Creating a culture of innovation and growth is a challenge, albeit necessary. For your employees to feel as though their work is rewarding and fulfilling enough, it’s important to foster a work environment that’s conducive to this and allows for individuals to hone in on their unique traits in order to come up with creative solutions as a team. How can you start doing this?&nbsp;<h2>Make room for error</h2>The idea that work needs to be perfect in order to be acceptable is one that’s dated and unrealistic. Human beings are imperfect by nature and mistakes are inevitable, even in the most seasoned professionals. While the idea is not to encourage sloppy or subpar work, it is important to treat mistakes as part of the process.​<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/258023/inspire-innovation-learn-mistakes.aspx" alt="A study investigating the factors contributing to agile and innovative workplace cultures">A study investigating the factors contributing to agile and innovative workplace cultures</a> found that in companies where employees were severely penalized for mistakes, they were less likely to try new ways of working and therefore, less likely to innovate. However, where employees are encouraged to try, fail and try again, they were more willing to make mistakes, learn from them and contribute more meaningfully and creatively to the company’s overall goal.<h2>Don’t reward silence</h2>The idea of top-down management is one that’s constantly being challenged by disruptor companies and brands worldwide. One of the main reasons for this is that a strict chain of command often fosters an environment where employees are afraid to voice their opinions or correct management where necessary. This doesn’t contribute towards creativity or innovation since people can’t innovate if they are scared to challenge their leaders’ views or speak up with new, innovative and ideas that push the norm. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to adopt a management style that’s open to criticism and flexible enough to change with the environment.<h2>Invite ideas</h2>Throwing around new ideas, however outlandish some may be, is a good way to help teams think outside their proverbial boxes and give a little more to their work. A great way to start this culture of encouraging new ideas is becoming a member of IdeaJudge. You join businesses from around the globe that are not only helping to drive forward a social mission of inspiring innovation for the greater good, but also exposing your employees to a vast array of ideas and inventions, inspiring their creativity.The world is in a constant state of flux, and as leaders, it’s imperative that we work towards building an environment that’s agile and innovative. Companies that try out new things and go the extra mile to ensure that their employees are inspired, and that the workplace is fertile ground for new ideas, will probably achieve this first. Want to get ahead of the curve? <a href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="Visit IdeaJudge for more details.">Visit IdeaJudge for more details</a>&nbsp;and find out <a href="https://ideajudge.org/blog/view/b596481b-09ce-478c-b74d-565eab225332/how-your-ideajudge-page-adds-value-to-your-business" alt="how IdeaJudge can add value to your business">how IdeaJudge can add value to your business</a>.​

How to build a culture of innovation in the workplace

The marketplace has some great products and solutions that help businesses grow. IdeaJudge is one of these. We offer your business a marketing and innovation solution and essentially a <a href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="powerful tool for CEOs and marketing professionals ">powerful tool for CEOs and marketing professionals</a>&nbsp;while being part of a social mission that helps to create economic opportunities and employment for others. According to the World Economic Forum, this is one of the world’s major 10 social issues.<h2>What is IdeaJudge?&nbsp;</h2>​<a href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="IdeaJudge">IdeaJudge</a> is a new platform that displays various ideas from inventors and innovators from around the world. The platform allows people to vote for the ideas they like, highlighting the ones with potential and giving these ideas the exposure they need to be brought to life.&nbsp;When your business joins us, you receive an IdeaJudge badge, which is displayed on your website. When people click on the badge, they access your IdeaJudge page, showing new ideas. The ideas can be shared on social media, exposing it to more people.Our aim is to inspire innovation, creating economic opportunities for people around the world. We understand the world has lots of ideas but very little avenues of exploring them, which is why we’ve created a platform for these ideas to be seen and taken further.<h2>Your benefits&nbsp;</h2>The IdeaJudge badge on your website shows your employees, customers, your competition and other website visitors, your business is invested in creating change and driving innovation. Allowing the new ideas to be shared to social media means that more people know about your business’s involvement in inspiring innovation and change, making them more likely to want to be associated with your brand. Furthermore, it promotes brand love and loyalty in your existing customer base as well as your employees.Included in our service is an email alert service that helps you build a stronger relationship with your customer base, while showing them new ideas they may be interested in. You also see new ideas that can be opportunities to grow your business.Many of the great inventions that we use today started out as looking very ordinary but turned out to be amazing, creating jobs and sustainable businesses, and becoming part of our daily lives, improving our quality of life. IdeaJudge's mission is to promote these ideas and help inspire a worldwide culture of innovation to the benefit of humanity. To be part of this mission - whether you are a big or small business -&nbsp;<a href="https://ideajudge.org/sign-up" alt="join us">join us</a>&nbsp;today.&nbsp;

Should your business be an IdeaJudge member?

