Who is Millennium Marketing Group (MMG), Overland Park, KS?
October 8, 2007 on 11:29 am | In Independent Inventors |Someone recently asked me if I know anything about Millennium Marketing Group (MMG). I’ve never heard of them but will open the comments to this post for my readers’ insight.
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MMG in Overland Park, KS the (pay me first) invention marketing company I presume. I just found an interesting write-up about their services, quality of (NOT). It would appear everything I’ve read about them from inventor allegations is adequately covered in the below
write-up.
http://www.patentmoversreview.com/html/chronology.html
Comment by Penny Ballou — October 8, 2007 #
I’m the founder and president of Millennium Marketing Group (MMG). Our firm has been in business since 1998 and we have an excellent reputation with dozens of product line placements. Contrary to the previous post, we are NOT an invention marketing company. We are a full service intellectual property brokerage with 10 MBA’s and one engineer and attorney (holding a masters of intellectual property law) on staff. Regarding the previous post, this represents one client out of hundreds and the claim was proven baseless and thrown out at summary judgment. We offer a number of commercialization options including venture capital for select projects. If you would like more information about our firm please see our website: http://www.patentmovers.com
Additionally we have actual references of successful clients if you wish to complete the proper due diligence on our firm.
Comment by Scott Norman — October 9, 2007 #
Check them out at the better business bureau.
3 complaints in the last 36 months, as of now.
http://www.bbb.org
Comment by Anonymous helper — October 10, 2007 #
MMG did not perform at all to their commitments I entrusted them as an agent. MMG did some work, only trying to convince me into signing/paying for another year. They produced a ‘prospectus’ based on my own material, a ‘business plan’ for maybe another product, a ‘potential client list’ ranging from bankrupt businesses, over an ice cream producer to a second hand automotive part dealer… I acknowledged I had made a mistake. Over and out, life goes on!
Upon this, whenever a patent of mine was issued in the US, I would receive a letter from MMG proposing me to let them handle it. Well, it’s obvious their records are not well kept either.
Comment by anonymous — October 10, 2007 #
Sorry Mr. Norman, but it is a fact that you have been involved in SLAPP litigation to silence a past employee and with at least one client. Nonprofit InventorEd has long had you listed in the caution section as a result of feedback from both employees and clients.
Based on that feedback it is my opinion that there is s very high probability that any inventor who deals with your company is likely to fail.
If you were as good at actually marketing inventions as you are at marketing yourself you would be making a good living based on a contingency fee basis. I believe that you have acknowledged through your business model of collecting large upfront fees that you do not have the skills to hit enough homeruns to work on a contingency basis.
Do not make the mistake of having your attorney threaten us. We have gather extensive information and any threats will result in both the threats and much of that information being published in the caution section of InventorEd. Remember that we are professional inventors who have successfully gone head to head with patent pirating large companies and are nothing like the inexperienced people whom you typically count as your clients.
Other invention promoters (yes, you are a promoter) have made the mistake of demanding quality time from us. One ended up losing a court case to the tune of $26 million and another is in Federal receivership. There are other cases pending. Is this what you want? Be careful about what you ask for.
Ronald J. Riley,
President - http://www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
Executive Director - http://www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
Senior Fellow - http://www.PatentPolicy.org - RRiley at PatentPolicy.org
Washington, DC
Direct (202) 318-1595 - 9 am to 9 pm EST.
Comment by Ronald J Riley — October 10, 2007 #
Hello Scott….
If you are such a wildly successful *marketing group*, why don’t you have dozens of happy inventors singing your praises? In the interest of transparency, Please give us all a brief synopsis of your success rate at marketing inventions, which is defined as producing more income as a result of MMG selling/marketing the invention than the inventors spent by employing your services.. More than 5%? If my new company only made a 5% profit on my products/services, I would be out of business in less than a year. But then again, MMG seems to require an *up-front* payment for your services, so what gives you any incentives to do a good job at promoting my invention? You already have your pound of flesh, so why not just move on to the next victim. So pray tell, what is your success rate? An inquiring mind would really like to know. I spoke with one of your representatives at some length several months ago, and it seemed to me as if he probably couldn’t figure out how to market Hula Hoops, much less my somewhat technically complex inventions. Am I missing something here? I think not.
