Category Archives: All About Tom

Edison, Einstein on Orville Wright

Let’s rejoin our two intrepid friends Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison up in the cloud, and listen in to their conversation about the Wright Brothers. Then check out our contest at the end of the blog.

Albert Einstein (AE)
Good Morning Thomas. Say, you met that Orville Wright fellow didn’t you?

Thomas Edison (TE)
Sure did-back in 1913 as I remember, came out to my West Orange Labs, a couple of weeks before Christmas. Why do you ask?

December 18, 1913: Visit of Orville Wright to Edison’s West Orange Labs.
Front row l. to r. Mina Edison, daughter Madeleine, Orville Wright (light-colored suit), Thomas Edison, [unknown], John Sloane –husband of Madeleine.

AE
Lot of fanfare about a new book about the Wright brothers, just came out, that McCullough writer fellow wrote the book-good reviews I hear.

TE
Hey, isn’t that the fellow who wrote about you Albert?

AE
Yes, it is! Well, I almost forgot about that.

TE
Orville and his brother Wilber [who died young] did quite a nice job with making the airplane a practical device. Lots of controversy about whether they were first or not, but if they did not provide the proper controls for the wings, no one would be flying today. No small problem they solved in 1903, and then the interest overtook the whole world.

Orville being launched for an early flight in 1902. Brother Wilber and a friend are at each wingtip.

AE
What reminds me of you Tom, is how they kept improving and refining their flying machine. Passion is what they had for their invention, like you did for yours.

TE
If you don’t have passion, there is no need to be in the inventing business. I must say though I wondered how they made a connection between their other activities like an ongoing bicycle shop and powered flight; but then again inspiration can come from a variety of circumstances. Did I mention he was an Ohio boy like me? He came from Dayton, while I came from up north in Milan, near Lake Erie.

AE
Sounds like those Midwest strong work values. Just like Henry Ford too!

TE
That could very well be. Another thing I did not mention. When Orville was out visiting me he had quite a good time talking with my daughter Madeleine’s husband, John Sloane, who has an aeronautical business down in Newark. The airport there is becoming quite well known and used.

AE
Thomas, consider how much change has come during our lives. Once the train was the way to travel– and then Henry brings the automobile, and you the electric vehicle; and along comes Orville and folks are no longer on the road, but in the air. Such change!

TE
And 66 years later in 1969, there are footprints on the moon.

AE
Let’s take a walk. I have been doing some of those Smoogle….no Google…….computer searches, and Mr. Orville Wright lives not far from us up here in the cloud. Maybe he and his brother would like to do a little inventing with us. What do you think?

TE
Al…a splendid idea!

AE
Who knows….maybe a plane flight is in our future?

TE
Perhaps I should bring along my motion picture camera?

Einstein, Edison on Orville Wright

A Contest for our readers!

Win a gift of $100 for first place; $50 second; $25 third. Send us some words, say 150-250, as to which invention had the most impact on the world … the light bulb; the airplane; or theory of relativity. Contest closes on June 15, 2015 at 5:00 pm. Email info@thomasedison.org to enter.

Thomas Edison said, “If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves …”

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Thomas Edison on Inventing

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Do you know what makes you feel inventive-the kinds of settings, types of relevant problems to solve, and creative people you love to work with? Can you remain tenacious toward solving a problem, not resting until a solution or new prototype is developed and tested? If so, you are in league with the Edison philosophy.

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

Thomas Edison had four giant inventions-recorded sound, motion pictures, the light bulb and the electric utility system … and commercial R&D labs … or the invention factory as he called it (which probably was his most significant of all). The invention factory codified the process of invention-R&D at a commercial scale. Before Edison died in 1931, most great companies at that time developed their own R&D labs to mimic his success.

“My desire is to do everything within my power to free people from drudgery and create the largest measure of happiness and prosperity.”

The invention factory concept ushered in several important things: Making project management a powerful new business ethic-Edison typically managed and led 30-40 new product development teams at a time. It fused economic progress with technological innovation-what we refer to today as “progress”. And, it extended indefinitely, the industrial revolution of the late 1880s. Experts came from all over the world to study Edison’s process of invention.

“Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.”