In a world where many people are disillusioned with the systems of leadership, it has become the responsibility of private enterprise to try to change the lives of the communities around them. This is why cause marketing corporate social investment has become popular over the last few years.&nbsp;<h2>Cause marketing explained</h2>Cause marketing or Cause-related marketing is a type of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework. It enables your business to assist in solutions to social issues while promoting yourself, your company and making profit in the process. This means your company succeeds while doing good. <h2>What are the benefits? </h2>Making a positive change in society by responding to social issues that affect your core audience appeals to the emotions of your customers. It makes them feel seen and heard, which in turn makes them see your brand as part of the solution to their problems. Connecting to a cause takes more than just choosing a charity. It’s about looking at your customer and audience base and finding out which issues are close to their hearts. This has to be an issue that aligns with your business’s values in order for it to resonate and feel authentic. Customers are more likely to feel connected and be loyal to brands whose values resonate with their own. <h2>Does it work?&nbsp;</h2>In a&nbsp;recent study on post-pandemic consumer patterns, 60% of millennials reported that they’d be more likely to support businesses that have positively impacted communities. After having experienced the challenges brought about by the pandemic, more consumers are interested in what businesses are doing to alleviate some of the struggles experienced by members of the communities that support them. This means that people are more likely to buy brands that do good. <h2>How can IdeaJudge help?&nbsp;</h2>In creating your cause marketing strategy, it may be difficult to find a cause that’s far-reaching and impactful enough, which is where IdeaJudge comes in. The social mission of&nbsp;&nbsp;IdeaJudge&nbsp;is to help inspire innovation for the greater good. Innovation creates economic prosperity and employment, and many other social benefits. By becoming a member of IdeaJudge, your business becomes part of a global community that is helping to inspire innovation, creating economic opportunities and employment for people across the globe. Consumers are demanding that brands are more socially conscious and willing to make a lasting change and impact. In a world where people know that their voices matter, it’s imperative that companies heed this and try to create the change people seek. Companies can no longer afford to not include social responsibility and cause marketing in their marketing strategies. If you are looking to get ahead of this, then <a href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="IdeaJudge" target="_blank" class="on">IdeaJudge</a> is the solution for you, find out more about how it works and how your company will benefit <a href="https://ideajudge.org/how-it-works" alt="here" class="on">here</a>.

What is cause marketing and why should you invest in it?