Stan E. Delo
Port Townsend, WA
stand@olypen.com
Comment by Stan E. Delo — October 10, 2007 #
I really love reading these inventor blogs. I have patented two haircare products and one golf product and I have talked to all of the companies regarding marketing. I have also looked at inventored. Penny Ballou and Ron Riley have their own agenda. (They are both associated with InventorEd). They sound like they are so surprised when they first post. Penny or “PB” sounds like she is some poor inventor who got taken and good ole Ron Riley comes in with all his knowledge of how every inventor is too stupid to make a decision on their own. Ron Riley you are an insult to inventors everywhere. Shame on you!!
Comment by Marsha Russell — October 10, 2007 #
Mr. Norman;
1. I’ve received copies of letters from inventors with patents arriving in their mail boxes around the U.S. signed by Bill Daniels (an alleged former employee of IP&R in San Francisco) but I also note the name Bruce A. Benteman as his partner. Duly noted in Mr. Bujaryn’s chronological list of complaints against MMG (posted to this blog in the first link) is the name Bruce A. Benteman. Is “Tallgrass Technology Partners” in Overland Park part of any organization you own, control or have affiliations with?
2. Permit me to orient you to a few complaints about MMG:
An inventor alleges he paid MMG $7,700 for marketing help and was told by someone called “Mark” his invention would be “licensed within a year.” In one statement on the phone he claimed to have told you if you ever came to his town he would (paraphrased) take care of you. I would appear you and he got in a verbal shouting match on the phone.
In an email from yesterday from an inventor in a European country he stated, “MMG is incompetent to help in any way. They make things worse to accomplish anything. They are stupid!” He claims to have paid MMG money to find a licensee for his packaging invention and writes, “MMG made a prospectus concerning my invention, promised a Media Kit, and…came up with a potential licensee list. Only upon receiving this list I start to distrust MMG; the list contained companies that went bankrupt or didn’t exist anymore. Also a company selling auto parts…” he goes on to write, “upon complaining about this, they revised the list. Nothing concrete happened anymore.” He continues, “Oh yes, they asked if I would renew my contract for another year. For another fee of course; the core of their business…I wasn’t willing to lose another year.”
Yesterday I received an email from someone who apparently read yesterday blog. He stated, “My experience with MMG was very similar to this one (blog link) MMG and Scott Norman totally overstated their capabilities and connections. They also pledged to spend around $12,000 of their resources for which I never received any accounting.” The inventor continued, “I can’t believe a “Good Christian” would deceive people the way the president of MMG would do it. “
An inventor mailed me MMG’s paperwork last year or maybe the year before including a list of companies and manufacturers MMG sent her allegedly whom had been “marketed” info about her plastic housewares container to. Personally speaking I was very disappointed at my research results on these thirty-six (36) companies on five (5) sheets of paper. The first list of names she received from MMG she was so upset about that her MMG rep sent this new one she forwarded to me to validate its worth. What do you suppose surfaced Mr. Norman? What surfaced were companies including manufacturers of cutlery, metal pots/pan, kitchen grips, electric fans, medical manufacturer, food packager, metal bakeware, disposable paper cups, etc. All she has is a plastic housewares container and a very, very simple one at that! Are you getting the idea Mr. Norman if not permit to put it in plain language: there’s a fishy smell and I’m not cooking fish right now? Therefore, I can only assume MMG lacks a products/services quality control division or it and/or its employees just don’t care. I personally conclude employees involved in her project were incompetent. Let me state it is not the first time I have read or heard about such incompetence.
Sometime back an inventor wrote of having paid MMG, “$5000 but got nothing but a “portfolio” and MMG had marketed to non dental instrument companies only “materials” (chairs etc) companies.” She called to say her rep told her “it was done right but there were no responses.” She also stated that many dental companies at a tradeshow had never heard of it. Finally she spoke of being offering a “free contract extension” but told MMG to “go fly a kite.”
