ABOUT AMACOM
WHO WE ARE
AMACOM is the book publishing division of the American Management Association . AMACOM's broad range of offerings spans not only the critical business topics and leadership challenges of today and tomorrow, but also the issues that affect our lives, our work, and our world.
WHAT WE PUBLISH
AMACOM publishes nonfiction books on business, management, leadership, HR, training, communications, career growth, personal development, marketing, sales, customer service, project management, and finance.
ABOUT OUR AUTHORS
AMACOM authors are experts in their fields, unrivaled in their knowledge, experience, and reputation. They are world-class educators, successful executives, business owners, trainers, consultants, and journalistsall eager to share their insights and techniques with a broad audience.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A self-professed ordinary person and mother of three, Patricia Nolan-Brown has been inventing and marketing problem-solving products for more than 22 years. Among her many inventions is a best-selling car seat mirror, sold internationally, which enables drivers to see infants placed in rear-facing car seats. She has sold tens of millions of products, holds multiple patents and registered trademarks, and is often called The Mother of Invention.
In addition to being a serial inventor, Nolan-Brown is also a consultant, video-blogger, and motivational speaker for widely diverse groups: from Fortune 500 CEOs to grade-school science-fair hopefuls. She has demystified the invention process for thousands of people and helped them convert their ideas into must-have merchandise.
Her business savvy and warm, humorous style have made Patricia a popular guest on radio shows from Austin to New Zealand. She and her inventions have also been featured in many newspapers and in national magazines and newscasts.
Patricia lives just north of Boston with her husband, three daughters, and her westie, Coconut.
To access additional information, or to book a consultation with Patricia, please visit .
Acknowledgments
Thanks to:
My parents, Patricia and James, for encouraging me.
Jill Nolan for tons of support, savvy business advice, and tradeshow assistance, and for being such a great sister and aunt to my kids.
Jane Nolan for helping me in so many ways, including giving me her house by the ocean when I needed a quiet place to write, for taking business trips with me, and for being a great sister and aunt to my kids.
My customers, fans, and followers online and in person. I appreciate each and every one of you.
Everyone who told me they wished I would write a book.
All the people I've met along the way who contributed to the wonderful adventures I have been lucky enough to be part of. It has been and continues to be a blast.
Sheree Bykofsky, my accomplished and personable agent, who felt I needed to be published and asked where I had been all her life, because she herself had invented something but didn't know how to proceed. Now she'll know how!
My editor, Ellen Kadin, who acquired this book and is such a nice person as well as a true professional.
Cait Johnson, my collaborator extraordinaire, a match made in heaven.
John McGonagle, my smart and trustworthy patent attorney.
Julia Huston, my brilliant patent and trademark litigator.
Jay Such at Boutwell, Owens & Co., my printers, who treated me like a multimillion-dollar customer even though he knew I was just starting out.
Dawn Kenney at DMK Graphics for getting my artwork into the proper 21st-century files and handling a lot of other crucially important tasks.
LABBB Collaborative Work Training Center staff and students for assembling and packaging some of my products.
And to anyone who was a guinea pig for some of my childhood inventing experimentsI hope you are well.
I would also like to express my appreciation to Kevin Dougherty, Susan Huff, John and Kerry at La Muse, and Maria Paone.
Last, and most profoundly, my thanks to Tom, the co-inventor of our three daughters, and to Meghan, Molly, and Taylor, who changed my life in ways I never could have imagined, and whose toys were secretly taken apart for my prototypes on many occasions.
I love you all.
P.S. Thanks to Coconut, too.
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Best-Sellers from AMACOM
Lead with a Story: A Guide to Crafting Business Narratives That Captivate, Convince, and Inspire
ISBN: 978-0-8144-2031-7
Forget facts, figures, and PowerPoint slideswell-crafted stories deliver business concepts simply and powerfully. The reason for this is simple: Stories have the ability to engage an audience the way logic and bullet points alone never could. Whether you are trying to communicate a vision, sell an idea, or inspire commitment, storytelling is a powerful business tool that can mean the difference between mediocre results and phenomenal success.
Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone
ISBN: 978-0-8144-1404-0
Getting through is a fine art but a critical one. With the help of this groundbreaking book, readers will be able to turn the impossible and unreachable people in their lives into allies, devoted customers, loyal colleagues, and lifetime friends.
Into the Storm: Lessons in Teamwork from the Treacherous Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race
ISBN: 978-0-8144-3160-3
Competing in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Raceone of the most dangerous offshore ocean races in historyskipper Ed Psaltis and his amateur crew did more than survive the deadly storm. The AFR Midnight Rambler went on to become the overall winner of the racethe smallest boat in 10 years to win the prestigious Tattersall's Cup. A gripping tale of triumph over adversity,