There are numerous inventors and innovators all over the world that contribute&nbsp;new ideas daily. Unfortunately, many new ideas don’t get to have a shot at being brought to life, because their creators don’t always have the means to show them to the right people.&nbsp;What if we could have a platform that helped creators do this, as well as encouraged businesses (large and small) to look into these ideas and grow their own businesses in the process? This is exactly what IdeaJudge is about.<h2>How does it work?</h2>IdeaJudge is a new platform and <a href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="powerful tool for CEO's and marketing professionals">powerful tool for CEO's and marketing professionals</a> that allows people to view new ideas and inventions from around the world and vote for the ideas they feel have the most potential. IdeaJudge's mission is to help inspire creativity and innovation, creating opportunities for inventors and businesses who bring new ideas to market. Businesses can sign up with IdeaJudge. As a member, you'll be able to show the IdeaJudge badge on your website for your employees, customers and visitors to click on and access your businesses IdeaJudge page. Your businesses IdeaJudge page displays various new ideas in categories you select. It encourages&nbsp;people viewing it to vote on the ideas, highlighting the ideas with potential, inspiring innovation. They can also&nbsp;sign up to receive a weekly email alert from you. This email alert is a service automatically generated by IdeaJudge and it&nbsp;shows subscribers new ideas they may be interested in. It also promotes your business.&nbsp;<h2>Your benefits&nbsp;</h2>Customers and employees like to associate themselves with companies and brands that help make the world a better place in some way. Becoming an IdeaJudge business member means that you are part of a global community where businesses, employees and the public help to inspire innovation for the greater good. You'll increase brand love and loyalty from customers and employees alike. You also see new ideas that can be opportunities to grow your business.<h2 id="h_894012909864152">Benefits to the community</h2>Helping inventors and innovators by exposing their ideas globally to the right individuals and businesses means many more new ideas will become products and services, benefitting society. Creating opportunities like this also empowers more people around the world by providing economic prospects, for example, providing employment. The fact that these new ideas can be shared on social media means that you are directly influencing conversations around making the world a better place and creating new opportunities for people.IdeaJudge is more than just a marketing tool. It’s a <a href="https://ideajudge.org/blog/view/f43ab9a1-8e13-4825-8f99-5d9fdcf843b8/what-is-cause-marketing-and-why-should-you-invest-in-it" alt="social responsibility and cause marketing solution" class="on">social responsibility and cause marketing solution</a> that helps to build new possibilities in a world where so many people need it. Found out more about how it works and&nbsp;<a href="https://ideajudge.org/how-it-works" alt="why your business should join&nbsp;IdeaJudge">why your business should join&nbsp;IdeaJudge</a><a target="_blank" href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="IdeaJudge"></a>.&nbsp;​

Why IdeaJudge?

One Saturday morning some years ago as I was working in my garden, I found it annoying that after putting the trash in a plastic bag, it tended to get overloaded and I could not tie it closed.I wondered if it were possible to get a bag that I could fill up and tie closed effortlessly. In the spur of the moment, I fetched a pair of scissors and started to experiment. I started cutting the top, open side of the bag into different shapes to see if I could create the type of bag I wanted.Eventually, on that Saturday morning, I invented the Quick-tie bag sold by Glad in the USA and other companies in several countries around the world. The product has been a great success since its launch in 1994 and I have earned royalties on sales.My experience taught me how difficult it can be for an individual to get their new idea to the market if they choose to license it to companies. It took about 10 years to get the new bag in the market following my initial ‘aha moment’.The main challenges I faced were:<ol><li>Obtaining patent protection (it cost a lot of money).</li><li>Identifying businesses that may be interested in the new idea (both locally and internationally).</li><li>Getting appointments with the right decision makers (most businesses almost seem not to want to meet with inventors).</li><li>Convincing businesses of the commercial potential of the new idea.</li></ol>The experience was a test to my perseverance and determination to succeed, and I wanted to use my experience to help other inventors. This is what inspired me to start <a href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="IdeaJudge">IdeaJudge</a>.<h2>IdeaJudge’s mission</h2>IdeaJudge’s mission is to help inspire innovation for the greater good.Innovation leads to business growth, job creation and many other social, environmental and economic benefits to society. It creates economic prosperity, helps reduce poverty and improves people’s quality of life.​<a href="https://ideajudge.org/blog/view/f43ab9a1-8e13-4825-8f99-5d9fdcf843b8/what-is-cause-marketing-and-why-should-you-invest-in-it" alt="How does IdeaJudge help with this social cause" class="on">How does IdeaJudge help with this social cause</a>?<ol><li>IdeaJudge enables businesses to show new ideas by inventors and innovators from around the world to their employees, customers, and website visitors. The ideas are covered by patent applications and are shown in a user-friendly format.</li><li>People can vote Yes or No on the ideas. Votes by the global community help to highlight ideas with potential, inspiring innovation.</li><li>The ideas can be shared on social media, helping others discover new opportunities. Employees of participating businesses may discover new ideas that can be opportunities for their companies.</li></ol>Businesses play a major role in supporting IdeaJudge’s social mission and in return, they gain more customers by becoming members of IdeaJudge.<h2>IdeaJudge’s vision</h2>IdeaJudge’s vision is that every business in the world and its employees and customers will become members of IdeaJudge.My personal belief is that the new ideas and innovation that will flow from this vast, global, interconnected community will benefit mankind enormously.Visit <a href="/">IdeaJudge</a> to see how it works and why <a href="https://ideajudge.org/blog/view/5db6e4c6-6736-4beb-903f-da4f5d577df9/should-your-business-be-an-ideajudge-member" alt="your business should be an IdeaJudge member" class="on">your business should be an IdeaJudge member</a>.