IMO, MMG reps should thoroughly word clear the definition of promotions. Why? According to MMG’s contract it refers to itself as “Marketing Consultants” providing “Marketing Services” but I’ve yet to find a formal Marketing Plan in documents on file or alluded to thus far. Frankly, MMG’s “marketing mix(es)” stink! Additionally, its “best efforts” in my opinion are questionable. Why? If its “best efforts” include lists of companies that either do not exist or mass produce other than what a client’s invention is, then its “best efforts” are way below where they should be as I see it. Maybe it’s time to do a complete company overall aimed at improving “best efforts” because, from what I’m reading I would reclassify “best efforts” to be “minimal efforts.” Minimally I would expect for the prices MMG charges inventors every stinking company or person’s name on those lists be validated to determine if they :
-Accept outside submissions
-Have a track record of licensing in a client’s invention field
-Have a budget conducive to accepting X new inventions per year
-Tooling matching client inventions
-Evidence of patent licensing
-Evidence of royalty payouts
-Located at the address listed
-Evidence of fair dealings with inventors
-List a qualified company contact name (to prove lists not “canned” SIC and/or NAICS found companies).
I don’t have time to list all emailed complaints and questions over the years about MMG what I do know is there are too darn many to just ignore. It is, IMO, time Mr. Norman you took a serious internal look at your business model.
Just my personal opinion. Have a good day.
Regards,
Penny
Comment by Penny Ballou — October 10, 2007 #
This will serve as my final communnication as I do not have time to banter back and forth with trival issues. My main purpose is to set the record straight about Millennium Marketing Group and make sure everyone has a complete picture of who we are and our track record. Our firm does indeed provide vernture capital as well as contingency based marketing agreements. Bottom line is no one can assure success to the “A Typical Inventor” (such as the following of this blog, believing they can do it all themselves) or corporations investing millions of dollars in new product development. Product development invovles a substantial amount of risk and if you’re not willing to accept this fact, you should be in a different business. We have numerous success stories and have made hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties and acqusition fees for our clients to date. Obviously we have many clients that do not reach this level of success, however most are satisfied knowing that we put forth a 110% effort and went above and beyond fulfilling our contractural obligations. I will leave this final comment with your community: Do your own research before making a commitment of working with anyone in the commercialization phase. Please decide for yourself the credibility of Ms. Ballou and Mr. Riley: http://www.myhomepage.org/pennyballou/
http://www.rjriley.com/about-rjriley/rileybio.html
We don’t promise success, but at least we are honest with people and provide them with ALL of the facts and they know we have given them the very best representation. I myself question the integrity and credibility of this site. I’m actually flattered by all of the postings on our firm as we must be doing somthing right to receive all of this attention. It further indicates our position as a leader advocating the rights of the independent inventor. By the way, did you see the recent press on our firm regarding the fact that we are representing one of our succssful clients in a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Fortune Brands (publicly held entity with over $9 billion in revenues).
Be sure to look us up in Chicago later this month (October 24th and 25th) at the Ocean Tomo Intellectual Property Summit and Fall IP Auction. Our staff counsel will be to moderator one of the workshops titled “A Process Approach to IP” (1:30pm on Oct. 24th). We wish everyone the best.
Comment by Scott Norman — October 10, 2007 #
Hello Marsha,
You wrote (1-6):
1. I really love reading these inventor blogs. I have patented two haircare products and one golf product and I have talked to all of the companies regarding marketing.
* You’ve been a busy eh? Well done! I see from a few articles online you’ve been disappointed in responses to your two hair products. It happens. Glad to see you have reworked positioning strategy to go after educating beauty schools, etc. Well done on phasing into a more defined market segmentation strategy, better late than never.
2. I have also looked at inventored. Penny Ballou and Ron Riley have their own agenda.
* I can’t speak for Ron especially since he resides a couple of thousand miles from me but I can speak for myself. You are definitely correct, no question about it. My only goal is to help inventors to help themselves. I refer them to websites and anyone who can help them for free. That is my agenda and I plan to keep it up for as long as can. As mentioned, though I can’t speak for Mr. Riley, I can state that as a professional inventor ploughing royalties from his technical inventions into inventored.org and other causes, he is to be thanked and is thank and acknowledged by many in the professional inventing community. Inventored.org is a registered “IRS” not-for-profit C (3) organization in Michigan. It has no fees, sells nothing, allows no commercial advertising and contains thousands of his articles and research –all for free– to help inventors to help themselves. Did you check MITs website? Of course, I haven’t mentioned his hard work at spearheading patent reform of late to help small entity inventors not get stuck for what they are about to get stuck with if the Senate votes in the new patent “deform” bill recently passed Congress: http://www.piaussa.org
3. (They are both associated with InventorEd).
