Licensing
Congratulations On Your Licensing Success, Shane! Learn How He Made It Happen
Shane Pickerill is the creator of the Shar-Key self-defense keychain and the Shar-Key Tooth self-defense keychain. He licensed both products to the same company with the help of inventRight membership. Congratulations on your licensing success, Shane!
The Shar-Key is a shark-shaped self-defense keychain with multiple defense points. The Shar-Key Tooth is much smaller and, as you may have guessed, in the shape of a shark's tooth. The Shar-Key Tooth recently hit the market and is already receiving rave reviews!
Shane is a patent holder who majored in art. For 20 years, he worked as a designer and 3D artist creating designs, graphics, construction documents, and manufacturing drawings for architects, engineers, theme parks, game manufacturers, tradesmen, and other designers.
Notably, he worked as a full-time show set designer on the Super Nintendo World theme parks for Universal Creative.
In a product review video published this week on YouTube, the popular KarateMart channel listed his products as their #1 self-defense keychains.
The comment section agrees!
“My favs. were the 2 SHAR KEYS,” writes 9daywonda.
“I have one and I like it, but tbh it's just a bit too bulky for me to want to carry on my keychain. I like the looks of that shark tooth one though, that looks like a size I wouldn't mind carrying,” says @DShiflet01
“I really like the tooth shaped one,” adds @wolverine5300.
To Shane’s knowledge, the first brick and mortar store to sell his product is Virtual Precision in Massena, New York. Numerous retailers that specialize in self-defense products sell it online.
I emailed Shane to learn how his second licensing deal came together.
How Shane Achieved Licensing Success For The Second Time
This is the second product idea that you’ve licensed, right?
"Yes, this is my second licensed product. The first was the Shar-Key. My licensee is the same."
What motivated you to invent and develop this product?
"I developed this second product as a response to some feedback we received about my first product. Some customers (including my licensee) wanted a smaller version of the Shar-Key that fit more easily into their pockets and was easier to manage."
What was the process of licensing it like?
“I've developed a good working relationship with my licensee, Ray. I actually pitched this new version to him several years ago, but COVID hit and that really stalled everything. I was persistent with following up with him.
As the pandemic ended, the timing seemed right and he was open to revisiting my new product iteration.”
Will you continue licensing more ideas?
“Yes, I will keep trying. I have a number of products that I'm actively seeking to license, including a unique pair of clocks, a laundry product, and a toy. I'll also revisit and try licensing again several products that I failed to license previously.”
How did being an inventRight member help you license this product?
“I read several books on licensing and took a class on licensing before finding inventRight. inventRight gave me the actual tools to make it happen.
As one example, I needed actual phone scripts to know what to say to companies, and inventRight provided that along with their expert guidance. Now as an alumnus of the coaching program, I have still gotten help from Stephen and Andrew at key moments that helped me to close this latest deal. I'm currently enrolled in the new alumni plus program.
The community has grown since I received coaching, and the webinars are informative and uplifting! I've formed new friendships with other inventors like never before and it feels nice.”
Shane revealed that it was his idea to add the bite mark cut-out that appears in the corner of the hang tag. We love it and agree: It definitely adds a unique quality to the packaging.
Join the celebration by congratulating Shane on his licensing success on LinkedIn!
About the contributor
Madeleine KeyMadeleine Key has been writing about intellectual property, invention commercialization and the innovation ecosystem since 2008. Currently, she is a contributor to Forbes and IPWatchdog. She has extensive experience creating actionable resources about the licensing process, including directing inventRight’s K-12 invention education efforts. Using social media, she’s helped transform inventRight into a beloved leader in the for-profit invention help industry. As the Marketing Director for Inventors Groups of America, she plans and hosts popular free monthly educational meetings for inventors. In 2021, she joined the Advisory Board and the Communications Committee of The Center for Intellectual Property Understanding. In 2022, she spoke at the Intellectual Property Awareness Summit held at the University of California, Berkeley and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the launch of WE: Women Entrepreneurs. As a freelance journalist based in Oakland, her reporting appeared in the East Bay Express, San Francisco Chronicle and CALIFORNIA magazine. She currently lives on the road with her husband in the Sprinter van they built out.
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