Who Built That - Book Summary

Uncovering the secret to America's innovative prowess

The heart and soul of the United States pulsate with the rhythm of entrepreneurship. It's a beat that has been steady from the days of Benjamin Franklin's ingenious contraptions, through the explosive entrepreneurial age of the 19th century, and up to contemporary IT colossi like Apple and Microsoft. Throughout its history, America has been the undeniable front-runner in the race of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.

So, what's the underlying formula that keeps the engine of this creativity humming? The answer lies in the simplicity of free market capitalism. In this fertile ground of the United States, anyone possessing a vision and the guts to put in the hard work, could sow the seeds of their ideas and watch them bloom into enterprises that benefit society. All this, without the heavy shadow of the government or bureaucracy looming over them.

But like every good story, this one too has a twist. The United States of today is no longer the incubator of innovation it once was. Its position as the torchbearer of entrepreneurial advances is wavering. Unless we step up and take action, America might soon see itself being outpaced in the innovation race. But fear not — as you'll discover, there are solutions at hand to prevent this impending fall from grace.

In our exploration ahead, you'll uncover:

- Why the perception about inventors, epitomized by Obama, needs a reevaluation,

- The necessity for the United States to revert to its original patent system, and

- The surprising reason why being a glass blower once meant a possible prison sentence.

The unsung heroes of progress: Tinkerpreneurs.

Are you acquainted with the term 'tinkerpreneur'? Although it may sound unfamiliar, it's highly probable that your life is being eased by the fruits of their labor every single day. The tinkerpreneur is a hybrid of sorts — an inventor who tinkers, fine-tuning their own inventions and leveraging them into the commercial domain. In doing so, they craft enterprises, create job opportunities, and engender profits.

Contrary to this portrayal, President Barack Obama contends that inventors aren't exceptional. They are neither smarter nor harder working than the average person, their successes merely rooted in public amenities like education, roadways, and infrastructure.

This viewpoint, however, stands on shaky ground.

Defying Obama's stance, tinkerpreneurs are marked by their intelligence, tenacity, and relentless engagement. They are the job creators and builders of companies, standing far removed from the ones who simply fill these jobs or find employment within these establishments.

Seizing the opportunities that the American landscape offers to innovate and invest, tinkerpreneurs are the unsung heroes, making up the top one percent who drive progress and economic growth. Nonetheless, their journey is anything but smooth — littered with a myriad of challenges and obstacles.

Inventions as stepping stones to entrepreneurial victory

When someone ventures into the realm of inventions, what is the driving force behind this journey? Is it the quest for a notable place in the annals of history? A desire to accumulate wealth? Or perhaps, the noble pursuit of societal advancement? In the case of tinkerpreneurs, these aspirations coalesce into a single goal — turning invention into lucrative enterprises. To achieve this, they need to spot and seize opportunities at the right time.

Tony Maglica's life serves as an archetype of this entrepreneurial spirit. A Croatian immigrant to the United States, Maglica, with hardly anything to his name, began his journey as a humble contractor. Known for his exceptional skill, unrivaled speed, and an insatiable appetite for hard work, he soon earned a reputation for integrity and dedication.

It was during his stint with a flashlight manufacturing company that opportunity knocked. Dissatisfied with the mediocre quality of available flashlights, he invented the first Maglite — a revolutionary flashlight that delivered an intense, adjustable beam of light.

But Maglica's entrepreneurial journey didn't end there. He continuously sought ways to enhance and expand his product line. This relentless pursuit of excellence and opportunistic mindset helped transform Maglite into a multi-billion dollar enterprise.

Innovation, however, is not always about creating something new. It can also stem from a shift in perspective that transforms a novel idea into a commercially viable product. Take air conditioning, for instance.

Inventor Willis Carrier revolutionized the cooling industry by proposing a radical approach — replacing ice with air. Despite his systems' steady improvements and decent performance, it was Irvine Lyle's visionary thinking that elevated Carrier's invention to unexpected heights.

Lyle, a skilled salesman, saw immense commercial potential in Carrier's creation. His foresight enabled factories and theaters to operate during the sweltering summer months, setting the stage for a cultural phenomenon — the summer blockbuster. More significantly, air conditioning reshaped societal norms, prompting migration towards hotter states like Texas.

Despite this striking success story, innovation doesn't always follow a smooth path. It's a journey riddled with risks, especially for tinkerpreneurs, who often bear the brunt of these uncertainties.

Defying doubters — a tinkerpreneur's journey.

Being a tinkerpreneur means being prepared to face an army of skeptics. The uphill journey of the Roebling family perfectly epitomizes this battle of wills, showcasing how genuine tinkerpreneurs persist in their endeavours.

John Roebling, hailing from Prussia, would later patent a transformative wire rope. Back in his homeland, he had witnessed the exhausting and inefficient process of rope-making. He also recognized the government's stranglehold over innovation, with any attempt to improve methodologies subjected to bureaucratic approval. Frustrated by a system that favored sameness over creativity, Roebling migrated to the United States, where he was able to patent and market his innovative wire rope with remarkable success.

Yet, his innovation journey wasn't free of hurdles. Threatened by his revolutionary invention, the traditional hemp rope industry turned into a formidable opponent. Nonetheless, Roebling’s superior product was strong enough to withstand such resistance.

His wire ropes found significant application, notably in the construction of the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge — the first railway bridge of its kind. Yet, the most critical test of Roebling's ropes' strength and resilience came with the construction of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Tragically, John Roebling lost his life in an accident during the project, passing on the mantle of defending his breakthrough against naysayers, corporate giants, technophobes, and political wheelers and dealers to his son, Washington Roebling.