* For sure he is since he founded it as a registered IRS not for profit. My role is to try to help him in any way I can as a volunteer so a resounding “Yes” to what you wrote. Oh, just one other itsy bitsy point, you’ll find me doing the same thing on many other websites too. Last year Inventored.org lost its volunteer webmaster, perhaps you know someone who would be willing to volunteer their services to help out? Ron is always seeking volunteers. How about you? Do you have any free time to help out?
4. They sound like they are so surprised when they first post.
* Whoa! Put those claws away dear. Replace them by clarifying what you mean? Is it my style of writing? It is difficult for me to respond to generalities so let’s get some specifics on the table shall we. How can I change without understanding what it is I must evaluate and correct? Spit it out as I and my writing style appear to tick you off. On the other it might be a distraction to this topic so if you could keep it short it might be less of a distraction to other readers following the MMG topic.
5. Penny or “PB” sounds like she is some poor inventor who got taken
* Nope, afraid not. You are way off base. Fortunately I am in a position to spend time with pursuits of interest to me. Your deductive logic chip needs to be replaced because I’m sitting in a great position able to volunteer 24-hrs a day on anything I care too and love it.
6. …..and good ole Ron Riley comes in with all his knowledge of how every inventor is too stupid to make a decision on their own. Ron Riley you are an insult to inventors everywhere. Shame on you!!
* Whoa! Strong language! Now, now, behave yourself or it might be some could conclude you are acting like a spoiled child stomping her feet up and down. I mean, as a hairdresser it is presumed you have learned not to blurt out rash statements? Your daughter is a hair stylist does she suffer from temper tantrums too? You know what they say about parents and role models, eh?
In conclusion, I find “personal” attacks distasteful. Let’s stick to the business at hand and not tangent off into personalities especially since you’ve now got egg-on-your-face for acting in a rash manner and writing in generalities about those whom you obviously have no idea about. Besides which, you are departing from the topic at-hand.
Get back on course, if you have a point about invention companies who charge monies upfront to get inventors to submit their products to them, e.g., “invention submission companies” - spit it out and let’s get to responding if responses are applicable.
Have a lovely evening.
Penny
Comment by Penny Ballou — October 10, 2007 #
Whoa! Mr. Norman your main card is to attack on of my religions? Now that really takes the cake.
I’ve noticed those who attack one’s religion, family, and friends have much to hide and to be ashamed of. I am very open and proud of my philosophic beliefs. I also practice in a well-known faith too but I guess you’d attack that too if I told you what it is.
Since you opened the topic I’ll follow through on it, do you realize one can be of any religion and be a Scientologist Mr. Norman? Scientologists include Jews, Mormons, Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, and Agnostics and just about any religion. It makes no difference but I guess you didn’t know that, eh? How could you.
Based on your actions here you are a “name caller” and “paint Red Cross or Star on her shirt” of the caliber who burnt Joan of Arc at the stake and decimated millions for practicing a religion not in conformation with Hitler’s beliefs.
Those who live in glass houses should not throw rocks Mr. Norman so come up with something better to explain why MMG is collecting bushels of monies upfront from inventors and why there are so many complaints against it. Here’s a Q for you, why can’t you position MMG to do the right thing by taking the lion’s share out of back-end profits from successfully licensed products as well as refund dissatisfied inventors?
The patent office was petitioned under the Freedom of Information Act and guess which company appeared on its list of complaints, Mr. Norman?
http://www.inventored.org/caution/promoter-complaints
Then we have the matter of 36 complaints allegedly on the BBB site per a previous poster and did we forget those on http://www.ripoffreport.com ?
Rather than attacking me personally how about turning your arrow on MMG to get it honest and straight by not taking money from inventors upfront but by charging them a percent out of backend successfully licensed products? That would be the right thing to do and be in the best interests of the small inventing community, wouldn’t you agree?
