sustainable growth.

🎁 Special Offer
Listeners get 10% off the Six I’s innovation profile assessment using code BP10 at 6-i-innovation.com

Whether you're a solo inventor with a big idea or a team leader trying to inspire change, this episode offers fresh tools to help you innovate with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

📖 Get the book: Yes, You Can Innovate
🔎 Take the profile assessment
🎤 Learn more about Natalie’s keynote speaking and training at 6-i-innovation.com

Hashtags:
#InnovationStrategy, #SixIs, #NatalieTurner, #InnovationLeadership, #CreativeMindset, #BoldInventorShow, #InventorsJourney, #PurposeDrivenInnovation, #DesignThinking, #InnovationCulture

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.