A leader's perspective: Steve Lee, AbsolutelyNew Manufacturing’s Director of Catalog and Online Retail Sales

Each month, we interview a different expert for their unique insider's perspective on innovation. This month: Steve Lee, AbsolutelyNew Manufacturing’s Director of Catalog and Online Retail Sales. Steve has over 30 years of experience in the design, development and manufacturing of consumer products for the global market. His specialty has been early-stage product and business development and product branding. Over the years, Steve has negotiated and secured product licensing and product supplying agreements for many worldwide sporting events, including the Olympics. He’s also developed and sold numerous sporting goods and other consumer products to over 80 countries worldwide. He’s also served as an Executive Officer and on the Board of Directors of numerous U.S. companies and civic organizations.

Q: What inspired you to join the team at AbsolutelyNew Manufacturing?

Steve: I was totally excited about the opportunity of working with AbsolutelyNew’s creative minds, industry leaders, pioneers and developers of some of America’s greatest icon companies and products. Each person I spoke with at AbsolutelyNew revealed and showed a love, drive and passion for creating great products and bringing them to the world marketplace. To be able to work with such creative, positive and energetic individuals is what every inventor/entrepreneur dreams about. This is a very exciting opportunity.

Q: You come with a wealth of knowledge and experience regarding consumer goods. How did you get started?

Steve: Back in the early 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, Santa Clara County, CA was a hot bed for new, innovative technology-driven companies. You couldn’t help but want to learn and be a part of that excitement and growth.

I and a few other world-class and national-level swimmers and water-polo players created the first water polo cap protective ear guard and the competitive-swimming sprint goggle. We started out as a plastic injection and foam manufacturer of sports-training accessories for competitive swimming and water polo. Within three years we had created 23 products, of which we had 8 U.S. and worldwide patents. We also became the official supplier of swimming and water-polo accessories to the Olympic Games in 1976, 1980, and 1984. The 1980 Olympic Games was a big year for us (we were kids in our mid-20’s), and we became the exclusive supplier of 15 products that we designed and manufactured for 78 countries, beating out at the time such brand names as Speedo, Diana, and Arena.

By this time, we were also designing and manufacturing swimwear, running, exercise and bicycling apparel under our own brand name. We were also producing private-label products for upcoming brand names, such as Nike, Patagonia, Beachcomber Bill’s, Surf Wear Hawaii, O’Neill and many others. We were surrounded by creative minds; you couldn’t help but learn the trade and how products are brought to market. As the running craze of the late 70’s and early 80’s took off, I teamed up with two other gentlemen that helped propel the use of Gore-Tex in running apparel, which took road-running training into a whole new direction.

I continued with the development of three new companies that focused on major league baseball and softball products, as well as those little foam body boards that people use to ride ocean waves. We were a diverse foam manufacturer that supplied foam cores to Morey Boogie Boards and produced our own brand name of body boards under the BZ and Sentinel Brands. We also produced body boards and foam exercise mats under the Wilson Sporting Goods brand name.

By the mid-90’s, after an eight-year hiatus, I hopped back into developing a wide range of goods, from hand-held paging products (Motorola), to developing shoe-accessory products that were endorsed by 14 branded shoe manufacturers and sold to over 80 countries worldwide.

Q: Any memorable experiences or stories you care to share?

Steve: I think of one product that I get a kick out of. We challenged the rules of the competitive-swimming market and introduced a rather controversial swimsuit design at the Women’s National AIAW Swimming Championships in Austin, Texas. We had the women from Stanford University wear our suits and they went 8 seconds under the American Record in the 200-yard medley relay. Our suit was a big hit and got featured in Sports Illustrated.

Q: What’s the one piece of advice you have for inventors?

Steve: Now that you have the patent… do something with it. Don’t just create and waste time and money on something that you are not going to do anything with. Who wants a framed patent that just sits on a wall and all you do is stare at it? Push forward, align yourself with people that can help you make your dream product a reality.

Q: Lastly, we always ask, what is your favorite invention of all time, and why?

Steve: Wow, there has been so many. I guess the products that stick out the most are those that changed and enriched people’s lives and were products that pioneered new technologies and categories for retail. Examples would be the competitive-swimming goggle; the water polo cap protective ear guard; water-repellant textiles for apparel; foam body boards, and a few others. They’re products that allowed people to do what they weren’t able to do in the past.

Comments

[Sam Raber]

Attention: Steve Lee
Since you have expertise in marketing sports equipment,you may be interested in my pending patent of a golf putter that allows the golfer (beginner or professional) to align the putter face with zero directional error.
Sam Raber

[Lilliewilliams819]

hi steve iivented the medicated nursing nipple ialsohave a patened number how can you help mefound amanufacture lilliewilliams

[john lee]

hi steve. cant get anybody to manufacture the COMPARTIMENTAL CONTAINER. can you help. thank you.

[Mike Duda]

Hello Steve, I can't find a manufacturer for The Sports Cap Saver (TM).
Michael
mike@sportscapsaver.com
Google, sportscapsaver

[Robert L Wilson]

I am the inventor of a Circular winch handle for large sail boats. This is the first inovation to power the winches of large boats besides the old crank. Check out Wilson Winch wheel on the net. I am looking to partner with someone to mass produce this invention and market it to the world of sailing. Get back to me and I will attach more information.

[kenneth noyes]

i have a idea and spoke with 2 co.bothe were very interested and before i went on i told them i was disabled and needed help to do this idea.its a great idea that would help people of all ages.i have searched and nothing out has been done yet.if you know anyone that is honest please have them e mail me.the co.said i would have 80% and they get 20.i will give someone 40% and i own 60.i have no money from 11 back operations and living on ssi.i need someone that can do production of 1000s because these will sell that fast.i am a husband and father that has a idea that will help me help my whole family in the future.

[Steve Lee]

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for your questions and comments. I'm typically involved later in the process, after we've licensed and manufactured the invention. If you're not at that stage yet, and you'd like our help with your invention, please call 1-888-946-8368 and ask for one of our Innovation Directors.

Thanks,

Steve Lee
Director of Catalog and Online Retail Sales
AbsolutelyNew, Inc.
1-888-946-8368

[Edward Jaeger]

Why can't they cover the spill with a old water tower connected to a sump pump?Steve please contact me about my two top bottle invention. www.bottleswithtwocaps.com EJ 843-222-7935

[Renzo hormaeche]

mr Lee hi my name is Renzo and i have inventions but i dont know who to get in tuoch , im on my 20's with lots of creative thinking and i need some good advice before i make any dasitions, can you get in tuoch with me?

[jordan 13]

Your ideas about something is so cool and different,many I knew and many I haven’t known,so I am learning them,thanks.and stay them.