Come on now, let’s talk turkey and explain why MMG is targeting inventor pocketbooks rather than doing the right thing for them?
Comment by Penny Ballou — October 10, 2007 #
Wow Penny, you come off like a wacko. Based on the posts you have been making I dont see why any one would listen to anything you have to say. Where did you get he attacked you. He just listed your web site.
What specific background or education do you have that qualifies you as the expert. I found a press releases about Millenniums patent attourney on staff with a masters in patent law.
What patent did you sell that made you so much money that you dont work any more. You didnt say it directly but you implied you had so much success with a patent or two that you retired. Share specifics with us so you can be credible. For that matter what the heck did Ron Riley ever do. I read the links in Mr. Normans post and I think you and Riley are just strange. Give real examples that I can research and find the assigned patents or products on the shelf. Then what you say will have credibility.
I hope every one reading this will do the research on their own. This looks like a witch hunt to me. Or maybe jealousy.
One last thing. Penny you try and infer that you dont know Riley all that well but in reality you sit on the board of his company. Which may technically be a not for profit but come on. He asks for donations and some marketing companies are mentioned as good guys on his site. They charge fees up front but Riley overlooks it. Maybe they made a nice donation ????
Please clearify a couple statements because I am thinking of doing business with Mr. Norman. I cant find these complaints with the BBB. I found three in 10 years. I am in business myself and that sounds like a record to be proud of. They were all resolved to the BBBs satisfaction. One other thing. Is Inventor Ed the smae as the USPTO. You kind of infered that but I dont think it is true. I dont see a single complaint at the USPTO refering to Millennium.
Please save me before I make this mistake if everything you say is true. He looks legit to me !!
Comment by Anonymous — October 10, 2007 #
If Mellinium Marketing is so successful, then they wouldn’t mind posting the names and inventions that they’ve been so successful with. Please list them for the benefit of this websites members.
Comment by stephen saalman — October 10, 2007 #
Anonymous has posted Qs 1-18 for Penny:
1. Wow Penny, you come off like a wacko.
** Well thank you. I don’t recall being called a “wacko” before but since it is coming from someone unwilling to divulge his/her name…who exactly is the wacko one could speculate? Come out of hiding and let’s see who “you” really are (Mr. Norman or an employee incognito I’ll wager).
2. Based on the posts you have been making I dont see why any one would listen to anything you have to say.
** Not a problem it is after all a blog and frankly, it would be a tad difficult “to listen to.” Nest Par? Moreover, I do not recall demanding anyone agree or disagree. My prose are not up for votes.
3. Where did you get he attacked you. He just listed your web site.
** I do not personally have a website. That site was put up years and years ago, maybe 15-yrs or longer by the Church I have nothing to do with it or its management and cannot control the data that is on there. Now, back to your issues with me, kindly re-read Mr.Norman’s volley at me for being a Scientologist – or make that a side swipe at me. Why are you not going after him for introducing religion into this topic, pray tell? What does religion have to do with this it? Who is the Wacko here, pray tell? I would have expected you to question him about it. It would appear you are taking sides with him. One of his employees I expect as a key reason for staying incognito.
4. What specific background or education do you have that qualifies you as the expert.
** Has someone referred to me as an expert? Who exactly? Perhaps I should thank this mysterious poster? On the other hand, I saw no post accrediting me as being an expert but maybe you did?
5. I found a press releases about Millenniums patent attourney on staff with a masters in patent law.
** I see you spell like a Brit, Canadian, Aussie or a New Zealander using “u” not used in US English. Hum, a small clue! Better watch it. As to having a masters in law I’m not exactly sure what it has to do with this topic. Who cares? You are wandering into other areas again. Please stay en point or I’m likely to think you’ve a wandering mind.
6. What patent did you sell that made you so much money that you dont work any more. You didnt say it directly but you implied you had so much success with a patent or two that you retired.
** Johnny Carson once stated in his TV show: Neurotics build castles in the air. Psychotics live in them and Psychiatrists come around and collect the rent. You are building a castle here and you have now falling into it since I’ve no idea what you are alluding to or where you made up such gibberish. Pay up as I’ve come a knocking.