The idea that started IdeaJudge

The World Economic Forum lists the following as being the ten major social issues confronting humanity as seen by millennials:<ol><li>Climate change/destruction of nature.</li><li>Large scale conflict/war.</li><li>Inequality - income, discrimination.</li><li>Poverty.&nbsp;</li><li>Religious conflicts.</li><li>Government accountability and transparency/corruption.</li><li>Food and water security.</li><li>Lack of education.</li><li>Safety/security/well-being.</li><li>Lack of economic opportunity and unemployment.</li></ol>IdeaJudge's focus is to play a role in helping to solve the lack of economic opportunity and unemployment, reducing poverty.IdeaJudge enables businesses to show new ideas by inventors and innovators from around the world to their employees, customers and website visitors - inspiring creativity and innovation.Innovation creates economic opportunity, leading to business growth, employment creation and many other social, environmental and economic benefits to society.<h2>The Program</h2>Businesses play a major role in supporting IdeaJudge's social mission. Our vision is that all businesses around the world will become members of IdeaJudge. An unfortunate fact is that it is very difficult to make direct contact with the CEOs of businesses to invite them to join IdeaJudge's mission.To solve this problem, we created a <a href="https://ideajudge.org/friend-to-friend" alt="Friend-to-Friend Program">Friend-to-Friend Program</a>. The program works as follows:<ol><li>A friend introduces IdeaJudge to their friends by email or social media post, asking them to refer IdeaJudge to their company's CEO or Marketing Manager.</li><li>When the <a href="https://ideajudge.org/blog/view/b596481b-09ce-478c-b74d-565eab225332/how-your-ideajudge-page-adds-value-to-your-business" alt="businesses join IdeaJudge">businesses join IdeaJudge</a>, the businesses receive a discount on their monthly membership fee.</li><li>Both the friend who introduced IdeaJudge and the friend who did the referral to their management earn a fee, which they can receive or donate to a charity of their choice. </li></ol>The referral fees provide a monetary incentive, but more importantly, friends who join our Program help to promote our social mission, helping to create economic opportunities for others.To learn more about our Friend-to-Friend Program, please go to the&nbsp;<a href="https://ideaJudge.org/friend-to-friend">Friend-to-Friend</a>&nbsp;section.

