01/19/2026
In this episode, Jon LaClare sits down with Jim Wilkinson, a multi-patented inventor, author, manufacturer, and longtime mentor to inventors and entrepreneurs. With more than three decades of hands-on experience, Jim has helped bring countless ideas from concept to real products found in homes, and even automobiles, around the world.
Jim shares how his lifelong passion for innovation led him to write "The Practical Inventor," a no-nonsense guide designed to help inventors avoid costly mistakes and follow the correct sequence when developing a product. He explains why rushing into patents, branding, or marketing too early often derails promising ideas and why simplicity, planning, and discipline matter more than enthusiasm alone.
We dive into product validation, profitability, and how inventors can use modern tools like AI and basic market research to determine demand before spending significant money. You’ll also discover why American manufacturing can be more beneficial than many realize when factoring in quality, communication, speed to market, automation, and overall value.