7. Share specifics with us so you can be credible.
** Credible? Share with you? Who the heck are you for me to share anything with? For all I know you’re Scott Norman or one of his lackeys. Tell you what, come out of hiding into the daylight by revealing who you really are so I can validate it, then we’ll talk seriously about my skills, talents, and track record.
8. …or that matter what the heck did Ron Riley ever do.
** Now that is a stupid Q from an ignorant anonymous entity.
9. I read the links in Mr. Normans post and I think you and Riley are just strange.
** Coming from you I’ll take it as compliment.
10. Give real examples that I can research and find the assigned patents or products on the shelf. Then what you say will have credibility.
** Do your own research.
11. I hope every one reading this will do the research on their own. This looks like a witch hunt to me. Or maybe jealousy.
** Witch hunt on who or what? All I’ve read so far are links to sites and write-ups. Mr. Norman has answered and he wasn’t in hiding so what makes “you” so darn special to be in hiding? You must have something to hide if you cannot represent yourself “front and center.”
12. One last thing. Penny you try and infer that you dont know Riley all that well but in reality you sit on the board of his company.
** Now that is a downright ignorant statement to make, once again. Here you go again building castles in the air. It is so untrue you actually have me laughing at your ignorance. It is a bold face lie. As far as I know only patent attorney David Pressman and professional entrepreneur/inventor George Margolin are on the board. I think there’s a scientist too but I’m not for certain. Get this as it’s the last time I’m going to state it, I am a volunteer and that’s it. I have nothing to do with Mr. Riley’s not-for- profit organization. Get it?!!! I need to whack you upside the head to get it into your thick skull…………….. all I am is a volunteer and knock stating I am a member the Board of Direction of Inventored.org or I’ll have to ask Mr. Riley to jump in here and set you straight. He is the last person on this earth “you” specifically want to tango with.
13. Which may technically be a not for profit but come on. He asks for donations and some marketing companies are mentioned as good guys on his site.
** Technically! It is a not-for-profit you buffoon. When was the last time you clicked the Donations button on Inventored.org? Asking is one thing. LOL!
14. They charge fees up front but Riley overlooks it. Maybe they made a nice donation ????
** What fees? There you go again making false accusations. Who is the wacko here. For sure I know it is not me. Donations are listed on the home page. Nothing hidden about Mr. Riley or his philanthropic causes he supports. He doesn’t need to hide anything including his credits he is self-made you buffoon.
15. Please clearify a couple statements because I am thinking of doing business with Mr. Norman. I cant find these complaints with the BBB. I found three in 10 years.
** Once again, re-look at who posted the original statement about the BBB. Not I mate. Once again, get your facts straight or maybe I’ll conclude you are on a witch hunt of me and my private person!
16. I am in business myself and that sounds like a record to be proud of. They were all resolved to the BBBs satisfaction.
** Then you should definitely cough up $9,000 plus to pay MMG. Go for it and be sure to post when you pay and I’ll personally raise a Cheer for you.
17. One other thing. Is Inventor Ed the smae as the USPTO. You kind of infered that but I dont think it is true. I dont see a single complaint at the USPTO refering to Millennium.
** Sorry you’ll have to write your Q(s) in English as it/they is/are written in gibberish.
18. Please save me before I make this mistake if everything you say is true. He looks legit to me !!
** Save YOU? Get real! You need to learn to save yourself from your own demons from what I’m reading.
Y’all have a great evening! Catch you on the downspout!
Penny
Comment by Penny Ballou — October 10, 2007 #
They gave me a list of references. I called the first two and they checked out. In fact they really gave rave reviews. One of them told me that they were able to retire on what they made from the transaction.
Comment by Anonymous — October 10, 2007 #
If you check the Millennium web site and look under press releases they have some successfull projects listed when the articles were in different news papers and magazines.
I think I have seen enough. I am going to do business with them. You guys dont have any facts to base what your saying on. They have proven themselves to me. I will let you know how it goes.
Comment by Anonymous — October 10, 2007 #
If you are not an expert then you shouldnt be trolling inventor web sites offering baseless advice. I came here looking for help. You have been useless as it is obviuos you have an agenda. I wont be back looking for advice here.