Why we have a Friend-to-Friend Program

An IdeaJudge page is unlike any other social page for your business. The value we provide is truly unique and relevant, now more than ever. Here is how we make this happen. Social pages provide visitors with a human perspective of your business, which your website cannot easily do. You can take viewers ”behind the scenes”, showing pictures and videos of your employees hard at work, or just having some fun around the office. They also help tell your story, express your company culture and give updates on your products or services.These are some great benefits, but if you would like to take trust and loyalty toward your business to the next level, <a href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="IdeaJudge">IdeaJudge</a> is the way to go. <h2>What makes IdeaJudge different?</h2>Your IdeaJudge business page provides viewers with a completely different, yet essential perspective of your business. They get to see the “social responsibility” side of your business. Today’s consumers, especially millennials, consider it essential that businesses do more to make a positive difference in the world. They easily switch their loyalty away from a business that does not “go the extra mile” to help solve society’s social and economic issues, to support a competitor that does. <h2>How an IdeaJudge page adds value </h2>Your IdeaJudge page is a <a href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="powerful tool for CEOs and marketing executives">powerful tool for CEOs and marketing executives</a> as well shows viewers that your business is practising social responsibility. It shows you are part of a global community where businesses, employees and the public alike help inspire innovation for the greater good, and create economic opportunities for others. Your IdeaJudge page displays new ideas daily from inventors and innovators around the world. The ideas are covered by patent applications and curated by our expert team. Viewers are encouraged to vote on the ideas they see- creating a global community which highlights ideas with potential, inspiring innovation. Innovation leads to business growth, employment creation and many other social, environmental and economic benefits. Your IdeaJudge page can easily be shared by your employees, customers and website visitors to their social networks. This enables more people to know about your business’s involvement in inspiring innovation and change, making them want to be associated with your brand. IdeaJudge provides you with a fully automated service. Simply display the IdeaJudge badge on your website. When clicked, this badge takes visitors to your IdeaJudge page, where they can enjoy a continuous stream of new ideas. <h2>Additional benefits </h2>In addition to the marketing and brand-building benefits your IdeaJudge page provides, you can also discover new ideas yourself, which can be used to grow your business, You can also display your own products or services on your IdeaJudge page. This expands your advertising opportunities, and also enables your customers to give you valuable feedback. Your IdeaJudge page visitors can subscribe to a weekly email alert service, which sends new ideas in categories of their choice straight to their inbox. This service helps you strengthen relationships with your subscribers, and help turn them into customers. <h2>Why join IdeaJudge? </h2>By showing your business’s social responsibility side through your IdeaJudge page, you make a lasting, positive impression on potential and current customers. You build relationships that grow your brand– all while helping inspire innovation for the greater good.If you are not yet an IdeaJudge business member, learn more about <a href="https://ideajudge.org/blog/view/5db6e4c6-6736-4beb-903f-da4f5d577df9/should-your-business-be-an-ideajudge-member" alt="how this is beneficial to your business" class="on">how this is beneficial to your business</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://ideajudge.org/sign-up">join us today for a risk-free, 30 day trial</a>.

How your IdeaJudge page adds value to your business

When I decided to pursue my new idea, (<a href="https://ideajudge.org/blog/view/43f4a89c-77bb-43ca-9b7e-6b3260864eff/the-idea-that-started-ideajudge" alt="read more about the idea that started IdeaJudge" class="on">read more about the idea that started IdeaJudge</a>), I faced problems.They were:<ul> <li>Money to finance the patent process to protect my product idea. (It was a trash bag that could tie closed easily).</li><li>Getting appointments with the decision-makers in companies that would benefit from my product idea.</li><li>Persuading people of the commercial viability of my product idea.</li></ul>I eventually obtained patent protection in the USA, Europe, Australia, South Africa, and other countries, and licensed the use of my patent to five companies around the world, including the makers of Glad® trash bags in the USA and elsewhere in the world.<h2>A key lesson</h2>After I managed to get appointments with companies interested in my new product idea, I learnt that they thoroughly evaluated the strength of my patent claims to see if they can get around it.When I asked them why they were doing so (and them spending a significant amount of money on patent attorney fees in the process) their reply was: “If we can get around it, our competitors will also get around it. That makes your patent worthless.”Thankfully, they could not get around my patent claims. I granted licenses to them – as well as to companies that approached me – and earned royalties on sales until my patent’s lifetime (20 years) expired.My licensees enjoyed a monopoly and earned significant profits from my patent.The key lesson I learnt was – if someone can get around your patent claims or invent an improvement to&nbsp;your idea&nbsp;– they will do so. It is in an inventor’s interest to find out if their patent provides them with strong protection.<h2>So, how does IdeaJudge help?</h2><ul><li>By showing the ideas of inventors to the public and enabling the public to vote on the ideas, the collective vote helps to highlight the ideas with potential. It gives credibility to the ideas.</li><li>Businesses interested in the ideas can independently evaluate the strength of the patent claims. If they find that a patent license will be valuable to them, they can contact the inventors and negotiate a license. The inventors will struggle less to get appointments. It is very likely that the businesses will approach them.</li><li>If the patents are still pending and not yet granted, most businesses will be prepared to finance the process, because they want the patent protection and the monopoly it provides.</li></ul>Inventors play a vital role in creating economic prosperity and improving the quality of life. Any inventor can contact us should they want their patent or published patent application shown by <a href="https://ideajudge.org/" alt="IdeaJudge">IdeaJudge</a>. For more info on patents, submitting ideas, any other questions you might have check out our <a href="https://ideajudge.org/frequently-asked-questions" alt="FAQ" class="on">FAQ</a> page.&nbsp;