M1 Innovations develops innovate consumer products with 123DESIGNS

How does an entrepreneur turn a product idea into a thriving business?   Morono Hodge, president of M1 Innovations, has launched 6 successful products so far, and is quickly rising as a top brand in the Barber industry.   In just two years he has been able to grow his business to over $1M in annual sales by developing innovative products, with the help of 123DESIGNS.biz

A master barber himself, Morono has a unique talent for inventing products professional barbers want.  He got his start as a product inventor by developing the RHINOCOMB.  The simple comb has not seen much innovation since the invention of better materials, such as modern plastics which replaced wood and bone.  That’s pretty much it for comb technology.  Morono recognized that a common problem barbers face is making sure they symmetrically balance the points of an outline on their client’s head.  Elite barbers may even have a ruler among their tools for just this purpose.  Morono’s patented innovation simply combines a ruler with a comb to reduce the overall toolset needed by the barber.

While that seems easy to say, Morono would be the first to tell you that it’s not as simple as just patenting a good idea.  That’s only the beginning, actually not even the beginning.  Launching RHINOCOMB.com meant spending nearly $30k on engineering, manufacturing, and marketing before he sold a single comb.

After making his first 1000 combs, finding success meant hitting the road on a never ending campaign tour promoting his brand.  Morono is a marketing machine, and any aspiring entrepreneur should look at his online presence.  That’s what it takes to market independently. When asked about his keys to success, Morono replied;

“Don’t procrastinate. Hesitation creates gaps, bold moves enthuse authority. Be confident, and move. You may loose and make mistakes, but don’t let that stop you. Keep going. The secret is being consistent and diligent. “