You didnt seem to ask who the other anonymous poster was ? I dont want a bunch of people calling me. I wont post my name. Hmm maybe because you already know who it was or maybe just because you liked what they said you just left it alone. I already looked up Stan Delo, I cant find a single patent that he owns. Hey maybe I will look you up too !! Ron Riley too while I am at it.
I have looked and looked and I have never been able to find a single bit of info about Ron Rileys success. Other than his web site. Why would I care if you showed him this post ? I assume he will be reading it since he already posted on it.
Comment by Anonymous — October 10, 2007 #
I am very sorry to hear that anonymous, as you will most likely be wasting every cent, and I sincerely hope that you will not allow them to screw up your chances at getting a *real* utility patent by giving you the song and dance about the value of a design patent. Design patents are only slightly more valuable than paper towels in my opinion. Since you are afraid to provide a name, I will just have to say I told ya so in advance, since they will probably burn you very badly that you probably won’t be able to afford an Internet connection for several years. We tried to help, but you would not listen. More’s the pity.. Aufweidersehen und fielen gluck.. Stachou~
Comment by Stan E. Delo — October 10, 2007 #
(A) To Anonymous poster #1 dated October 10, 2007 (2nd post from top) a question: “which office of the BBB lists 36 complaints against MMG?
(B) To Anonymous poster #2 dated October 10, 2007, I found something of interest, an email dated February 13, 2003 from Mr. Scott Norman to an individual. Interestingly he makes use of the phrase “witch hunt” in it just as “Anonymous” #2 does in his targeted email at me personally.
I find this too much of a coincidence therefore conclude it is more likely than not Anonymous #2 is Mr. Scott Norman hence why the entity will not reveal who they are but hides in the shadows.
(C) Has anyone read the long chronology report link written by the inventor client of MMG in post #1 above? If possible we should get back on-topic focusing on its pros/cons to get away from the “noise” generated by Marsha Russell and Anonymous #2 which targets me personally.
(D) To Mr. Norman: your comments are invited pro or con focusing on posts about MMG and not me personally or my religion —if you wouldn’t mind. I did not target you personally merely MMG and use President before your name. Moreover, may I remind you and everyone that I did not fire this topic initially merely added to it as others have done. I really don’t care about MMG other than the fact it hits inventors in the shorts upfront for big money versus taking its cut out of back end revenues it might generate. If MMG is that “hot to trot” and successful, why can’t it get paid out of revenue it generates for inventor clients? After all, it is a well-known fact any company practicing back-end revenue models will make more money than those who hit inventor pocketbooks from the get-go and, in MMG’s case it also hits them for a percentage of revenues too. I have no problem hitting inventors for a lion’s share percentage of royalties AFTER a product has been licensed and is generating cashflow.
Penny
Comment by Penny Ballou — October 11, 2007 #
This is a great Blog — now bookmarked.
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Having been an obsessive inventor for over 50 years and after reading everything in this thread, I highly recommend reading all of the FREE information available on http://www.money4ideas.com by Harvey Reese. I read his entire website and most of it a 2nd time simply because of the truth and value of the free information he has published there.
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For those with an open-mind and need-to-know, most of the questions, misunderstandings, and misinformation posted above is covered in Harvey’s website pages. It also corroborates much of the valid statements made above.
Comment by Michael Dennis Grissom — October 11, 2007 #
Mr. Scott Norman, owner & the person responsible for all of Millennium Marketing Group (MMG),
You should feel ashamed for posting as “Anonymous” or otherwise sending stooges and shills to forums in a vain attempt to bring in more customers.
As one poster mentioned it would behoove you to study Harvey Reese. He is a successful contingency marketing agent who has decades of experience.
My background is an open book. And yes I do have numerous agendas.
1) To help aspiring inventors succeed by helping them help themselves. That means giving them the tools they need to succeed and expecting them to roll up their sleeves and go to work.
2) To ensure that America’s patent system continues to be affordable, accessible, and equitable because it is small business which made America great.
3) To crucify all fraudulent invention promoters, starting with those who are doing the most damage to aspiring inventors and working our way down the food chain until the problem is completely eradicated.
4) To educate the public about the incredible importance of America’s independent inventors. They are the key to maintaining our standard of living in the face of low wage competition.