Edison inspired all who worked for him to create a minor invention every ten days and major one every six months. At his legendary West Orange labs, his project teams enjoyed work space, the company of fellow inventors, ample supplies and equipment to work with, talented machinists, and plenty of consultation with the “old man himself”. He even provided flexible work hours-as long as the work got done. Today, it is fashionable to talk about “makerspaces”, places where inventors can gather to rapidly prototype new things. Well, guess what? That is nothing more than a modern twist on the old invention factory-perhaps housed in a bright shiny new lab or portable work space. Amazing how the Edison invention process endures!

Thomas Edison said, “I find out what the world needs. Then I go ahead and try to invent it.”

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Thomas Edison on Failure

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The MOOCS are Coming, The MOOCS are Coming! So how do you take failure? Do you simply move onto something else, or do you double-down and take another cut at the challenge that just floored you? Do you have a rep at work or with friends that characterizes you as someone who never gives up?

Thomas Edison was fond of saying … “I can never find the things that work best until I know the things that don’t work.”

That “Edisonian” style of stubborn perseverance is often the hallmark of successful inventors and entrepreneurs … people who change the world. When searching for the right, long-life filament for his nascent electric light bulb technology, legend has it the great inventor tried several thousand different materials, before he found the right one.

“Results! Why man, I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won’t work.”

Remember this important fact. During Edison’s career, he filled 4,000 laboratory notebooks-about 3200 of them were the large ledger type volumes and 800 were small notebooks. This is the kind of man who carefully documented and constantly re-visited his notes to look for places for improvement- always learning from failure.

While perfecting his famous nickel-iron storage batteries, he is said to have quipped to a reporter’s admonishment on his lack of success …

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Undaunted, Thomas Edison went on to develop a legendary battery that was used in many applications the world over; in fact, it was probably his most profitable product.

At the Edison Foundations we find great guidance in Edison’s work ethic and never give-up attitude. This valuable advice came early in life from his mother, Nancy Elliot Edison, who home-schooled the young boy.

We have coined our own version of Mr. Edison’s spirit, “Fail your way to success!”

Thomas Edison said ……“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

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Thomas Edison – as Seen by an International Venture Capitalist … in his own words

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I recently visited the Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, NJ as a guest advisor to the Edison Innovation Foundation. I learned many things that I wish to share with you here.

He invented a power generation system, the light bulb, the phonograph, and even motion pictures. I knew Edison was an inventor who had filed more than 1,000 patent applications during his lifetime, but was amazed to learn he had commercialized his inventions, developed production processes, employed people, and carried out marketing and other activities. In other words, he was an entrepreneur who established a technology startup based on his R&D (= invention) and commercialized his invented technologies.

The Thomas Edison invention factory at West Orange, NJ where he proved to the world that invention and entrepreneurship is a powerful force for progress, economic growth and social good.

People often don’t realize that Edison was actually a great entrepreneur as well as a great inventor, who created not just inventions but also many industries and employment. The scale of his achievements is simply breathtaking.

Yoshito Hori enjoys some reflection as he sits at the desk of the world’s greatest inventor and fellow entrepreneur, Thomas Edison

I run a venture capital fund (GLOBIS CAPITAL PARTNERS) so I know that even just R&D alone is difficult. But it is even more difficult to commercialize technologies, create production processes from scratch, mass-produce high-quality products, gain new customers, generate sales, and build a system to keep making profits continuously. To do all this, the company needs to hire many good people, and then manage and train them.

Invention and commercialization drive the evolution of society. “I believe that for every problem God has given us, He has a solution,” said Edison. He was right; the role of entrepreneurs is to solve social problems.

Edison also said, “I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.” I completely agree. For me, too, work is fun rather than a hardship. I have decided to lead a fun-filled life as entrepreneur Yoshito Hori, like entrepreneur Edison.

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Yoshito Hori, GLOBIS Chairman and CEO
[Yoshito (Yoshi) runs the GLOBIS Graduate School of Management and venture capital business, a representative director of the G1 Summit Institute and the KIBOW Foundation, chair of a committee of Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), co-chair of the WEF’s Global Growth Companies, and a member of a Japanese Government committee.]

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Thomas Edison said … “If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves …”

Time ® is a registered trademark of Time Inc.