Washington proved to be a worthy successor, relentlessly championing his father's invention despite the mounting pressures. His dedication took a toll on his health, leading to decompression sickness. Nevertheless, the project didn't falter. Emily, Washington's wife, saw it through to completion, silencing the critics and validating the Roeblings' perseverance.

If not for their unwavering commitment and determination to fight for their innovative ideas, we may never have witnessed the marvel that is the Brooklyn Bridge.

How minuscule solutions can spur monumental change.

Some of the greatest leaps in innovation don't always originate from complex solutions but rather from the most basic ideas. Consider the modest crown cap, a small yet revolutionary invention that enabled safe, hygienic, and economical sealing of bottles.

Its inventor, William Painter, too, found himself battling against a storm of skepticism and doubt. To demonstrate that his crown cap could maintain the fizz of soda, he undertook an audacious experiment. He shipped soda bottles, sealed with his patented cap, on a 40-day round trip to South America. Upon their return, a tasting ensued, where it was universally acknowledged that the soda tasted as fresh as the day it was bottled. Cost-effective and easy to discard, Painter's crown cap became a universal standard, forever altering the course of the beverage industry.

But the ripples of Painter's inventive genius extended beyond his crown cap. He had an eye for talent, nurturing some of the most creative minds of his time. One such protege was King Gillette. Sharing a deep friendship and mutual passion for invention with Painter, Gillette drew inspiration from his mentor's work to conceive a groundbreaking invention of his own: a steel razor, mirroring the disposability of the crown cap.

Gillette's razors, patented in 1904, made their way into households worldwide within just five years of their launch. But Gillette's innovative streak didn't stop there. In 1910, he brought to the market the first razor specifically designed for women. The collaboration between Painter and Gillette thus stands as a testament to the awe-inspiring innovation that emerges when tinkerpreneurs surround themselves with other creative thinkers and master salespeople.

The power of combined forces in driving innovation.

In the realm of innovation, the saying, 'two heads are better than one,' often rings true. The example of Edward Libbey and Michael Owens, the pioneers of a transformative approach to glass production, underscores this concept vividly.

Owens, an adept engineer, and Libbey, a staunch proponent of property rights, made a formidable team. Their joint endeavor stood against an industry renowned for its fiercely competitive and secretive nature — the glass industry. Without each other's complementary skills and shared determination, their venture may not have seen the light of day.

The well-guarded secrets of glass production date back to the Middle Ages, with glass blowers in Venice often secluded on the island of Murano to prevent valuable information from seeping out. Undeterred, Owens and Libbey embarked on a quest to break down these formidable walls, aiming to devise a more efficient and practical method for producing glass. Their tenacity bore fruit in the early twentieth century when their machine-made bottles revolutionized the soda business.

Another inspiring tale of collaborative innovation involves scientist Nikola Tesla and financier George Westinghouse. Tesla's work focused on alternating current (AC) electricity systems. Though AC is now the global standard, its adoption owes much to Westinghouse's invaluable support.

Their primary competition was none other than Thomas Edison, a staunch advocate for direct current (DC) systems. Despite being relatively inefficient, especially over long distances, Edison's DC had influential backers. However, the alliance of Westinghouse's unyielding resolve and financial backing with Tesla's groundbreaking findings set them on the path to victory.

Their steadfastness ensured the triumph of AC systems, a win not just for them, but for society as a whole. Industries like the automotive sector would look starkly different today without the economical electricity production facilitated by Tesla and Westinghouse. Their story underlines the seismic impact of successful innovation. Yet, why are some entities stifling this crucial driver of progress today? Let's delve into this matter in the next segment.

The current innovation landscape in the United States is in peril.

Once upon a time, the United States stood as a haven for innovation. What paved the way for such thriving inventive energy? The country's patent system, a distinctive framework that encouraged grassroots inventors, enabling their innovations to make ripples globally.

The US patent system, set in stone as early as 1790, is founded on market principles. The core premise is that financial incentives spur creativity and hence, patent holders should be allowed to sell, license, or transfer their patents to others in exchange for profit. In return, they would have to publicly disclose their invention and accept that the patent would expire after a set period.

This system facilitated widespread distribution and fostered an ever-growing array of imaginative inventions. It supported personal benefit in a way that ultimately promoted public welfare. However, today, this crucial system is teetering on the edge, under the specter of potentially harmful reform.

Over recent years, the US patent system has transitioned from a "first to invent" to a "first to file" approach. This implies that the prize no longer goes to the originator of an idea but to whoever first puts their signature on the patent documentation. While this might seem like a minor policy tweak, its implications are profound.

Firstly, this change has tipped the scales heavily in favor of large corporations. With deeper pockets, they can afford to file a bevy of patents, whether or not they foresee profitability. In stark contrast, independent inventors, who need funding to file a patent and often need time to refine their innovation to unlock its true potential, are at a significant disadvantage. If they aren't the first to file, they stand to lose everything.

Regrettably, due to government regulation, the potency of innovation and creativity is gradually waning, casting a shadow over the prospects of our tinkerpreneurs. A flourishing society hinges on a free market, one that enables individuals to earn, collaborate, and invent fearlessly. Yet, these very rights appear to be slipping through our fingers.

A concluding synopsis

The central theme of this book is:

Tinkerpreneurs, those audacious innovators with an entrepreneurial spirit, have, for more than a hundred years, merged inventive brilliance with daring opportunism, often resulting in commercial triumphs that revolutionize entire industries. A nurturing patent system and the spirit of collaboration have been instrumental in fostering the blossoming of tinkerpreneurship in the United States. However, emerging reforms may threaten to halt this era of innovative entrepreneurs.