6) To punish anyone or any company who steals from inventors, not just for the inventor, but also for all Americans who need decent jobs because of irresponsible trade which is being sold as “free trade”.
My open question for Mr. Norman is, does he understand that messing with commercially successful inventors is much like wrestling with a pig. In both cases you will end up awfully dirty and discover too late that both are thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Now for your own good you need to stay away from inventor forums. Any other approach will only make your life more difficult. Right now InventorEd is busy dealing with higher profile invention promoters. You have escaped getting quality time because you are in my opinion a mostly ineffective bit player
By the way, your favorite competitor out of California, you know the one you envy and hate is running circles around you Mr. Norman. Why are they able to bring in more than ten times as many clients than you?
Now I believe it is time to invite some of Mr. Norman’s FORMER clients to this forum to elaborate on the nature and effectiveness of his services.
Don’t worry Mr. Norman, when time permits I will do my best to see that you receive all public recognition which you have clearly earned. You must be patient and wait your turn.
Ronald J. Riley,
President - http://www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
Executive Director - http://www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
Senior Fellow - http://www.PatentPolicy.org - RRiley at PatentPolicy.org
Washington, DC
Direct (202) 318-1595 - 9 am to 9 pm EST.
Comment by Ronald J Riley — October 12, 2007 #
Perhaps InventBlog could post the IP addresses used to send each of the above messages? They might shed considerable light on the source of the messages
Ronald J. Riley,
President - http://www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
Executive Director - http://www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
Senior Fellow - http://www.PatentPolicy.org - RRiley at PatentPolicy.org
Washington, DC
Direct (202) 318-1595 - 9 am to 9 pm EST.
Comment by Ronald J Riley — October 12, 2007 #
This discussion is going nowhere… on one side you have a couple of real identifiable persons trying to help inventors for free without any monetary compensation… on the other side you have an identifiable for profit invention marketing company(MMG) and their boss( Scott Norman) trying to defend a well-known scam. We also have the occasional “anonymous” inventors that obviously work for MMG.
In conclusion, for inventors that want to listen the information was presented to you from both sides you can research it further and make up your own mind.
Comment by Vic — October 13, 2007 #
Wow, Allot of information mostly bad on MMG. I just received a phone call from them regarding a patent that I hold. I figured that I would google their name before I received the conference call. I will proceed with both eyes open.
Thanks,
Joe
Comment by Joe Nelson — October 17, 2007 #
I heard a rather interesting story about one of Millennium Marketing (MMG) high pressure seminars being run by Scott Norman. An inventor asked Norman to supply their success stats and Norman did a song and dance. The inventor pointed out that supplying such information is mandated by law. It was reported that Scott Norman then became belligerent and demanded that the inventor leave and actually had a couple of thugs escort him out.
I also have an email from Mr. Scott Norman (MMG) where he rails against his equally questionable competitor http://www.InventorEd.org/caution/ip&r/. On 11-4-2004 he had this to say about IP&R.
“If you really wanted to expose fraudulent activities, why don’t you look into a company in San Francisco that does invention promotion but more importantly has set up dozens of “dummy” companies headquartered in San Diego as manufacturing companies? This company has the impudence to actually negotiate a license agreement with one of their own “dummy” companies in an attempt to make their success rates look greater than they actually are without ever paying a single cent in royalties. The patent owner who thinks they have successfully placed their product is happy for a short time then realizes a year or two later that they’re not making any money and therefore have wasted time and become ever discouraged. This is the type of activity you should be concerned about within our industry.”
There you have it, from the horse’s … mouth
In my opinion this is the pot calling the kettle black.
We have reams of information about MMG and Scott Norman, and the only stuff which is complementary is coming from Mr. Scott Norman himself!
Ronald J. Riley,
President - http://www.PIAUSA.org - RJR at PIAUSA.org
Executive Director - http://www.InventorEd.org - RJR at InvEd.org
Senior Fellow - http://www.PatentPolicy.org - RRiley at PatentPolicy.org
Washington, DC
Direct (202) 318-1595 - 9 am to 9 pm EST.
Comment by Ronald J Riley — October 17, 2007 #